From luxury home to narrow boat

Marie and Geoff rescued the 70ft barge and carried out all the renovations

When financial disaster struck, Marie Browne and her family were forced to move out of their executive home into a dilapidated barge on the River Cam.

Faced with possible bankruptcy, Marie decided to give up their creature comforts and sell everything; house, cars and designer shoes.

The family faced a completely different way of life on board their new home.

Marie said: "It was unnerving to be rootless, but after a few weeks it became a real selling point."

In pictures: New life for old barge

Reality check

Based in the rolling hills of Malvern in Shropshire, Marie Browne and husband Geoff seemed to have it all. An expensive house, two cars, three children, several holidays a year and an IT company that funded their comfortable lifestyle.

But one day in 2005, life as they knew it changed dramatically. Providing IT support to MG Rover, they were completely dependent on the car manufacturer for their income. When Rover collapsed, Marie and Geoff went into panic; they were faced with thousands of pounds of debt and they didn't have any savings.

You cope with less stuff and realise how much you don't really need. We didn't bring many toys and the kids preferred being outside making things Marie Browne

Marie said: "We got lazy, and we relied on Rover. But after they collapsed things got tight immediately. All our eggs were in one basket and we were sitting in a heap of bills.

"Incomprehensible noises went through my head, I couldn't understand where my life had gone. I kept thinking it was a joke, expecting things would somehow work out."

After the initial shock, lots of crying, and talks with the bank manager, Marie decided it was actually a superb opportunity to have a complete change of life.

"We decided that we would sell everything that we possessed. Everything that could move was sold: the cars, house, furniture and clothes."

After paying off their debts Marie and Geoff had enough money left to buy a dilapidated narrow boat, which they planned to renovate and live on as a family. But the reality of what they'd done soon kicked in.

Pigeon poo and grease

Their new 70ft home was called Happy Go Lucky, but the atmosphere on board was far from happy to begin with.

The 'floating coffin' before renovations, covered in mould and grease

"It wasn't a good narrow boat it has to be said, she was more like a floating coffin. It was like driving a pencil with cabins in it, and that was all we had."

Marie's eldest daughter decided straightaway it wasn't for her and went to live with relatives before going to university. Marie's second daughter was also sceptical, but moved in once renovations were complete. So it was just Marie, Geoff, their young son Sam and their ancient, smelly dog who moved on board initially.

In pictures: See the transformation of Happy Go Lucky

The boat was stuck in a shed in Rugby, and Marie recalls the condition it was in: "It was listing to the left and covered in pigeon poo. I remember the mousey, musty smell so well. It was full of blackened books, there was mould in the bathroom and everything was covered in a fine film of grease.

"Every day we thought 'what have we done?' I had one horrible moment when I told Geoff I didn't want to do it anymore, and he said 'too late, it was your idea!'"

Marie admits it felt like they were running away: "We were trying to put it behind us and get away. But the children wanted to know what we were doing was right. So the more I told them we knew what we were doing and were having a good time, the more it became true.

The main cabin of Happy Go Lucky after some TLC from Marie and Geoff

"The first three months were hellish. We didn't have any washing facilities, no bathroom, no storage. We packed as little as we could but we'd forgotten so many necessities. We had 100 books but no can opener."

It was a completely overwhelming change for the family. Suddenly there were no restrictions on where they had to be. They took a leisurely three weeks to take the boat from Rugby down to Cambridge, and began to enjoy the feeling of not having a base.

Marie thinks many people would find it difficult to live on a narrow boat, but she is amazed at what they've become used to.

"Everything has to have two uses - a box of books is also a stool or a step. You become aware of the resources and power you use. If you have to pick up water manually that becomes an eye opener.

"You cope with less stuff and realise how much you don't really need. We didn't bring many toys and the kids preferred being outside making things."

Charlie and Sam are now converted boaters and love their life on the river

Marie says she wouldn't go back to her old lifestyle. They sold Happy Go Lucky and moved into a house for six months so that Geoff could retrain as an electrician, but they pined for life on the river again.

Marie said: "The the whole family voted that we couldn't take it and we bought another boat, which is even worse than the first one!"

In pictures: See the transformation of Happy Go Lucky

Marie has written a book about her family's experiences on the River Cam. Narrow Margins is published by Accent Press, available from September 2009.