All aboard for a life of luxury

It's highly unusual for a "liveaboard" but a proper kitchen was a must-have on the bespoke 60ft long, 13ft wide

wide-beam barge.

It's the country's first boutique hotel boat and was the getaway vehicle that rescued Nick Mead and Gina Alexander from the rat race and took them to the Leeds Liverpool Canal and a new way of life. Nick, 52, was manager of a global team that monitored footfall in shops, while Gina, 54, was practice manager of a large dental surgery. "It got to the point where we thought, 'Stop the world we want to get off'," says Gina.

After hiring a narrow boat, they came up with the idea of launching a floating hotel to cruise the canals. Although they both lived in the South, Nick suggested their new life should be up North. "The Leeds Liverpool is the most stunning canal. Most are low down so you don't have good views, but this one follows the contours of the land. Brindley did a magnificent job designing it," says Nick.

"It's also wide and underused. We are almost twice the width of a narrow boat and we can only use half of the canal network. A lot of canals are only 6ft 11in wide."

Making their dream come true proved more difficult than they imagined thanks to their exacting design brief. The kitchen had to be large enough for catering, space for guests was crucial, as was storage, sufficient power and high water pressure.

"We struggled to find a boat builder because we really pushed the boundaries and almost everything is bespoke,"

says Nick.

They eventually found Milburn Boats who did the fit out and Graham Reeves who made the hull in Daventry and together they scored a series of firsts. Lady Teal is the first canal boat to have a marine sunroof – usually found on super yachts. The engine and hydraulic drive is at the side rather than the rear of the boat to maximise space.

"By doing that and having a short stern deck, we've gained 15 per cent more space inside than if we had a conventional design," says Nick.

The engine charges batteries hidden under the floor and a diesel generator provides back-up electricity. "Our electricity

needs are huge compared to a normal liveaboard. We have all the big appliances, hairdryers and TVs for guests but our fuel bills aren't too bad at 25 a month," says Nick.

While the running costs are low thanks to the batteries, the initial outlay was high – the boat cost 250,000 and the five batteries were 2,000 each. But they got what they wanted including some ingenious space saving elements. At the front is a storage area with pull-down bed that Nick and Gina sleep in when they have guests. The three guest bedrooms have everything a top class hotel might have except for square footage – there is a tiny wardrobe, drawers, make-up mirror, lap tables and beds with rounded edges – to stop guests catching their knees on the corners.

The contemporary en-suite wet rooms are 3ft by 2ft with specially small sinks, LED lit shower heads and frosted glass doors to bring light and a feeling of space. The Swedish Jets toilets – also squeezed in there – use only half a litre of water per flush and macerate waste, so they are less likely to block.

"We sourced them from the internet after a lot of research. It's the first time they've have been used inland. They're usually used on oil rigs, cruise ships and nuclear submarines," says Nick.

The large sitting room at the back of the boat is multi-functional. It's a sitting room, dining room and study. The corridor houses bookshelves and there are underfloor lockers. Even the top of the Lady Teal is fully utilised and becomes a sit out area when the boat is moored.

Nick and Gina, who have grown-up children, moor up everywhere from Reedley in Lancashire down to the Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton and their "city pad" Clarence Dock. It's not always easy on such a wide boat and Gina is regularly given a standing ovation from onlookers as she navigates the 40-ton boat through locks.

"We've had a lot to learn but we love it," says Gina. "There are a few niggles like forgetting where you've left the car and finding hairdressers and dentists. I also miss my friends, but the canal community is so friendly and life runs at a slower pace."

Nick adds: "We have no regrets at all at leaving the old life behind. We enjoy the company when guests come on board and we are thrilled with the boat. I like to think of it as the canal equivalent of a luxury liner."

Lady Teal offers short breaks and holiday cruises, www.ladyteal.co.uk, tel: 07834 320199.

YP MAG 6/11/10