Deep draft boat ?

[Tree Spirit]

Hi first post of a newbie so treat me gently please

 

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

 

We would principaly be on the Grand Union but would want to travel round some.

 

If anybody has some words of wisdom they could share that would be fabulous !

 

Steve & Sue

[Chris-B]

Hi first post of a newbie so treat me gently please

 

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

 

We would principaly be on the Grand Union but would want to travel round some.

 

If anybody has some words of wisdom they could share that would be fabulous !

 

Steve & Sue

 

 

Hi and welcome to the madhouse forum

we are based on the GU and travel with a draft of 40" , we normally drop it out of gear through bridgeholes but otherwise dont seem to pick much more up on the blade than other boats

 

At least you will have a weedhatch

 

Chris

[denboy]

you shouldn`t have too many problems some parts of the system are shallow the only one that i gave up on was the langollen 39" draft

[David]

Hi first post of a newbie so treat me gently please

 

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

 

We would principaly be on the Grand Union but would want to travel round some.

 

If anybody has some words of wisdom they could share that would be fabulous !

 

Steve & Sue

 

Hi Steve and Sue

Welcome to the forum, right ho we have a 62Ft G &T boatbuilders modified when built to be 32" draft to swing the big prop for our Kelvin, we have done the 4 counties, Trent/Mersey, Mac and Peak forest (that 2 weeks ago), Llangollan, the Birmingham and Lapworth route to Braunston and back via the Coventry, plus all of our home canal the Shroppie most of those canals several times in it upto now in the 4 years we have had it. Yes in some places you bump the bottom sooner than conventional hulls, in general it's fine. Passing other boats in some places we scrub the bottom close to the side but that can happen with any boat you get used to susing out the water you are travelling on and slow to almost stop if you think it too shallow when passing. You also will find mooring up is a bit more difficult unless on "popular" mooring with better depth, but generally you can always get the front in and leave the stern out. The G.Union should be OK the B/minham end is from Lapworth down.

If in doubt just stick to the middle and let the shallow drafters move right over, now retiring to the bunker.

regards David

[dave moore]

Hi both

Welcome too.

No problems with the proposed draught on the GU nor anywhere else if you're prudent. Shallow draught boats tend to roll more easily anyway. Good luck. I agree with all the prior posts

Best wishes

Dave Moore

[MoominPapa]

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

We're the (relatively) new owners of a 60' boat which draws 32-34" at the stern. We had (and still have, to a certain extent) the same concerns as you, but I can add to the list of waterways which have been cruised successfully with a deep draught.

 

GU from Bull's Bridge to Gayton. Paddington Arm from Bull's Bridge to Paddington. Regent's canal to Battlebridge Basin. GU Slough Arm. GU Northampton Arm. Nene from Northampton to Peterborough (with lots of water around) King's Dyke and Middle Levels to Ramsey at (low) winter water levels. Forty foot drain as far a Horseway Lock.

 

So far, apart from having to go through Stanground Lock backwards, we've had no problems.

 

Some things to consider. If the boat has a deep draught, that means it's heavy (think Archimedes' principle.) It will therefore accelerate and stop slower than a shallower, lighter boat, and it will be harder to pull around with ropes. For a given internal headroom, a deeper bottom means a lower air draft; for those of use who live on the fens, that's a big win: we have lots of low bridges around here! Lower air draught and larger weight means less wind effect: I've noticed that we suffer less than other boats in the wind. On the other hand, a larger hull area under the water means that currents throw us of course more. Finally, the larger weight and lower centre of gravity means that the boat rolls noticably less in day to day use, the effect of someone stepping onto the boat, or moving from one side to the other, is much less than on other boats I've used.

 

MP.

Edited May 21, 2008 by MoominPapa

[Dominic M]

Most of, for example, Steve Hudson's boats weigh in at around 30" and they get all over the place. Alnwick (one of the mods on this forum, or Referee's Assistants as I believe they are now known) have one of Phil Trotter's 70ft Northwich beasties, which have a deep draught that could rival a fin keeled yacht, and they're up on the Leicester section, which is not known for having great depth in a lot of places.

 

The headroom bonus has already been mentioned - I also like the fact that deeper boats are far less susceptible to being blown off course.

 

If you really like the boat and that is your only concern, worry no more I say.

 

have a great time with it.

