Concrete hulled houseboat, Shoreham Beach, West Sussex

Image: © Roger D Kidd Taken: 31 Dec 2009

There are more than forty available numbered mooring facilities on this tidal stretch of the River Adur at Shoreham Beach. These are occupied by a bizarre selection of houseboats, many constructed by attaching improvised living quarters, or even a prefabricated mobile home onto a variety of old hulls. Few are conventional boats in structure. Several are artistic, almost surrealist in appearance. Much evidence of the DIY nature of the vessels' development lies around the boats in the form of stored (or discarded) materials. However dishevelled some of these houseboats appear, they are homes, and should be respected as such. Poverty must not be an automatic assumption. This lifestyle is relished by some people. Then there is the little problem that a mooring spot here can now cost as much as £200,000 before a boat is even brought here. There has been a community living here in this way for many years. There are several interesting websites giving information on the history of some of the boats. An archive list dating from 2010 can be seen here: https://web.archive.org/web/20101118031826/http://www.shorehamhouseboats.co.uk/wiki/Main_Page

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