Owl The Lifeboat Owlet The Prequel; TANGO

THE LIFEBOAT RENOVATION SERIES

Welcome aboard the transformative journey of the Lifeboats Owl & Owlet by Place2Float
Fine Art Journal

Grace's

LIFEBOAT
RENOVATION
BLOG


Inspiration: The Story of Owl

The idea was simple...

Men in Hats

Increase my disposable income to enhance financial confidence and freedom to invest into creative projeccts that can inspire others to explore, collaborate, imagine options with no limit.

Men in Hats

Buy a Lifeboat.
Convert it.
Live!

Men in Hats

Turns out, the plan is a lot more complex than the idea but I am beyond excited for the adventure.


Tags

Lifeboats United Kingdom Renovation Off-grid Single-mum Renewable Energy Regenerative Lifestyle Canal Nature Wildlife Alternative Creativity Injury Rants Home


OWL THE LIFEBOAT

January 2016 - Today
Funding, sourcing and converting a Freefall Lifeboat from decommissioned oilrig into a floating home
Little Car on Owlthelifeboat

Lifeboats Lifeboats Lifeboats! I am crazy about lifeboats these days.


OWLET THE PREQUEL, TANGO

August 2019 - Today
Stumbling upon and renovating a pre-production lifeboat into a permaculture floating hub
Hand drawn drawing of Owl external measures

Lifeboat! Why have one when you can have two?

It really was the universe pushing this life on me. £500 for an empty lifeboat. I had almost finished the first. The ad wasn't the greatest. So I left it for month.s... and it just sat there. Waiting for me.... waiting... and waiting.

After an especially fun night with the girls, I found myself in the area. The seller was free. I had no plans. It was an unusually sunny day so I jumped on the train.

As soon as I saw it, I was speechless. The photos did not do it justise at all. Not at all indeed. I bought TANGO that day. On the spot. I named her Owlet the Prequel. Truly the best £500 spent ever. It excitingly was a full circle moment. Owlet was moored in the marina that I couldn't get a space in 2 year before. What a result. There it sat as the months went by. I had plans for this one. It wasn't going to be like the first time around. I had learnt, I had grown... Hand drawn plan of Owlet interior

The irony was not lost on me. These lifeboats were suppose to save me from the 9-5 but instead they were consuming me. I didn't know it yet then...

SPACE 2 FLOAT

August 2022 - Today
** Trigger WARNING ** Side Quest ALERT **
Hardstanding space empty boat space

"Best plan laid schemes o' mice and men!" I really thought I'd learnt from my past failings. I planned support. I check their schedule. I broke down the costings. I created the budget. I checked the calculations tenfolds of times. I waited a few months... I waited. I waited and waited. It was still there. Almost as if it was waiting for only me. Fb marketplace messenging was smooth and easy... The viewing was smooth and easy... Maybe he was too smooth and easy.

So I bought it. £800 for a trailer and a boat. I only wanted the trailer. What a bargain.

Well, the car broke down. That should have been my sign. "No. That's alright. I'll take the bus and two train." It was only a swift 4 hours with my co-pilot at hand. It didn't rain so that was something. It was delivered. It looked great. It cleaned up perfect. Then it rained. That heavy biopolar UK rain. But the uncovered boat didn't fill up. That should have been a sign. A red flag. A burn bush.

The crack in Space2Float's hull

Yeap, you guess it! The boat was put onto the trailer badly. The hull craved in. The cracks were dripping the boat dry.

Just like the monsoon of rain, dripping through the cracks so went 'the support'. The support I had double and triple check was available. The support that was the sole condition of agreeing to this venture. GONE! I can't even be mad about it. Same result different scenerio. When will I learn. I cannot believe I haven't learnt.

A partially covered Space2Float on trailer

The story has just begun......


THE CREATOR

The Plotting Dreamer

Jane

Hi there, It's Grace.


I have an enthauiasm for Lifeboats.
I'm living & learning, failing & growing on my journey to create a Place 2 Float.
Living off-grid by utilising nature's renewable energy in a regenerative mannner
speaks to me on so many levels. However, I have to be honest with you.
It is not without a few challenges.
I'm prone to the frequent side quest and I am not afraid to scrape everything and start over again and again and again.


Join me (...and my co-pilot) on our voyage to create a
regenerative, creativity inspiring Place 2 Float and call our own Home.



Coming Soon

  • Image Welcoming our Co-pilot
    Having a child changes everything.
  • Image Vegan Floating Permacture Platform
    Will it float or sink?
  • Image Raising the Roof. Expanding the Deck.
    When you think you're done but you've only just begun.
  • Image Winter 2025: The Giant Rat Saga
    There a rat onboard what am I going to do?

Get in Touch


Do you have somthing to say? Any tips, trick or suggestion?

DM IG:
@owlthelifeboat
@owlettheprequeltango
... I want to hear it.


Subscribe

Enter your e-mail below and get notified on the latest blog posts.

SUBSCRIBE

Join my mailing list to receive updates on the latest blog posts and other things.