Jim & Clare n/b Avatea

This narrowboat 'thing' has been a bit of a personal journey of discovery for Clare and I - it's been challenging enough to bend our heads around some of the practical stuff about narrowboat life - cooking, heating, being safe, mooring-up.... so when it came to envisioning our future, (older!) selves living-aboard, we needed help. We were assured and extremely grateful to Braidbar for navigating us towards a finished article that met our (partly known at the time) needs.

 But....what a 'finished' article it was! On 'handover day', It was an emotional experience seeing the newly completed interior and immaculate exterior we were about to introduce to the unforgiving Peak Forest stonework.

Since that time...and having now enjoyed the boat for eight months (...mostly as a holiday destination, meeting place for family and 'office' from 'office'), I can't think of a single design aspect we'd change. It all just works, horribly, horribly well. At the design stage, whilst Braidbar never outright refused our whims, some of our more outlandish ideas were managed back to reality sensitively....ultimately, we got the boat that we wanted, even if we didn't know it at the time. (We still managed to get the solid oak floor though...not as practical as the alternative, but we accept the scratches!).

Some of the bits n' bobs we are particularly pleased with include stuff like the thermal-break portholes, which have stayed almost mist-free during colder days aboard and flood the light; the logical, simple layout of the kitchen (it feels more like a 'kitchen', not a galley so that's what I'm calling it!)...and particularly the woodwork, which is solidly crafted, functional and timeless.

It's reassuring that we've not (yet) had a malfunction or breakdown of what is really quite a complicated lump of technology. It's testament to the use of well known kit (Beta Hybrid), good quality ancillary bits and again...the time and care taken in commissioning, and testing. Complicated? Yes...but also something I can engage with.... I have, with a bit of guidance and some pride, been able to service Avatea myself. And I always get a kick out of a 'free' cruise, thanks to the solar. Here's to many years of fun, freedom and felicity!