Top Boxes

[Big COL]

Hi All

 

Joy and I will very shortly be starting our new life in retirement and will be cruising 8/9 months of the year.

Having given up our home with the retirement it looks as if a lot things that you take for granted on land will have to be sacrificed, therefore we would really appreciate any thoughts on top boxes, are they worth fitting, max height (air draft) their security as they look like easy pickings for thieves.

It looks at the moment as if we are going to have to fit one if we are to follow through with our particular cruising plans so any input will be a great help.

A whole pints worth, Ive even converted back to real ale for this retirement, started on broadside will ease myself back in gently.

 

Colin

[Ex- Member]

IMO they look stupid on a car let alone a boat

 

Rather than some plastic eyesore if I had to create additional storage space and having only the roof available I would construct something out of some decent hardwood that would hold a decent amount of goods.

[blackrose]

IMO they look stupid on a car let alone a boat

 

Rather than some plastic eyesore if I had to create additional storage space and having only the roof available I would construct something out of some decent hardwood that would hold a decent amount of goods.

 

Or just pine treated for external use. You can try to make something secure but in my opinion an open slatted box is really just suitable for bags of coal & logs with a tarp over. 18" high is about your maximum otherwise not only will you not get it under bridges, you won't be able to see over it.

 

Also as tempting as it may be to get things out of the way, don't leave things like mooring pins in the box - they can be used by oportunists to break in.

[alan_fincher]

Also as tempting as it may be to get things out of the way, don't leave things like mooring pins in the box - they can be used by oportunists to break in.

Can't they usually acquire one fairly easily simply by letting somebody's boat loose ?

 

Personally I'd never consider a roof box, because our boating methods always assume you can always walk along the roof, if you wanted to.

 

I know it clearly doesn't worry many people that they can't, but I culdn't live with a roof I couldn't walk on, I'm afraid.

 

The bridges we have come under recently would certainly not permit you to have a box as tall as 18", (on out boat, at least).

[cotswoldsman]

When I first moved onto my boat I had the same problem not enough room for all my stuff and I am single on a 60 ft boat. What I found after the first 6 months was that I was carrying loads of stuff that I would never need on a boat so got rid of loads, then a further few months later got rid of loads more, now after 2 1/2 years have loads of space available. The problem is when you first move on a boat the temptation is to bring all the things that you would normally have in your house so my advise is don't purchase one of those horrible looking boxes until you are sure. As Allan said like to have a nice clear roof to walk on.

[Tiny]

Or just pine treated for external use. You can try to make something secure but in my opinion an open slatted box is really just suitable for bags of coal & logs with a tarp over. 18" high is about your maximum otherwise not only will you not get it under bridges, you won't be able to see over it.

 

Also as tempting as it may be to get things out of the way, don't leave things like mooring pins in the box - they can be used by oportunists to break in.

 

Normally there are loose pins available - plus hammer on the decks of many hire boats. Some even leave their keys in the ignition. It amazes me that no fun loving person does not chuck them in the cut!

[sueb]

Could you rent a small store to keep extra stuff in? If you don't feel the need to visit the store you can then get rid of the stuff. You should have plenty of room on a narrowboat for the things you really need.

sue

[Tiny]

A chap near us made top boxes for his boat but found he just filled them and wanted more space. He also found even with repainting they rotted. (He used soft wood.) In the end he got a store shed by his mooring plus using space at his brothers and used the boxes, with waterproof covers, for fire wood.

[blackrose]

Can't they usually acquire one fairly easily simply by letting somebody's boat loose ?

 

 

Depends how hard you hammered them in.

 

I try to put mine in such that they won't come out by hand and for soft ground I have extra long pins (about 4' long).

[mrsmelly]

Hi All

 

Joy and I will very shortly be starting our new life in retirement and will be cruising 8/9 months of the year.

Having given up our home with the retirement it looks as if a lot things that you take for granted on land will have to be sacrificed, therefore we would really appreciate any thoughts on top boxes, are they worth fitting, max height (air draft) their security as they look like easy pickings for thieves.

It looks at the moment as if we are going to have to fit one if we are to follow through with our particular cruising plans so any input will be a great help.

A whole pints worth, Ive even converted back to real ale for this retirement, started on broadside will ease myself back in gently.

 

Colin

 

 

Hi

 

Boxes worth using will not fit under low bridges eg bridge 228 on the Oxford leaves virtualy nothing above the roofline. More a matter of lifestyle, u will start off with loads of crap from ur house which u need to get rid of..I am liveaboard and my roof is completely free of any clutter except bags of fuel in the winter.

We all start off lugging crap but as the years go bye bin it all.

 

Regards

 

Tim

Edited April 11, 2009 by mrsmelly

[Yoda]

Get a butty!

[Digipete]

American comedian George Carlin said it best in his routine "Stuff";

 

[Lindypop]

i have 2 second hand roof boxes. i have nothing valuable in them and they are v v heavy, with things like deck chairs.

 

space, time and cash flow are all problems for us, we have a house we cant sell in wales with a tennant who doesnt pay on time, a 60ft nb which needs a complte refurbishment - which my husband(who works fulltime in a graduate job, before people make that assumption again), 2 cats and i and in the nextmonth our brand new 1st child live on, so desperate times calls for desperate measures.

 

if we could afford better we would, so its nice to know we are being judged for trying a hard as we can.

 

we WILL have a pleasing to the eye boat, but there are some things that are more important.

Edited April 15, 2009 by Lindypop

[Chickadee]

Not wanting to advertise but wanting to stick up for the roof box. My Dad has been making them two different sizes a 9" and a 12". I find the 12" a little high (I'm 5'2) but have now got used to steering the boat with it on.

He has had covers made for them and painted them with various coats of paint to match the boats hes put them on and they seem to be lasting well.

Living on a 42ft boat space is hard for us even with getting rid of ALOT of stuff so the boxes are great for things like logs and coal that I just don't have room for in the boat.

I can easly walk down my boat either side thats not a problem its about a step for me to get passed it.

 

I was reluctant to start with even more so when he told me he wanted to display two boxes on my boat but now i've got them there I haven't found them to be a problem. I will probably go down to one box at some point just because I like chilling out with friends on my roof but if my boat was longer i'd keep them both.

 

If anyone wants any info drop me a message and i'll send you the details. Other than that if your at the boat jumble at Gloucester on Sunday we will be there with my boat and a few boxes.