UK RV Life?

RVing in the UK is popular but very different from the US.

Vehicles tend to be much smaller. They use cartridges to empty waste so you only get a day or so I believe.

Some people do own US trailers/5th wheels etc but less common.

It's not very common to live full time in one unless it's static.
 
I'd love to try a narrow boat for awhile. Lots of locks but it looks fun puttering along at just a few mph.
 
Retro70s said:
How popular is the RV and motorhome living trend in the UK?
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Unlike the US, the UK doesn't have the space for free camping, so most of those choosing to live in motorhomes or caravans do so out of necessity.
Bristol has a large contingent of people living in units parked on the side of the road due to ridiculous property rents in the area.
Even basic campsites in the UK are a lot more expensive than the US, due to high property taxes.
There are people who do live full time as a choice, but not in the same percentage as the US.
Another post mentioned narrowboats, and due to the extra space available, and the availability of cheaper moorings, this is becoming a popular choice.
 
TonyL said:
We rented one last year for a week.
62 feet long to see if we could live on one for 6 months a year.
Don't be fooled, it's a lot harder than using an RV😁
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I can imagine something that long going that slow is hard to maneuver.
 
I think they're ordinarily only 6' wide, although they have some that are wider.
 
Onyrlef said:
I think they're ordinarily only 6' wide, although they have some that are wider.
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For any boat to enter a narrow lock, it must be under 7 feet (2.13 m) wide, so most narrowboats are nominally 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) wide. A narrowboat's maximum length is generally 72 feet (21.95 m), as anything longer will be unable to navigate much of the British canal network, because the nominal maximum length of locks is 75 feet (22.86 m). Some locks are shorter than 72 feet (21.95 m), so to access the entire canal network the maximum length is 57 feet (17.37 m). Exterior height is usually 6 foot 10 inch (2.08 m). Possibly 2 foot to 2 foot 10 (0.6m-0.8m) below the waterline, so you generally have 4 to 4 foot 10 (1.21m-1.47m) above the water line.
 
I can't imagine renting a 70'+ boat to anyone w/o a captain's license. Most newbs have a hard time with a 20' rental.
 
Boat Bum said:
I can't imagine renting a 70'+ boat to anyone w/o a captain's license. Most newbs have a hard time with a 20' rental.
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What kind of captains license? Those boats chug along at 2-3 mph. You can rent a boat over here that is capable of doing real damage and no maritime
license is required.
You can stream videos of folks who have rented the narrow boats, they seem to get the knack after just a few miles. The most difficult thing about it is learning how to swing a bend.
 
Back to the subject of RV's in the UK, I worked with a lot of people from Birmingham who camp and I have been to several of their campgrounds on weekends when I stayed over. Because land is at a premium most don't have room to keep their RVs at home. Most tend to rent lots long term in very nice campgrounds and their trailers are mostly stationary. Which is a very sensible alternative to storage lots.
 
Oldgator73 said:
For any boat to enter a narrow lock, it must be under 7 feet (2.13 m) wide, so most narrowboats are nominally 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) wide. A narrowboat's maximum length is generally 72 feet (21.95 m), as anything longer will be unable to navigate much of the British canal network, because the nominal maximum length of locks is 75 feet (22.86 m). Some locks are shorter than 72 feet (21.95 m), so to access the entire canal network the maximum length is 57 feet (17.37 m). Exterior height is usually 6 foot 10 inch (2.08 m). Possibly 2 foot to 2 foot 10 (0.6m-0.8m) below the waterline, so you generally have 4 to 4 foot 10 (1.21m-1.47m) above the water line.
Click to expand...
Very well explained 👍
 
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