Sally Grim

I haven't realised that CO could be accumulating in one end of the boat. A scary thought!

We have only got the one by the stove. And an eco fan too. I thought it would pick up the CO first. (The alarm, not the fan.) We need to go shopping another one, I see.

We had ours a year ago, and also got a pdf from the surveyor on e-mail.

We had our first hire from Wyvern (in 2013, i think) . They certainly took us through the first lock. I would be very surprised if they have changed their routine.

The Wyvern boats we hired had a useful cupboard with a shelf on top under the gunwhale opposite the kitchen. https://www.canalholidays.co.uk/our-boats/2-berth-narrowboats

Isn't carbon monoxide heavier than air? Or do I remember wrongly?

If you think you just need 180 liters, can´t you just make a habit of filling the tank half-full? And leave the tank as it is? I imagine that if you at some point would wanting to sell the boat, a small water tank would be a minus.

I know it is not what you are looking for, but if you ever should reconsider: Canal Cruising Company in Stone also has a couple of boats for long term hire. https://www.canalboatlongtermhire.co.uk

And don't take it for granted that you can get a meal in a pub Sunday evenings. Some pubs serve Sunday Roast at lunchtime/early afternoon, and then close the kitchen. Our first Sunday dinner out hiring ended in self-cooked pasta on board. But do try to have a Sunday Roast somewhere nice!

Before the first time we hired, we had a browse through the boater's handbook and found it helpful: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/141.pdf Have a lovely, relaxing holiday!

Congratulations - it looks lovely!

Thank you. The list is very useful, but year 2000 is a while ago now, although I appreciate that to an owner of 1936-boats it seems quite modern! So if anyone have an newer version, please share!

Hi, Alan! That's something I have wondered; how do you know when an index number was issued?

The boats we´ve hired have had gas boilers for hot water. So we didn´t need to run the engine to get a shower. But it probably varies from company to company - we haven't hired from Clifton cruisers, so I don´t know about them. I would recommend you to get one of the canal guides for the area. Nicholson´s or Pearson´s. It tells you where everything practical is (locks, shops, pubs, water taps, garbage bins,...), and it also help with planning and preparing the trip.

Hi, Alan F! Since yesterday, I have thought a lot about your candid comment. And in a way you are dead right. Not that I havn't thought a lot about what sort of boat I want - I have. But, because there are relatively few of them on the market (they all seem to be 57 ft trads), I have started to let my requirements slip. And the ones we like often have a large price tag to them. So little by little, the budget has stretched too. So thank you for pointing that out, it was really helpful in bringing me back on track!

Why is that? Aren´t cruiser stern boats normally weather proof? I think that looks very nice, Alan.

I have thought quite a lot about it, actually, and the ideal boat would be 48-50 ft (52 at the most). I wouldn't go down to 40, because I don´t want to make up the bed every night. It would be a cruiser or a semitrad, as we mostly will be two on the boat, and that would give us more room for both of us when cruising. As to reverse or traditional lay out, I reserve judgement. Reverse layout looks nice, because it gives easier contact between the one at the helm and a person inside the boat. But I haven´t tried it. As to the big question, cassettes seems more flexible, so I would prefer that, but I don´t think that should be the most important deciding factor. But the most important aspect for me is to get a boat in good working condition, which doesn´t need a lot of repairs, overplating, TLC, etc in the overseeable future. I do not want a project. And the engine must look nice and clean. And I have searched this forum a lot to try and learn, and there is so many people who says that they end up with a boat quite different from their initial requirement. So i try not to narrow my searches to much. I might seem a bit undecided (or quite a lot, some may say), but I am actually starting coming to grips with this. I hope.... ;)

It was my thought too, that Eventide is a nice boat, but too expensive, given that it is 18 y.o. Lots of quality details, but still somewhat old. So I´m in a way glad to hear that my novice opinion was not far out. Of the three I actually like Honey B the most. It looks like someone has enjoyed it. And as I said, I like boats to have a feel to them. But it is a bit over budget. Which we have already stretched from what we started with. And it also is longer than what we planned for (appr. 50 ft). So I would greatly appreciate any further comments on Honey B. Is there any warning signs that I need to be aware of?

I also wish for a multi fuel stove. But apart from that, Eventide looks so very lovely. Most of what we are looking for, even a washing machine fitted. We probably can´t do better, unless we build one ourselves. But the odd thing is, I don´t feel the urge to get my check book out. Maybe it is too perfect looking. I like houses, boats and such to have a soul. (Which is a very dangerous trait of my character.) I have taken it for granted that when it said that the boat was from 2011, that referred to when the hull was built. Isn´t that generally so?

Thanks, Alan; you give me hope! It sounds like a brilliant adventure. And Mike: do I need to worry about mould on the outside of the hull as well? Won´t that wash off? I already worry about mould on the inside, if there is the least water stains by the windows/hatches/etc.

So from my initial question I have learnt 3 things: 1) We don´t need a pump out the last thing before we leave the boat. It may even be better not to. 2) We (my husband) don´t necessarily need to empty the cassette the last thing before we leave the boat. And last but not least: 3) I need to be very wary if I am offered home grown vegetables from someones boat. Brilliant!