River nene & wide beam

[LounMac]

Hi all first time posting so please be gentle. We are looking at getting a sailaway wide beam (70ft x 12ft?. A couple of questions. Is there a crane that can lift this ideally we want to be near Oundle and there marina crane can only do 65ft.

is it better ie safer to fit out the boat on hard standing and then get put into the river. (I think I know this as I’m typing).

also any recommendations on hard standing near river nene.

 Thank you

 mac

[GUMPY]

There is a hardstanding community at Lilford Marina but no lift or crane for widebeams.

70x12 will be pushing your luck on the Nene, there are some very tight bends.

Remember also you only get to use your boat for half a year the rest of the time the river is on SSA and you can't move.

On that note not all marinas are flood proof which means their walkways end up under water every time the river goes into flood😂

 

Finally if you fit out on hardstanding prepare to move a lot of ballast when you go into the water.

[Bee]

I would say that although 70` x 12` can theoretically fit various bits of the system that is a mighty big boat. One of the things that most people like about canal boating is that you can start the engine, untie the thing and go somewhere. A very big boat makes that simple pleasure into something else and finding places to tie let alone finding a mooring to leave it on is going to be a worry. Somewhere there is a compromise between as big as you can theoretically go (and afford) and as small as you can squeeze into, this will be a happier place than the biggest possible.

[enigmatic]

The other reason to consider something more like 65' might be if you want to be able to take your boat across the Middle Level onto the Great Ouse occasionally. I don't think a 70' widebeam will get round the bend at Whittlesey, a 65' one might. (Others with bigger boats than may know more)

[GUMPY]

In a boat that size you will have to cross The Wash in order to access the Gt Ouse and then you will only be able to do a small part around Ely.

Consider these maximum dimensions if you want to cross the Middle Level

Stanground Lock: Length 80 foot, beam 11 foot 6 inches. Plus there is a depth restriction on Stanground that means over 2'7" draft you may have to go through backwards😉

Marmont Priory Lock: Length 92 foot, beam 12 foot.

Salters Lode Lock: Length 62 foot, beam 12 foot 6 inches. Note it is possible for longer boats to pass through this lock in favourable states of the tide.

 

All the Gt Ouse to Bedford locks are max 10ft6" beam.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Loddon

[MtB]

1 hour ago, LounMac said:

We are looking at getting a sailaway wide beam (70ft x 12ft?

 

Please don't.

 

 

[dmr]

Hopefully the OP has done some research and this is going to be a static boat in a marina that maybe has a day out on the Nene once in a while, so most of the above comments don't apply.  The main thing is to make sure that a Marina has a place for this boat (is it full time residential?), and also that there are places at other marinas in case you fall out with the owner at the first one. A big boat like that will be a right liability if you don't have somewhere to keep it.

 

If this is intended as a cruising boat then maybe a bit more research is needed.

[MtB]

14 minutes ago, dmr said:

If this is intended as a cruising boat then maybe a bit lot more research is needed.

 

FTFY! 

 

 

[LounMac]

What we were thinking was being classed as a continuous cruiser I think it’s 15 miles a year. We don’t plan on going far due to the kids schooling. Only travelling out on school holidays. So we don’t have much interest in getting to the ooze.

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

There is a hardstanding community at Lilford Marina but no lift or crane for widebeams.

70x12 will be pushing your luck on the Nene, there are some very tight bends.

Remember also you only get to use your boat for half a year the rest of the time the river is on SSA and you can't move.

On that note not all marinas are flood proof which means their walkways end up under water every time the river goes into flood😂

 

Finally if you fit out on hardstanding prepare to move a lot of ballast when you go into the water.

 Sorry to sound dumb here what’s SSA. Good point about ballast we never thought about this we are just weighing up options what is doable. Beginning to think the nene is not practical.

48 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

The other reason to consider something more like 65' might be if you want to be able to take your boat across the Middle Level onto the Great Ouse occasionally. I don't think a 70' widebeam will get round the bend at Whittlesey, a 65' one might. (Others with bigger boats than may know more)

 This is something definitely worth a consideration thank you

33 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Please don't.

 

 

?

[enigmatic]

9 minutes ago, LounMac said:

What we were thinking was being classed as a continuous cruiser I think it’s 15 miles a year. We don’t plan on going far due to the kids schooling. Only travelling out on school holidays. So we don’t have much interest in getting to the ooze.

Being a continuous cruiser near Oundle is simply not a possibility. There's only a handful of public moorings, all for a max of 48 hours at a time...

