captain flint

I'm guessing there's more to this than people worrying about spilling tea? When I lived on a narrowboat we had boats going past, I don't remember being bothered when my boat rocks - but, having said that, it wasn't *my* boat - I was in a friends' for 8 months. Maybe every time the boat rocks there's a bigger chance of [insert narrowboat maintenance knowledge here] that I need to find out about? Or are people who chose to live on boats truly getting narked when their home rocks on the waves a touch...?

Now now don't get hysterical ;-) (what I actually mean: well said.)

Hmmm but I don't see the Eagle as a Jag E type - just a great car put into the same bodywork...! Maybe i'm being dumb, but I'd see an Eagle as a better car that does indeed look amazing, but a proper classic jag as a thing of love, and money, and time, and class. To me there's room for completely modern-made "reboots" - but if someone got a classic and stripped it out to put modern stuff in, that would be a different thing again, seem like a shame...

Classic! And well told...

I see engine rooms are on the list as a waste of space. Makes sense... But without one (And with the engine under the stern deck) I've been told pram hoods are a good idea for inclement weather, keeping the engine nice and dry etc

Nice cobra....Is that you, Nico....?! Your friendly forum stalker ;-)

^^ this! Widebeam narrowboats are popular because they better fit their owners' current needs, whereas narrowboats are popular becuase they better fit certain waterways, and historical needs. I bet some people thought narrowboats were fugly when they first appeared. Even if, perhaps, they wouldn't have used the word "fugly" XD To be fair, there are many fugly boats of many shapes and sizes!

My name's Piers. I lived on a narrowboat years ago, just moored up, but I loved it... not so much when the heating broke when the canal was frozen over. A few interesting nights, and mornings scraping ice off the inside of the windows (no solid fuel stove!!)... Bit it didn't put me off, and i promised myself I'd do it again one day. And that day is now I've already had some useful feedback on a thread I started regarding what boat will be best for me, and I'm now trawling ads, but want to get on the water before summer's out...

To be honest, this is a big factor. I've a lot to learn and I'm a beginner, so I figure I shouldn't get a boat which will reduce opportunités for people to help me (both in terms of lock sharing, and more generally, I can see how a novice with a big boat would lead some to just think I'm an eejit and might not be so willing to help, or at least not in such a friendly way. I'm sure most wouldn't really care, but it would be sods law to be somewhere tricky and find the people who happen to be there don't feel so inclined to lend a hand/advise)

Well, I've seen the 2015 survey, and although there's a fair bit of base with more than 5mm, there's plenty with less, including an area with less than 4. So, sadly, I think I'll pass. Some fake fiddle-dy-dee liverpool narrowboat I see wending my way. That sounds harsher than I mean it. If I buy a narrowboat I will love it (and never let it hear me say things like that. Maybe when I'm down the pub, but never in earshot)

Ta. [I do get the feeling with boats that the more I look, the more realise there is, and every little step of understanding just makes me see I'm even more ignorant than I'd realised, little drops of learning in a landscape which is constantly unfolding into areas I know precisely nothing about whatsoever. A bit like life, really... But it's quite fun!]

You're a trouble maker, huh? ;-) Ah yes, how difficult would it be to guard against that? Could you take preventative measures or might you end up having to pit your strength against the boat in rising waters? That doesn't sound ideal... !

Yeah, I strongly think she's one to dream* about rather than anything else. But since I'm going away to Holland this week, and I'll just be up the road, seems a shame not to have a peak. I won't buy it. I'm sure. That would be mad. Then again maybe I won't go and se it, no need to tempt fate re doing something mad XD *for me, in my circumstances, I mean. She might be perfect for someone, somewhere (survey permitting)

If anyone's still reading this thread, what do you think of this boat? More out of curiosity than anything. I imagine people will say best to keep it in Europe, and that a boat from 1885 is hardly a sensible idea for anyone, let alone a novice... But I'm intrigued as to whether people think it's pretty, or, having lost the mast, has lost its soul... I think it looks great, and they do say iron hulls can last forever. Could be a snip. Or the kind of thing that could bankrupt a person!!! https://www.apolloduck.com/boat.phtml?id=411764 Like I say, cannot imagine for a minute I'll buy it, but as I'm going to Holland this week and will be 45 minutes up the road so I might go and have a look out of interest of the seller's willing.

Thanks, Mike. I'm not sure whether the disapproval would bother me, but if it did, it would be a bit late if I'm already on a widebeam!! Funnily enough, I tend to think it's the 12 footers that look odd - but of course, it's totally subjective. Hard not to at least understand where people are coming from with the idea that it's selfish on a congested waterway - but of course impossible for me to say whether I agree as I haven't CC''d, only lived on a mooring. Ask me again in a year or so!

