A WOMAN who lives on a 20ft micro narrowboat said she’s terrified it might tip over, but revealed a hidden compartment that keeps her safe.
Kat, known as Gentil Lentil’s Green Life on YouTube, shared an insight with her viewers about what it’s like to live on a small boat.
Kat, known as Gentil Lentil’s Green Life on YouTube, revealed what its like to live on a narrowboat[/caption]
The water pump helps remove water from the hull[/caption]
Kat uses weights and an anchor to prevent it from tipping[/caption]
She converts her living room into a bedroom[/caption]
The content creator explained that she fears storms could tip over her 20ft micro narrowboat.
Fortunately, in the video, she revealed two compartments designed to help prevent it from tipping.
One of the compartments, located beneath her bed, contains a water pump that removes excess water from the bottom of the hull.
These are found on most boats and are an essential piece of equipment.
The other compartment holds weights, an anchor and extension leads which help keep the boat stable.
However, the YouTuber demonstrated how she can easily convert her living room into a bedroom, creating more space in the boat.
In the video, viewers can see her using two wooden slats placed between the two sofas on either side of the boat.
Once fitted, she adds three large cushions that serve as a mattress, followed by blankets and duvets to complete the bed conversion.
The content creator’s video has received hundreds of comments from viewers praising her transformation skills.
One user wrote: “That looks insanely cosy.”
“I wish I had thought about arranging the bed differently when I love in a two-berth caravan that is very much like your home,” commented another.
While a third said: “I love your narrow boat. I could happily live there.”
It comes after an artist shared what it’s like to live off-grid in a canal boat where she can save £600 a month.
Shannon Lane, 29, ditched her room in Clapham for a 30ft narrowboat which she cruises in with her pug, Gilbert.
She decided to move on the water after learning her landlord was raising the price of her rent to £1,000 a month.
The freelance artist and video producer took out a loan to buy a £24,000 narrowboat and now spends just £300 a month paying it off.
Ever since Shanon moved, her mental health has improved and she no longer suffers from “bad anxiety and depression”.
Nonetheless, the transition from bricks to a floating home takes adjusting to.
The Narrowboat community is a “tight-knit” community where everyone gets to know their neighbours.
Shanon regularly has neighbours introduce themselves whenever she “moors up” to a different spot.
However, she is always on the move because she doesn’t pay a mooring fee.
She told MailOnline: “It’s important to keep the canal system moving because it makes space for other boaters to enjoy different parts of the canal.”
Constantly being on the move could deter people when considering a life on water but it offers a chance to explore areas of London that would have previously been unaffordable.
Shannon can cruise up to Regents Park or Little Venice and pays a fraction of those living in houses there.
A major downside to living on water is the unglamorous job of emptying the toilet.
The video producer claimed the worst thing to do is leave it too late as the smell can be unpleasant.
She has a cassette toilet on her boat and has to wheel the sliding cartridge to a communal disposal area.
“You can imagine the smell,” Shanon added.
Kat uses two wooden slats to help make her bed[/caption]
She transforms it from two separate sofas into one double bed[/caption]
Kat’s converted bedroom[/caption]
