Luke1971

Hi I've recently brought a mayland 20ft cabin cruiser type boat and have just put it on a 14 day free mooring in rugby but I need to find a long term or at least 12 month mooring near to rugby I don't intend living on my boat so that's not a problem I just need somewhere to moor it Can any one help me with a mooring or info on a mooring and expected prices? Many thanks in advance

Well guys after 6 days i made it bk to Rugby and I must say me and my cousin thoroughly enjoyed the whole Experiance! It was challenging but rewarding! Now all I have to do is find a cheapish mooring somewhere near brownsover in rugby so If any one has any ideas please let me no! I will probably start a new post for the mooring! But again thank you all for your valuable info I would never have done it as easy with out all your input!!!

I have added a pic from my maps on my mobile so you can see roughly how far I've travelled!! I think I'm doing ok really! First ever boat ect

Hi guys Well I thought it would be nice to give you an update of day 1 of my first day ever on the canal and how I'm getting on

Well guys all your info has been much appreciated I've now found out from who I'm buying the boat off that it does not charge the battery but they say it's a good reliable engine so fingers crossed! ?

These comments are great info so keep them coming please people! Also does any one no if this engine will provide charging for a 12v battery?

Also does any one no if this engine will charge a 12v battery ?

Hi I'm buying my new 20ft boat but the outboard engine is a Volvo penta 7.5 four stroke engine Does any one no if these are a good engine reliable ect and are they prone to any problems? I can't seem to find many reviews on Volvo outboards especially my one! I'm planning to run it about 10 hours a day so 5 hours then an hours break then another 5 hours I will be running it like that for 5-6 days! Can you run an outboard as long as that ? Please help as I don't want to be breaking down on my journey

Hi I'm buying my new 20ft boat but the outboard engine is a Volvo penta 7.5 four stroke engine Does any one no if these are a good engine reliable ect and are they prone to any problems? I can't seem to find many reviews on Volvo outboards especially my one! I'm planning to run it about 10 hours a day so 5 hours then an hours break then another 5 hours I will be running it like that for 5-6 days! Can you run an outboard as long as that ? Please help as I don't want to be breaking down on my journey

Hi I'm based in rugby and will need to insure my mayland 20 which will be used on the canal Can any one tell me how much I can expect to pay roughly and does any one have any insurance company recommendations on who I should insure with and any tips on getting it as cheap as I can ?? Any info will be great Thank you in advance Luke

Hi Dave I'm so glad you said that coz it's licences by the present owner not by myself. Would I be able to licence it 2 days after I have taken ownership or is this something that has to be done immediately?

Thank you so much for all your very kind help! I'm sure il have a fantastic time! And when I do arrive back here in rugby I will come back and add some pictures and insight into the Experiance for yourself and others!

The crew hands

Yes being on here asking general questions is great but receiving the correct answers from the likes of yourself is priceless!!! And I'm going to take my younger nephew who is 26 ( should come in handy with the locks ??) and we plan to fit an hour or 2 fishing in in the evenings wen we moor up for the night so I think it will b a memorable adventure! Oh and not forgetting il have my 2 toy Yorkshire terriers with me too lol ?

Oh this is why I'm so glad I came on here lol Upto now without your input it would have been more of a disaster than adventure ?? Knowing I need these things is the most important bit and sourcing them is the 2nd important bit As I would have set off with ought them and came unstuck fast lol I'm llistening & earning ??? Thank you And yes it's licensed and has a safety certificate till 2017 Lao once I'm back here in rugby then I will be able to learn more and address any nessasary issues as this is my 1st ever boat so I'm hoping I like it and progress as time goes on

That's great I will visit brainstorm marina before I go to collect my boat and ask them if I can buy these there. This is wen I no I'm in the right place talking to the right people as I was unaware of these keys and would have ended up stuck somewhere hoping for a Good Samaritan to arrive ? Thanks for your input Ellisiana Sounds like a good idea I will be asking for a map or 2 aswell as that's another thing I hadn't considered lol ?

Hello NB ELLISIANA What is a CRT key and we're will I get 1? Also what is an anti vandal key and we're will I get 1 of those too? Will I have to purchase them up there or can I buy 1 from here in rugby? And there is a forward facing spot light on the boat but I think I will pack a spare car battery and a decent torch as a contingency plan Your info is very much appreciated

Thanks Scholar gypsy A lantern for side way light is a great idea!! Valuable info from the experianced is priceless!!?

