‘Our children thought it was absolutely hilarious we were going to live on a boat,’ are the first words that come out of Karen Ainley’s mouth when talking about her new – and rather unconventional – lifestyle.
With her husband Tony, Karen has spent the last few years exploring 60 miles of the Shropshire Union Canal on their narrowboat Firenze, alongside their rescue cat Mia.
Karen and Tony Ainley are continuous cruisers, spending their time exploring the UK’s 4,700 miles of canals and rivers.
Their story features in the first episode of season five of My Floating Home on More4 – and viewers are given an inside look at their new narrowboat.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Karen says: ‘After living in Italy for eight years, we thought, we’d never been on a narrowboat – let’s get one!’
But while the couple has been enjoying the canal lifestyle since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, they’ve made a big change to their living quarters.
They loved their boat Firenze, but it wasn’t quite perfect.
Instead of renovating, they decided to go all in, and commissioned a fully bespoke narrowboat, designed entirely to suit their lifestyle – which they did within their budget of £184,000.
Karen and her husband Tony, pictured, spend their life on the waterways
Until recently, the pair have spent their time cruising on their narrowboat Firenze
Specialist boat builder Ian Kinvig oversaw the nine-tonne steel hull and the build in Liverpool, and was under serious time pressure to deliver before Karen and Tony needed to head south for winter.
Ian runs a one-stop workshop in Liverpool and oversaw every stage of the process – from the steel needed to build the hull (costing around £40,000) to the £8,000 paint job.
The plan was to have their new boat, Brisighella, delivered to the same spot in Cheshire where their current boat is moored, so they could transfer all their belongings before setting off south for the winter.
Karen said: ‘It’s really made a huge difference to our lives. We looked at changing the last boat and adding the things we wanted, but every job had a knock-on effect. For example, if you wanted a proper cooker, that meant all the worktops had to be changed.
‘It made more sense to go for a new build, exactly what we wanted.’
The couple wanted lithium batteries and solar panels on the roof so they wouldn’t have to worry about running out of battery or energy on Brisighella – named after an Italian town they love.
The couple, who no longer work, took their children by surprise when they said they were moving to live on a canal boat
A new fridge and freezer were also key additions to their new home, as well as the ability to power devices on the boat without turning the engine on.
The pair also installed a hot water tap and full-size oven – plus handmade shutters for the windows and a bed that lifts up, providing storage space underneath.
The galley kitchen was designed to mirror the colour of the boat’s exterior, creating a classy air of style.
The boat can sleep up to six people.
The episode offers a peek at the workshop and process behind the ship’s build.
From the glossy paint colour to the flooring and everything in between, the couple explore the work done to create their very own floating home.
The 60-foot boat was launched in November 2024 – just in time for Christmas.
In the episode, upon seeing his new boat Tony says: ‘She looks first class.’
‘It is a home, as opposed to a house now,’ Karen says.
Karen and Tony thought about refurbishing their boat – but decided to take the plunge
Specialist boat builder Ian Kinvig oversaw the nine-tonne steel hull and the build in Liverpool
The painting of the boat was one of the pricier aspects of the design
What are the perks of their lifestyle? Firstly, Tony explains, is the community.
Karen adds: ‘I think something that would surprise people is how much of a community this is.’
Being immersed in nature is, of course, another huge perk.
There are, however, complexities associated with such a lifestyle.
Not having a car means logistics can be complex, especially when having to take their puppy to the vet.
Moving every two weeks as continuous cruisers means they also have to plan where they are going to be.
‘Water’s not a downside, because it’s planned into our life. But if, for example, there’s a frozen canal, that’s when it becomes tricky.’
Their new boat, Brisighella, has now taken to the waters
The new boat design includes a custom-designed kitchen and modern furnishings
Karen and Tony’s journey is just one of several stories featured in the upcoming series of My Floating Home.
Across the series, presenter Mark Evans will be following the exploits and journeys of people who aspire to live in the ultimate waterside dream home.
Whether it’s individuals, couples or families, each episode will follow the daunting and often very challenging trials and tribulations – not to mention dramas – of fulfilling this dream.
Viewers will see exactly what it takes and how much it costs to live on water – from the initial design plan stages to the complex builds, to being furnished and ultimately being launched on water.
Whether it’s a bespoke made-to-order traditional narrowboat, a state-of-the-art latest high-tech houseboat or even a DIY restoration, the show will document each stage of the build using dramatic aerial drone footage and complex CGI graphics to highlight precisely what goes into making these homes float on water.
My Floating Home airs on More4 on Wednesdays from 8 July, 9pm.
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