A boat for three people?

[Lebesgue]

Hello, I'd appreciate some advice on the size of boat to buy (thinking narrowboat but open to alternatives).  It would mostly be just me onboard (full-time) but I'd like to be able to accommodate my friends who usually arrive as a pair (possibly for a few weeks). I'm ok with cozy but want to avoid cramped.

Edited March 2 by Lebesgue

[Tony Brooks]

What is your intended cruising ground? If it involves the midland canals then it has to be a narrowboat, but if it is an estuary or large river a narrowboat may not be the most suitable choice.

 

Layout will also be a factor. Having the sleeping areas separated by the toilet compartment minimises the disturbance at night compared with a boat where you have to walk through another cabin to get to the loo. You may also find it irksome to pack all the bedding away each morning and get it all out again each evening, so you may be looking at six "cabin" areas. Two sleeping cabins, galley, toilet, and sitting area. 

 

If it is to e a narrowboat then I doubt that you will get that into less than 50ft and 56ft would be more realistic, if you don't want to be cramped.

 

 

[LadyG]

It could be that you need three singles which would suggest using sleeping bags with a 6ft long bench on either side, for  visitors.

It would be a pain to have to provide standard bedding as you will be limited in storage and laundry.

For yourself you would probably want the standard 6x4ft bed with a decent mattress and bedding.

It's more important that you have the boat that best suits you, so you should determine your priorities , and look at boats that meet your requirements.

Widebeam boats are often very nice inside, but narrowboats are easier to navigate singlehanded.

The choice is yours: to travel throughout the network a 57ft narrowboat is the usual recommended.

Newbies often rush to buy  57ft x 12ft, then come on here for advice on constant cruising .

If you intend to live in a marina, or rent a mooring, it's a different scenario.

Edited March 2 by LadyG

[Lebesgue]

Thanks Tony, that is really helpful. I'm currently be be based on land in Reading very near the Kennet (which is what sparked the idea). I used to live in Birmingham and would love to revisit. So a narrowboat it must be! Again really helpful since it reduces the search space. So I guess my question now boils down to 50ft vs 56ft and layout.

Thanks LadyG, also very helpful. I think I've now got enough of an idea to start looking around. I'd like a small double sized bed for me. But open minded on the other two. I feel two singles would probably be the most flexible since not every pair of vistors will be a bed sharing couple.

[pete.i]

I had a 30 foot trad stern narrowboat that could accomodate 4. It had a convertable double in the front cabin and a couch affair in the galley that converted into a bunk. I wouldn't have lived in it to be honest but then I wouldn't live on any narrow or wide beam boat, I'm afraid I like my bricks and mortar way too much but it just shows what can be achieved. 

[Tony Brooks]

43 minutes ago, Lebesgue said:

Thanks Tony, that is really helpful. I'm currently be be based on land in Reading very near the Kennet (which is what sparked the idea). I used to live in Birmingham and would love to revisit. So a narrowboat it must be! Again really helpful since it reduces the search space. So I guess my question now boils down to 50ft vs 56ft and layout.

Thanks LadyG, also very helpful. I think I've now got enough of an idea to start looking around. I'd like a small double sized bed for me. But open minded on the other two. I feel two singles would probably be the most flexible since not every pair of vistors will be a bed sharing couple.

 

If you have transport I would suggest that you pop up to the Daventry area to look at boats that are in several brokers, but first look on Apollo Duck website https://www.apolloduck.co.uk/    where you will find a vast selection of boats for sale, many of which will have a plan. It will also give you names of the brokers on the adds, so you know where to visit.  I think Reading & Iver are too near to the inflated boat prices in London, so go north a bit for possibly slightly cheaper prices.

 

This is very important. If you intend to live aboard, make absolutely sure that you know what the Canal and River Trust demands of boaters who do not have a permeant mooring and also make sure you know about the legal position of random bankside moorings on the Thames and what the EA require (The Kennet is CaRT water from the Queens Road car park west).

Edited March 2 by Tony Brooks

[Lebesgue]

26 minutes ago, pete.i said:

I had a 30 foot trad stern narrowboat that could accomodate 4. It had a convertable double in the front cabin and a couch affair in the galley that converted into a bunk. I wouldn't have lived in it to be honest but then I wouldn't live on any narrow or wide beam boat, I'm afraid I like my bricks and mortar way too much but it just shows what can be achieved. 

Thanks Pete, you've confirmed what Tony said about converting beds back and forth, which I'd find tiresome. It's 'Goldilocks' sort of problem. A Dutch barge would be way too big, 30ft would be too small. Now I've got a rough idea I can start looking with purpose.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Lebesgue said:

I feel two singles would probably be the most flexible since not every pair of vistors will be a bed sharing couple.

I once hired a boat which had a fixed single bunk in one corner of the cabin and a separate freestanding single bunk (basically a 6ft x 2ft wooden box). This could be placed next to the fixed bunk to make a double or on the other side of the cabin for use as a second single bunk. Ideal flexibility for different crew combinations.

[LadyG]

My 57ft boat has a conventional layout, if there is such a thing, there is a saloon aprox 10 ft, with a stove , no fixed furniture, then the diner, which converts to 6x4 bed, but its a faff to convert every day so you could buy a 6ft sofa bed for the saloon which converts, and the bedding is stored underneath.

50ft to my mind is a bit short, but a lot depends on individual configuration. Modern boats tend to have reverse layout, and possibly a fancy glass two or three buner hob, ( no conventional cooker), an air fryer can do most things.

[MrsM]

We had a 58' reverse layout NB. Double bed (4'6") in peaceful cabin at front and a really comfy double sofa bed in the saloon. Took about 30 seconds to pull out. We used to keep the bedding in a storage bag under the sofa so it really was quick to set up and put away. Bathroom between kitchen/saloon and front cabin so good privacy for us and guests. Worked really well for us.

