Dutch Barge Downsides

[Silent Flight]

Cheers Mad Harold! As soon as I viewed I got a good feeling about her. Among many other things I was impressed with the storage. 

 

Survey done recently with few minor issues corrected. Blacked in End of 2020.
 

Haha I hadn’t thought about that but yes ideal tomatoe growing space.. Add some chilllis and will be whipping up some wicked arrabbiatas!  

[magnetman]

Good luck with it.

 

Keep a sharp eye on the bows on a boat like this and don't let it get caught on lock gates.

 

 

[Tam & Di]

From the practical boating perspective several points niggle me. I see from the plan that the wheelhouse doors open inwards, which means there is quite a bit of dead space which has to be kept clear to allow this. I suspect that the windows in the wheelhouse will suffer badly from condensation which would make it almost impossible to cruise with them in position. The paired bollards on the stern look OK, but their position would make them awkward to use. Having to take a bow line through hawse holes is a bit of a pain even when you are mooring up, but makes ropework extremely difficult in a lock.

 

It's not a boat I would like to do extensive cruising in, but as you're taking a trip at the weekend you'll obviously see how it all works then.

 

Tam

[blackrose]

I think you could probably post pictures/details of anyone's boat on this forum and we could all come up with a list of things we don't like about them if asked. Every boat is a compromise. The point is that all boats have certain downsides but you just get used to them and work with what you've got.

 

For me the biggest downside of a Dutch barge style narrowboat is that it isn't a broadbeam Dutch barge, but that's just me. I'm sure the OP will be very happy with his new boat.

[David Mack]

6 hours ago, Tam & Di said:

I see from the plan that the wheelhouse doors open inwards, which means there is quite a bit of dead space which has to be kept clear to allow this.

But this does mean you can still open the doors when in the bottom of a lock, breasted up to another boat, moored against a high wall etc.

 

The vertical cabin sides give much more space inside, but walking along the gunwales will be less comfortable than with a conventional tumblehome, and you will have to watch your steering at arched bridges, as the cabin front top corners will be much more likely to catch the arch.

[EmmaLouiseToo]

On 25/07/2022 at 20:24, Jimbo435 said:

Came across this boat, the Emaa Louise Too on a Youtube video.

The style is very intriguing to me.  I like the rear cabin behind the wheelhouse.

What would be the downsides of moving this boat around the network?

Hi Jimbo,

 

I just happened onto this post, I’m the current owner of Emma Louise Too.

 

We’ve found the layout of this Dutch style narrowboat such a pleasure to live on. We’re both 6’2 in height and have plenty of headroom in all areas of the boat, with the exception of the rear guest room.

 

We’ve cruised the network relatively well over 12 months of ownership, and only very rarely need to drop the wheel house for clearance (takes 10 minutes to drop and store the panels)…more do for pleasure on a sunny day. I think the most I did drop it for was in the first week of ownership…whilst getting used to her. 
 

Steering does handle different from a tiller, but once used to a wheel, she handles accurately and very smoothly.

 

I feel that the wheel house adds so much to the living and cruising experience. It can be hammering with rain whilst I cruise, I’m very appreciative of the warm dry driving conditions whilst enjoying a coffee….perhaps to the envy of fellow boaters!

 

Hope you’re well, and my post gives an insight to the Dutch style narrowboat.

 

Please feel free to follow us on Instagram #emmalouisetoo

 

[RichM]

1 hour ago, EmmaLouiseToo said:

Hi Jimbo,

 

I just happened onto this post, I’m the current owner of Emma Louise Too.

 

We’ve found the layout of this Dutch style narrowboat such a pleasure to live on. We’re both 6’2 in height and have plenty of headroom in all areas of the boat, with the exception of the rear guest room.

 

We’ve cruised the network relatively well over 12 months of ownership, and only very rarely need to drop the wheel house for clearance (takes 10 minutes to drop and store the panels)…more do for pleasure on a sunny day. I think the most I did drop it for was in the first week of ownership…whilst getting used to her. 
 

Steering does handle different from a tiller, but once used to a wheel, she handles accurately and very smoothly.

 

I feel that the wheel house adds so much to the living and cruising experience. It can be hammering with rain whilst I cruise, I’m very appreciative of the warm dry driving conditions whilst enjoying a coffee….perhaps to the envy of fellow boaters!

 

Hope you’re well, and my post gives an insight to the Dutch style narrowboat.