 

Dominic

[Stonker]

Hi first post of a newbie so treat me gently please

 

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

 

We would principaly be on the Grand Union but would want to travel round some.

 

If anybody has some words of wisdom they could share that would be fabulous !

 

Steve & Sue

 

Just stay away from the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We struggled last year and we only draw 24".

 

Stewart

[Windjammer]

I have a moderate 24" draft. I suspect the biggest problem you will find is mooring to the towpath.

You will just have to moor out from the bank and use a longish plank.

[Chris J W]

Hi Steve and Sue

Welcome to the forum, right ho we have a 62Ft G &T boatbuilders modified when built to be 32" draft to swing the big prop for our Kelvin, we have done the 4 counties, Trent/Mersey, Mac and Peak forest (that 2 weeks ago), Llangollan ... <snip>

 

Blimey! You'll be lucky to get 32" down from Trevor to Llangollen ... I bottomed out a few times this weekend and my draft is only 21" !

[Liam]

Blimey! You'll be lucky to get 32" down from Trevor to Llangollen ... I bottomed out a few times this weekend and my draft is only 21" !

 

Chris, the Cowpar boat Stork, which draws 34" on a good day made it all the way up to LLangollen so it can be done.

[Tim Lewis]

Hi first post of a newbie so treat me gently please

 

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

 

We would principaly be on the Grand Union but would want to travel round some.

 

If anybody has some words of wisdom they could share that would be fabulous !

 

Steve & Sue

 

Fulbourne draws some 33" and we have done pretty well all of the system where we fit. I'd be a liar if I said that we haven't struggled in the odd place when the water level is down but we've always get there and that includes LLangollen.

 

Enjoy your boating

 

Tim

 

www.fulbourne.org.uk

[DHutch]

We recon to be about 2ft8 all over stationary, little more at the stern underway, proberbly upto 34inchs fully laden. Swinging a 26" blade.

 

We cruise all over, and dont really have any problems.

- You do notice its wider, and at times we have to be more carefull to keep to the deeper water, say on the narrower parts of the oxford, or parts of the cauldon or mac canal. But we've done all of these fine. We're doing the huddersfield/rochdale in september. So i'll keep you posted!!

 

 

 

Daniel

[Chris J W]

Chris, the Cowpar boat Stork, which draws 34" on a good day made it all the way up to LLangollen so it can be done.

 

After the fun and games I had getting down and up, and watching others flounder on the silt and some of the rather odd design of the embankments nearer Trevor (Who thought it was A Good Idea to have slopped ledges on the Tow-Path side so that two boats, in what looks like a wide enough bit, can't pass without the tow-path side one risking getting caught on that ledge?), it's certainly something I'd have difficultly believing in at the moment!

 

(And a just to clarify I'm not saying you're fibbing!)

[bristol & argo]

Hi first post of a newbie so treat me gently please

 

We are on the point of buying our first narrow boat a 70' colecraft but have a concern that maybe the draft at 30" would cause problems particularly with a long boat ? so many newer boats seem to have 26".

 

We would principaly be on the Grand Union but would want to travel round some.

 

If anybody has some words of wisdom they could share that would be fabulous !

 

Steve & Sue

 

Even on the southern GU the water's sometimes not that deep, but the mud is and it's soft enough to squish through.

On Monday we ran from Cassio to Wendover and there were a few pounds where i though i'd left the handbrake on even though the water wasn't down.

 

Then we turned into the wendover arm, and it might have been quicker if i'd got off and pushed as the summit was well down

 

simon

[Keeping Up]

Blimey! You'll be lucky to get 32" down from Trevor to Llangollen ... I bottomed out a few times this weekend and my draft is only 21" !

We'd been at Llangollen over Easter one year; as we departed, we met an ex working boat struggling in the shallows. We hitched bow-to-bow and reversed back to deeper water helping to tow him. We then set off for Trevor, only to meet another ex working boat stuck in the same place, so we repeated the reverse towing exercise. At the same point again we met a third boat; it turned out that an armada of boats had left after the Ellesmere Port rally to travel to Llangollen together. We spent nearly all day acting as a shuttle-tug.