Edited March 2 by MrsM

[Lebesgue]

A single post into this forum and I'm already reassured that my idea is doable and there is a great level of community support 😃. So, yes @Tony Brooks I'll look North to buy and sail (cruise?) back to base. Meanwhile, a query about etiquette, if you strike up a conversation with a boat owner, is it weird to ask to come on board? I frequently ride my bike on the towpath and wave a cheery 'good morning!' but have never ventured beyond that.

Edited March 2 by Lebesgue

[haggis]

10 minutes ago, Lebesgue said:

 Meanwhile, a query about etiquette, if you strike up a conversation with a boat owner, is it weird to ask to come on board? I frequently ride my bike on the towpath and wave a cheery 'good morning!' but have never ventured beyond that.

if you engage a boat owner in conversation and tell them that you are considering buying a boat and  trying to decide which layout of boat suits you, they might invite you aboard to have a look. However, it might be better going to one of the big brokers and looking round boats for sale to see different layouts. Whiltons, I believe allow you unaccompanied viewing of several boats

 

[MrsM]

⬆️⬆️⬆️ This. Thoroughly recommend spending a long weekend visiting as many brokers and seeing as many boats as possible. You'll soon get a feeling for what might and might not suit you. Think it's a bit invasive to ask to go on board someone's boat that you meet on the cut but, as Haggis says, they may well invite you in. Best of luck with your search.

[Machpoint005]

A 50ft boat that you like is better than a less appealing 56ft boat.

 

As others have said, go and look at lots of boats! 

 

We ended up with a 48ft cruiser stern, which wasn't what we at first thought we wanted, but we weren't looking for a liver board. 

 

Oh, and we bought it dahn sahf and ran it (not sailed it, or even cruised it!) back to the North ourselves over a few weekends. 

 

 

 

 

[Lebesgue]

Thank you all! You've answered my question and provided solid advice on how to progress. What a lovely community

[ditchcrawler]

Lots of hire boats put 4 or 6 people onto a boat with no problem, this is 56 foot long . I know you are not hiring but it gives an idea of what can be done.

 

Edited March 2 by ditchcrawler

[Lebesgue]

Ooo! I do like a plan. Thank you @ditchcrawler basically the layout you posted is perfect. So wishing to avoid the 'close to London tax' what would be a sensible price?

Edited March 2 by Lebesgue

[Peanut]

Ex hire boats come up, and the layout is already sorted.

[ditchcrawler]

11 minutes ago, Lebesgue said:

Ooo! I do like a plan. Thank you @ditchcrawler basically the layout you posted is perfect. So wishing to avoid the 'close to London tax' what would be a sensible price?

13 minutes ago, Lebesgue said:

Ooo! I do like a plan. Thank you @ditchcrawler basically the layout you posted is perfect. So wishing to avoid the 'close to London tax' what would be a sensible price?

[agg221]

Ours is 38'. It sleeps four comfortably - two on the front bench seats (bedding packs away underneath during the day and two in a double at the stern which can be packed away if you want to walk through, or left made up if you don't mind walking round the gunwhales and in through the side hatches.

 

Shorter boats are cheaper to buy, licence, moor and maintain. Not always a consideration, but something to bear in mind.

 

Alec

[LadyG]

8 minutes ago, agg221 said:

Ours is 38'. It sleeps four comfortably - two on the front bench seats (bedding packs away underneath during the day and two in a double at the stern which can be packed away if you want to walk through, or left made up if you don't mind walking round the gunwhales and in through the side hatches.

 

Shorter boats are cheaper to buy, licence, moor and maintain. Not always a consideration, but something to bear in mind.

 

Alec

Easier to turn, so that can make a  weekend trip much more flexible, might be easier to find a mooring slot in a busy area.

Edited March 2 by LadyG

[Crewcut]

2 hours ago, Lebesgue said:

Ooo! I do like a plan. Thank you @ditchcrawler basically the layout you posted is perfect. So wishing to avoid the 'close to London tax' what would be a sensible price?

 

Here's an online layout planner:

 

https://www.narrowboats.org/narrowboat_layout.aspx

[booke23]

I was in a similar boat to you (no pun intended!) @Lebesgue a few years ago. I needed a boat with the ability to sleep 4, 2 in a double and 2 in singles. 

 

While this layout is very possible, it's surprising how rare it is. Lots and lots of boats have a double at the back and a saloon at the front with two captains chairs. Longer examples might add a pullman dinette that can be converted into a double, providing 4 births in total but not single births as required. 

 

As mentioned, Ex hire boats often have a suitable layout but their fitout can be a little basic and might not be to your taste. However they do come up 3rd hand where the previous private owner has carried out improvements, which is worth looking out for. 

 

I did find a suitable boat eventually but it took a year!

[Tony Brooks]

55 minutes ago, booke23 said:

As mentioned, Ex hire boats often have a suitable layout but their fitout can be a little basic and might not be to your taste. However they do come up 3rd hand where the previous private owner has carried out improvements, which is worth looking out for. 

 

A hire boat is often built for speedy and easy maintenance, and for a DIY boater this can be a godsend compared with many private boats.

[booke23]

49 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

A hire boat is often built for speedy and easy maintenance, and for a DIY boater this can be a godsend compared with many private boats.

 

A distinct advantage. 

 

(For the benefit of the OP) On the other hand they won't have any solar and typically don't have a solid fuel stove. Also engine hours will usually be comparatively high, although not necessarily a problem as no expense is spared on maintenance. 

 

And without wanting to start a debate on toilets, they always have a pump out toilet which may or may not suit a potential buyer.

 

All of this is easily rectified, but it does add quite a bit of cost. 

Edited March 2 by booke23