Single dad Andy Simpson, 42, is now raising his three children on the boat
The father-of-three moved onto the boat after family tragedies(Image: Jam Press)
A single father-of-three swapped his four-bed house to live on a narrowboat after family tragedies changed the course of his life. Andy Simpson, 42, is now raising his three children – Oliver, 14, Thomas, 10, and James, seven – on a boat based along the Grand Union Canal, which stretches 137 miles from London to Birmingham.
The family previously lived in a conventional four-bedroom house, but following a family bereavement and a divorce from his ex-wife, Andy decided he wanted to start fresh somewhere new. That was when he found what he described as the ‘perfect’ narrowboat, which he immediately purchased.
“We used to be a typical family in a typical home,” Andy, a content creator with more than 72,000 followers, told What’s The Jam. “Bricks and mortar, lots of space, lots of stuff, and a life that looked ‘normal’ from the outside. But I was working all hours imaginable in a photography business and after my 22-month-old son Edward died suddenly, I knew something had to change.”
Andy with two of his children(Image: Jam Press)
Andy added: “I needed to find a way to work less and live more – my ex-wife and I divorced, and I was struggling with my mental health. I found therapy in nature and began focusing on my own wellbeing, being outdoors more, and stepping away from a life centred on money and possessions. The boat offered freedom, simplicity, and space to heal.”
Andy had been spending £1,500 a month on rent in his previous home and began researching narrowboats, which he discovered were ‘a fraction of the cost’. While he isn’t comfortable sharing the amount he purchased his 50ft boat for in 2021, he says they range between £30,000-£50,000.
His monthly outgoings have been slashed as a result, with the dad paying £600 in total. But it isn’t money that made the new way of life appealing, though it has taken some adjustment. “At the start it was hard, I was a terrible helmsman and panicked every time I saw another boat. Everything is smaller, nothing is instant, and there’s a steep learning curve. Simple things like water, power, heating, and toilets suddenly require thought and effort,” Andy said.
Andy said there is not much that the family misses (Image: Jam Press)
In September 2024, his ex-wife and the mother of his children passed away, and the children went on to live with Andy full-time. He said: “By the time the boys came to live with me full-time, I felt I had mastered the lifestyle and knew my boat well. But doing this as a family is like starting all over again, everything changes and we’ve had to work it out together as a team.
“This life has been shaped by a lot of grief, but it has also been the thing that saved us. Space is the biggest challenge, especially with three boys.” His eldest son, 14-year-old Oliver, now even has his own 27ft river cruiser. He said: “We tow and moor it alongside the main one. It’s a small one, but I felt it was important for a teenager to have his own space and privacy.”
Surprisingly, there is not much the family misses, except from a bathtub. “Other than that, this life feels perfect for us. The best part is the nature, on the boat we aren’t observing nature, we’re living in it, part of it. Even when we’re in the middle of a city, we wake up surrounded by water, trees, and wildlife. Life feels slower and more connected,” Andy said.
The narrowboat sits along the Grand Union Canal(Image: Jam Press)
“The boys spend more time outside, climbing trees and getting muddy. Not a day goes by that we don’t end up covered in dirt, and that’s exactly how life should be.” Andy says his children also love growing up on the boat. “Their lives are more adventurous. “They’ve learned resilience, having suffered more grief than any child should, and they’re learning responsibility and practical skills most children never experience,” he said.
“They’re closer to nature, more independent, and deeply connected to each other. Who knows what the future holds. Right now, I can’t imagine not being on a boat, even if it’s a bigger one. That said, off-grid living has so many forms and I’d love to experience them all. Maybe an off-grid community, van life, or something else entirely. Whatever comes next, it would have to be in nature and off-grid.”
