Neil2

Thanks Geoff - that makes sense to me, and others have said it is possible to replace these nozzles - I have a couple of contacts but it seems ridiculous that a diesel injector specialist doesn't realise you can get them. Unfortunately I'm a long way from my boat at the moment so I'm having to rely on a local engineer but this looks like a case of if you want a job doing properly...

You said it. I don't want to say too much here but as others have warned, get a good surveyor to look at the boat dispassionately. Mike Boulton at Blue Star Surveys is a good guy and will tell it like it is.

This was one of our favourite mooring spots so I'm dismayed to see what BW have done, but not at all surprised.

Sorry that post above should have read "how to ruin the lines of a Nauticus 27". Seriously, you hear folk talking about the early days of GRP when they didn't know how strong it was so the builders overcompensated. As a result some of the early grp cruisers are incredibly resilient. I remember the owner of an old Fairline telling me he drilled the hull to take a drain or something and it was over two inches thick. I'd guess an oldish shetland or freeman would be a pretty sturdy animal. Also consider many of these boats were intended to take a big engine, though most didn't, but for example the Norman and Callumcraft range - seen a lot on canals and rivers, would take a 75hp outboard for coastal cruising, as would something like the Shetland Speedwell - usually seen with a dinky 9hp o/b but designed to be cruised at sea. I think you could have a lot of fun with one of those as they are narrow beam as well. That reminds me, wasn't there a youtube clip of a Norman 18 tackling Trent Falls with a little 10hp o/b?

Just make sure you have enough fenders.

Had the injectors recently serviced and ever since the engine has been smoking (white) a lot more than usual and doesn't have the same power. Has anyone any idea why this might be? I've had the injectors sent back to be rechecked in the hope that there's a problem like a tiny bit of grit finding its way into one but if they are ok I am at a loss to understand why my engine runs worse than before. We tried advancing the timing slightly which made it worse still. BTW the engineers who did the injectors say it is now impossible to get new nozzles - does anyone know different?

Our boat is about the same length and we carry a 10kg anchor with 8metres chain and 20 metres rope which I reckoned was enough for the Thames. You will never use it on a NB except in an emergency of course. Take the point about windlasses but a lot of mariners see the anchor as a disposable item anyway and many modern yachts don't have a capstan/windlass as they don't intend the anchor to be used routinely. If you ever have to deploy the anchor all you are concerned about is that it bites and holds.

Well I'm certainly open to offers....

I'd go for the Morso as well. We have a Squirrel 1410 and a 1430 at home, the 1410 is intended for use on narrowboats but it's a better design anyway in my view. They are very easy to control.

Just mind that blue boat when you exit the bottom lock...

One thing I would not be without is my 8 foot scaffold pole. Much better than a wooden pole when you run aground, and use it for levering sticky lock gates open. Nip round to your nearest scaffolder he'll probably just "lose" one for you. Paint your boat pole/hook in one foot sections so you can quickly guage the depth of water if/when you need to. I haven't got one but a wind direction indicator/pennant/burgee is useful. Plastic zip ties have 1001 uses. Another thing I haven't got round to is some sort of cup/mug holder or device to stop your tea/coffee sliding off the deck/roof/taff rail. The binocular suggestion is a good idea - I never have mine to hand though.

Anyone who has done the initial section from Reading would agree that it's not for the inexperienced, but if you have some boating experience you may not be intimidated by it. The problems are mostly to do with handling the boat through locks which are not exactly user friendly and I doubt you will have encountered anything like them in the US. For example there is one particular lock which has a vicious outflow at the entrance and it requires a high degree of confidence to fire the boat at the lock before it gets caught by the current. Dare I say this is probably of more concern to boat owners than hire boaters... But it sounds like you have a willing crew and if you fancy a bit of adventure then why not go for it.

If you think about it a boat that is outboard powered or outdrive has virtually no rudder. Nor do most twin engine boats. You cannot steer these boats unless you are making way, so the grp skipper probably had a point. You should try mooring on the Thames where the speed limit is universally ignored and no-one ever seems to slow down for moored craft. It doesn't bother me at all but most Narrowboaters seem to get very upset about it.

Yes - it was the Beta Marine system I was looking at which appears to use this device. Revisiting the website I notice they do admit to significant power losses so it would be sensible to have the engine midships perhaps.

This isn't very helpful but it amused me. A few years back I met a couple of liveaboards, and the guy explained it was really his wife's idea he only agreed provided he could have the same size TV on the NB as they had at home. You can guess how big it was. It virtually covered one wall of the lounge. I asked him, half joking, if he had to sit on the opposite side of the cut to watch it. And of course he needed shore power to run it. TV these days is simply dreadful. Even some of the more interesting programmes still pander to the masses. The only consolation is that the quality of british radio programmes has risen as if to compensate.

