Boat cranes

[Clair66]

Hi, possibly moving a 23ft fibreglass narrowboat on road transport, opposed to by water, from Newark on Trent to wigrams turn on the junction of the GU and Oxford canal, does anyone know of crane facilities within a day or two cruise of this location? It will come out at Newark marina, who charge by the metre, total £120☺️ however so far the only price for putting it back in is £400😭, any advice greatly appreciated.

[Quattrodave]

There are a few companies that escape my mind at the moment that will move 23ft GRP with a truck with a hiab...

 

[Clair66]

Ok, I did think of that but wasn't sure if you could just chuck it in where you liked😀 as most marinas with crane facilities want you to use their crane not yours.

Just had a email with a 2nd quote, £500 plus vat😱, I know things are more expensive in the south but seriously! Newark will crane it for £120 and after around 70 miles south £600 to crane it off!!!

[ditchcrawler]

Have you spoken to Calcutt marina?

[Francis Herne]

At that size/weight you should be able to get it towed on a trailer between slipways which will be far cheaper than a truck plus cranes.

 

One option recommended by some in the  Sea Otter [short aluminium narrowboat] owners' club is

http://tonytugboats.com/ but I'm sure others are available.

Edited July 7, 2024 by Francis Herne

[Clair66]

Calcutt were the £400 price😰

It was taken on a trailer last year, it weighs just over 2 tonnes and it wasn't ideal, they were built to be trainable, however??? It's a mallard by white horse boats/Crystal marine, there is a thread on here if you type in Mallard and a picture of Dawdla.

[Alan de Enfield]

48 minutes ago, Clair66 said:

Ok, I did think of that but wasn't sure if you could just chuck it in where you liked😀 as most marinas with crane facilities want you to use their crane not yours.

Just had a email with a 2nd quote, £500 plus vat😱, I know things are more expensive in the south but seriously! Newark will crane it for £120 and after around 70 miles south £600 to crane it off!!!

 

Newark don't 'crane' they have their own hoist.

 

 

When we hire a crane in for the day it is typically £1500.

If you are getting a crane to come in specifically (and only) for your boat £400 is a very good price.

 

[Clair66]

I did write trailable but it changed itself 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Quattrodave said:

There are a few companies that escape my mind at the moment that will move 23ft GRP with a truck with a hiab...

 

 

P&S Marine Transport

 

[Clair66]

Seriously, crane, hoist don't they do the same job, no it isn't specifically for our boat, this is places that have hoists, to use the correct word. Not sure why you came to the assumption someone was hiring a crane in for one boat for £400??

[Francis Herne]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Newark don't 'crane' they have their own hoist.

Dunchurch Pools (north of Braunston, a day or so from Wigrams) have one of those travelling hoists so might offer a comparable price?

[Naughty Cal]

At that size is it not trailable with a 4x4 and road trailer?

 

If it is ask Tony Tugboat.

 

No need for a crane then just a slipway. Much cheaper.

 

ETA: we used Tony a few times and he is a top bloke. THOROUGHLY recommended 👌 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Naughty Cal

[Peugeot 106]

We use a HIAB for a 25’ steel Narrowboat so we have our own crane on the lorry. Expect to pay £70 - £100 per hour for the HIAB. It takes about half an hour at each end to load/unload and you can get the timings for transport from google maps

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

We use a HIAB for a 25’ steel Narrowboat so we have our own crane on the lorry. Expect to pay £70 - £100 per hour for the HIAB. It takes about half an hour at each end to load/unload and you can get the timings for transport from google maps

 

 

I'm not sure you could hiab it out at Newark as the 'loading bay' is at 90 degrees to the river and I don't think a wagon would fit alongside.

 

The hoist straddles the loading bay.

 

11 minutes ago, Clair66 said:

Seriously, crane, hoist don't they do the same job, no it isn't specifically for our boat, this is places that have hoists, to use the correct word. Not sure why you came to the assumption someone was hiring a crane in for one boat for £400??

 

Enjoy your boat move, whatever method you use.

 

 

This is a crane lifting our boat in .............................

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Alan de Enfield

[Clair66]

Whether it would fit or not, already asked that question and the answer is no, you can only use your own vehicle on the slipway.

[Naughty Cal]

2 minutes ago, Clair66 said:

Whether it would fit or not, already asked that question and the answer is no, you can only use your own vehicle on the slipway.

Tony regularly picks up and drops off at both Newark and Farndon Marinas 

[Peugeot 106]

I don’t think a 25’ boat would need to be launched from the side it could be angled or loaded over the rear if there isn’t room at the side. Send a photo or plan to the HIAB company.

if you’re cheeky you could just drop it off a bridge or find a place where a small accessible  road or track goes close to the canal. I’m saying no more……..!

[Clair66]

I can't see a boat 😀 I do know the difference between a crane and a hoist, however mostly people refer to boats being cranes opposed to hoisted, even boatyards with hoists advertised craning out maybe it sounds better than hoisting it out.

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, Clair66 said:

I can't see a boat 😀 

 

 

It doesn't matter what I do, the forum thinks I am in Australia !

 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Alan de Enfield

[Belle]

Rugby Boats, Whilton Marina, both about 2 days away and have boat lifting facilities. Braunston marina has alongside access if using hiab?

[Stroudwater1]

Yes Rugby boats based in Weldon Bec  have a crane and may do it to fit in with one coming out. However they weren’t too happy on the occasion I was there as the trailer for the GRP boat coming out was really not for fit purpose. 
 

Another thought is to contact the trail boat owners group. It’s likely they would know of slipways around. I’ve a suspicion that there’s one at Hillmorton Marina. There is also a slipway at Braunston boats / Ivybridge that you maybe able to get access to. Definitely need to liaise carefully as boats are pulled up and stay on a trolley till blacked or repaired.

 

Towing 2 ton is not too tricky, but I suspect that like most GRP boat it will need careful chocking as unlike most narrowboats it won’t be flat bottomed.
 

Towing then slipway is the cheapest apart from cruising over. Why not try that? It’s a nice journey! 
 

 

[Clair66]

It is flat bottomed, any idea how long it takes from Newark to Wigrams turn by water? Just 3/4 hours seems a bit easier if time is limited. Have got RCR waternav but not finding it very useful, every time I count there seems to be a different number of locks.

Boat lifting facilities, now why did I not call it that in the first place😀

[Lily Rose]

Try https://canalplan.org.uk to plan the route.

 

It's excellent.

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, Clair66 said:

It is flat bottomed, any idea how long it takes from Newark to Wigrams turn by water? Just 3/4 hours seems a bit easier if time is limited. Have got RCR waternav but not finding it very useful, every time I count there seems to be a different number of locks.

 

Try using https://canalplan.uk/

 

There are two ways of diong that journey, so you need to check both for time and stoppages. With the rain we are having, it may be best to avoid the River Sour, which is probably the most direct but subject to flood closures.https://canalplan.uk/

Trent - Sour - Leicester arm of the GU - GU main line to Braunston and then the bit of the Oxford many think is part of the GU.

or

Trent - Trent & Mersey, Coventry, North Oxford.

[Clair66]

Thank you so much.