Marina facilities

[Jporter]

I’m bringing a gaff rigged yacht up the Thames, dropping the mast and entering the canal system. When yachting it is not difficult to find a marina with showers, launderette etc. This is particularly useful on a small boat like mine. Are such facilities available on the canal network? How do I find the locations?

[Tam & Di]

Not an answer to your question I'm afraid, but where are you thinking of going and what draft does your boat have?

 

Tam

[OldGoat]

9 minutes ago, Jporter said:

I’m bringing a gaff rigged yacht up the Thames, dropping the mast and entering the canal system. When yachting it is not difficult to find a marina with showers, launderette etc. This is particularly useful on a small boat like mine. Are such facilities available on the canal network? How do I find the locations?

On the Thames 'we' boaters have most of those facilities available and on much if not all of the canal system as well.

However I'm wondering whether the narrow canal system could cope with your boat - not only the the near seven foot width of the Oxford and also the Grand Union from Brentford...

T & D have also asked about the draught of your boat - the narrow canals are only about three feet if you're lucky and the GU not a lot more...

Edited July 15, 2021 by OldGoat

[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, Jporter said:

Are such facilities available on the canal network?

 

There are, but as Tam has asked about dimensions :

 

Depending on where you mean to cruise, If you have a beam of 7 feet +, or a max draft of ideally below 2'6" (3 foot max) then it won't matter what facilities there are as you won't get to them.

 

Simply decide which canals you plan to use and then google "Marina on xyz canal"

 

Or :

 

Look here (although it is not a 100% comprehensive listing) 

Marina - Grand Union Canal » UK Waterways Guide

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[Mad Harold]

8 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

Not an answer to your question I'm afraid, but where are you thinking of going and what draft does your boat have?

 

Tam

A  gaff rig is beautifully olde worldy and to me looks far better than those boats with pointy mainsails.

Are your sails rust red? in which case you could (like Andy Capp) sing  "red shails in the shunset"hic)

Sorry,havn't answered your question,but not knowing the London area,there are facilities all over the canal network.

Perhaps you need to check the dimensions of the canals you intend to use regarding draught and beam.

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

..... use regarding draught and beam.

 

Back on the beer again ?

[Mad Harold]

Wouldn't it be lovely if CRT could arrange for a nice breeze to blow along the canals so we could mount a sail on our boats.A big stripey one like Viking longboats would be really cool.

No more clattering smelly diesels and no worries about charging batteries.

Boaters would be so "green" that everyone else would be   er green with envy.😜

[Bee]

If its got a centreboard no problems, if its a Bristol channel pilot cutter ...... I was tied in Warwick years ago and a little plywood boat called Shrimpy came past, that little boat had , I believe, sailed round the world, Chaps name was Shane somebody.  As with so many things its the paperwork that gets in the way. you will need a licence, before you get a licence you need a boat safety certificate, and a survey to get that.  oh and probably insurance. If this is a rather nice Dutch Zeeschow  or something like that then you might have to have a discussion about VAT with someone. Anyway if you plan your trip with maps and things there are showers and things but not as many as you might hope for. Good luck

[Mad Harold]

27 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Back on the beer again ?

In Britain draught is for both the depth of a boat below the waterline and drawing a pint of beer.

Draft is the American spelling of the same thing,and also being called up for military service.

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

In Britain draught is for both the depth of a boat below the waterline and drawing a pint of beer.

Draft is the American spelling of the same thing,and also being called up for military service.

 

43 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Are your sails rust red? in which case you could (like Andy Capp) sing  "red shails in the shunset"hic)

 

 

38 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Back on the beer again ?

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

30 minutes ago, Bee said:

If its got a centreboard no problems, if its a Bristol channel pilot cutter ...... I was tied in Warwick years ago and a little plywood boat called Shrimpy came past, that little boat had , I believe, sailed round the world, Chaps name was Shane somebody.  As with so many things its the paperwork that gets in the way. you will need a licence, before you get a licence you need a boat safety certificate, and a survey to get that.  oh and probably insurance. If this is a rather nice Dutch Zeeschow  or something like that then you might have to have a discussion about VAT with someone. Anyway if you plan your trip with maps and things there are showers and things but not as many as you might hope for. Good luck

 

I don't think you can legitimately call a BSS inspection a survey, but that might be a good word to use to explain to a string and rag chap that to get a BSS he will need  a BSS inspection. I think there is a bit of a price difference and for a BSS no need to get the boat out of the water.

[Alan de Enfield]

I'm fairly sure that some time (years) ago it was discussed that a boat on 'transit' (for example going East to West on the L & L) was not required to have a licence of BSS, only insurance and a signed 'owners declaration' that the boat was considered safe.

 

Am I dreaming or can anyone else remember a small 'day-sailer' who did it.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I'm fairly sure that some time (years) ago it was discussed that a boat on 'transit' (for example going East to West on the L & L) was not required to have a licence of BSS, only insurance and a signed 'owners declaration' that the boat was considered safe.

 

Am I dreaming or can anyone else remember a small 'day-sailer' who did it.

