Interesting widebeam

[blackrose]

I'm always interested in anything that's different and got talking to the owner who designed it.

 

70 x 11 ft built by Reeves this year. 150hp hydraulically driven engine, hydraulic bow thruster & (wait for it) stern thruster!

 

 

 

 

Edited July 30, 2012 by blackrose

[Timleech]

I'm always interested in anything that's different and got talking to the owner who designed it.

 

70 x 11 ft built by Reeves this year. 150hp hydraulically driven engine, hydraulic bow thruster & (wait for it) stern thruster!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it heading for Clarence Dock, Leeds?

 

Tim

[Magic Potion]

What armaments does it carry?

[Grace and Favour]

Does it have a bunker mooring - - - - or is it a floating bunker?

[RLWP]

What is the name of the boat? I think she has featured here before

 

Richard

[matty40s]

Ah, yes, the gurgling boat!

It came past me at Stockton recently, seemed to have one of those disco smoke machines emitting mist from the rear end.

Apparently the owner wants to take it to the Rhine and do the Wagners Siegfried cruise....

 

Forum member Oarfish has the original Balhalla, a narrowboat, with a similar raised rear end.

Edited July 30, 2012 by matty40s

[richardf]

Where does his guide dog sleep?

Edited July 30, 2012 by richardf

[blackrose]

Is it heading for Clarence Dock, Leeds?

 

Tim

 

Lechlade

 

What is the name of the boat? I think she has featured here before

 

Richard

 

I think it's "Valhalla", but I might be wrong? It was in a gothic font so it looked like it started with a W.

Edited July 30, 2012 by blackrose

[Athy]

it looked like it started with a W.

....as, arguably, might a description of its designer.

[billS]

Could it be the author of Fifty Shades of Grey spending her dosh?

[richardf]

....as, arguably, might a description of its designer.

 

Brilliant - have a greenie

[RLWP]

 

I think it's "Valhalla", but I might be wrong? It was in a gothic font so it looked like it started with a W.

 

Interesting...

 

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=22552&view=findpost&p=372294

 

Richard

[oarfish]

Yes, It's Walhalla, Germanic spelling of Valhalla in a gothic font. Black on black so hard to read depending on the light. It's sort of a mobile teenage bedroom / heavy metal album cover on the outside. A little more subtle than the sequel though

 

 

There's a review of their new boat up here. I believe they plan on touring the continental canals in it and preferred river cruising to canals, hence the new build.

Edited July 30, 2012 by oarfish

[billS]

Wow - amazing. Does the narrow one dock inside the wide one?

[Tam & Di]

I'm always interested in anything that's different and got talking to the owner who designed it.

 

70 x 11 ft built by Reeves this year. 150hp hydraulically driven engine, hydraulic bow thruster & (wait for it) stern thruster!

 

 

 

He has an interesting way of tying his boat!!!!!! He obviously has great faith that the levels won't change. I'd hate to be on the Rhine with anything like that (it's semblance to a U-boat notwithstanding . ). It is not equipped with any bollards suitable for working the commercial locks of northern Europe - I think it would be positively dangerous.

 

Then 70' = 21.33m which brings him into much more stringent requirements generally, but also he would need to meet specific Rhine requirements. Among other things he would need a blue board for use when being passed starboard to starboard (a regular occurance on the Rhine) and two VHF sets (and ability to communicate on them in German).

 

Edit to say that oarfish's link says the length is 68', but that still brings him into the reg for craft >20m. That link says lots of nice things about the interior, but it is supposed to be a boat, and he purportedly wishes to cruise on the continent. He should have done a lot more research in my opinion, as interiors can be the bees knees, but if the boat is difficult and dangerous to boat with then they will not have the nice time they imagine.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Tam & Di

[blackrose]

....as, arguably, might a description of its designer.

 

Yes, having met the guy, I'd argue with that description. He seems like a very nice bloke.

 

If nobody ever tried anything different how boring life would be...

 

But then this forum does tend to cater for people with no imagination.

 

He has an interesting way of tying his boat!!!!!! He obviously has great faith that the levels won't change.

 

Well, since he was only tied up there for half an hour I think his faith is reasonable.

 

It is not equipped with any bollards suitable for working the commercial locks of northern Europe - I think it would be positively dangerous.

 

Since you're in the know, I'd genuinely be interested to know how many narrowboats and NB style widebeams that you've heard of (without the "right" type of bollards), that have got into serious difficulties and been damaged or sunk, etc? There are also hundreds of sailing boats that come up from the Med onto the French canals - I guess many don't have the right kind of bollards either but most seem to get on ok.

Edited July 30, 2012 by blackrose

[oarfish]

Yes, having met the guy, I'd argue with that description. He seems like a very nice bloke.

 

Same, he was a gentleman throughout the sale and after. Didn't even twitch much when I misjudged a bridge hole in it. Eccentric, but that's doesn't seem exactly uncommon near water

Edited July 30, 2012 by oarfish

[Athy]

Yes, having met the guy, I'd argue with that description. He seems like a very nice bloke.

 

If nobody ever tried anything different how boring life would be...

 

But then this forum does tend to cater for people with no imagination.

Perhaps some of them have a more imaginative approach to colour schemes, for example.