Thanks for all the help. Here are my final (?) thoughts, feel free to sail on by, it's not the shortest ever post, after all! 1. *I'll get a narrowboat for now.* I still don't know what I think about the widebeam in London debate (I'll explain why below). But from a poll I set up in London Boaters FB page, it feels like a sizeable minority of canal users are really quite vehemently anti-widebeam. It seems like just over half think the fuss is over the top and that people shouldn't complain (some of them even feel it's narrowboats that are the problem, but I suspect they are over compensating, somewhat). I think in the long term, I might end up agreeing with those who say the fuss is over the top, and I might want to get a W/B. But in the meantime, I need the chance to really see for myself - maybe I will agree with those who feel they're problematic. And it wouldn't be nice to be on your first boat and feel like some kind of social pariah! SO: I will buy a narrowboat. Start small. Learn the ropes - it will be a steep learning curve and you I need friends nort enemies. There'll be time for upsizing later if I think it's a good idea, when you can come to a more informed opinion 2. *It's hard to pick apart the traditionalist objections apart from the logistical ones* Some of the talk about widebeams seems a bit like it's from reactionaries who don't like A, B or C - whereas others it's more considered, thinking about the genuine impact on the life of the waterways, which tends to yield a more nuanced, less black/white type of conclusion - ie might be OK but only if X, Y and Z.... I definitely get the feeling plenty of widebeam objectors are doing it on grounds, basically, of style, rather than substance. I also get the feeling that some of the widebeams in London debate is just another aspect of some people finding London (in general) too hectic, and it plays into their fears and preconceptions. But who likes EXTRA hustle and bustle? Who thinks bigger vessels on crowded channels is the obvious sensible option? And, for that matter, who would deny that a lot of widebeams look ridiculous and ugly. Personally, I don't get offended by them, I must say, but I don't think they look any good. I'm interested, up to a point, to learn more about the culture and heritage of the UK canals and waterways network, but it's not what drives me. I love boats, I love water, I love trees and ducks and the creak and shift of planks underfoot, I love the idea and reality of living on a boat - and, where I am from, that means canals and other inland waterways. ...So I'm happy to celebrate the past life of these changing spaces. But not to be tied to it, or worship it, for it's own sake. If a boat I live on can reference the history of the place, then great, but - feel free to set me straight here - but couldn't the argument about "authenticity" be extended to modern-built narrowboats, too - being replicas of working boats, not the genuine article, not built the same way, in the same way British "Dutch" barges are not "genuine" (or should that be "genuijne"?) ...? Seems to me there are some 9 and 10' made by builders like R & D and Paul Widdowson which don't look bad to my beginner's eye. The space would be lovely.... And I don't want to be in central London much, anyway. There are people who seem to think even passing through London in a widebeam is unforgiveable. I doubt many agree with them. I doubt I will, when I've seen for myself. But first I have to learn, and in that time, I'll have to share the waterways with them, so I might as well keep them on side. And maybe, I'll end up agreeing with them who knows. Or maybe I'll end up buying a widebeam one day.

Ian - you know what? I fully believe you. Not putting me off, exactly, but when in town I figure I'll expect the worst and then be pleasantly surprised when peope are nicer than expected I like London in general, and I like the waterways, but not everyone on and around them is the friendliest, it's true. But anyway, I don't intend to spend most of my time centrally in the least, so....

I made a poll on the London Boaters fb group about CC'ing in a widebam in London and SE - on the basis of proper CC'ing, leaving London frequently, and not trying to stay central all the time when you are there, and the response so far is: Ignore the naysayers : 23 Tricky... but possible: 2 A widebeam in London is an abomination: 6 There's also an option designed to catch those who just hate widebeams in general: A widebeam anywhere is an abomination: 8 Hard to know how to interpret those figures really, I wouldn't read too much into it, but was interesting to take a straw poll of London boaters, and those numbers will change over time anyway, obviously. oh, no doubt! For now, I'm trying to get my head around getting a boat, but yep, maybe I should start my bookmark admin early and not get caught out XD

Thanks for those links, Richard - now I have them all in one handy place, that's appreciated. I do look on the forums but it's not always easy to know what to put in the search box so that's kind of you to post those links Oh, I notice you're putting your names. Friendly like. I should probably do the same. Piers (Yes, like that twat Morgan!) (actually on reading I have been reading those three threads, too - but your help is appreciated, it is nice to have them handily here for reference, there are some useful bits and bobs to remind myself of, and links in the threads, etc, although my boating bookmarks folder is growing rapidly day by day!)

