text: A grandfather who couldn't afford his own cruiser has come up with an innovative solution - putting his caravan on a boat and taking it out on the water. Peter Thurston, 80, takes his vessel, dubbed the 'catamavan', out on the River Swale in Kent regularly and enjoys the views of the countryside. He says his small yachts were too cramped for leisure cruising, and he couldn't buy a bigger vessel, so two years ago he built the caravan boat to take his mind off his recent divorce. Bizarre: This 'catamavan', a cross between a boat and a caravan, has been spotted on the River Swale in Kent . The catamavan has an oven, fridge freezer, shower, toilet, double bed and two tables, and it is fitted with a small engine that reaches four knots. Hundreds of two-litre bottles fill the twin hulls, so the boat won't sink even if it gets a hole as he travels up and down the same stretch of river. Mr Thurston said: 'I wanted something that had a nice, stable platform and was really comfortable because all my boats are quite cramped. 'I've got a number of yachts and if you have ever been in a yacht you will know that you can never see out the window. Project: Peter Thurston started building the unusual vessel while he was doing through a divorce . 'In the Swale you get lovely nights and mornings but sometimes it's a bit cold to sit outside and have a meal so you eat below deck and don't get any views. 'I couldn't afford a cabin cruiser, the sort of thing you need to have big windows and eat outside, so this was a better alternative because I didn't have to spend so much money and I could make it whatever size I wanted. 'I sleep on it regularly during the summer but in the winter it's quite cold, although I do check on it regularly.' Peter says he spent around £4,000 building the hull and added: 'Most of it was done flat pack at home. 'Then I took the catamaran down to the ship yard and we lifted the caravan onto it. 'It is not intended to go fast and it only has a small engine but it still goes about four knots. 'I also did it because when I was down at the harbour all day working on my boats it would give me somewhere to stay the night. 'You are allowed to anchor anywhere along the Swale unless it is a restricted area and there's nothing wrong in what I've done.' The father of four keeps the catamaran anchored in Conyer, Kent, which is 19 miles away from his home in Herne Bay. Mr Thurston said he started his project after the break-up of his marriage and began building the boat in his front garden before moving it to a local boatyard. 'I started building it as a bit of a distraction really,' he said. 'It gave me something to focus on because things weren't going well back home. Home: The catamavan cruises up and down the River Swale in Kent, near Mr Thurston's home . 'I used to build paragliders and para-motors and I have always worked on boats, but I wanted to do something a bit different.' A spokesman for the Marine and Coastguard Agency said it was unclear whether or not the vessel is legal, but added that it appears to be seaworthy. She said that officials would only investigate Mr Thurston if they receive an official complaint.
target: John Thurston started building the bizarre vessel while getting divorced .
  He took the hull of a catamaran and placed the caravan on top .
  The 80-year-old enjoys cruising up and down the River Swale in Kent .