 

Please feel free to follow us on Instagram #emmalouisetoo

 

 

Many thanks for sharing your experience

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, EmmaLouiseToo said:

(takes 10 minutes to drop and store the panels)…

I can see that the side window panels would be easy to handle, but how is the roof configured so that it easily be dismantled and re-erected? Can it be done if you are single handed?

[EmmaLouiseToo]

Hi David,

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

Yeh, it’s quite a straight forward process really.

 

Firstly the 3 aluminium roof sections are unclipped, lifted up and stored in the aft cabin. There are also 2 supporting rails that assist alignment and support of the roof panels.

 

Then the glass side panels are lifted, also stored in the cabin. Glass door panels are hinged, so just drop down.

 

Front and back windows are hinged, so are laid to rest on the boat.

 

All panels are easily manageable and fairly lightweight, for this reason I find it easier to dissemble and assemble the wheelhouse on my own.

 

Hope this answers your Q.

 

[Tam & Di]

15 hours ago, EmmaLouiseToo said:

We’ve cruised the network relatively well over 12 months of ownership

Sorry - the original post was badly expressed. The instruments look vulnerable to bad weather with the wheelhouse down and I wonderd how that affected the cruising options.

 

Tam

Edited April 9, 2023 by Tam & Di

[EmmaLouiseToo]

Hi Tam,

 

I think 95% of our cruising time has been with wheelhouse up.

 

When cruising with the wheelhouse down I’ve always had the precaution of taking a tarp with me. A waterproof sheet that can easily cover the controls and instruments if it rains.

Although the exposed parts of the boat could take a light fall of rain, I think common sense prevails on this one and it’s the safer option to cover if required.

 

Wheelhouse down is a nice cruising option in the summer though, especially with a nice drink in hand!

 

[howardang]

Many years ago - 1990's I think - we had a last minute hire from Braunston Boats (Balliol Fowden) and the only boat available was Binnenship - a narrow beam wheelhouse boat about 57 ft long. We had a week on board and had  no need to worry about the wheelhouse,  we were advised on hand over that the air draft was low enough to enable it to go to most places with no issue - in fact I don't remember now but looking at the photos I don't think it was built to enable it to be lowered. We have had a number of hire boats over the years and for my part it was one of the best we ever hired. Wheel steering didn't phase me because I was well used to that method of steering but my wife did find it a slight challenge at first but soon acclimatised to it. 

 

A great boat and I wonder if it is still around.

 

Howard

 

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by howardang

[magnetman]

I helped move a friend's narrow beam wheelhouse from Thames to Whilton some yars ago. That was a good trip we did 50 grand union locks in a day. My record although there were two of us. 

 

Anyway one thing to be wary of is as you exit a side door the boat can roll slightly and depending on the centre of gravity it is possible for the top edge of the wheelhouse to end up outside the edge of the gunnels. Obviously dangerous in locks. 

 

His boat was not very well done because the wheelhouse area was steel with glass windows. Too much weight up top. Fixed wheelhouse and they got as far as Chester I think so it was cruisable but dangerous entering locks. 

 

If there are two people you have to exit from opposite sides so as not to roll it too much. 

 

Might not happen with other boats. That was a one-off partly designed by the customer. 

 

 

[Richard Carter]

2 hours ago, howardang said:

Many years ago - 1990's I think - we had a last minute hire from Braunston Boats (Baliol Fowden) and the only boat available was Binnenship - a narrow beam wheelhouse boat about 57 ft long. We had a week on board and had  no need to worry about the wheelhouse,  we were advised on hand over that the air draft was low enough to enable it to go to most places with no issue - in fact I don't remember now but looking at the photos I don't think it was built to enable it to be lowered. We have had a number of hire boats over the years and for my part it was one of the best we ever hired. Wheel steering didn't phase me because I was well used to that method of steering but my wife did find it a slight challenge at first but soon acclimatised to it. 

 

A great boat and I wonder if it is still around.

 

Howard

 

 

Binnenschip* was built in the early 90s by Balliol Fowden for his Braunston Boats hire fleet, a bit of a pioneering project to promote interest in the then newish idea of narrowbeam Dutch style boats for the English canals - potential customers had something to try out, and we (at UCC) fitted out a similar shell for a private customer a year or two later. A permanent wheelhouse was probably the only sensible option for the hire fleet ...

 

* we sometimes called it Bin & Skip, lol, and yes, I know it's Dutch for "Inland ship" (Schipol = ship hole, if my Dutch friends are to be believed)

Edited April 9, 2023 by Richard Carter
*spelling*

[Silent Flight]

This thread helped me when debating which boat to go for.
 

Went for it and got a Dutch style NB, cool to hear from the owners POI on their Dutch style