[PaulJ]

2 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

Being a continuous cruiser near Oundle is simply not a possibility. There's only a handful of public moorings, all for a max of 48 hours at a time...

Seem to manage it in Northampton though- some have been in the same spot for years..😀

[LounMac]

2 minutes ago, PaulJ said:

Seem to manage it in Northampton though- some have been in the same spot for years..😀

Lol might need to find a marina out that way looking at crick now too. Thank you 

[PaulJ]

1 minute ago, LounMac said:

Lol might need to find a marina out that way looking at crick now too. Thank you 

You wont get a widebeam in Crick.

Nene is a lovely River but you wouldnt want to try moving about it all Winter-especially if you need to get to school. As it floods.Alot.

The locks are also 'reversed' (locked and opened both ends) so you are well and truly stuck when SSA is on.

Marina would be OK if you like that sort of life.

12fters are OK on the Nene-Ive played on a few up to 70 x 12.5 ft but its a big boat..

 

[LounMac]

Thank you Paul for all your replies I’m sure by now you are thinking ffs they have no clue and you are probably right 😂.

Apart from the theme etc is there a river you would recommend a boat of this size ?

[GUMPY]

Apart from a couple of days SSA* was on from November until last week so no boat movements on the Nene at all for best part of six months. This is not unusual.

There are no rivers suitable for CCing, apart from possibly the River Lea, as all go into flood and become unnavigable for periods of up to six months.

It's the nature of rivers.

 

* Strong Stream Advice i.e. it's in flood.

 

[matty40s]

9 minutes ago, LounMac said:

Thank you Paul for all your replies I’m sure by now you are thinking ffs they have no clue and you are probably right 😂.

Apart from the theme etc is there a river you would recommend a boat of this size ?

Mississippi 

Edited May 9, 2023 by matty40s

[Tony Brooks]

7 minutes ago, LounMac said:

Thank you Paul for all your replies I’m sure by now you are thinking ffs they have no clue and you are probably right 😂.

Apart from the theme etc is there a river you would recommend a boat of this size ?

 

Frankley, until you have a lot more experience of boating on rives in flood, the answer is none of them. A wide beam "narrowboat" style boat is likely to be well underpowered for such times.  Having had to take a Caribbean cruiser through Maidenhead bridge going upstream with the river in flood and the throttle stop wide open, I can assure you it is scary. Flat out and hardly creeping forward knowing that if a twitch on the wheel, a gust of wind, or an eddy in the current pushed the bow sideways would have the side slamming into the bridge is not something you would want to happen.

 

Rivers in flood are very dangerous places, that is before you need to consider how you can prevent a flood lifting the boat over the bank and stranding it as the level falls.

[LounMac]

Thank you a permanent marina is sounding a good option listing to the feedback and go out when we can 

[rusty69]

I think marinas such as Oundle have quite a limited entrance width. Others might be similar. 

Edited May 9, 2023 by rusty69

[PaulJ]

24 minutes ago, LounMac said:

Thank you a permanent marina is sounding a good option listing to the feedback and go out when we can 

Try White Mills, Lilford Marina , Northampton Marina or Blackthorn Marina for some completely different marinas and a good starting point

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, enigmatic said:

The other reason to consider something more like 65' might be if you want to be able to take your boat across the Middle Level onto the Great Ouse occasionally. I don't think a 70' widebeam will get round the bend at Whittlesey, a 65' one might. (Others with bigger boats than may know more)

 

Well the 12ft beam stops you going across the middle levels anyway, never mind the length.

[LounMac]

1 minute ago, PaulJ said:

Try White Mills, Lilford Marina , Northampton Marina or Blackthorn Marina for some completely different marinas and a good starting point

Thank you I’ll drop them a call when they are open tomorrow 

[blackrose]

I don't have a problem moving my 12ft widebeam on the Nene single handed but it's only 57ft long. 70ft is a step too far. I personally wouldn't go above about 62ft. Also you might want to go for 11ft beam rather than 12ft if you're based around here and then you can get to the Ouse more easily if you want to..

Edited May 9, 2023 by blackrose

[GUMPY]

29 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I don't have a problem moving my 12ft widebeam on the Nene single handed but it's only 57ft long. 70ft is a step too far. I personally wouldn't go above about 62ft. Also you might want to go for 11ft beam rather than 12ft if you're based around here and then you can get to the Ouse more easily if you want to..

Not forgetting 6'6" air draft to get under the low bridges.

 

Nene now back on SSA but I'm not surprised. It's going to catch a few people out 😱

[sueb]

Have you actually cruised on a boat this size? This is larger than my bungalow. I suggest if you need this amount of accommodation you need a house