[Liam]

After the fun and games I had getting down and up, and watching others flounder on the silt and some of the rather odd design of the embankments nearer Trevor (Who thought it was A Good Idea to have slopped ledges on the Tow-Path side so that two boats, in what looks like a wide enough bit, can't pass without the tow-path side one risking getting caught on that ledge?), it's certainly something I'd have difficultly believing in at the moment!

 

(And a just to clarify I'm not saying you're fibbing!)

 

As well as speaking to Paul who confirmed this, the boat was seen on TV (Waterworld) about 10 minutes outside of Llangollen!

[Chris J W]

As well as speaking to Paul who confirmed this, the boat was seen on TV (Waterworld) about 10 minutes outside of Llangollen!

 

I still think there's a secret passage (deep, wider and straight!) that's known only to a secret cabal of ex-working boat owners!

[Liam]

I think they are usually forced to create their own channel with their boat(s) !

[Dominic M]

I think they are usually forced to create their own channel with their boat(s) !

Back in the mid 90s I was moored overnight at Trefor basin and the WRG turned up on a big Woolwich motor - I am pretty sure that was Fulbourne but I might not be remembering correctly. They were determined to get to the head of navigation at Llangollen, so we went with them, following on foot on the towpath and taking photos. There were a number of points where we ended up helping to bowhaul it in parts, but it got there.

 

Edited to add: Bowhauling it on parts of the canal, not taking the boat to bits, that is!

Edited May 22, 2008 by Dominic M

[Hairy-Neil]

Fulbourne draws some 33" and we have done pretty well all of the system where we fit. I'd be a liar if I said that we haven't struggled in the odd place when the water level is down but we've always get there and that includes LLangollen.

 

Enjoy your boating

 

Tim

 

www.fulbourne.org.uk

 

Chris, the Cowpar boat Stork, which draws 34" on a good day made it all the way up to LLangollen so it can be done.

 

I've seen photos of a GUCCCo. Town Class motor boat (IIRC 'Bath') at the Gauging House, by the Horseshoe Falls.

[carlt]

I recall someone (Ed Mortimer?) taking a working boat up the Brownsover Arm, in the 80s.

 

Now that is hard core boating!

 

No airdraft through the first Bridgehole (about 4' iirc) and no water, the rest of the way.

 

Pity they've stanked it off, so nobody can have another go (I missed the Act of Parliament, abandoning it as a navigation).

[Hairy-Neil]

I recall someone (Ed Mortimer?) taking a working boat up the Brownsover Arm, in the 80s.

 

Now that is hard core boating!

 

No airdraft through the first Bridgehole (about 4' iirc) and no water, the rest of the way.

 

Pity they've stanked it off, so nobody can have another go (I missed the Act of Parliament, abandoning it as a navigation).

 

The boat was the GUCCC, 'Auriga'.

 

Anyone know the legal situation with regards the other arms on the North Oxford, as some would have you believe the whole arm is the property of the boatyard/yards, or are they BW water, covered by the cruising license, but with their linear moorings leased to the boatyards?

 

I couldn't get an answer from BW when I asked.

[carlt]

The boat was the GUCCC, 'Auriga'.

 

Anyone know the legal situation with regards the other arms on the North Oxford, as some would have you believe the whole arm is the property of the boatyard/yards, or are they BW water, covered by the cruising license, but with their linear moorings leased to the boatyards?

 

I couldn't get an answer from BW when I asked.

I had a chat with Clifton Cruisers about their inconsiderate mooring practices and the guy their told me he'd been waiting for years for BW to dredge the Clifton arm out and he'd happily stick the fleet up there.

 

I asked why he couldn't get it dredged out himself and he told me it wasn't his, so he wasn't allowed.

[Dominic M]

The boat was the GUCCC, 'Auriga'.

 

Anyone know the legal situation with regards the other arms on the North Oxford, as some would have you believe the whole arm is the property of the boatyard/yards, or are they BW water, covered by the cruising license, but with their linear moorings leased to the boatyards?

 

I couldn't get an answer from BW when I asked.

A number are privately owned - the Fennis Fields loop (now serving as the entrance to the newly constructed Brinklow Marina) and the one where Lime Farm marina is near Newbold. After the canal was straightened in the 1820s I presume the Oxford Canal Company probably sold them off to the landowner (or maybe just abandoned them). They were not part of nationalisation in 1947 so BW have never had any rights over them. This may not be true of all of them - for example the Brownsover arm would have been retained as it is also a feeder for the canal.