 

 

I have a feeling you are right, bit like sea going vessels entering the Norfolk Broads

[Jporter]

4 hours ago, OldGoat said:

On the Thames 'we' boaters have most of those facilities available and on much if not all of the canal system as well.

However I'm wondering whether the narrow canal system could cope with your boat - not only the the near seven foot width of the Oxford and also the Grand Union from Brentford...

T & D have also asked about the draught of your boat - the narrow canals are only about three feet if you're lucky and the GU not a lot more...

My boat is a Cape Cutter with beam 2.2m, draught 0.45m (that’s 7ft 3inches and 18inches respectively). The centre board lifts completely and the mast can be dropped as it hinges in a tabernacle. I believe I won’t have a problem using it on the Regent’s Canal or the G.U. Back to the Thames at Brentford, or the Kennet and Avon. Is that correct? I had hoped to loop round from Limehouse back to the Thames in West London. I was then planning to continue to the Kennet and Avon canal along the Thames. Let me know if there is a problem with this plan.

[Jporter]

3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have a feeling you are right, bit like sea going vessels entering the Norfolk Broads

Yes if you are on transit you can do a safety declaration and buy a 30 day pass (or similar)

4 hours ago, Mad Harold said:

A  gaff rig is beautifully olde worldy and to me looks far better than those boats with pointy mainsails.

Are your sails rust red? in which case you could (like Andy Capp) sing  "red shails in the shunset"hic)

Sorry,havn't answered your question,but not knowing the London area,there are facilities all over the canal network.

Perhaps you need to check the dimensions of the canals you intend to use regarding draught and beam.

 

 

I think the correct description of the sail colour is tan. But yes it’s not that common white colour.

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Jporter said:

Yes if you are on transit you can do a safety declaration and buy a 30 day pass (or similar)

 

 

I thought you could. I remember meeting up with a small yacht (sans mast) on the Trent he was planning to go across country (the L&L) and pop-out at Liverpool.

[Bee]

1 hour ago, Jporter said:

My boat is a Cape Cutter with beam 2.2m, draught 0.45m (that’s 7ft 3inches and 18inches respectively). The centre board lifts completely and the mast can be dropped as it hinges in a tabernacle. I believe I won’t have a problem using it on the Regent’s Canal or the G.U. Back to the Thames at Brentford, or the Kennet and Avon. Is that correct? I had hoped to loop round from Limehouse back to the Thames in West London. I was then planning to continue to the Kennet and Avon canal along the Thames. Let me know if there is a problem with this plan.

You'll be fine, just hang a lot of fenders off it - you'll be meeting a lot of brick, stone and hard stuff and Tony is right, its not a survey you need for a BSS , its an inspection. Sounds like an adventure, good luck.

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I don't think you can legitimately call a BSS inspection a survey, but that might be a good word to use to explain to a string and rag chap that to get a BSS he will need  a BSS inspection. I think there is a bit of a price difference and for a BSS no need to get the boat out of the water.

The BSS is more like an MoT test for boats.

[ditchcrawler]

Back to your original question, showers are hard to come by

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Jporter said:

My boat is a Cape Cutter with beam 2.2m, draught 0.45m (that’s 7ft 3inches and 18inches respectively). The centre board lifts completely and the mast can be dropped as it hinges in a tabernacle. I believe I won’t have a problem using it on the Regent’s Canal or the G.U. Back to the Thames at Brentford, or the Kennet and Avon. Is that correct? I had hoped to loop round from Limehouse back to the Thames in West London. I was then planning to continue to the Kennet and Avon canal along the Thames. Let me know if there is a problem with this plan.

The 2.2m beam rules out the narrow canals of the Midlands (although only just), but you will be fine on the GU and Regents around London, and on the K&A.

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Back to your original question, showers are hard to come by

Some CRT service blocks have showers, but I am not aware of a convenient list of those that do.

There are few canalside facilities around London anyway. An alternative is to see if you can make use of showers at local swimming pools, sports centres or gyms. 

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, Bee said:

Tony is right, its not a survey you need for a BSS

 

But he doesn't need a BSS on a 'Transit', just a self certification.

[Jporter]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

But he doesn't need a BSS on a 'Transit', just a self certification.

Yes I’ve done the self certification 

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

The BSS is more like an MoT test for boats.

 

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

But he doesn't need a BSS on a 'Transit', just a self certification.

 

No. A Transit needs an MoT.🙂

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, David Mack said:

 

 

No. A Transit needs an MoT.🙂

 

 

Everyone a winner - "claim any prize off the middle shelf"

[Jporter]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

The 2.2m beam rules out the narrow canals of the Midlands (although only just), but you will be fine on the GU and Regents around London, and on the K&A.

Some CRT service blocks have showers, but I am not aware of a convenient list of those that do.

There are few canalside facilities around London anyway. An alternative is to see if you can make use of showers at local swimming pools, sports centres or gyms. 

Taking the Kennet and Avon from Reading there are no CRT showers. Just 2 or the first 4 marinas on the route from Reading have showers. The facilities are not like those in coastal sailing marinas. Do all narrowboats have reasonable showers then?