The cost of living crisis has been thoroughly documented, and for many, a mortgage feels like a millstone. But a growing number of Brits have found an unconventional solution: ditch the house, buy a narrowboat, and embrace a life of perpetual problem-solving.
The BBC took to the waterside in Leeds to see how this aquatic gamble is playing out for a few brave souls.
Ken Tracey, 57, sold his house in Suffolk in 2022, citing the need for "a change in life." The upkeep was "really tricky," he admits, but now he's mortgage-free: "I've not got a mortgage any more, but I own this, so it's safe." However, he's quick to note the "swings and roundabouts" of his new lifestyle.
Ken bought the boat to "live an adventure," but confesses he was unprepared for the harsh realities of boat life. "You're not really prepared for it at the start - things like winter are a different thing," he says. "You've got to deal with a whole load of things that you wouldn't have to deal with if you're in a house. And then travelling around, you've got to solve problems every day."
He describes narrowboat living as "not a land of health and safety," warning that "locks are dangerous places." The technology, he notes, is "a couple of hundred years old now," and it took him over 18 months to "get to grips" with steering. "It takes weeks and weeks of bumping into things, scraping along the side of things, before you can work out the best way to steer it."
The price tag? Ken spent £75,000 on the boat itself and an additional £20,000 on unforeseen maintenance. Yet he still feels it was the right call: "I wouldn't necessarily choose the same path to get here - but I like being here."
Ken isn't alone. The Canal and River Trust reports that, post-Covid, waterways have increasingly become "places of dwelling." Their Boaters' Survey for 2026 shows that in Yorkshire and the North East, just over a third of respondents (34%) use their boat as a permanent home, up from 27% in 2025. Just under half (49%) use it as a temporary home.
Andy Brown and his wife moved onto a narrowboat post-retirement, a decision made easier after holidaying on boats. The loss of their son also influenced their choice. "I'm sure he would have loved to have done all this so he's always at the back of our thoughts wherever we are and wherever we go," Andy says. They traded their Edinburgh home for a custom-built narrowboat and have been aboard for about two and a half years.
"It slows you down and you get to see places you just wouldn't see in a car," he says, highlighting the Leeds Liverpool canal and "skirting along the southern edge of the [Yorkshire] Dales." But while it's a significant downsize, it's not necessarily much cheaper: "It's probably a bit cheaper than living in a house, but not significantly so."
Ken Marshall, from Wakefield, has owned his boat Willow for about eight years and sold his house two years ago to live aboard full-time. Moored at Granary Wharf in Leeds city centre, with his son visiting for a few weeks, he appreciates the community: "I find in general that people you know are very open to talking and helping." Working part-time, he has "no regrets whatsoever." His favourite part? Choosing your surroundings: "I like being here in the city centre, but then I also like to be able to get back into somewhere quiet, where you're surrounded by fields and nature."
Eric Wilson is the newbie, having cashed in his pension to move onto his narrowboat just over a month ago. He found the transition "easy enough," but travelling is tough: "I was supposed to be living the dream, but it's not turned out that way really," he laments. "I was expecting to go off and travel the canal network, but I tried doing a couple of locks and it's too hard for me now. I think you've got to be fit, really." He's hoping to get the hang of locks and steering eventually.
Alex Hennessy, national boating manager at the Canal and River Trust, advises anyone considering the lifestyle to "do [their] homework." He suggests trying a hire boat holiday first: "It's a great way to get a flavour of what life is like on the water... and you can gradually build it from there."
So, if you're tired of rising mortgage rates, consider a narrowboat. Just be prepared for a few bumps, scrapes, and the occasional dangerous lock.