Offshore sail or canal

[Solentsailor]

Hi everybody.

 

For more years than I can remember I have sailed my sailing boat up, down, along, across, over, and under the English Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and so on and so forth. This year I plan to sail to the Farne Islands and Lindisfarne and am looking forward to it.

But, not getting any younger and I am thinking I might sell the Fulmar and buy a narrow boat as a way of getting many more years on the water.

Many questions to be answered before I do this.

 

My canals experience is limited to:

 

The only canal I have been on is the remains of the Wey-Arun in a canoe in about 1953 mainly carrying it.

I have cycled along the Kennet and Avon and walked the tow path of the Wey Navigation.

I just remembered that I did see horses pulling barges on the Wey when I were a lad.

Been up and down most South coast and East Coast rivers and Rivers of Normandy and Brittany and even on the Broads once as far as my c17m air draught allows.

 

Anyone done this?

 

Anyone out there got any thing to say that may sway me one way or the other?

 

Maybe someone might like a trip around the Solent in exchange for a bit of time on a canal later in the year?

 

Greetings again

 

Tim

[Derek Porteous]

Hi Tim,

 

I think I went through almost the same thought process as you are now doing. I used to sail on, first the Irish Sea and then (as I got softer) up on the Firth of Clyde. After a couple of years of pondering, I sold the yacht and bought a narrowboat. I have never regretted it. Canal cruising is so much more comfortable. You don't heel over (well not intentionally anyway), you don't have to worry about tide tables (unless you do a little tidal river connecting) and you generally can tie up for lunch. elevenes, tea breaks, wine breaks or if its raining.

 

I guess you should hire a narrowboat or plastic crusier for a week, and see if it suits. Then, if it does, you need to think of where you want to be based. Other members of the forum are better qualified to make suggestions for a Solent sailor than me, who'se boat is based in Ripon, about as far away from the Solent as you can get on the inland system.

 

Derek

Edited March 3, 2008 by Derek Porteous

[Yoda]

Keep the boat and do holiday swops with it.

[nipper]

Hi Tim.

 

Why not hire a Narrowboat and see if it is for you?

 

I have my Sailing cruiser at Cowes, but for the past 5 years have hired Narrowboats. It is better suited to the OCM ( Onshore Command Module) (Wife), who loves it, she cannot get on with sailing, even after 24 years of owning our boat. I on the other hand enjoy it because I get little grief from wifey who generally ends a days Canal Cruising, Smiling, Rosey Cheeked and Shattered and I still get to play boats!

 

Hiring Narrowboats is easy and simple and not too expensive, It gives you a great incite as to what it must be like to own your own Narrowboat. If you decide that you like it, then you can either keep your Sailing Cruiser and continue to hire, buy a boat or, as I have done, keep my cruiser and bought a share in a 60ft boat.

 

Try it! But beware! It gets you!

 

Lets hope we all get a better boating season than last year!

 

Nipper

[NB Willawaw]

After years of tidal cruising, you might find the canals a bit limiting.

It largely depends on what you enjoy in boating really and therefore is a personal preference.

 

Personally, I got bored of waiting for tides and weather to do what I want so I could leave harbours or marinas.

 

There is little navigational challenge in canal boating but I enjoy the travelling rather than the challenge.

 

The other thing is that sailing can be quite a lonely pastime once you get out of the marina especially on night watches.

 

Canal boating is anything but.

 

As has been said before, try hiring to get a taste.

[Brummage]

Hello Tim.

 

To add to what the others have already said, there are not only canals available to you, but hundreds of miles of rivers of course, and even navigable land drains which are accessible to narrowboats. It would take many many years to navigate all of the possibilities and that is of course one of the main attractions -huge diversity and a fresh view every day that you want it!

[KenK]

Tim

 

We swopped sail for a narrowboat a couple of years ago, for much the same reason getting on a bit, it's totally different but we enjoy it. Blue water sailing can be hard work as I'm sure you know, also true to an extent on a narrowboat but of course the banks only a couple of feet away, out with the pins and on with the kettle or something stronger. The skills required are different, navigations easy, however handling a narrowboat in a stiff breeze is harder than a yacht, no keel and a big fixed sail area. Try it I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

 

Ken

[Ebbtide]

Hi everybody.

 

For more years than I can remember I have sailed my sailing boat up, down, along, across, over, and under the English Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea and so on and so forth. This year I plan to sail to the Farne Islands and Lindisfarne and am looking forward to it.

But, not getting any younger and I am thinking I might sell the Fulmar and buy a narrow boat as a way of getting many more years on the water.

Many questions to be answered before I do this.

 

My canals experience is limited to:

 

The only canal I have been on is the remains of the Wey-Arun in a canoe in about 1953 mainly carrying it.

I have cycled along the Kennet and Avon and walked the tow path of the Wey Navigation.

I just remembered that I did see horses pulling barges on the Wey when I were a lad.

Been up and down most South coast and East Coast rivers and Rivers of Normandy and Brittany and even on the Broads once as far as my c17m air draught allows.

 

Anyone done this?

 

Anyone out there got any thing to say that may sway me one way or the other?

 

Maybe someone might like a trip around the Solent in exchange for a bit of time on a canal later in the year?

 

Greetings again

 

Tim

[carlt]

After 20+ years of inland boating I moved back to the coast, a year ago.

 

Wished I'd done it sooner. Cheaper, less hassle, more options and I can always rent a narrow boat if I miss it, too much.

 

Don't do it (but get away from the Solent!)

[Ebbtide]

Tim -

 

Am also Solent-based and have been racing and cruising for years - including lotsa R The Is with a Fulmar! Have enjoyed narrowboats on UK canals too. Then time came for a rethink and now I now have a seaworthy motorboat. Anything too large won't get under bridges but I found an angler which fits UK canals yet will put to sea in half a gale if I have the stomach for it!

 

As a pensioner of course I enjoy being inside a wheelhouse wearing shorts when you sailors out there are wrapped up in thermals and oilies - but add the challenges of wind and weather, tides and bridge heights, then you do get a buzz - once you overcome that first hurdle of course: missing the wind and putting up with the smell, noise and cost of an engine.

 

I regularly visit the River Arun up to Pulborough and have just returned from Le Havre and the Seine to Rouen including Harfleur on the Tancarville Canal, all singlehanded. Next season's plans focus on the Brittany canals: over the top from St Malo to Lorient, coming home round Ushant. After that I fancy the Thames- Kennett & Avon - Bristol Channel and the Scillies.

Boring? I think not.

Contact me for more

CJH

[Naughty Cal]

As above get a cruiser which can do both. We have bought a sealine which can do inland as well as coastal work.

[johnthebridge]

A good friend of mine came away from the sea. An ex-Royal Navy submarine officer, he'd done some serious blue-water stuff, Bahamas, U.S. etc.

Some time ago he began making much the same comments as you mention in your post. By then he was over 70. Two years ago he bought himself a new narrowboat with all mod cons. He hated it. He sold it within 6 months.

He's now crewing for someone, back on the briny. Beg, borrow, hire or steal a narrowboat, and try before you buy. For a lot of us, it's no longer the pastoral idyll that some people still like to portray.

I took my boat to Ireland 2 years ago, and have never regretted it. If you want a "bit of rough", Lough Derg will, on a blustery day, up the heart rate of any bold navigator. If you want to idle around, drinking in the scenery (take that both ways), then it's wonderful. Just don't expect to get a sun tan. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[Ebbtide]

 

Can't see details on your profile - would lurv to know more'