A float on Miracle - 20ft narrowboat

I would expect in general the boats you see doubled or tripled in the canal or river know each other and are together for convenience. In emergencies or when there's no options then its also acceptabel to use anothers boat to cross over to the land but refrain from looking in doors or windows its a HUGE NO-NO

haha yes, after all its people lives you are looking in on, equivilent is climbing into someones front garden and cupping your hands to the glass, not socially acceptable!
Theres plenty of 'cut etiquette' and it varies between the regions, but generally use your common sense and it'll be fine.I've found genuine canal folk are amongst the friendliest and most generous there are (wheras the land based nomads in caravans with wheels are mostly miserable stuck up types).
I'm not sure I'd be able to live on such a small boat, I have too much 'stuff'. When I was looking at boats I was looking at a 60-70ft liveaboard + matching butty with front converted for workshop space. Live-aboard for me & mates, butty for all my junk!

AFAIK you can get small diesel outboards which make a fair amount less noise (and use less fuel) if you ever get bored of the relentless buzz from the petrol job ;)