Narrow Boat Value Builders

[MichaelJohn]

Greetings, I live in the San Francisco California area and want to purchase a narrowboat for the Sacramento delta. I don't know who the value builders are and would like recommendations on good builders or makes that would be a good reasonably priced boat. I would also like information on possible good used narrowboats. I'd like something around 35-40 ft.

 

I'd also like to find a builder or used boat broker willing to help with the shipping details

 

Is anyone experimenting with solar/electric propulsion?

 

Thank you Michael

[Athy]

Devizes Narrowboats. Second to none for a combination of quality and value, and a good bunch of chaps too. I was a satisfied DNB owner for five years until quite recently; mine was a 40 - footer.

[Gary Peacock]

Greetings, I live in the San Francisco California area and want to purchase a narrowboat for the Sacramento delta. I don't know who the value builders are and would like recommendations on good builders or makes that would be a good reasonably priced boat. I would also like information on possible good used narrowboats. I'd like something around 35-40 ft.

 

I'd also like to find a builder or used boat broker willing to help with the shipping details

 

Is anyone experimenting with solar/electric propulsion?

 

Thank you Michael

 

If you stay under 40 ft it will be very easy to ship because an ISO "A" Freight Container is 40ft long and shipping in containers is relatively straightforward compared to deck cargo.

 

You need to look at the tax implications that you might have on importing the boat so you don't get any nasty surprises at your end.

 

Electric propulsion is feasible but is in all honesty a very costly route with little justification.

 

Because you are looking at taking the boat out of it's native environment and that is what dictates so much about narrowboat design I would be tempted to throw away the design book and build something maybe keeping the basic theme but adapting it suit the intended waters and usage especially if you are intending to live on it for extended periods.

Edited October 24, 2008 by Gary Peacock

[greywolf]

http://www.solarboat.co.uk/index.html this company does have dealing with solar power and narrow boats though i have had no dealings with them so cannot comment on them http://www.thameselectric.com/ deals with hybrid engines though again i only know of them so no recommendations, just that they are 2 that i found on the web whilst looking into this. Not a cheap option. Edited October 24, 2008 by greywolf

[carlt]

If I was looking for an environmentally sound boat, over the pond I'd be looking here:

 

woodenboatrescue

 

You'd take an awfully long time rubbing out the carbon footprint of shipping a narrow boat across to the West Coast.

 

You could, of course, buy a set of narrow boat plans and give them to an american boat builder.

[Athy]

Carl, that's a great link, thanks for posting it. I note that all the wooden boats listed are going free. Can we find a similar list of narrowboats, please?

[carlt]

Carl, that's a great link, thanks for posting it. I note that all the wooden boats listed are going free. Can we find a similar list of narrowboats, please?

Yes I can put mine down as first on the list.

 

The American site has no objection to boats being shipped this way, btw.