Broads boats on the canals

[Bacchus]

I am in the process of buying a new boat - downsizing from a 36' Dutch Steel Cruiser to a 30' Broads boat. It is a project and requires a bit of refurbishment - but, apart from the fact that I simply like this style of boat for inland use (I used to have a 44' Bounty Buccaneer) one of the reasons I am doing this is that I would hope to be able to take the new boat onto a canal or two.

 

The new boat is a Broom DC 30 (similar/identical to the Dawncraft (of Wroxham) DC30 - I believe the same hull as the Broom Ocean 30/Skipper). I have seen the draft quoted as between 2' and 2'6", the beam as 10' to 10'5", and the air-draft pretty consistently as 6'11"

 

The most likely canals I would want to visit would be the Wey Navigation, K and A, and possibly the Grand Union so I don't think the beam will be an issue - but can anyone suggest any other issues I might have? Draft? Air draft? I am pretty sure that there isn't a weed hatch, will that be a problem on these waterways?

 

Thanks in anticipation

[David Mack]

Narrowboats drawing 3 ft use those waterways so draft won't be a problem.

Headroom is probably OK, but may depend on the cabin profile. Some Broads boats have very square cabins which may be a problem at arched bridges.

[Bacchus]

9 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Narrowboats drawing 3 ft use those waterways so draft won't be a problem.

Headroom is probably OK, but may depend on the cabin profile. Some Broads boats have very square cabins which may be a problem at arched bridges.

 

Thanks @David Mack, something to look out for! The Broom does have fairly wide side-decks and a sort of 45 degree chamfer on roof - possibly dictated by the bridge at Potter Heigham, actually this looks like a picture of a very similar boat going under that bridge... (link to the broads authority image - I hope that is ok? thought it better than pinching their image...)

 

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Bacchus said:

I am in the process of buying a new boat - downsizing from a 36' Dutch Steel Cruiser to a 30' Broads boat. It is a project and requires a bit of refurbishment - but, apart from the fact that I simply like this style of boat for inland use (I used to have a 44' Bounty Buccaneer) one of the reasons I am doing this is that I would hope to be able to take the new boat onto a canal or two.

 

The new boat is a Broom DC 30 (similar/identical to the Dawncraft (of Wroxham) DC30 - I believe the same hull as the Broom Ocean 30/Skipper). I have seen the draft quoted as between 2' and 2'6", the beam as 10' to 10'5", and the air-draft pretty consistently as 6'11"

 

The most likely canals I would want to visit would be the Wey Navigation, K and A, and possibly the Grand Union so I don't think the beam will be an issue - but can anyone suggest any other issues I might have? Draft? Air draft? I am pretty sure that there isn't a weed hatch, will that be a problem on these waterways?

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

I can virtually guarantee those boats won't have a weed hatch. But of course you can get stuff off the prop if needed using another method. On one of those boats I suspect it may involve getting in and getting very wet. I don't think the prop will be accessible to something like a boat hook or similar implement.

[ditchcrawler]

19 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I can virtually guarantee those boats won't have a weed hatch. But of course you can get stuff off the prop if needed using another method. On one of those boats I suspect it may involve getting in and getting very wet. I don't think the prop will be accessible to something like a boat hook or similar implement.

A wet suit is cheaper than having a hatch fitted 🤣

[MPR]

2 hours ago, Bacchus said:

I am in the process of buying a new boat - downsizing from a 36' Dutch Steel Cruiser to a 30' Broads boat. It is a project and requires a bit of refurbishment - but, apart from the fact that I simply like this style of boat for inland use (I used to have a 44' Bounty Buccaneer) one of the reasons I am doing this is that I would hope to be able to take the new boat onto a canal or two.

 

The new boat is a Broom DC 30 (similar/identical to the Dawncraft (of Wroxham) DC30 - I believe the same hull as the Broom Ocean 30/Skipper). I have seen the draft quoted as between 2' and 2'6", the beam as 10' to 10'5", and the air-draft pretty consistently as 6'11"

 

The most likely canals I would want to visit would be the Wey Navigation, K and A, and possibly the Grand Union so I don't think the beam will be an issue - but can anyone suggest any other issues I might have? Draft? Air draft? I am pretty sure that there isn't a weed hatch, will that be a problem on these waterways?

 

Thanks in anticipation

An air draft of 6' 11'' will be a problem on the Wey

[Bacchus]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I can virtually guarantee those boats won't have a weed hatch. But of course you can get stuff off the prop if needed using another method. On one of those boats I suspect it may involve getting in and getting very wet. I don't think the prop will be accessible to something like a boat hook or similar implement.

