Caerwyn

Peter> Great advice, I especially like the idea of knots working loose! Bettie> Thanks so much! I was going to say 'excellent', but I'm guessing it was far from excellent for ALFIE's owner! Glad to hear they got it refloated. StephenA> ... I'm still not getting construction dates through that site. Am I meant to be? If I can find out when this specific boat was built, it would be a huge help!

Can't beat a huge tarp and some wood offcuts, right? Honestly, if it was made in the 70s, by the look of it it's been moored up there since about then--there were some very impressive cobwebs on display!

"Built by Unknown - Length : 18.72 metres ( 61 feet 5 inches ) - Beam : 2.07 metres ( 6 feet 9 inches ) - Draft : 0.5 ( 1 foot 8 inches ). Metal hull power of 30 BHP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number [redacted] as a Motor Boat. ( Last updated on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 )" Also: I only had the one shot with the name/index number showing, and it was easy enough to airbrush out

On the subject of finding out the age of the boat I saw the other day, since we seem to be drawing a blank with the index numbers idea, possibly one of you lovely people could have a shot at telling me what I'm looking at? Am I all right to post pictures on here, or would it be better to remove any identifying information first?

That is... actually pretty damned close to what I have planned. Sure you don't want my job?

Heh. It's more a story about someone who knows nothing about boats, buys one anyway, and gets in well over their head. I think if I found myself standing on a towpath, staring at the top few feet of my new-to-me boat, and wondering what went wrong, I'd consider myself to have had a pretty dramatic night!

Unimpressive and still kinda above water is fine by me Also, thanks for the link, Mac. Had already found the site, and sadly it doesn't seem to have much for the boat I'm looking into. Just length and beam and a lot of unknowns!

Some great answers here--and some entertaining ones that have kept me laughing! It doesn't need to be Titanic-level dramatic, fortunately, as the story's only short (or at least that's the idea! Sometimes they can sprawl...) I've been doing a bit of research while checking here for responses and another boat-sinking possibility has reared it's head: I read somewhere that if a weed hatch isn't fitted back properly then water can get into the stern/engine bay that way, especially if the engine is running but presumably also if the wind is brutal? Does that sound more/less feasible than what we have already? Assuming that water does start getting in, either through a hole in the hull, the weed hatch, or whatever... is it reasonable enough that a boat could end up on the bottom of the canal over the span of an hour or two? Again, assuming the weather is poor.

Exactly what I needed on that one, thanks!

Thanks, Sabcat. My pondering this started about a week ago when I went out for a walk with my partner, and found a very sad and sorry-looking boat moored up on a canal not far from me. It didn't seem to be tied up very well, and every time something came past it the boat was getting dragged out some way into the water and then slamming back against side. I was kind of hoping that poor mooring combined with an existing problem and some brutal winds might be enough to put a hole in a boat. If you think not, I may have to rethink, though! Starcoaster> I can't do you any zombies, I'm afraid, but I can raise you a weird goblin water spirit if that helps

I don't think it's two, as I don't have access to it yet

Thanks very much, Richard! Athy> Yes, this is for a story I'm working on rather than my own boat. Should have clarified!

I'm a short story writer on the lookout for some poor soul who wouldn't mind chatting with someone who went on endless narrowboat holidays as a child but is otherwise completely clueless I'm especially interested in knowing: If there is there any way to find out when a specific boat was built, assuming you have the registration number; What some of the common problems are likely to be with a boat that has been neglected for an extended period of time, especially anything that could lead to the hull or structural integrity of the boat being compromised; The sort of damage you might expect on a boat that was poorly moored, especially during storms. Any thoughts gratefully received. Would love to have a chat about it by PM/IM if anyone has the time/inclination.