Windjammer

It does depend on individuals, but I would say about 50ft as a minimum for two people.

NB Willawaw has just posted to say that he has been in touch with Blossom/NB Minnow and its not her.

Look through the online brokerages to get a feel for prices. Read as much as you can about the subject. TBH I think you will learn as much on forums as you will from the waterways mags.

Scoff ye may lubber, but I've seen widebeams referred to as WB !!

I don't see how its any different to M.V (motor vessel) or S.S (steamship) or S.V. (sailing vessel), so presumerably its N.B ?

They are normally very expensive - what make/price were you being quoted ?? You say they were cheaper than the normal equivalent ?

I can't see what's so clever about it. Looks like a Beta engine geared to drive a Lynch motor ? I can see the benefit of a sailboat which might drag the prop round to charge the batteries under sail, but what use on a canal ?

I have a moderate 24" draft. I suspect the biggest problem you will find is mooring to the towpath. You will just have to moor out from the bank and use a longish plank.

The penny has dropped - paramedic sal.. Enjoy - you've picked the right time, what with the summer just starting.

Looks nice. Are your batteries the sealed type ?

4 girls, a fella and two border collies - sounds like Pimms o'clock !!

Try these: http://boatersphone.com/antennas.htm

My advice would be to send a form of press release to all of them. If they dont publish it, it gives you an insight into how much they are really interested in the canals.

Brentford to Teddington is not too onerous. Just check your tide times and give Howard the Lockie a wave at Tedders.

Waggledance - of course - its a while since I've heard the word. What a great name for a narrowboat !!!

Channel 5 is due to be added in October 08.

I think it depends on what you need from a boat. If you liveaboard or even spend large chunks of time, then the living space of a longer boat is good. However, if you only want a boat as a weekend getaway or for high days and holidays, then small can be beautiful. A lot of costs on boats are pro-rata to length. Moorings, blacking, drydock, insurance ?, licence, etc Also, its easier to maintain a shorter boat - quicker to clean, black, paint, etc. I have a Northern-max narrowboat too, but the benefits of a smaller boat for some aren't wasted on me.

Why are you glad you went for a 57ft boat ?

It seems that I have touched a bit of a nerve with people with longer boats. Its not about handling - its about places to moor, the cost of mooring and ease of winding in more places. You simply don't need a 60footer to have a good time.

There's no reason why they shouldn't have a 70ft, but if its their first boat and its only for weekends, my advice would be to start at the smaller end and work up. Longer boats are more difficult to wind, will need more work doing (more surface area/more internal space) and will cost more to moor. A friend of mine bought a 39ft 1980 Colecraft for £19k about 2 years ago.

Depends what you want. If you are not going to live aboard for a long time, and only want a weekender, then its quite a long boat. My recommendation would be to look for a nice little 25 year old Colecraft or similar, of around 40-50ft. Personally, I don't like louvre windows - drafty in the winter (great in the summer) and a bit of a security problem if you plan leaving the boat unattended.

Both the Nene and the Fens have free pumpouts (EA waters)

From 2 to 4 years is quite a difference in drydock cycles - 4 drydocks every 8 years if its 2 and only 2 drydocks every 8 years if its 4. The anodes on some boats erode very slowly and some blacking products are more durable than others.

aluminium hole in a sheet of steel ? Is that a left handed or right handed hole ?

Get a decent holesaw such as a cobalt and use cutting paste on 4-6mm steel.