Houseboat holidays can be every part as relaxing, peaceful, and stress-free as you imagine them.
However, a few mistakes, which can quite easily be made by the novice houseboater, can quickly turn your dream holiday into an uncomfortable disappointment.
Here are three things to avoid when planning a houseboat holiday.
Not knowing how long you can or should go for
If you wanted to, you could live on a houseboat for in excess of a year, but you won’t be able to live there comfortably for even a day without proper planning.
Of course, the perfect holiday length is always up to the individual, however, when considering how long you can or should be on your houseboat for, remember the following:
- Your comfort level
If you are on a luxury boat with proper showers, kitchens, and laundry facilities, you will be able to stay infinitely longer than if you are on a basic boat. You can’t and shouldn’t rely on the marinas that you visit to be able to provide you with these types of facilities. - Boat maintenance
In most cases, a boat will need to return to a marina every 3-4 days to collect fresh water and to pump the holding tanks. Therefore, planning a trip that doesn’t include regular marina visits is just not possible.
Thinking that squeezing in a few extra people will be ‘no big deal’
Unless you’re renting a luxury ocean liner, the chances are that your houseboat will be a little small. Well, maybe not absolutely tiny, but it will probably not have ample space. As such, you may want to think twice before saying yes to one, two, or five extra friends when they request a spot.
Not having extra people on your houseboat is also important for other reasons. Firstly, the number of life jackets and the size of the life boat will be mapped to the maximum capacity of the boat.
Secondly, supplies like water and fuel will also be calculated on a weight ratio that relates specifically to the number of people expected on that boat.
On a houseboat, squeezing people in is always a big deal – just don’t do it.
Thinking you won’t run out of food
Unlike regular urban travel, the likelihood that you will pass a convenience store on your houseboat is slim to none. In addition to this, when the scenery gets a little boring, houseboat guests often go looking for a snack.
Meticulous planning is essential from a meal perspective on your houseboat. Prior to leaving the first port, ensure you have all meals planned, plus a significant buffer should any wastage occur, or in case you don’t reach the next marina when planned. Nothing can ruin an otherwise enjoyable trip like ravenous hunger.
A little research and some thorough planning can ensure that your houseboat trip is every part as amazing as you envisioned it to be.
