Best Stern for Single Handed

[IanD]

18 minutes ago, peterboat said:

Cracking boat that is Time of life

In its place, which is on the Thames. I'm sure it has many canal traditionalists (bow thrusters are the work of the devil!) cringing in horror though -- but they're not the owners, who I gather are extremely happy with it... 😉

[MtB]

6 hours ago, IanD said:

but they're not the owners, who I gather are extremely happy with it... 😉

 

Anyone who has shelled out (perhaps) £250k on a narrowboat is highly likely to be determined to be 'happy with it'. 

[MrsM]

Sitting on the roof would be glorious untill you actually want to move the boat and go a) under bridges, b) through tunnels IMO. 4 years of 600+ hours/yr with our cruiser stern. Have a step so I can be in front of the tiller and have it at a comfortable non-arm-straining height. 2/12 months in shorts and 8/10 months in thermals and raincoat with golfing umbrella. Love every minute of it. 

[peterboat]

7 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

 

https://www.canalboat.co.uk/boats/boat-tests/boat-test-time-of-life-by-finesse/

I saw it numerous times when being built, its different in a good way, I would on reflection have loved it

7 hours ago, IanD said:

In its place, which is on the Thames. I'm sure it has many canal traditionalists (bow thrusters are the work of the devil!) cringing in horror though -- but they're not the owners, who I gather are extremely happy with it... 😉

You must have been on it like myself? The Thames/Don/Trent etc are perfectly suited to it as we have the size to accommodate it. Would have looked good sitting on my moorings 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

Anyone who has shelled out (perhaps) £250k on a narrowboat is highly likely to be determined to be 'happy with it'. 

 

It isn't a narrowboat.

 

Just sayin..

[blackrose]

6 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Anyone who has shelled out (perhaps) £250k on a narrowboat is highly likely to be determined to be 'happy with it'. 

 

As opposed to determined to being miserable? 🤔

 

I know someone who's spent that sort of money on a boat and he seems genuinely happy with it, but £250k is nothing to him so I suppose it's no wonder he's always happy! 

 

I think this idea of people being determined to be happy with stuff they've spent money on in order to justify the spend only applies to a tiny minority. Most people I meet are much more honest in their assessment of what they've bought.

[IanD]

4 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

As opposed to determined to being miserable? 🤔

 

I know someone who's spent that sort of money on a boat and he seems genuinely happy with it, but £250k is nothing to him so I suppose it's no wonder he's always happy! 

 

I think this idea of people being determined to be happy with stuff they've spent money on in order to justify the spend only applies to a tiny minority. Most people I meet are much more honest in their assessment of what they've bought.

 

From what I gathered from Ricky, they were happy with it because it came out just like they hoped for and was a perfect fit to their requirements, and is well suited to where it is moored and cruises (the Thames). Most people would be happy under those circumstances, except possibly @MtB... 😉

 

Mind you, he'd be even less happy for them if he found out what it *really* cost, which was a *lot* more than £250k... 🙂

Edited May 24, 2023 by IanD

[ditchcrawler]

15 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Anyone who has shelled out (perhaps) £250k on a narrowboat is highly likely to be determined to be 'happy with it'. 

I dont think the owners of Nb Whitfield were

[IanD]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I dont think the owners of Nb Whitfield were

The original ones *and* the later ones, from what I heard...

 

Mind you, anyone who thought that steering a narrowboat with a joystick was ever going to work needs their head examining... 😉

Edited May 24, 2023 by IanD

[nb Innisfree]

17 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Anyone who has shelled out (perhaps) £250k on a narrowboat is highly likely to be determined to be 'happy with it'. 

Stop it. 

[peterboat]

6 hours ago, IanD said:

 

From what I gathered from Ricky, they were happy with it because it came out just like they hoped for and was a perfect fit to their requirements, and is well suited to where it is moored and cruises (the Thames). Most people would be happy under those circumstances, except possibly @MtB... 😉

 

Mind you, he'd be even less happy for them if he found out what it *really* cost, which was a *lot* more than £250k... 🙂

I heard various figure bandied around I suspect nearly 500k would be around right for it

[IanD]

15 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I heard various figure bandied around I suspect nearly 500k would be around right for it

Not too far off -- I know the actual figure but Ricky asked me not to make it public, like various other things about his boat builds. My narrowboat -- much smaller and with far fewer exotic features than Time of Life -- cost more than £250k, and of course I hope *I'll* be happy with it. But there are quite a few things in there that haven't been tried before, so I won't be entirely surprised if they don't all work exactly as planned.