Thanks, Richard! I have been browsing that thread, as it goes, but I will try starting at the very top and working my way down, as so far I still can't work out if - not being central, leaving london entirely frequently, and not being in anything wider than 10' - it's really such a big deal On that thread there seem quite a number who think it's ridiculous*, but I also see on London Boaters many who say it's OK... *speaking as a londoner, it seems to me like there are many things on dry land that people who aren't from and/or don't like London think are ridiculous, and to me it always seems that they just think London/big cities are ridiculous. Nothing wrong with feeling like that - but I have wondered if some of those comments on that thread are the boating equivalent...! ;-)

OK, hello to everyone I am looking for some advice. I am beginning to think that I will not be happy living on the cut around the Southeast and in London on anything other than a narrowboat, due to congestion. Of course, I would secretly really prefer the extra width of a widebeam, but I have lived on a narrowboat (and a short one at that), and I loved it at the time, and promised myself I would live on the water again if I got the chance. I was narrower myself in those days, admittedly. But I don't want to feel like a nuisance and I don't want to be a bigger than necessary contribution to making things worse in the waterways where I hope to make my home... I know that living on the waterways is sharing space with others, so the way I see it, what's good for everyone else will be good for me, in the bigger picture. A little info about me - the questions I've see asked of noobs to the forum like me: - Why do I want to continuous cruise? And why in London and the Southeast? I love London, but... More and more I feel like I would move away from London entirely now, whether a life afloat or on land, were it not for my mum being 80 and my dad died a couple of years back and I see her regularly and want to be within reach. No, it's not because I don't want to be too far away so I can save the batteries on my boat by doing the laundry at hers. That would just be a fringe benefit. Sorry. Pretend I didn't say that. Tragic. Having promised myself that one day I would live on a boat again, I now feel like a life on the cut could be great for me - I would not want to stay in London the whole time, I would really love going out on trips further afield. And I certainly would not be hoping to stay in very central and popular areas the whole time. I crave being able to be somewhere quieter and get away from everything... but I do need to be able to get back to everything, too! For now, I want to feel, broadly speaking, like I'm based in London (maybe it's because I'm a londoner...). As to why continuous cruising - well, two reasons really. I have always been a person with itchy feet, and the are itching quite a lot right now, but I don't want to go off far away (see above). The idea of a nomadic life appeals right now. That plus the money. I must confess. Even if I could find a residential mooring in London, I'd struggle to pay for it. But the more I look into CC'ing, the more I think I would really like to do it properly, and to cover some ground, and enjoy the life, not just the savings on the overpriced london moorings. I love boats and water and always have... I hope it's obvious that I do not intend - or even particularly want - to be in central and/or the most popular places all the time. I'd end up going through them, of course, and would enjoy that... If I found a place centrally to moor for a couple of weeks once in a blue moon, that would be nice, but it's not a requirement on my part. I work from home and with flexible hours, and would hope that would lessen the issues and pressures around the moving and mooring aspects. So - should I really be ruling widebeams out? I am kind of expecting the answer "yes" and I am persuading myself I will feel it's the right thing in the end. But, having said that, if I took the word "London" out of this, I would definitely prefer to live on a widebeam, I cannot deny it. Even though I do agree that, often, they can look a bit..... funny. I feel like asking this question as a first post I should be running for cover, but I hope I've explained myself enough to fill in the picture, and I have absolutely no doubt that you good folk will tell anything I missed out or stupid things I said (for which apologies in advance!)

Hi My name's Piers, and I'm hoping to buy my first boat this summer. I lived on a friends 32ft narrowboat over a (cold) winter several years ago, and always intended to do it properly some time - and that time is now! I'm a Londoner, and wanting to stay in this amazing/miserable (delete according to taste) city for the time being. I was lucky enough to be on a mooring in Islington - which is not going to happen again! so right now I am thinking about my mooring options. I am not ruling out continuous cruising - during the warmer months, at least; I suspect I might want to take up a winter mooring, though. Since I am considering a canal boat of some sort, but also looking at Dutch barges - which I believe live on the river, and cannot go up the canals, maybe I'll get kicked off here before too long! (Having said that, I seem to remember one moored at Wenlock Basin in N1 on the Grand Union, in which case I'm wondering if that understanding I have is wrong - but perhaps it was lowered in by crane. As well as the draft issue, I suspect some of the tunnels on the GUC would be a bit tight for barges). I would be very happy to hear from anyone who wants to point me in the right direction. I feel as though I have some idea of what boat life is like, including some things to avoid (like ripping out the wood burner and replacing it with some half arsed heating system - like my friend had done. Fun when the canal froze over at the same time as the boiler broke!) All the best P