baggy

Hiya I did spot the size difference It seemed to pivot about halfway along with the back moving a lot, I had not noticed that on Owl but that could have been Jim's expert steering I suppose. The joy of design for a purpose, NB's have obviously evolved to suit their enviroment. Best wishes Mark

Hi all I have finally got to actually steer a boat, a 58ft x 12ft widebeam party boat, which was fun Afterwards I got to wondering how the handling of a widebeam compares to a narrowboat? Mark

The A3 map looks useful but I tend to scribble all over maps, any idea if there are any maps as PDFs?

YHM Thank you for that :-)

who needs a rope... http://markbaigent.smugmug.com/gallery/796...516956912_KDF5z http://markbaigent.smugmug.com/gallery/796...516956667_M2M8y

Hiya Owl looks a bit better in my pics You certainly put the effort in, I could never have managed that much work. edit: typo

Hi Steve I am developing a "slowly does it" strategy which will include a day hire, if there is such a thing, and work up to a holiday afloat.

Hi Alan I have been reading, and enjoying, your blog I loved the experience of being on Owl but that type of NB is not for me, the skill, knowledge and effort involved is beyond me. I hope one day to cruise the bulk of the canal network taking my time so I need a comfortable, easy to use liveaboard type of boat.... I did love that engine though. I also think 70ft may be too long for me, watching the 70ft Owl being turned in a 72 foot space was interesting. Careful I may take that as an offer :-) For sure. I am still feeling my way but I am getting an idea of what I would need (bound to change my mind tho) I think that I would be looking for something like a 58ft liveaboard, although my wife is twitchy about the while idea of boating so I may find myself doing the cruise solo which would change things. Funny you should mention outrunning, the irony of dashing round the M25 at ??mph to pootle along at 3mph did strike me during the day. Ah, cosy, you must be friends... now if we are swapping photos http://markbaigent.smugmug.com/gallery/796...516937054_L7KDu

Hi all I recently mentioned on here that I had never been on a moving narrowboat and received an invitation from koukouvagia to have a trip on his beautiful narrow boat. I had a fantastic day and learnt an amazing amount while just chatting. The weather was wonderful and the hospitality I received made me feel comfortable straight away. I will also never forget the heart beat of the boat produced by an engine that seems capable of moving planets. Of course the problem now is that I want a narrowboat of my own. Thanks koukouvagia

Hi Kieth Thanks for the welcome, I suppose you are right Blimey... a patient man. Hi Alan I have seen a moving NB I can't believe how much I have read here in the last couple of days, so many posts... so little time

Hi all I am feeling a bit of a fraud, I registered with the intention of lurking and learning. I do not have a boat! I am building up to it slowly, I started watching "Narrowboat" on TV, then moved upto "Narrowboat afloat" I can now manage "Locks and Quays" and feel ready for "Waterworld" Narrow boating is something that I have wanted for a long time, I would happily consider packing it all in and moving onto a live aboard but my family (one a teenager) will not even try a narrow boat for a holiday. My long term aim is to get them on a day trip or similar and hope that a least my wife likes narrowboating and we can include it in my retirement plans when said teenager has moved on. In the meantime I watch the narrowboats at papermill lock and dream, I also run their web site I suppose that while I am admitting things I should say I have never even been in a moving narrowboat. Oh well, back to lurking....