Which canal are you on at the moment?

(I also live on a boat and think about blacking as soon as anyone mentions maintenance costs!)

I'm in London at the moment, as are many boaters. It's a bit overcrowded here.

I am pretty sure that

> We live on around £5 a day

from article is a big misunderstanding or a blatant lie.

But what kind of minimal funds are needed to pay for a boat, fuel, repairs, docking fees etc. Can it be cheaper than renting/owning flat?

For canal boating, absolutely. Maybe 20-30k for a cheaper boat. Can moor for free. Coal and fuel maybe £100 a month each, depending on how much you travel/if you have solar etc. You do need to black your hull every few years, but they’re generally sturdy and don’t need much more than that.

Yachting, I have no idea.

Do you move between countries a lot? Is your passport typically checked?

Yes, usually, but it depends on the country. On top of normal travel visa you also need to make sure your boat is documented from the country of origin and often are required to pay some form of tenporary import fee for the vessel as well. Different places have different rules, some (such as French Polynesia) let you extend your visa up to a year or more if you visit by boat but then you will need to sail elsewhere before you are able to come back.

I suppose you don’t have to declare that you are in a country you visit by boat, but the consequences of not doing so could be extreme if you are unlucky and caught by the local authorities

Yes, I've been very curious about real world experience of passports in this lifestyle.

What's the internet situation like? I hears Starlink for boats is coming but costs an arm and a leg...

Near shore, LTE hotspots and/or Starlink RV are feasible options (or, in a marina, there's often marina and/or municipal WiFi around)

I imagine the response rate to this AMA is telling of the reliability

Canals, I use 4G for everything. Do market research and find the best provider. It's difficult but not impossible to web dev.

What kind of boat? What maintenance costs per year? Whats your favorite country for sailing?

Are you typically moored or a cruiser? What do costs look like? How do you support yourself?

Motor or sail?

Diesel Engine. A bit diesel HR2 that I had to take apart once!

are you moxie marlinspike?