This assertion about power loss intrigues me - I presume the power losses are incurred in pumping the fluid through pipes, so it follows the longer the pipes the more power is lost? I take the point about keeping things simple, but it's always struck me that the "traditional" method of propelling a boat is anything but simple, with all the issues of couplings, alignment, glands etc. I think it might be the power loss issue that kills it as a NB solution. The main attraction to me is being able to site the engine remotely, but maybe having the power unit 50 feet away from the propeller makes it too inefficient.

Teadaemon makes an interesting point but I don't think it stacks up nationwide. I've seen wooden boats in the North that have been completely rehulled in steel and if you go to the midlands or yorkshire or any of the shipbuilding towns you will find legions of welders for every wooden boatbuilder. It may well be very different in East Anglia. Also, the point at which a cabin needs replacing is probably about the same point at which a refit becomes necessary, so the interior gets stripped out either way.

I don't have a problem with BW arguing there is an "uneconomic" ceiling, it's how they arrive at it that has to be questionable. My experience of towpath moorings suggests there is very little expense involved in maintaining these, and little more than maintaining the canal/towpath generally. In fact if you read the moorings agreement, BW don't have much in the way of responsibilities at all - not even to ensure the canal has water in it. I can't imagine any private sector organisation adopting the same approach as BW do. One hopes some common sense will prevail under the new arrangements. I'd like to know how they define "directly managed".

This is all interesting stuff. I take the point about engine sound but we are all different. Personally I like a car/van to be as quiet as possible and don't see why a boat should be any different. I had a go in a big sea cruiser a while back and was totally seduced by the quietness of the engines. And if you've ever been yachting there's that wonderful moment when you get the sails set and turn the engine off. Moving silently throught the water seems to be a near impossibility though on a NB. Many years ago I hired an old Broads Cruiser which had the engine tucked under the bow and it was a delight. From the outside you just could not hear the engine at all. I've always fancied doing the same thing with a NB but I take note of the negative comments re hydraulic drive. Diesel-electric might be less problematic though I suspect at least as expensive as the hydraulic option. How much are horses, by the way?

The fact is, were you to go to a boatbuilder and ask for a new cabin in steel it would cost far less than replacing the wooden cabin like for like - assuming you could find someone to do it. That, I would argue, is why most woodentops have disappeared. But as a DIY exercise, unless you are skilled in welding/fabrication it is no contest. Given the facilities most of us could build a wooden boat but very few could make one in steel.

I'm thinking long term at the moment and what I might have on my ideal boat in maybe 3/4 years time. I've always been intrigued by hydraulic drives as they seem to make so much sense for a canal boat, yet I don't think I've ever come across a NB with such a system. Who wouldn't like to stick the engine up under the bow and cruise along in near silence. There must be some drawbacks, or is it just the cost of installing?

Have a look at the "Springer Owners Unite" Facebook page, I'm sure there's at least one guy on there who has replated a Springer. Just a thought, if I was doing this to a springer or any v shaped hull I 'd be tempted to stick on a bit of a keel at the same time. It would reduce the tendency of some springers to roll, and improve the handling, no bad thing on any NB.

Wood is the best material from a DIY point of view but the worst for mass production. We don't see many wooden boats simply because they cost too much to make not because it is an inferior material. If you were to build your own narrowboat it would make perfect sense to make it out of wood. So why worry about a NB with wooden cabin if it is in reasonable nick. Even if it needs work this is well within the scope of the average DIYer.

If you hire from barnoldswick you can go towards skipton and enjoy probably the best section of canal anywhere in the country, but you won't get anywhere near Leeds. Once you leave Skipton the swing bridges come thick and fast and can slow your progress much more than you'd think. Be very realistic about your daily mileage and you will enjoy it a lot more. From "Barlick" you could certainly get down the five rise, and probably as far as Rodley, but no further. By the time you return you will be expert in swing bridges as I think there are about 30 on that route.

Some recommend the narrow canals for a first timer as the locks are easier to handle but many of the popular canals are so busy now you won't enjoy it as much as you will be stressed about hitting things, more so if you get a really long NB. I am totally biased of course but you can't go wrong with the Leeds Liverpool. It is a broad canal, but very quiet and in the main there's lots of room for boats to pass etc. Most of the hire companies are very good at getting you used to locks. The L/L also has some of the most delightful countryside you will find anywhere on the network. I'd take the dog. Most dogs love canal boating and if you don't take her this time you will never know. Some are freaked out by tunnels but if you turn all the lights on inside she should be ok. There's only one real tunnel on the L/L anyway, Foulridge, and you can have a nice walk over it if you're worried.