Relocating a narrowboat from English canals to Scottish forth and Clyde

[Warthog]

Hello everyone! I’m new and this is my first post ! I hope you’re all well ?right so I have a problem.. I’ve been looking for a boat in Scotland for a while now but there are very few boats for sale anywhere up here so the choice is very limited ...I think my only option is to find one in England as the choice is way better.. but obviously I’m going to need to factor all the complications and costs of moving a narrowboat by road to Scotland  into my budget.. I would like to get something between 40-45ft and have a max budget of £25000.. .. so does anyone know what a service like that would cost or could anyone point me someone that can help arrange it  ? any help would be greatly appreciate.. I’m going to be a new boater so please have patience with me if my narrowboat speak is a bit lacking lol thanks very much ??❤️

[restlessnomad]

welcome to the forum. Am sure somebody with knowledge will reply but in the meantime you can enter 'boat transportation' in the search box above and see responses in similar threads.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Chooglin said:

o does anyone know what a service like that would cost or could anyone point me someone that can help arrange it

Depending on "where from and where to" and final boat size I'd guesstimate at £1500, but try one (or more)of these for a quote :

 

(You'll need to give  pick up & delivery post-codes, or maybe explain you are not yet sure so use (say) Northampton & Glasgow)

 

http://www.waterways-great-britain.co.uk/a-b-tuckey-boat-transport-service

 

http://bargemovers.com/

 

https://www.hiabcranehirewales.co.uk/

 

https://www.boathaulage.co.uk/

[Dav and Pen]

To move a 40 foot narrow boat from England to Scotland look around at your local hauliers who work into England as most are always looking for back loads and any flat trailer can take a narrowboat. Crane  costs will depend on where you buy from and where it is put in the water as many yards have their own lifting which will avoid the cost of mobile cranes.

[Up-Side-Down]

5 hours ago, Chooglin said:

Hello everyone! I’m new and this is my first post ! I hope you’re all well ?right so I have a problem.. I’ve been looking for a boat in Scotland for a while now but there are very few boats for sale anywhere up here so the choice is very limited ...I think my only option is to find one in England as the choice is way better.. but obviously I’m going to need to factor all the complications and costs of moving a narrowboat by road to Scotland  into my budget.. I would like to get something between 40-45ft and have a max budget of £25000.. .. so does anyone know what a service like that would cost or could anyone point me someone that can help arrange it  ? any help would be greatly appreciate.. I’m going to be a new boater so please have patience with me if my narrowboat speak is a bit lacking lol thanks very much ??❤️

If you'd like to pm me, I'm currently moored behind a 40ft narrowboat that is for sale near Linlithgow, on the Union Canal. The price is £25,000, nicely appointed, with a brand new Beta 38 engine, new Chilli Penguin stove and a new fridge. Everything else in good order. Sale due to owner's ongoing breast cancer treatment.

 

Failing that I've been involved with moving several narrowboats up here from England, so have most of the facts and figures at my fingertips and always happy to help. The more boats moving on the Lowland Canals the better!

[Alan de Enfield]

52 minutes ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Chilli Penguin stove

 

That always makes me wonder if that is a good name for a stove / heater "Chilli Penguin" ?????????

[restlessnomad]

23 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

That always makes me wonder if that is a good name for a stove / heater "Chilli Penguin" ?????????

this is from their website, seems a logical choice to me... ?

Quote

We needed a name for our stove, one of our son’s favourite books when he was 3 was about a penguin who didn’t like the cold, from that chilly penguin… Chilli Penguin was born.

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by restlessnomad

[Up-Side-Down]

4 minutes ago, restlessnomad said:

this is from their website, seems a logical choice to me... ?

 

Thank you for quoting that. It saved me looking it up to reassure Alan!

[AllanD]

Before checking out transportation to the Scottish Lowland Canals, I suggest that you confirm where you can actually crane your boat into the water. 