The boat may well be wonderful inside, which after all is where the owners live.

Externally, I don't find it aesthetically appealing and I don't like the way them there beady eyes in the stern doors are lookin' at me.

[blackrose]

 

Edit to say that oarfish's link says the length is 68', but that still brings him into the reg for craft >20m. That link says lots of nice things about the interior, but it is supposed to be a boat, and he purportedly wishes to cruise on the continent. He should have done a lot more research in my opinion, as interiors can be the bees knees, but if the boat is difficult and dangerous to boat with then they will not have the nice time they imagine.

 

You may be right. I still think it's an interesting boat, but personally if I were spending the kind of money they've obviously spent, then I'd have gone for a new build Dutch-style barge like a Piper.

[magpie patrick]

Yes, having met the guy, I'd argue with that description. He seems like a very nice bloke.

 

If nobody ever tried anything different how boring life would be...

 

But then this forum does tend to cater for people with no imagination.

 

 

 

Well, since he was only tied up there for half an hour I think his faith is reasonable.

 

 

 

Since you're in the know, I'd genuinely be interested to know how many narrowboats and NB style widebeams that you've heard of (without those type of bollards), that have got into serious difficulties and been damaged or sunk, etc? There are also hundreds of sailing boats that come up from the Med onto the French canals - they don't have the "right" kind of bollards either but most seem to get on ok.

 

Points in order:

 

I wouldn't want it, but I think the design is adventurous, the rear deck is a semi trad taken to it's logical conclusion (I like that) the front deck reminds me of the basement patio gardens in the Royal Circus in Bath, why have that if you don't have to?

 

Juno has horrible little cleats that will come off at the first sign of any agro, the T studs look to me like that. Given that Europe generally works boat to bank, rather than bank to boat, he could have a problem both on access space and them physically coming out of the deck. Juno weighs 800 kilos, I'm guessing Valhalla weigh's rather more and this may become a problem

 

I think the sailing boats "get away with it" because they are so much lighter.

 

Mike, in some respects I'd trust your boat more than that one if it came to continental use, that isn't an insult, I think yours would be okay (but perhaps not on the Rhine) and because the open decks make access easier

[Guest]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder......

 

this eye however does not behold it.

 

Interesting perhaps, practical no, ugly definitely..

Edited July 30, 2012 by The Dog House

[Chris Pink]

 

Juno has horrible little cleats that will come off at the first sign of any agro, the T studs look to me like that. Given that Europe generally works boat to bank, rather than bank to boat, he could have a problem both on access space and them physically coming out of the deck. Juno weighs 800 kilos, I'm guessing Valhalla weigh's rather more and this may become a problem

 

 

Whereas the aesthetic is entirely a matter for the owner, those mooring points, t-stud and dolly look pathetic for that weight of boat, not to mention awkward to get to and use and completely useless for any larger gauge of rope.

 

It's a good job the summer cold too. It would make a good water heater

 

 

I hope you're feeling better Patrick.

[Albion]

He has an interesting way of tying his boat!!!!!! He obviously has great faith that the levels won't change. I'd hate to be on the Rhine with anything like that (it's semblance to a U-boat notwithstanding . ). It is not equipped with any bollards suitable for working the commercial locks of northern Europe - I think it would be positively dangerous.

snipped

He should have done a lot more research in my opinion, as interiors can be the bees knees, but if the boat is difficult and dangerous to boat with then they will not have the nice time they imagine.

Entirely agree and never mind the northern waterways, even the smaller central ones can be lively when the lockie is less than careful. I can foresee some real struggles to hold that boat with those small, awkwardly placed T studs and the restricted access to them.

 

snipped

 

Since you're in the know, I'd genuinely be interested to know how many narrowboats and NB style widebeams that you've heard of (without the "right" type of bollards), that have got into serious difficulties and been damaged or sunk, etc? There are also hundreds of sailing boats that come up from the Med onto the French canals - I guess many don't have the right kind of bollards either but most seem to get on ok.

I can tell you that I've shared locks with a wide beam nb with T studs of that sort in France where the couple were really struggling to control the boat in the lock. You have no choice where you are placed in the lock as it is the eclusier that says where you will go. You have no choice as to how fast the water is let in. You have no choice about shouting if you're in trouble because, on many occasions, the eclusier returns to his house/cabin to fill in paperwork or just avoid the wait lockside. Sometimes they pack you in with no spare space at all and if you're up the front in that sort of situation with that sort of boat you are going to struggle to hold it. In the case that I am thinking of it frightened the couple so much that they waved us past and deliberately hung back to avoid risking having to share a lock again. Yes, they were still afloat. Were they happy and comfortable? No, definitely not.

Roger

[blackrose]

I thought the black sides plus roof might make their boat a bit hot in summer too, but they said during our recent tropical spell it wasn't hot inside.

Edited July 30, 2012 by blackrose

[oarfish]

I thought the black sides plus roof might make their boat a bit hot in summer too, but they said during our recent tropical spell it wasn't hot inside.

 

The narrow version isn't particularly. It's well insulated and 12" portholes so leave a couple open and its fine. Guessing the majority of heat inside a boat is going to come through the windows rather than via the shell if its insulated. Roof gets pretty hot to the touch though when skipping up and down the gunnels though.