12 days aboard…

[Tree]

Well what can I say? It wasn’t the best experience but easily achieved. I’ve just spent 12 days living on FP2 with some night in sub zero temperatures ( below 32°f for the old school) due to two of my children testing positive for covid. It was agreed with myself and my wife it would be best for me to stay on the boat due to work commitments.

My berth is in a private angling club so facilities were minimum - I’ve been able to shower every day on the boat but using the toilet hasn’t been practical!

It’s been pretty cold but I’ve been on shore power so was able to use an electric fan heater and it doesn’t take long for the cabin to get warm. The only down side is when it’s frosty outside the coachroof hatch condensates and drips on the bedding. Dehumidifiers x 2 couldn’t keep up due to using the shower and a slight leak running through to the main cabin.

Food was limited - microwave meals most nights with the odd steak thrown in. Thank god for microwave vegetable pre packs!!

Entertainment wasn’t a problem. Thankfully I’d just signed up for an unlimited data deal with a network operator and bought a smart tv at the same time so had Netflix etc. Satellite tv subscription was streamed to my iPad.

Would I do it again. Ideally not in the winter but easily in the summer. I would however make some changes to the cushions and have a sheet made to fit them.

Home now - family are all good ready for Christmas.

[Tree]

Also I’d like to add is the need for planning. It may just be a 240 volt issue but I couldn’t run the water heater and a 3kw fan heater at half settings at the same time as it would trip the electric. Little things like that need to be taken into consideration

[Sisu22]

Impressive... maybe the biggest issue is the condensation as you mentioned, in cold weather. Worse so if you use a propane heater in the cabin. But on land in winter we are looking at not enough humidity!

[WillieC]

Sorry for the need to isolate but grateful for the report on living in the boat, in the winter no less.

We are contemplating more long range cruising (in the A25 with two) so your observations are helpful. I hope things return to better for your situation.

[Tree]

Sorry for the need to isolate but grateful for the report on living in the boat, in the winter no less.

We are contemplating more long range cruising (in the A25 with two) so your observations are helpful. I hope things return to better for your situation.

Yep all good now. I’ve spent since the 24th of December up until today slobbing out sofa surfing at home! Don’t think I’d like to be on the boat now although we’ve just had record high temperatures over new year, some days making 16°c but today that all changed and we had the first snow of the winter. I actually think my dehumidifiers may have been my main issue as they’re set to auto mode - once humidity drops to a point they shut down so as not to dry out the area too much. Next time if there is one I’ll leave them on full. One thing I will do is get a memory foam mattress topper I can cut to the shape of the berth. That will make things a lot more comfortable.

[Jeremyvmd]

I did that in shady and it made a world of difference and made a sheet that went over the mattress and pad. Actually loved sleeping on that bed. Glad to hear you survived ur quarantine vacation!

[Tree]

I did that in shady and it made a world of difference and made a sheet that went over the mattress and pad. Actually loved sleeping on that bed. Glad to hear you survived ur quarantine vacation!

I may well be going back. Youngest has just tested positive again - virtually six weeks to the day when he first tested positive