I heard a rumour that Stevie Kelvin at Grangemouth is no longer. 

[Warthog]

Thanks very much everyone! You’ve all been so helpful ❤️ I’ve sent a wee DM “up side down” That’s great ! I would love to see it ! .. I’ve got a chilly willy tattoo so that’s got to be a sign eh ?? 

[Up-Side-Down]

37 minutes ago, AllanD said:

Before checking out transportation to the Scottish Lowland Canals, I suggest that you confirm where you can actually crane your boat into the water. 

I heard a rumour that Stevie Kelvin at Grangemouth is no longer. 

Correct

[Alan de Enfield]

9 hours ago, Chooglin said:

Thanks very much everyone! You’ve all been so helpful ❤️ I’ve sent a wee DM “up side down” That’s great ! I would love to see it ! .. I’ve got a chilly willy tattoo so that’s got to be a sign eh ?? 

That's got to be painful !!

 

I remember see a guy on a nudist beach, he had a willy tattoo.

It said "Linda", I said that's nice, is Linda your Girlfriends name, he says :

 

"No, it actually says 'welcome to Llandudno, have a nice day' but you only get to see all of it occasionally"

[Warthog]

??

[Alimart]

Hello - I'd be interested in making contact with 'Up-Side-Down' if possible ?

 

Due to a possible job relocation from Blighty to Scotland I am at the very early stages of investigating having my 57x10 Collingwood transported north and possibly put on to the Forth & Clyde, maybe mooring at Bowling marina ?   ( Nearest to potential home base, waiting to hear from Scottish Canals re availability.)

 

Other locations would appear available but the boat dimensions eliminate some of them - are there any private marinas on the canal akin to in England or are they all operated via Scottish Canals ?

 

Many thanks.

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Alimart said:

Hello - I'd be interested in making contact with 'Up-Side-Down' if possible ?

 

Click on his 'picture' (Avatar) at the side of his post.

His page opens.

Near the top you will see "MESSAGE" click on that and send him a message.

[ditchcrawler]

@haggis may know as well

[haggis]

5 hours ago, Alimart said:

Hello - I'd be interested in making contact with 'Up-Side-Down' if possible ?

 

Due to a possible job relocation from Blighty to Scotland I am at the very early stages of investigating having my 57x10 Collingwood transported north and possibly put on to the Forth & Clyde, maybe mooring at Bowling marina ?   ( Nearest to potential home base, waiting to hear from Scottish Canals re availability.)

 

Other locations would appear available but the boat dimensions eliminate some of them - are there any private marinas on the canal akin to in England or are they all operated via Scottish Canals ?

 

Many thanks.

I was hanging off as Up-Side-Down will have more up to date info than me and hopefully he will be along soon.

I would have thought that 57/10 would be able to navigate both the Forth and Clyde and Union canals - it can, this has just been confirmed by Iain who is a volunteer lockie on the F & C. . Most of the moorings are supplied by Scottish Canals and they are the people to contact about vacancies and there are a few moorings as part of housing developments but not sure if they are administered by SC or not. There are community moorings near Linlithgow (Narrowboat farm) but not sure the canal is wide enough there to have a wide beam moored.

Bowling basin is lovely with views out over the Clyde BUT if you want to go anywhere, you have all the broad locks to Maryhill to do. Up here we are not allowed to do our own locks and you need to arrange passage with Scottish canals. Different locking devices and windlasses from those used down south so not easy to sneak up the locks yourself ? 

haggis

if you haven't already done so, it is worth while downloading the Skippers Guide from the SC web site as it gives lots of info on the Lowland canals. 

[ronnietucker]

On 29/06/2021 at 10:58, Alimart said:

Hello - I'd be interested in making contact with 'Up-Side-Down' if possible ?

 

Due to a possible job relocation from Blighty to Scotland I am at the very early stages of investigating having my 57x10 Collingwood transported north and possibly put on to the Forth & Clyde, maybe mooring at Bowling marina ?   ( Nearest to potential home base, waiting to hear from Scottish Canals re availability.)

