Bob692

I wondered why most boats these days have mushroom vents.......... So its a traditional/fashion thing. Even if they are infra dig they will be hidden under my solar panels and solar panels are hardly traditional but they are practical. Now I need to go a feed the horse thats pulling my boat.

Are low profile vents BSS compliant? I am thinking of fitting a couple of these where I am going to fit solar panels, so the can lie flatter. https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/vent-mc-tannoy-9-s-s-13509-av-112

We have a lot of canals to explore besides. I have been told you be able to do the Calder and Hebble by going diagonally in the locks?

I don't think I am that bothered. If the survey hadn't turned it up, it would have been 'ignorance is bliss'. However it seems odd that one of the main criteria on which a boat is judged whether it is when its for sale, marina/CRT fees, blacking etc should be so vague. I just wondered if this is usual.

I should have said this measurement excludes fenders. Was from the Stem post to the counter.

Survey was on Nov 26. Temp was 10 deg C. Beam is confirmed at 6' 10" measured at 4 different places.

I am in the process of buying a 3 year old NB. The boat instruction manual and the broker (who lifted the info from the paperwork) reckons the boat is 57'. My pre purchase survey reckons the boat is 58' 5". Is this usual to have such a discrepancy?

In general terms, acknowledging it depends on the prop fitted, hull shape etc, has a Canaline 38 enough omph to push a 57' NB across to the Savick Brook?

A bit more digging and I have found out it was Skater Marine, the ashes from Aintree boats grew.

Thinking of going to look at a boat purported to be built by Anfield Boats. I have heard of Liverpool and Aintree Boats but Anfield Boats? Anybody know anything about them, any views on their reputation?

Thank you all for your input. Found ourselves at John the lock mooring opposite the Fountain Inn pub. Just been Mad O'Rourke for pie and chips and a pint of lump hammer. Thanks again everyone for your time and input.?

I am sorry I haven't explained this very well. We are edgbaston vale (84a) we want somewhere below lock 1 b4 doing the flight the next morning.

Any recommendations of safe overnight mooring before Wolverhampton flight going north. Also Birmingham or Wolverhampton level to get to flight from gas street?

Wheel barrow wheels. Pneumatic or solid?

Are these any good? Any recommendations? Thanks!

This is all good feedback. Thanks......... Sounds like they will be quality boats in good nick but I guess with relatively high engine hours. I know as a hirer we were always told to run the engine for at least 5 hours a day to ensure the batteries were well charged as they don't know how sensible the hirers are going to be with lights, hair dryers etc. I suppose you have to include in the equation modifying the layout, IE removing extra beds etc. They are usually built to fit as many people in as possible often with very little salon space. Very few have a stove etc, and all will be pump outs. As usual "buyer beware"

We are looking first our first NB after years of hiring. An impression we have formed is the ex hire boats seem expensive compared to other boats on brokerage. Is there a reason for this or are they just trying it on? Perhaps a bit like ex hire car, might have high mileage but you know its been well maintained but could have been thrashed. Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks all, Clockwise and Lapworth Locks it is! ??

Good point?

We are planning on doing a ring from Napton Junction. We have 3 weeks. Napton Junction - Fradley Junction - Great Hayward Junction - Autherley Junction - Old Turn (Deep Cuttings Junction) - Lapworth Junction - Napton Junction. At Old Turn (Deep Cuttings Junction) would you go down the Worcester and Birmingham via King's Norton Junction, or left onto the Birmingham and Fazeley ( the way Canal planner recommends)?

Thanks all for your considered replies. I had't understood the difference between the PRM 120 and PRM 150, thought it was just a size/rating thing. Almost all the boats we are interested in on brokerage are in the combination of 35-38 HP with a PRM 120 and 40-45 HP with a PRM 150. I don't think I have seen 35-38 HP with a PRM 150. I have seen a 55 ft with a 45 HP engine and a 60 ft with a 35 HP so there is a complete mix. As for a vast majority of the time the boat will be on 'ordinary' canals I am enough of an engineer to realise that a smaller engine working slightly harder will be more efficient and will be better for it than a larger engine just on tick-over.

We are about to buy our first second hand narrow boat after many years of hiring. We are after a 55 - 60 ft for extended cruising (almost continuous) and would like to do rivers as well as canals, ie Thames, and Ribble link to the Lancaster etc. Is a 38HP with PRM 120 or equivalent man enough for the job or do we need a 42 HP with PRM 150.

Thanks again for all the feedback. I was pretty sure 3 weeks would be fine, good old canal planner had never let me down so far , it was just when I went on the CRT website, it reckoned 3 weeks plus (see link below), so I just wanted to make sure. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/planning-your-boat-trip/cruising-rings/leicester-ring

Thanks for the feedback, another example of canal boaters generosity. I didn't mention but we (me&wife) are doing it in the first 3 weeks in October. So I wanted plenty of slack for windy and very rainy days when we might have to just hunker down.

I am thinking of doing the Leicester ring from Napton. Is three weeks OK? Canal Planner seems to think so but any feedback would gladly be received. Are the levels on the Soar usually OK?