Is a wide canal boat a wise choice?

[joggerman]

I've been considering purchasing a canal boat for some time, and like the space available in the 10ft wide boats.

Are there any problems I would be facing with say a 50ft x 10ft compared with the normal narrow boat, such as access problems to bridges, locks etc?

[carlt]

I've been considering purchasing a canal boat for some time, and like the space available in the 10ft wide boats.

Are there any problems I would be facing with say a 50ft x 10ft compared with the normal narrow boat, such as access problems to bridges, locks etc?

You will not be able to use narrow canals, at all, but you'll have no problem on broad canals.

[Naughty Cal]

Depends where you plan on going

[bottle]

Welcome to the forum.

 

 

You will be limited to either roughly north or south of Birmingham as there is no through route for widebeams, other than using tidal waters.

 

Jim Sheads map will give you an idea of what's possible.

[Machpoint005]

Deleted - same link as Bottle's, above.

Edited June 24, 2009 by Machpoint005

[alan_fincher]

You will not be able to use narrow canals, at all, but you'll have no problem on broad canals.

 

......................Although you will need to make special arrangements if wishing to pass through certain of the longer broad tunnels, as you would not be able to pass some poor unfortunate trying to come the other way.

 

Basically you can place your wide beam either in the south of the country, or more to the north, but there are no through canal/river routes that allow a boat more than 7 feet wide to get from one to the other.

[joggerman]

Having checked the map, it seems as I would be ok, as I am near Liverpool on the Leeds Liverpool canal.

 

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[Naughty Cal]

Unless you fancy going to sea.

[Robbo]

I've been considering purchasing a canal boat for some time, and like the space available in the 10ft wide boats.

Are there any problems I would be facing with say a 50ft x 10ft compared with the normal narrow boat, such as access problems to bridges, locks etc?

 

Mooring costs tend to cost more, especially at Marinas.

[mrsmelly]

I've been considering purchasing a canal boat for some time, and like the space available in the 10ft wide boats.

Are there any problems I would be facing with say a 50ft x 10ft compared with the normal narrow boat, such as access problems to bridges, locks etc?

 

Wide beam boats are the best,,,,,er if u dont like boating that is...........

[carlt]

Wide beam boats are the best,,,,,er if u dont like boating that is...........

That really depends on which wide beam boat you are talking about.

 

Your narrowboat can go on narrow beam canals.

 

My wide beam boat can go everywhere else.

[mrsmelly]

That really depends on which wide beam boat you are talking about.

 

Your narrowboat can go on narrow beam canals.

 

My wide beam boat can go everywhere else.

 

Err well actually beleive it or not my narrowbeam can go on BOTH Narrow AND wide canals unlike a broad beam boat. Of course we wouldnt be talking about sea going capabilities would we as we are on the errr I think its called CANAL WORLD Discussion forum...........

[Robbo]

Wide beam boats are the best,,,,,er if u dont like boating that is...........

 

 

The question should be, unless you want to go on the narrow canals why on earth would you want a Narrowboat?

[mrsmelly]

The question should be, unless you want to go on the narrow canals why on earth would you want a Narrowboat?

 

You r so right, there is far more space on a broad beam boat mooocho better to live on. the only trouble is we live in the UK and have things called narrow canals so if you want to do any serious Canal crusing there is only one type of craft available and its not wide beam........

[Robbo]

You r so right, there is far more space on a broad beam boat mooocho better to live on. the only trouble is we live in the UK and have things called narrow canals so if you want to do any serious Canal crusing there is only one type of craft available and its not wide beam........

 

If you want to do serious canal cruising why would you want to stick to the UK?

[mrsmelly]

If you want to do serious canal cruising why would you want to stick to the UK?

 

Hi

 

Because its the best country in the world. In the 1970 's I cruised the Kiel canal, the Panama canal and I have been on several in France but hey lets stick to the uk shall we cos u will soon be out of your depth, I was boating when u were in your pushchair.......

[Robbo]

Because its the best country in the world. In the 1970 's I cruised the Kiel canal, the Panama canal and I have been on several in France but hey lets stick to the uk shall we cos u will soon be out of your depth, I was boating when u were in your pushchair.......

 

Well act your age then.

[mrsmelly]

Well act your age then.

 

There is nothing worse than gobby kids........especially when they r not ur own............ Anyway I dont want to be one of those grown ups I have met loads and christ r they boring........

