Tom766

This is very precise, technical. I have had trouble lighting the log burner in our boat. Not quite sure which vents should be open and which closed when starting... Theres a plate on top of the stove and a flap at the front on the bottom, which combination is best I wonder, assuming you need to draw air through the stove. I do believe the wind conditions outside have an effect......

cool, a month should do I hope....

Thanks, i've been dreading running out of water......

Ahh thats a relief. Thank you..

Oops sorry, Braunston! Mixing it up with the Toyota plant in Derby!!!

Wow, that was my next question. will it be more difficult to plan stops on the nene, dont really want to use my stakes but have to.. Can anyone tell me how short I can get a Nene licence for? We only want to go through from the Grand Union to the Middle level, trouble is we will have to do that stretch over a few weekends. Could we just keep our heads down and save buying a pointless long licence?

Hello all, had our boat for three weekends now and thought you'd find it interesting, nostalgic to hear how we have been getting on... So, the first decision was whether to put our Springer on a lorry at Cropredy, or navigate home to the middle level. Easy one, £1000 by road or about £200 in fuel, pubs and taxis etc. And after all it's a boat so what better way to learn the ropes. First weekend, alone, straight into a series of single locks. surprised when I got wedged into the entrance, fenders down. there really isn't much tollerance, every inch counts . Out in the countryside, rain lashing down, engine over heats....checked the canal water intake filter...clean...checked the pipe from canal to filter, clean....checked the small connector between pipe and filter....a thimble full of gunge and that was enough to over heat the engine. Would have thought the intake system would be a far bigger diameter, not down to about quarter of an inch!! Burnaston.....rope and a coat hanger around the prop, that's fine until I find that the hatch is bolted down with eight big bolts F.G.S. it's supposed to be quick release right? Tired, missed some armco to moor up to so had to carry on through another six double locks. Why are there pubs right on these locks?? My lock technique as a singleton on a big lock provided the entertainment . Phew, squeezed in a space just before the LONG Burnaston tunnel. A nice older chap passed on some of his experience and then even drove me back to my car, it's a nice community in the world of narrowboats. Paired up with the Mrs, did the tunnel, great adventure, daunting having boats heading towards though. We got our lock technique reasonable and eventually made it to Gayton Marina where the staff were so helpful. Hull blacked (375 30 foot). Rope fender attached to rear, bump strips re welded where needed, boiler fixed, domestic water pump changed, weed hatch modified with a T bar YIPPEE. Fuel leak fixed. I even got to fit some of my new sound proofing material around the engine bay....it's so loud without any! Left the marina and thank god I had help with the 17 locks just ahead. Didn't want to moor in Northampton centre so opted to use the stakes at a quiet stretch of canal, the reeds were a bit difficult though.... No complaints, it's what it's all about isn't it. Just wondering if we will have trouble finding somewhere to moor along the Nene ahead, maybe we have been lucky so far?

Lots of good advice

Evening all, So, we have a full two weekends narrowboating behind us now and it's been a massive learning curve, what with getting wedged into a very narrow single lock and having a blocked engine water intake on day one Jill and I are navigating our boat from Cropredy, where we bought her, to the Middle Level via the Oxford canal, Grand Union and the river Nene. Just looked up the next stage, Gayton Marina to Northampton area....we are going to have to negotiate Guillotine locks for the first time Any advice as to how to deal with these locks would be really helpful. Thank you in advance. Tom.

Hadnt even considered that folk may be navigating in the dark/at night. Is this common practice?

Ahh....thanks Brian. Not had a narrowboat of my own before but do believe that being on the middle level has it's advantages Just got a quote....£108 3rd party plus mechanical and hull. 1979 (my estimate) 30' springer.

Thanks so much.

Evening boaters, Can anyone please recommend insurers that don't require a survey? Thank you..

Oh no, wanted to hear about the lock diving Please let us know the end result......

Ahh, thats where all the money goes

Thanks so much, Ramsey is right next door. I'll work out how to post and reply properly eventually. Just read the debate on baseplates and rust.....think i'll go with just the sides. Although it's a springer and I believe it's a V type hull...

Silly question time (new boat owner), Why do folk need to remove and re fit the chimney to clear bridges? Is there a length, from roof to top of chimney, that will clear all bridges? Tom n Jill.

Well I am careful ( yeah tight) with money and great at DIY, i'd like to have a go myself buy if the price was right I'd hand over the job and watch with glass of red in hand

Hi all, Just purchased our first boat, I estimate its a late 70's model. Told it was blacked 2 years ago. Theres signs of rust on the waterline. As a new owner I think £1000 looks steep to have the boat taken out of the water, blacked and put back. Anyone know of a nice small traditional and friendly place I can get this done? Or....can I get the boat taken out and grind back and paint it myself? We are transporting the boat back from Cropredy to March so anywhere en route would be great Tom n Jill......Thanks so much, this site is fantastic.

Andy Woods..."good lad", Yep I traded up from a pretentious bore to a great new gal'. We have literally just bought our first narrowboat and she loves it!!!

Thats excellent but I aint getting in it....

I'm new........can ya actually do that?

Maybe i'm too late to reply but..... I'm going to try and balance all the negativity and say "DO IT" Sharp intake of breath hehe. If the price is right any faults can be rectified, even if it's a big one. You only live once, so take a chance! (The Bransons and Bannatynes of this world took chances and look where they are!!). Find a hole...weld it. Rotten wood....chop it. Smokey engine....re-build it. Shop around, you don't have to pay top dollar.

Pick my first ever narrowboat up in a couple of weeks. It has a single cylinder 10hp bukh engine. Wondering if it's clunk clunk type sound track drive us insane on a long journey?? Any thoughts?

Ok thanks, I'll look em up. Don't really want to draw attention to too many officials tho..