Narrowboats are very popular in Europe especially England, France and Germany where they are predominately used on the river. They are like homes on the water in many ways, so yes they certainly do require regular maintenance. This includes vacuuming, cleaning windows, wiping surfaces, oiling furniture and painting, but then of course there are bigger jobs involved, such as lifting the beast out of the water and having it sanded down and having the underside repainted completely so that is ready for the river again. This is a once every year job but it is a big task and it can cost a considerable sum to have this work done for you, but everything requires maintenance, from the engine to the interior, so you do need to factor this in when making a decision on whether to invest in a narrowboat.