[Steamerpoint]

I've been considering purchasing a canal boat for some time, and like the space available in the 10ft wide boats.

Are there any problems I would be facing with say a 50ft x 10ft compared with the normal narrow boat, such as access problems to bridges, locks etc?

I asked the very same question this weekend to a good friend who has lived on boats all his life. He told me that wide beam boats are not appreciated by many people with narrowboats. The reason being that while you can get a wide beam boat in a lock, you can't then get another boat alongside it in many of the double width locks. This holds up the flow of traffic when it's busy and it is less efficient use of water when only one boat needs ten thousand gallons of water to progress through one lock!

 

In addition to this, a wide beam boat can cause difficulties in many of the tunnels where they are just wide enough for two narrowboats to pass inside. Tunnel Officials apparently need to stop narrowboats from entering until the wide beam is through!

 

On the basis of not wanting to annoy everyone else on the cut, I have decided to rule out a wide beam boat.

[carlt]

Err well actually beleive it or not my narrowbeam can go on BOTH Narrow AND wide canals unlike a broad beam boat. Of course we wouldnt be talking about sea going capabilities would we as we are on the errr I think its called CANAL WORLD Discussion forum...........

There are many canals, in the UK that you cannot visit, by limiting yourself to a narrowboat.

Edited June 28, 2009 by carlt

[RLWP]

There are many canals, in the UK that you cannot visit, by limiting yourself to a narrowboat.

 

OK I'll bite. I can think of the Bude canal, Union canal, Somerset coal...

 

Richard

 

You are assuming that this isn't a trailable narrowboat I guess.

[Pluto]

You r so right, there is far more space on a broad beam boat mooocho better to live on. the only trouble is we live in the UK and have things called narrow canals so if you want to do any serious Canal crusing there is only one type of craft available and its not wide beam........

Actually, if you look at the figures, there are fewer miles of narrow canal than broad waterway in the UK. The big problem is that there is no north-south wide canal link. Having worked traditional wide and narrow boats, I found there was no major difference in the enjoyment, though my L&LC wooden boat certainly gave me a better feeling of helping to preserve waterway history than any of the narrow boats I've been on.

 

The original poster lives near Liverpool, and I know several wide boat owners on the L&LC who see no real need to leave that waterway, with its spectacular and varied scenery, comparatively low boat numbers, and exquisite pie shops. What's a Wigan kebab? Six meat and potato pies on a skewer.

[mrsmelly]

Actually, if you look at the figures, there are fewer miles of narrow canal than broad waterway in the UK. The big problem is that there is no north-south wide canal link. Having worked traditional wide and narrow boats, I found there was no major difference in the enjoyment, though my L&LC wooden boat certainly gave me a better feeling of helping to preserve waterway history than any of the narrow boats I've been on.

 

The original poster lives near Liverpool, and I know several wide boat owners on the L&LC who see no real need to leave that waterway, with its spectacular and varied scenery, comparatively low boat numbers, and exquisite pie shops. What's a Wigan kebab? Six meat and potato pies on a skewer.

 

Hi

 

Yes Pluto you talk a lot of sense, I have owned widebeam the last one was a beautifull double diagonal teak jobby which I moored in Gloucester basin to go out at Sharpness. My only real point is that if say you are in devizes on the Kand A and fancy a quick spin up to say York, unless you r seaworthy it Must be narrowbeam and if say visiting nottingham its much the same its the little bit of narrow that stops the job. Also not being able to do such as the maccy would be to me a bridge too far..........

[carlt]

OK I'll bite. I can think of the Bude canal, Union canal, Somerset coal...

 

Richard

 

You are assuming that this isn't a trailable narrowboat I guess.

From the top:

Caledonian

Crinan

Forth and Clyde

Union

Lancaster (without going "woo woo" at the Ribble link.)

Beverley Beck

Driffield Navigation

Dutch River (unless you're mad)

Chelmer and Blackwater

Essex Ship

 

I bet I've missed a lot, too!

[RLWP]

From the top:

Caledonian

Crinan

Forth and Clyde

Union

Lancaster (without going "woo woo" at the Ribble link.)

Beverley Beck

Driffield Navigation

Dutch River (unless you're mad)

Chelmer and Blackwater

Essex Ship

 

I bet I've missed a lot, too!

 

And how many of those would you like to cruise to in a "fat narrowboat" widebeam then?

 

Richard

 

You could probably do them all with a short Sea Otter narrowboat and trailer

 

(Where's Dutch River?)