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Staying Afloat

Jess can’t get on the property ladder, so she’s bought a 30 foot boat. Will life on England’s waterways work out for her?

Jess is a gutsy 35-year-old from Luton who has found an unusual solution to her housing problem. Faced with an ultra-competitive rental market and unable to get a mortgage, she’s decided to trade in bricks and mortar for life on the water.

In this film, we follow Jess as she buys a 30 foot boat and joins the growing number of young people choosing life on Britain’s canals over climbing the housing ladder. With property prices growing exponentially over the last few decades, it is now estimated that one in three millennials will never own a home. Jess is just one of many young people who have found resourceful answers to the uncertainties this throws up.

We chart the ups and downs of Jess’s new life, following her up the Grand Union Canal towards the River Ouse, as she realises how difficult life on a boat can be. From electricity to water shortages to engineering problems with the vessel itself, Jess learns that staying afloat is seldom easy.

We also meet Stuart, a travelling boat engineer. He spends his day trying to help boaters in trouble - from sinkings to fires, Stuart has seen it all - but he is struggling to keep up with the demand.

29 minutes

Last on

Mon 7 Mar 2022 20:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Executive Producer Nisha Lilia Diu
Executive Producer Sarah Trigg
Commissioning Editor Aisling O'Connor
Director Charlotte Charlton

Broadcast

  • Mon 7 Mar 2022 20:30