 

But then if you never try anything new you never make any improvements, and I know Ricky plans to offer some of the ideas that work as options on future boats... 😉

Edited May 24, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

Just now, IanD said:

Not far off -- I know the actual figure but Ricky asked me not to make it public, like various other things about his boats... 😉

 

So what happened to client confidentiality?

[IanD]

12 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

So what happened to client confidentiality?

I'm a client, and I hold any information I'm asked to in confidence, including various details about the boat design... 😉

Edited May 24, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, IanD said:

I'm a client, and I hold anything I'm asked to in confidence... 😉

 

Thats not what I mean and you know it.

 

The exact cost of that boat is a matter between the buyer and the builder. No body else, unless the information is divulged with the permission of the buyer of course.

 

Its common courtesy and good business practice.

 

I would be less than pleased if a builder divulged to a fellow customer how much a bespoke boat I was having built cost.

 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by M_JG

[IanD]

1 minute ago, M_JG said:

 

Thats not what I mean and you know it.

 

The exact cost of that boat is a matter between the buyer and the builder. No body else, unless the information is divulged with the permission of the buyer of course.

 

Its common courtesy and good business practice.

 

I would less than pleased if a builder divulged to a fellow customer how much a bespoke boat I was having built cost.

Good for you -- but you're not a client, are you? How do you suggest a boatbuilder tells customers what different boats are likely to cost without mentioning budgetary prices?

 

I work with confidential information and non-disclosure agreements on things *way* more expensive and secret than boats, so I suggest you don't tell me how to suck eggs -- and I'm not going to disclose what information was or wasn't disclosed, or what permission was involved, because it's none of your damn business.

 

Why am I not surprised that within 5 minutes of me making the mistake of peeking at one of your mails just in case you had something worthwhile to say, you've picked an argument yet again?

 

Bye bye -- again... 😞

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, IanD said:

Good for you -- but you're not a client, are you? How do you suggest a boatbuilder tells customers what different boats are likely to cost without mentioning budgetary prices?

 

I work with confidential information and non-disclosure agreements on things *way* more expensive and secret than boats, so I suggest you don't tell me how to suck eggs -- and I'm not going to disclose what information was or wasn't disclosed, or what permission was involved, because it's none of your damn business.

 

Why am I not surprised that within 5 minutes of me making the mistake of peeking at one of your mails just in case you had something worthwhile to say, you've picked an argument yet again?

 

Bye bye -- again... 😞

 

Simple fact is the info. should not have been disclosed, you have done the builder no favours here.

 

But being too pig headed to ever admit somebody else is correct (as usual) you start wriggling and put them on ignore, again as usual.

 

So yes bye, soft lad.

[Paul C]

59 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

Simple fact is the info. should not have been disclosed, you have done the builder no favours here.

 

But being too pig headed to ever admit somebody else is correct (as usual) you start wriggling and put them on ignore, again as usual.

 

So yes bye, soft lad.

 

FFS, is this your hobby (arguing on the internet)? 

[peterboat]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

Not too far off -- I know the actual figure but Ricky asked me not to make it public, like various other things about his boat builds. My narrowboat -- much smaller and with far fewer exotic features than Time of Life -- cost more than £250k, and of course I hope *I'll* be happy with it. But there are quite a few things in there that haven't been tried before, so I won't be entirely surprised if they don't all work exactly as planned.

 

But then if you never try anything new you never make any improvements, and I know Ricky plans to offer some of the ideas that work as options on future boats... 😉

The thing is, it's a great boat, its built by Jonny and for me is something different. It was also subject to various additions as it was built and it's a very high spec, as I said I would be more than happy for it to sit at my moorings 

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Paul C said:

 

FFS, is this your hobby (arguing on the internet)? 

