Woodontop

http://greathaywoodboatsales.co.uk/images/pdf_files/Rachel Brochure Main Page.pdf Just seen that Rachel is for sale. 54ft Barney with porthole in the hull.

This thread has been moving along nicely! I haven't been on in a while. Good to see barney's changing hands and people looking them up. It's worth pointing out that if you're having engine trouble Johno at U.C.C knows a lot about Sabb engines and sorted the one in Sutton. I imagine other members of this thread would have recommendations on mechanics who know their way around Sabbs. If you still have a wooden roof and it's starting to deteriorate you can take the outer layer of ply off and replace it. For a long time we were told you couldn't as it was all tied in with the structure but if you work in sections we were able to take all the rotten support beams and ply out and replace with new wood and keep the same shape. Didn't bother with the aluminium strips as less screw holes the better. The person who did ours subsequently shut up shop but I imagine that boatyard at the start of the Aylesbury arm could easily repair a barney roof Hope everyone is looking forward to their barney adventures this coming year and hopefully a couple of us will run into each other.

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/114435228/my-super-little-boatready-to-sail-away.html?link=%2Fadverts%2Flist%2F3725%2Fnarrowboats.html%3Fpage%3D3 Here is another (actual) Barney. We met Gwithian and owners at the top of Foxton Locks once. If I recall it has a 8hp Sabb that has a pressurised oil system. 32ft instead of the usual 35ft. Hopefully someone goes for it.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/NARROWBOAT-PROJECT-/121946105561?nav=SEARCH I think this may be a Barney Hull. Age, Hull thickness and engine would suggest so. Looks like it has been lengthened. Also the cabin has been messed around with.

@Lennyjames, What is the name of your boat? It could have been my parents you met. As for the hull thickness I have 6mm knocking around in my head. But I will check on that. I also found this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Narrow-boat-35-ft-project-/191603844129?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c9c7aa421

That was before it was repaired recently. The piston was in a bad way after the head cracked last year. Been serviced by Ucc. Picking it up at the end of the week.

@RayT I believe that is the one I mentioned before with the portholes. Seeing that photo reminded me that the exhaust was rerouted through the roof. I see the wood is de-laminating. We had that issue when we clad ours in another layer of ply. @Leo When I saw Thyme it had been given a metal roof, I think this was about 3 or 4 years ago. I remember it sat about 4 inches deeper into the water than our boat. Recently uploaded a video of the engine starting for those who like old engines.

It's just fun spotting them out and about and seeing what changes have been made. In Braunston alone I remember seeing, Melanie Anne, which has a metal roof. Melanie Jane, which has a metal roof. Barnaby, which due to a fire has a new cabin top Natwester, which I think has a new name. Also a metal roof. Rachel was around for a while, has a port hole in the hull if I remember correctly. The 3 UCC Barney Boats. Met someone in the Gongoozler's Rest that had saved a Barney from scrap. Somewhere up near Clifton at the time, gave it portholes. Cockney Rebel near crick. Still has a wooden roof. Saw Thyme at the bottom of Foxton. I had heard that there was some kind of Barney Boat register, I guess for all the owners to contact each other. But never seen it.

plaques! oops.

Hi guys, We once stopped at the DDBC to people asking to have a look around/Drop off some items from the previous owner several years ago. We heard some stories of Mr Sherwood and his adventures. The boat still has all of the brass rally plagues. We had to remove one or two as you would remove your skin off your fingers when you changed gear. @Leo, the boat was in good condition, the trip up with the TVO engine was fun. The engine would overheat every couple of hours if anything got wrapped round the prop. The alternator had also packed in so the last leg was a bit interesting as the light died while travelling through Braunston tunnel. The boat had failed it's boat safety, the engine coil had caused severe erosion on the hull so we had to get it over-plated. @Ray T, We originally moved it to Braunston just to have the Engine changed by UCC, we ended up staying there for several years. Now we're up by Foxton. I remember seeing Melanie Jane moored in the marina near the towpath. I also seem to remember Melanie Jane having the steel top put on beside the canal one holiday. I want to say Clifton, but I could be wrong. @Athy, We always get our Sabb serviced at UCC, it's actually just being done as we speak as it was burning through oil. We once went on a joint holiday with our Barney and friends on a UCC Barney. They're steel topped and have a more modern take on the classic interiors.

Hello! Just recently joined the forums and have tried searching for threads on Barney Boats, while I have found the odd one here or there about Sabb engines and dealing with Wooden Tops, I haven't seen one about the boats themselves. I'm interested to hear what people's stories are on or around these boats as they seem to have a bit of a classic car vibe about them. It's always interesting to see what shape these boats have become as owners add new features or battle leaks. I'll start with the boat my family has owned for the past 15 years. Sutton is a 35ft 1975 Barney Boat, which I have been told is a part of the 'Hawksbury Class' narrowboats that Braunston Boats offered. When my Dad bought the boat it was fitted with a Wickstrom 3 cylinder Petrol Paraffin engine, which when you went full throttle you couldn't actually keep up with it. Everything stank of petrol. All the gas appliances were condemned due to the risk of igniting petrol fumes. After a precarious journey up the Grand Union the engine was taken out when the boat was over-plated. The engine was replaced with a Sabb G single cylinder engine that it's sisters were all fitted with. Due to leaks which were there when the boat was bought, we eventually had the top over-clad in another layer of ply. This didn't work so well and recently the boat was taken out of the water and the outer layer of the superstructure was removed and allow to dry in a barn for 6 months. The boat then had a new outer layer of ply added and a new fabric and resin wrap applied. It was decided we wouldn't add the aluminium strips to the sides as less screws meant less places for water to enter. It would be interesting to hear other people's experiences with these boats!