Tawny75

We came today and had a lovely time. I will see if I can post pics that him indoors has taken later

So we went to look at boats today. Going to Whilton Marina has definitely cemented our deal breakers when looking for a boat. We definitely want a cruiser stern, getting down into the two trad stern boats we saw today was just difficult. I am sure it is normal to step down literally on to the engine to get in to the boat but I did not like it at all. At least now we know what we want though. We then went to another couple of marinas and then to Crick. We saw this boat http://www.abnb.co.uk/boat_pages/3132web/3132abnb.php?BoatID=3132 I wonder if it was the one that @ianalisaw too? It is a lovely boat, there are things we very much like but somethings seem odd. It has two bathrooms. One with a bath with shower over, porta potti toilet and sink, and then the very next room has a pump out toilet and sink. It seems a bit of a waste to me to have two bathrooms in a boat that only sleeps 4. I have a question, if we bought a boat like this and wanted to remove one bathroom, is this easily done? For instance, if we wanted to take out a pump out toilet, is this something that can be done or does the shower, sinks etc all drain in to it too? Thanks again for all advice and help, I really do appreciate it.

Please feel free to PM me details

You are quite right, it was very loud but in a good way! We thought it would drive us mad, but when we were moored or walking by the canal and heard other boats we missed it. They sounded so smooth and quiet.

I am sad enough to have rung the hire company to ask what the engine was and it is a Lister TS2, now if I can get a boat that sounds like that one did I will be a happy girl. By the way, I know that is a very sad comment, my mechanical knowledge consists of 'suck, squeeze, bang, blow' I just liked the sound of it. I am going to go and hide my head in a bucket now.

Duly noted about the stove. This will explain why on the hire boat we had control on the wall to turn on the hot water, we were told never to run it when the engine wasn't running as it would drain the batteries. That boat had an air cooled Lister and sounded amazing.

May I ask more questions? Why is a stove at the rear not a good idea? Why does a Lister not heat the water? Would that apply to all Listers or just the air cooled ones? Apart from the Kingfisher engines mentioned further up the thread, are there any things we should totally not touch with the proverbial barge pole?

I am still searching the internet to get ideas and to understand things better. I have found this one, this seems significantly lower priced than others I have seen, can anyone let me know why? http://www.tingdeneboatsales.net/boat-spec?BoatID=6270946

Thank you. We may well do so I have a little notebook all ready to write down. What we do and don't like.

I am hoping to on the Sunday. I shall speak to him indoors, my historical heart heart will be going nineteen to the dozen!!

Northants is him indoors weekly territory, so we are there a lot. We are aiming on going to Whilton Marina and may be another, I know there are a few brokerages near there.

Thank you both. @Rose Narrowboats - Is all of that which you have said good or bad?

I am just looking at all adverts I can at the moment until we go to a marina on Saturday. I am looking and finding out what all different things mean and I hadn't come across this one before. A bit of character would be nice but to be honest, we can add character to anything What is a tumblehome please?

OIC! We had that in the March hire boat, not in the bathroom but to close off the two bedrooms. I am very glad about this, I know narrowboats are cosy, but my imagination was running wild!

I am having a thick time of it today. Please can someone explain to me what a walk through bathroom is? Does this mean that I would have to watch him indoors doing his business if I was sat inside the boat, because frankly, I love him but not that much. This boat has one, and to me it looks like the shower is just in the middle of the boat, as a lady of distinction (cough cough), I am pretty sure he does not want me abluting while he is eating his cornflakes! https://bwml.co.uk/brokerage/sm-9373-mikes-den/ Thanks muchly in advance

One always needs ice with a G&T!

Being Brownie and now Guide leader I get all excited everytime I see the name of your boat

Hmmm difficulty in finding spares does not sound good. Still we will have a look, we are still at the early stages of sorting what we want and don't want at the moment. I feel a spreadsheet coming on, my little accounty brain is singing

I like this one at first glance...... https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/3989.aspx

Thank you! I am torn between having an engine room or having under the deck boards. The same as I was sure I wanted a trad or a semi trad, but the majority of the time, him and I are on the back together so maybe a cruiser is what we need. We are hoping to go to Whilton Marina on Saturday and have a good mooch round.

Another question if I may Again, I am still trying to get my head around all of the adverts. On this one, it seems to have bunks at the back and a single bunk, are these easily removed? Secondly, it says it is 7'1" at its widest point, would that rule out the narrow canals like the Staffs and Worcester? https://www.whiltonmarina.co.uk/used-narrowboats/details/3953.aspx Thank you, and if I am asking too many questions, please tell me to jog on.

Oh my word!!!! I didn't even know they had paddleboats in the UK! http://vcmarine.co.uk/boat-sales/49ft-fernie-boats-paddlewheel-cruiser-stern-narrowboat/ Just thought I would point out, we are not looking at this one, we just thought....how odd!