There are many kinds of houseboats so it is important to establish which one will be the right one for you. Knowing its purpose will help you to choose the right size, age, style and configuration of house boat to best suit your needs. Below are the different styles of liveaboard boats you can get:
Pontoon - This type of live a board is popular for its stability, practicality, and reasonable price. They are flattish boats made mostly from marine-grade aluminium, while other styles are usually made of wood, fiberglass, steel, and plastic. A pontoon is a great option for a vacation houseboat. They are safe, easy to operate, and require little maintenance. They can be ideal for exploring the waters.
Dutch Barges – Dutch barges are large boats that can either be permanently moored or moved about. A Dutch barge is the most common houseboat style because they have significant storage space and can accommodate up to 10 people. Dutch barges are wider than usual barges and can provide better accommodation due to their extra width. But because of these reasons, these kinds of barges must only be moored on rivers and not in canals.
Widebeam narrowboats – Widebeam narrowboats are an ideal choice for those considering living aboard full time and who are not worried about cruising every inch of the canal network. Narrowboats are usually 6ft 10” wide but widebeam narrowboats are generally between 10ft to 12ft in width. The most obvious advantage is the additional living and storage space. The inside of a widebeam can look like and have the feel of a small apartment rather than a boat. Widebeams are available in cruiser, semi-traditional and traditional sterns. There are four main ‘cruising grounds’ for the widebeam owner: London and the South East, East Anglia, the Severn waterways and The Trent and North.
Converted houseboat - As well as those above, any former tug, ferry, fishing vessel, lifeboat or large seagoing craft has the scope to be converted into a liveaboard provided it can be placed in the right location.