alan_fincher
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Posts posted by alan_fincher
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17 minutes ago, Russ T said:
Its my opinion. I have no hard facts.
OK, but it seemed to me to be stated more like a fact than an opinion
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52 minutes ago, Russ T said:
Most people on here don't even have a boat, let alone cruise them.
And your evidence for this is?.....
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4 hours ago, stagedamager said:
we are in an incredibly rare position that you could get your hands on a pair of middle northwiches for under 60k. interesting........
True.
But I can't even start to estimate how much more you would need to lay out to produce a decent pair of Middle Northwich boats in good order and ready to trade!-
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1 hour ago, Jon57 said:
A shame they couldn't substitute another blue one for the odd one out! At least they are all Woolwich boats.
That picture really highlights just how much of a "kick up" some of the Small Woolwich boats had to the stern, compared to their Large Woolwich counterparts. ("Counter Parts" - get it?!?)-
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I know from past expErience it is not just about size and thickness of the cover plate. Thickness of the deck comes into play also, and particularly what bracing or other supports it has.
I also know that the 150mm spacing Mike suggests is much too wide, and that contaminants in your domestic water would be more or less guaranteed. I wouldn't go any more than every 100mm-
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From Norton Canes Boat Srvices
QuotePRICE REDUCTION – NOW £39,950storic narrowboat project now available at a reduced price.HiBuilt in 1936 by Harland & Wolff for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company, Columba is a 71'6" “Little Woolwich” motor with an incredible heritage, originally paired with butty Dodona.In recent years, Columba has undergone a full-length cabin conversion with tug deck, creating the foundations for a truly unique historic boat. The cabin has been battened, spray-foamed, ballasted and floored, with plywood sheets for the line-out included in the sale.The hard work has already been done – offering a rare opportunity for someone to complete the fit-out to their own specification while owning a genuine piece of inland waterways history.PRICE REDUCTION – NOW £39,950Hi
Reduced to £39,950
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2 hours ago, Lady M said:
I do recommend taking a practice run round the parade course in advance if possible as it can be is more challenging in places than it appears.
I can't say I particularly agree.
I've been round many times over the years, both on our 40 foot and 72 foot historics.
The only part I find tricky is emerging back on to the main line canal from the marina entrance undr the ladder bridge with the 72 footer. Carrying a heavy cabin converrsion it steadfastly fails to get round corners like an unconverted boat can. I usually have to shuffle back and forth once to complete the turn, as getting arond in one is too hard. -
On 25/06/2026 at 15:47, Tim Lewis said:
Norton Canes at Glascote may for a fee!
Likewise Alvecote Marina, (although their facility is not exactly appealing - or at least wasn't the last time I used it a few years back.
Grendon is favourite, though. -
This old post may be of some interest....
That said some of the early recommensations are Narrow Dog to Carcassone and Thw Water Road. My personal strong advice is to give both of these a miss - particularly the second one!
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I'm far from an expert - I haven't been up the Lee and Stort in years, and had hoped some of the locals to those rivers would answer your question.
However it has always seemed to me that hire boats up there are very few and far between, and I rather suspect you are not going to find anything suitable.
I hope for your sake I am wrong! -
1 hour ago, MtB said:
And I don't think I've seen URANUS mentioned before in this thread:
https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/narrow-boats-tugs-for-sale/827210
See 8th & 9th May....
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Post on Facebook says that Kestrel/Triagulum has had its price very considerably further reduced from £18,000 to £15,950.
However the link is to an Aquavista page that hasn't been changed from £18,000.
Another site shows it as £10,000!
Make of all that what you will! -
58 minutes ago, Kipper 2 said:
Doing the Thames Ring at present, has anyone else noticed how quiet the Grand Union is south of Berkhamsted?
There also appears a great deal project or abandoned boats along the towpath.Plenty of people tell me that is why they no longer come down here - hence, perhaps, why it is so quiet.
That said, the appalling lack of maintenance with one patched up lock following another is what really puts me off these days. Once it was one of the generally better looked after, but nobody could argue that anymore.
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25 minutes ago, matty40s said:
Now THAT'S a real working boat.
Well if something that looks remarkably like that is considered suitable for exhibition at Stoke Bruerne.........