 

Other locations would appear available but the boat dimensions eliminate some of them - are there any private marinas on the canal akin to in England or are they all operated via Scottish Canals ?

 

Many thanks.

 

This is Scottish Canals' site for moorings and what's available: http://www.livingonwater.co.uk/index.php/locations/show/where/find_a_mooring

 

One thing to remember when bringing a boat up from down south is that you need to get the hull pressure washed and a letter to certify that it's been done. Invasive species and all that jazz. Unless the boats been out of the water for over a month.

 

You can get boats launched at Clyde Boatyard (http://www.clydeboatyard.com/index.html) and sail it up the Clyde (a tidal river) and into Bowling. That's what I did when I got my Dawncraft brought up from a seller in Peterborough. Make 200% sure you've read how to enter Bowling as I botched up my entry and (somehow) managed to get away with no damage. I was a VERY lucky man!

 

Alternatively, you can get a boat launched straight into the canal at Auchinstarry (I think Firhill too), but you need to pay about £500 to Scottish Canals and have the haulier submit plans of what they're going to do. Once the plan gets the nod from the authorities then it can be launched with Scottish Canals' people supervising. It's because the canal is a Scottish monument. Here they'll inspect the hull to make sure it's been pressure washed properly. If they spot anything awry then the launch will be cancelled and it'll cost you a small fortune.

 

Me and my dad are going to sell our house to buy a narrowboat and go liveaboard. I already have a GRP cruiser at Bowling.

 

My top tips:

• examine closely where your mooring is as you might end up locked in somewhere and can't go anywhere without planning with Scottish Canals to get bridges/locks open. Choose somewhere with a bit of space to let you potter about up and down a bit. Like someone else said: we can't touch the bridges/locks ourselves up here.
• be wary of somewhere like Lock 27 as it's right next to a very busy pub which is overflowing during the summer. I've never moored there, but I imagine it to be full of idiots at kicking out time
• facilities... check what's there and what you need. Not all moorings have toilets/showers, pump out, storage, laundry, or elsan for portaloo disposal. All do have electricity and water bollards available.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, ronnietucker said:

One thing to remember when bringing a boat up from down south is that you need to get the hull pressure washed and a letter to certify that it's been done. Invasive species and all that jazz. Unless the boats been out of the water for over a month.

 

 

Interesting comment - is that just the lowland canals or also applicable to the Caledonian ?

[ronnietucker]

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Interesting comment - is that just the lowland canals or also applicable to the Caledonian ?

 

Not sure about the Caledonian, but definitely required for the Lowland canals. I had to photo and email them a copy of my letter from the Clyde Boatyard. Of course, by that time I was already in Bowling, but still... 

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, ronnietucker said:

 

Not sure about the Caledonian, but definitely required for the Lowland canals. I had to photo and email them a copy of my letter from the Clyde Boatyard. Of course, by that time I was already in Bowling, but still... 

 

I was wondering how it would work with boats coming in from (say) the USA and straight into the Caledonian at Fort William, As far as I know there is no requirement to be lifted and washed.

[ronnietucker]

Just now, Alan de Enfield said:

I was wondering how it would work with boats coming in from (say) the USA and straight into the Caledonian at Fort William, As far as I know there is no requirement to be lifted and washed.

 

It seems to be a bit of a hit and miss rule, but I've been told that if you launch into the canal directly then the boat will be inspected for any hitchhikers. If anything is found then you're screwed as it's now up to you and the haulier to find somewhere to put this whopping great boat at the last minute, and pay for storage.

 

I think they also take into account how long the boat has been in different waters. Like going from an English canal to, say, salt water then into the Scottish canals.

[Tracy D'arth]

Could you please arrange to take another hundred or so wide boats with you as a convoy? There is more room for them in Scotland than down here.

 

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