Meet the single dad raising his sons on two boats - complete with 'cinema' and study nook

Meet the dad raising his three sons on two boats - decked out with a mini cinema, a study nook and a full gaming area.

Andy Simpson, from Milton Keynes, cruises Britain's waterways with Oliver, 14, Thomas, 10, and James Warner-Simpson, seven - moving locations every two weeks.

The 41-year-old dad moved onto a six-foot wide narrowboat, Inchy, four years ago after splitting from the boys' mum Zoe.

But after her unexpected death six months ago, the trio came to live with Andy - and he realised he needed more space.

He bought a 21-foot long river cruiser which is now towed behind Inchy - although Oliver is starting to learn how to drive.

Andy, an artist, says it has been a "difficult transition" for the family, but that his children are loving the transient lifestyle.

Andy said: “Having this access to peace and nature really reminds people to slow down and take stock. I think it's a great opportunity for them to connect with the world around them and be present.

"Of course they go to school and participate in social activities with mates but when they're home they can take a break from the rat race."

Andy used to live a more conventional life and worked seven days a week to bring in as much money as possible with the goal of securing a nice house and cars for his family, but that all changed when his son Edward unexpectedly died 10 years ago. The toddler, 22 months at the time, slipped in the bath and suffered a serious head injury.

Andy said: "My mental health suffered really badly for a long time after losing Edward. I worked with a therapist and quickly discovered that my definition of success had changed a lot."

He and Zoe separated in 2019, and two years later, Andy moved onto his narrowboat and began to focus on being present in daily life, ideally surrounded by nature.

He said: “By slowing down and being around nature on a daily basis, I feel much more satisfied in my life. My baseline of happiness has risen drastically and the simplicity of this life has really helped my mental health."

In a tragic turn of events, Zoe, 38 at the time, died of an unexpected illness six months ago. Oliver, Thomas and James were left in Andy's care and all moved in with him on the boat.

Andy said: "I lost my mum when I was 16 so I relate to my sons, especially my eldest and want to be there for them. I encourage us all to talk about Zoe, share stories or pictures, to help keep her memory with us. The grief is still so fresh for them so I'm just trying to be sure I'm there for them whenever they need, which I feel I can do better with this lifestyle."

The boys moved onto the boat at different times with Oliver wanting to move in the day after his mum passed, whilst the younger two waited two weeks.

Andy realised three weeks in that more space was necessary to comfortably house all of them so he purchased a river cruiser for his eldest son Oliver, to sleep in.

The cruiser usually tows behind Inchy but in this new canal-living lifestyle, Oliver has taken to learning to drive it himself.

Andy's boating license grants the family access to over 2,000 miles of inland waterways as long as they move every two weeks.

The boys do still go to school and Andy will adjust the boat's mooring pattern to ensure they are never more than a 30 minute drive from school.

Andy also created a small study nook, rigged up a projector to create a mini cinema for family movie nights and set up a full gaming area near the bunk beds.

Andy said: "These elements are some of the boys' favourite parts of the boat and have made the space feel more like a home for them. Sometimes there's nothing more natural than teenage boys fighting over the Xbox controller, which happens in our home as much as any other. Only difference is it can be a lot easier to say we should go out and enjoy the scenery!"

Andy also made modifications to ensure the boat was both comfortable and safe for his sons. He childproofed the edges and installed extra railings to prevent accidents.

Andy said: “We had a few mishaps in the beginning - dropped a couple of things in the canal, had to figure out how to make everything fit in a small space. But we made it work.

“The boat was just for me before, so I had to rethink everything. Now it’s a proper family home. And the boys have taken to the boating life, learning how to steer, tie knots and help with the daily upkeep of their floating home. They’re more independent, more resourceful and we’re closer as a family.

"We don’t have a lot of stuff, but we have everything we need.”

Have you got a video you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at https://www.yourworld.net/submit/ It's free to use and, once checked, your footage will appear on our website.