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12 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:
If they rebuild the OP's engine at least he knows how it has been used and what he thinks is wrong with it. He should also insist on Calcutt telling him the implications of any machining that needs doing - e.g. Cylinders bored to the maximum or less, so allowing for another re-bore or not, or crankshaft ground to the maximum so once that is worn it would need a new crank.
He should also establish if the camshaft bearings will be renewed - I assume they would change the main bearings as required.
One thing sure is that it would not be cheap, but probably more thorough than rebuilds by jobbing mechanics.
Well these are the only prices they now quote
1. Rebuilt BMC “Long Engine”- an un-marinised but running unit £2143.20
2. Strip, appraise, clean and refit of your marinising parts, respray and test £720.00
3. Remove and refit engine from a vessel (only at our base) £720.00
So I think that is saying that even if you remove the engine and take it to them, the cost is unlikely to be less than £3K.
But I'm not sure we have been told what is wrong with the engine, have we? -
Yes Calcutt still say they can rebuild a customer's BMC 1500, but only offer an exchange service for the 1800 model.
That said opinions differ wildly about the quality of Calcutt's BMC rebuilds, so you need to do a bit of homework about what you would be getting in to.
Whilst I have owned a boat in the past with an 1800 that was a Calcutt rebuild, that rebuild was far too long ago to give any reasonable idea about what they might b like now.I know at least one forum member had a 1500 rebuilt by Union Canal Carriers at Braunston, and I think they were happy with it.
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2 minutes ago, David Mack said:
A loo with a view...
Yep,
Almost on the poop deck. -
I don't think this one has been posted, (but could be wrong though!)....
NaplesA great deal of money for an unpowered butty though - even a converted one.
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33 minutes ago, matty40s said:
Probably more than that for a custom built guard...
I don't know enough about Gardners to know exactly what difficulties it could cause, but surely having the engine or engine components virtually touching the bulkhead ahead of it isn't exactly best preactice?
Nice to see the Heart Interface - it reduces the amount of ballast you woul otherwise require!-
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11 minutes ago, Mike Griffin said:
Listers are good, but not sure about the air cooled models and they do tend to be smokey........
Only if not properly maintained, and frankly no more so than any other old engine.
The issue with Listers is that they will continue to run and do the job, even if totally knackered. Because of this they become neglected, because people don't feel the need to spend money on them, but spares are generally available for any overhaul you might chose to ultimately do.
What I will concede is that an air cooled model is generally louder than a water cooled equivalent, (but some of us don't see that as a negative!). If no water cooling is involved you are freed from any anxieties about things like antifreeze, or whether you have enough to avoid a cracked block when the temperature takes a sudden dive into the "sub zeros".
Other air cooled tyes include Petter and Armstrong Sideley, though you are unlikely to find either in a modern build boat - they are generally found only in "historics" -
Exactly what oil did you use, (to include the full spec)?
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4 hours ago, MtB said:
Unfeasibly cheap, I'd have thought.
I'm currently paying £243 per month for a 57ft boat, which is still cheaper than the nearby marinas. (I think!)
Interesting.
Our mooring for a 71' 6" boat on the Grand Union in Northamptonshire is currently £200 per month.
Offside moorings with water, toilet disposal and electricity to each pontoon. Access by locked gate and adequate parking.(Well, being strictly accurate, it is also £200 per month for our 40' boat, as it is priced by the pontoon, not by length).
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8 minutes ago, MtB said:
Well yes it looks very much like the back end of a butty going forwards to my unedumacated eye, but I wouldn't know if it was a Bantock butty in particular. If there ever was such a thing. I've the vaguest idea there never where any Bantock butties. Could that be the case?
I think there probably never were. They was horse boats primarily. Horse boats were not "butties", other than those that ultimately went on to be used as such, (e.g. some of the LMS "station" boats).
I also don't know what the back of an untouched Bantock would have looked like.
There are BCN day boats of quite pleasing appearance, (like "Reg") In my view Isombard Kingdom Brunel isn't one of them. -
37 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:
I don't think that is a "Bantock" as described.
I suppose it could have used thecack end of a Bantock to form its front end. Even then, I don't buy it!
get on you marks. Get set. GO 
New Elsan Points To be Rolled Out
in General Boating
Posted
We have one at our (private) moorings basin.
In our case the flush hose is completely separate to the unit itself.
The problem with these, if installed in the open, is that the flush cistern will freeze up once temperatures go sub-zero.
They are, however, fine in the summer months.