fergyguy

Hi I read an old post on hear from someone who was planning to purchase a wide beam and cruise the North then the south someone suggested he spoke to Jenlyn? Does this member still exsist?

Rlwp I'm sure your right having never lived for a long period of time on a narrow boat I can not say what is right or wrong wide or narrow. It's clear by the number of folk living on narrow boats that it's a fantastic life for those who choose it but whilst maybe we'll out numbered there must be those who live and cruise a wide beam who fined it's ideal for them....I guess that's similar narrow or wide those who choose to live in a marina and not cruise? Everyone is different so maybe it's a case of if it works for you then it's the right way to go...we have loads to learn that's for sure.

Hi sueb we have tried narrow boating on the Chesterfield canal and loved every minute of it but I'm getting to an age where having worked hard all my life I want to spend at least a five year cruising experience whilst I'm fit enough to do so and want the comfort a wide beam offers me even at the expense of missing what the narrow canals have to offer.....its early days yet so who knows once we have been to see what's on offer at crick to tempt us....we have plenty of time to do our research and take advise from you more seasoned guys you all seem to have plenty of good advise to offer and that's great for newbies like us.

It's sounds like it's a good job I joined this forum as with my Fergy forum you guys talk a lot of sense and our advise is all being very carefully considered. ...booked crick show on the Sunday so fingers crossed all will be good. I'm still at this point considering following bag dad boatman as he has done what we intend doing in a boat 62 feet in length ....that said an open Mind may be the best option at this early stage.lol

My god just when I thought I was getting hang of this lol......if you buy a new wide beam would the builder if honest know from selling same length width etc before if it would be an issue?

Peterboat I'm hearing you loud and clear....but is under 60 vat payable....or is that just another issue I have got to learn about? Lol

crick show is on our to do list...your invaluable comments are helping steer us in the right direction...as newbies to all this we are learning as we go and it makes sense to listen to those who live on the water over those who will just build you a boat to any size and never inform you that its got limitations on travel and possibly a huge financial loss when trying to sell it on...thank you guys..i will keep an eye on this posting for any more helpfull comments you make and we will of course up date you once we have been to crick show.kind regards fergyguy and mrs fergyguy

Hi Phil lol your comments made us smile we like the euro cruiser at 60 x 12 and to be honest we did realise it was not going to be a house on water and that our perceptions would alter the more we conversed with those in the know....our aim for this 5 year cruise is to stop off at as many places as possible and explore all the places we pass at a very slow pace unlike our lives now constantly watching the clock...we want a very comfortable Base to come home to after our days of exploring....I personally would do the on a 57 foot narrow boat but my other half likes a bit more space and a few luxuries so we will settle on a 60 x 12 boat and accept we will not see everything but hey we will get to see a lot of the UK we never knew existed so that's something on a plus side. My name fergy guy is from the fact I own a 65 year old grey fergy tractor I sold my 350z Nissan sports car capable of well over 155 mph for Bettytoo my tractor which goes a heart stopping 7mph and to be honest I regularly travel the 5 or so miles to a country pub down old English lanes with the biggest smile on my face simply from slowing my pace to a level where I actually get to see what's around me....this forum is very similar to the fergy one I'm on as it's packed with guys offering countless advise and tips etc...I welcome any comments and do take on board what I'm hearing. ..thanks guys Barry it's called a euro cruiser and it's the kind of boat style we want...we also looked at the abode at mercia marina too as again it's offering all the right things...draft details is very important as you rightly state and will be very high on my check list before committing to buy anything...and for sure I will be putting the boats specifications on here first just to see if you guys spot anything I might have missed...good planning will help avoid major heartache later I'm sure.

Arthur your comments have be well noted and are very helpful...I think as long as there is enough for us to cruise for 5 years between the north and then the south sections without getting bored by having to visit the same places over and over again we would prefer a 60 x 12 with 2 bedrooms like the euro cruiser we saw recently at mercia marina....I'm guessing even with the restrictions for its size we would still have hundreds of miles of water to cruise?

I'm starting to make sense of it all now I think my next step is to get a large map of the UK waterways and look at the wide options both north and south then with the guidance of you guys on here I will son learn where I can and can not take a 60 x 12 boat....I'm glad I have allowed 3 years to plan all this lol

So our plan to cruise for a total of 5 years Inc north and south even with a 60 foot is possible with a little planning? I assume when you say most canals are just over 14 feet your referring to the narrower bits like locks and bridges?

now thats raised another question..bagdad boatman....if the canals are 14.6 and my boats 12feet wide how do boats pass going other way lol...i know there must be a very simple answer? your boat was 13.5 wide so you managed lol....so you did 7 years up north in that size boat we were worrying that our intended 5 years between both north and south would be a struggle to find enough to do....when you cruised did you moor in marinas or tie up on the bank (assuming there was enough space for others to pass.

Hi peterboat we have every Wednesday off (joy of owning your own business one day off a week lol) every second Wednesday we have our grandkids so each month we have two Wednesday's free maybe if your moored not too far away we can come and see you and pick your brains as to what's possible and what's not. Really appreciate any help you guys can give. Kind regards martin

Thanks tony that's a big help thankyou. Hi peterboat so are you saying if we were to have a 57 x 12 then we can do ALL northern waters are would we still have issues...do all locks bridges allow for the 12 feet width? If so then maybe we will have a look at a 57 foot boat to see how it feels inside as then at least we will know if it's a case of sacrifice the space and see more towns etc or see less but have more space...decisions decisions lol

Hi Bagdad boatman we went to Mercia marina and looked at a euro cruiser there which was 62 long with two bedrooms and it seemed to tick all the boxes it was 12 feet wide...only thing missing was a dishwasher lol but I told my wife we would have loads of time to do a few pots ( she did not seem that impressed lol) it sound like you have done what we want to do? How long was you on northern sections? Was you stopping in marinas each stop or mooring up close to the town/city you were visiting. It sounds like the 60 x 11 will do what we want to do..we do realise we miss a lot of inland canals due to the size but as long as we can cruise for approx 5 years then that's great. Did you winter in a marina or continue cruising etc.

Hi tony. The routes your suggesting we could do is the North yes? Is that routes limited to say 57 feet or could we do it in a 68 x 12 sorry for constantly asking similar question but really trying to get my head around it. We had thought initially to buy 68x12 and spend first couple of years doing North areas where we can get with such a boat and aim that when she is ready for blacking to have her lifted blacked and then transported to the top of the southern areas if that makes sense. Do most people who buy wide beams just live in the marinas or are there folk who buy them to do what we aim to do live on them as their home but steadily moving around all the time.

Right I'm starting to get the picture (I think) so basically if we don't want a narrow boat ( love em but not for us) we would have to consider smaller length....is 60 feet still going to be an issue Peterboat? We really wanted to have 2 bedrooms for when friends come on boat to stay...

thanks bagdad boatman thats worth keeping in mind....we really do want to have 68 x 12 and yes i do realise that this will mean missing out on many places....what I'm trying to find on here is someone who HAS a 68 x 12 or there about who like us does not want to live in a marina and who has been on the water many years so they can guide us better as to where we can cruise and in real time how long we should be aiming to do either south or north..we are happy to go so first if plenty to fill our days...i feel sure there will be a seasoned couple on here who will come to our aid..lol

Hi thanks alan we are not saying we want to cruise nottinghamshire waters we are happy to cruise South or North we are aiming to do at least 5 years on the water and wanted to find someone local who has already done what we aim to do...the boat would be 68 x 12 we have tried narrow boating was great for a week on the Chesterfield canal but for a five year live we would prefer a wide beam.