cheesegas

Didn't even think of that, thanks! With canals being quite a bit narrower than most of the Thames, I guess it'll be noticeable there too. Thanks. Yeah, I know all too well how much constant maintenance the mechanical bits of an old vehicle need, let alone when it's surrounded by water like in a boat... Not too great at carpentry but the whilst the interior is very dated, it's functional. Hopefully I'll be able to help out on this forum with electrical and engine stuff to return the favour! Also, the initial survey came back this morning, I'll post a ph

Amazing, thanks all! From what I've read, R&D hulls seem to be pretty good but this one's been sitting in a marina on shore power without a galvanic isolator for a couple of years so it'll be interesting what the survey comes back with. Noted on the control in reverse, I'm very used to popping it into reverse and scooting backwards in whichever direction the engine's pointing. The weight difference is considerable too, which I think will take some getting used to...I can pretty easily push the front end of the Norman with a bargepole and one hand. Thanks for the ad

Thanks. Seems to be working well, no clunks and I don't think the plates are slipping...but my experience with inboard marine gearboxes is zero, so not much to go on!

Thanks for the reassurance! Sounds good. The Mariner outboard was a standard short-shaft thing from the mid 80s, no adder rudder so I'm used to putting on the power to make it think about changing direction. Glad to hear a tiller's easier. This narrowboat's got a Hurth mechanical gearbox, done a bit of research and it doesn't seem to be the most liked piece of kit. Is this widely true? Don't mind rebuilding it as parts seem to still be available, but access to pull it out looks pretty unpleasant!

Hi all. I've owned a little 20ft Norman GRP with a somewhat overpowered 30hp Mariner for a few years, and after living on it for a couple of weeks at a time cruising the Thames, I decided I'd like to live aboard. It's been moored in Brentford in a marina so I've got experience on the Thames from Limehouse to Oxford and the Wey but never been on a canal. Found a solid 50' R&D Fab hulled narrowboat in Nottingham, and subject to survey I'd like to put in an offer and drive it down to a mooring in Greenford in two stints to get around the winter stoppages on the Grand Union, aroun