 

No,  is it yours? If it isnt why try and start one?

 

Do you not see the hypocrisy in that post?

 

I merely offered an opinion, I cant help it if he or you don't agree.

 

 

[IanD]

8 minutes ago, Paul C said:

 

FFS, is this your hobby (arguing on the internet)? 

Yes. Every time I take him off ignore -- you know, just in case he says something sensible -- within a short time he ends up in an argument with me and throwing accusations or insults. And then accuses me of arguing for the sake of it -- you can read the last few posts and decide where the blame lies.

 

As far as I'm concerned he can go into the total-waste-of-space bin with higgs/phil/WC... 😞

[Stroudwater1]

19 hours ago, MrsM said:

Sitting on the roof would be glorious untill you actually want to move the boat and go a) under bridges, b) through tunnels IMO. 4 years of 600+ hours/yr with our cruiser stern. Have a step so I can be in front of the tiller and have it at a comfortable non-arm-straining height. 2/12 months in shorts and 8/10 months in thermals and raincoat with reeeeeee golfing umbrella. Love every minute of it. 

It’s surprising how many bridges are fine when sat on the roof. Obviously care is needed as ever.  High rooved shorter tunnels like  Shrewley Newbold Brandwood or Coseley  are fine to steer when sat on the roof, it’s like a long straight so easier really

A Norton Canes boat we looked at being sold by Rugby had an interesting set up.

 

Purpose fitted wooden boxes the height of the hatch runners each side of the roof , so small cushions , suicide seats and where we usually stand to steer a trad was a seat on a movable  arm to sit on. We didn’t go for a run on her but effectively five could gather on the stern.

I know about suicide seats when going along but when stopped the trad stern could host 5 people, and three safely when travelling . It may not suit the purists of course . I don’t think the seat is an original fitting but it seemed like a good idea to me.

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Stroudwater1

[Paul C]

8 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

No,  is it yours? If it isnt why try and start one?

 

Do you not see the hypocrisy in that post?

 

I merely offered an opinion, I cant help it if he or you don't agree.

 

 

 

Let me put it simply: you have no investment in the wellbeing of the forum or the canal infrastructure, your posts here dilute the value of this wonderful resource because we all need to either ignore your posts (virtually or using the forum feature) or wade through the tons of crap you post in amongst the occasional useful thing. I am sure you will say you don't argue, and you may very well perceive that you don't - but you do. Sometimes its entertaining, usually its boring and off-putting.

 

Step back once in a while.

 

Don't knee-jerk react.

 

Aim for quality; rather than quantity.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, IanD said:

Yes. Every time I take him off ignore -- you know, just in case he says something sensible -- within a short time he ends up in an argument with me and throwing accusations or insults. And then accuses me of arguing for the sake of it -- you can read the last few posts and decide where the blame lies.

 

As far as I'm concerned he can go into the total-waste-of-space bin with higgs/phil/WC... 😞

 

You are priceless Ian. You really should have a look in the mirror. And this on ignore/off ignore is just utterly  pathetic. I notice you do that with other posters too.

 

We dont agree on stuff but when it gots a bit difficult to respond or you are called out on stuff you start crying about being insulted etc etc.

 

Do yourself a favour and keep me on ignore and I wont be in a position to call your hypocrisy out.

 

As in keep me on ignore.

 

 

[IanD]

17 minutes ago, peterboat said:

The thing is, it's a great boat, its built by Jonny and for me is something different. It was also subject to various additions as it was built and it's a very high spec, as I said I would be more than happy for it to sit at my moorings 

Indeed, I don't think anything like it has been built before. The canalworld article quoted a starting price of £350k without any of the electric propulsion and batteries or the luxury fitments, and prices have gone up since the article (as I know only too well!).

 

So it's easy to see that anyone wanting one like it built today would have to cough up something like the £500k that you mentioned -- and to be honest, like the famous Rolls-Royce quote, anyone who can afford that isn't going to worry about £50k either way, it's still a fraction of the cost of a posh London flat... 😉

Edited May 24, 2023 by IanD