 

I have been wet before... I didn't dissolve and I didn't rust (c:

 

Funnily enough my old Bounty did have a weed-hatch, but I doubt that the Broom has.

52 minutes ago, MPR said:

An air draft of 6' 11'' will be a problem on the Wey

 

Poo. The Wey is lovely and very close to me. Do you have any info on where that would become a problem?

[peterboat]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I can virtually guarantee those boats won't have a weed hatch. But of course you can get stuff off the prop if needed using another method. On one of those boats I suspect it may involve getting in and getting very wet. I don't think the prop will be accessible to something like a boat hook or similar implement.

They arnt 😱 and yes getting wet is the only option!! Mine came with some fancy tools but non worked, I have got rid of it now to a neighbour who is used to broads boats

[MPR]

41 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

 

 

 

Poo. The Wey is lovely and very close to me. Do you have any info on where that would become a problem?

Broadfod Bridge at Shalford had an air draft in my day of 6' 4'' but very much dependent upon river levels.  We can, at least agree that it is very lovely.

[Bacchus]

1 hour ago, MPR said:

Broadfod Bridge at Shalford had an air draft in my day of 6' 4'' but very much dependent upon river levels.  We can, at least agree that it is very lovely.

 

So I could potentially get up as far as Guildford and turn around there?

 

That would be something

 

 

[OldGoat]

25 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

 

So I could potentially get up as far as Guildford and turn around there?

 

That would be something

 

 

You can go up to the end and turn  - we did a generation ago and 'we're' 60 fool long...

[Bacchus]

1 hour ago, OldGoat said:

You can go up to the end and turn  - we did a generation ago and 'we're' 60 fool long...

 

but not if I can't get under the bridge that @MPR cites. 

[ditchcrawler]

4 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

 

but not if I can't get under the bridge that @MPR cites. 

Went on our shared boat and only just got the tiller pin under

[Bacchus]

20 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Went on our shared boat and only just got the tiller pin under

 

Particularly large tiller pin?

 

[ditchcrawler]

12 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

 

Particularly large tiller pin?

 

no, just the highest point on the boat, if I remember correctly it slopes very slightly to one side. 

[Drayke]

Check this out for the river Wey.

https://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/river-wey-and-godalming-navigations-and-dapdune-wharf/documents/download-our-guidance-for-boat-users.pdf page 10.

 

 

[Bacchus]

7 hours ago, F DRAYKE said:

Check this out for the river Wey.

https://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/river-wey-and-godalming-navigations-and-dapdune-wharf/documents/download-our-guidance-for-boat-users.pdf page 10.

 

 

 

Very useful - thank you. I will save a copy of that

 

2" to spare on the air-draft may be a little hairy at times (I shall have to remember to wear a flat cap rather than a bowler...), but should (just) be do-able under normal river conditions.

[magpie patrick]

Assuming your boat has been under potter heigham that's quoted as 6 foot 6 inches by the broads authority - although that is two inches more than the Godalming Navigation but I think the limit there is a flat deck not an arch? 

[Bacchus]

42 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

Assuming your boat has been under potter heigham that's quoted as 6 foot 6 inches by the broads authority - although that is two inches more than the Godalming Navigation but I think the limit there is a flat deck not an arch? 

 

The boat was almost certainly in the Broom hire fleet so will certainly have been under Potter Heigham - I suspect the dc30 was designed with exactly that in mind.

 

I will be happy if I can get as far as Guildford, and along the GU from Brentford. Maybe up the K and A, but I am not so keen on that one having lived in Reading and messed around up there on my little Viking.

[magpie patrick]

22 minutes ago, Bacchus said:

I will be happy if I can get as far as Guildford, and along the GU from Brentford. Maybe up the K and A, but I am not so keen on that one having lived in Reading and messed around up there on my little Viking.

Plenty of headroom though! 
 

You've 75 miles plus on the K&A to Bristol where your boat won't be at all "large" 

[Bacchus]

1 hour ago, magpie patrick said:

Plenty of headroom though! 
 

You've 75 miles plus on the K&A to Bristol where your boat won't be at all "large" 

 

 

True.

 

I have to get the boat first... I have put a deposit down and having her lifted on Tuesday week, followed by a river trial. If all goes well I will need to get her moved from the Great Ouse to the Thames on a low-loader, but I am stupidly excited. My current boat is lovely - good looking (much admired), comfortable accommodation, very well behaved, and everyone (self included sometimes) is wondering why I want to change her, but I am looking forward to a boat I can do different things with. Change. Change is good.