Scholar Gypsy That's great and really helpful! Although i must say I feel a little apprehensive about them tunnels lol but like all adventures I can't help feeling a little excited and inquisitive too lol Many thanks

Hey Scholar Gypsey again thank you for your input yes it's in Southport ( I'm glad someone can decipher my question and seems to no what I'm talking about ???) So yes roughly how many hours traveling from Southport to Rugby Warwickshire or how many days it will take. I will also take a look at the links you gave me. If there is anything you think I need to no even small details then your input will be great fully received. Oh and the width I think is 6ft 5 but not 100% but I do no it's a mayland 20 if that helps

Hi guys, well I've now managed to buy a bout but it's moored just outside Stockport and I need to drive it to rugby can any one tell me roughly how long this will take and is the route open? ( no maintenance going on on my route) and is there anything I need to be aware of? Undesirable places to moor over night or any dangers also it has a 9hp 2 stroke petrol outboard with a 25 litre tank so how many hours cruising will I be able to do on 25 litres? Many thanks in advance Rugby in Warwickshire is my destination

Thanks Dave il take the dogs a walk up there and see if I can see anything of intresst

Thanks for the info Gazza!!

Well talking of adventures guys I found the below!! Very interesting but I think il be sticking to canals and rivers to gain some experience and possibly a UKSA sailing certificate of some sort and then maybe I will attempt this adventure but for now it's on hold!! But please road the below that's what you call an exciting adventure!! By Nick Britten12:01AM GMT 10 Jan 2004 When Terry and Monica Darlington retired last year, they decided on two things - they wanted to visit Paris and also to have a bit of excitement in their lives. In the end they went for both, and plumped for risking their lives by sailing their canal boat for seven and a half hours across the English Channel to France. Sitting just two feet off the water and with a top speed of seven miles per hour, Mr Darlington, 68, admitted that the 60ft, flat-bottomed narrow boat was hardly equipped to face the rigours of two of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. He said: "When we told people we were thinking of heading to France most people told us we were bonkers. One seafaring man said I was going across in a steel tomb and would not live to make it. "Taking a canal boat with a top speed of seven miles an hour across such an exposed stretch of water is usually only ever done by lifetime seafarers or explorers looking for a thrill. "But we'd owned the boat for seven years and decided that we wanted to do something exciting with it. And when we retired we decided we had three options. We could bore ourselves to death, drink ourselves to death or have a bit of an adventure. Thankfully we decided on the latter." The couple and their whippet, Jim, set off on their seven-month, 1,000-mile journey last April from their home in Stone, Staffs, sailing the Phyllis May down through the country's canal network to Ramsgate, Kent, from where they crossed to Calais in an "epic" journey, weaving in and out of cross-Channel ferries and other traffic. Mr Darlington, an Oxford graduate, said: "Even making the trip down the Thames to get to Ramsgate was daunting enough. It was the first time I'd ever been to sea and it was jolly exciting. "When we were just off Whitstable the coastguard rushed out and they probably thought 'what are these idiots doing?' But even knowing they were there, when we set out to sea it was truly terrifying. Being out of sight of land in such a tiny vessel was quite unnerving. "The ships and ferries that use the Channel are very big and very fast and it is pretty terrifying when they bear down on you. "I can honestly say I thought I was going to die when we set off into the Channel, but once we got going it was great fun. We had to go round the bottom of the Goodwin Sands. I had never heard of the Goodwin Sands. Apparently it is a very bad thing. "We were lucky that it was a lovely sunny day and the winds never got above force three, which meant that we at least didn't have to worry about the boat breaking up." Their most daunting moment came when they reached Calais, only to find themselves in the path of a 40ft-tall Sea Cat ferry leaving for Dover. Mr Darlington said: "It came within a few feet of us, but the most dangerous thing was that it threw up a six-foot wall of solid water in its wake. I had to turn into it, accelerate and go straight through it or we would definitely have capsized. The boat reared right up and plunged down to the other side. The dog, who was on tranquillisers, howled like a drunk. "When we eventually made it in to Calais we were so relieved and delighted it was amazing. The feeling of relief when we stood on firm ground was just unbelievable. It took us about three weeks to calm down." They next sailed down the canals to Paris, where the boat is moored at the Bastille marina. The couple will return in April when France's waterways re-open, and continue their journey down the Rhone and into the Mediterranean on the way to their final destination of Carcassonne. Having taken the plunge two years ago, he and Mrs Darlington, 67, planned every aspect of their trip meticulously. They sought the advice of maritime professionals and, despite hearing from one expert that they must be "suicidal", they decided that the crossing might just be possible. Mr Darlington, who owned his own research company, modified the boat to protect it from waves, filling the well in the bow and covering the bow door and windows with steel, and to navigate the crossing they were joined by an experienced pilot. Mr Darlington has already been approached by four publishers seeking to buy the rights to his book about his adventures. He hopes that the book, which he has provisionally entitled Narrow Dog To Carcassonne, will be published next year.

Hi Tiggs Well that's a start so thank you. Engine is not a prob I'm more interested in its construction durability & boyancy of the actual boat It will be interesting to see what others post