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Richard, Jonathon and Catherine onboard Melissa

Jonathon and Richard Webb are boat builders who have a small boatyard at Pin Mill on the River Orwell.

In June 2008 they were still building Melissa, 14 years after starting.

This might seem like a long time to you and me, but in boat building terms, it isn't when you juggle taking on other work with your pet project. They are determined to finish Melissa so that they can sail in her early next year.

Jonathon and Richard Webb

Melissa, who has so far had ten coats of paint, is a Thames Barge. She has spent about three years in the boatyard and has now been moved out to the river shore on dry supports.

Inside she is in the throws of being fitted out ready for her new cargo - people. There is a bar and the seating is being installed ready for trips up and down the Orwell. The wiring and the mast are still to be finished.

There are seven generations of boat builders in the Webb family. With Lemon and Charlie before them, Jonathon and Richard are continuing the family tradition. Jonathon said: "My father's uncle use to ship build in the middle of the village.

"This area use to be fields. When the ships were finished they would drag them down to the water's edge and launch them."

Living on the water

Jonathon's wife Nicky Webb runs the business of maintaining the moorings on the Pin Mill waterfront. The family live in a boat that Jonathon and Richard built a couple of years ago.

It took them eight months to build the boat. They have lived here for one year and two months.

The bathroom in the houseboat

It isn't what you might expect inside. It's well equipped with water and mains electricity, bath and shower rooms, three bedrooms, and two bunks with no lower bunk so the children can play beneath them.

The view from the balcony on the back is superb. Nicky and I did our fair share of gazing out at the boats on the River Orwell while trying to conduct this interview!

Nicky said: "The view would mean nothing if the people weren't here. The friends we have made here are the most important thing.

"The children have a great time looking for crabs and jelly fish when the tide has gone out. There is great excitement when the weather comes warm and they can bathe along the jetty."Μύ

Working with the tide

The tide is a very important part of this watery experience.

"Occasionally, I misjudge how fast the tide is coming in and by the time I get to the door to collect the kids from school it is right up to the wall by the pub car park. I then have to phone Jonathon and he wades over and gives me a fireman's lift to the ladder that leads to the car park."

Most people who have boats or yachts wait for the tide to turn to either take them out or bring them back into shore. Otherwise you end up getting caught out: "There is quite a safety issue around the mud. The coastguard gets called out when a boat gets stuck in the mud.

"If you try to walk in the mud you sink and don't stop. So if you don't bring your boat in far enough then you get stranded. I have seen the coastguard come over in a helicopter and winch a couple of people out of their dinghy."

View from houseboat balcony

"I have only abandoned ship once and that was in December 2007 when there was a storm. The boat rocks in the wind. I went to my mother-in-law's in the village!

As I sat in the Webb's sitting room looking out at the river, I could just see a short piece of the Orwell Bridge between the trees on either side of the estuary. This gave the me the illusion that the cars were travelling from tree to tree!

Nicky finishes by saying: "I have never felt so at home here on the River Orwell. The feeling of peace and tranquillity is wonderful."

I can certainly see what she means.