Trad or Cruiser stern?

[jonk]

Hello all,

Although I am sure this topic has been raised many times, and caused some heated debate no doubt, I have not been able to find it using the search.

My question is this: For year-round use of a narrowboat, continuous cruising with some week (or two) stops for exploring, which stern is best?

I have provisionally come to the conclusion that a trad stern is best for the following reasons:

Some shelter from the weather.

More space in the boat and hence a space for wet clothes to be taken off (engine room?).

Enough room for 2 people on the stern when required and the front seating area for relaxing and chatting, away from the engine noise.

Perhaps I am missing something? Is a cruiser stern with a canvas cockpit a better option?

I am particularly interested since I have been shown a 'cruiser stern' narrowboat that looks very good value and ticks most of my boxes, it's just that stern!

Thanks,

John

[boots]

Does this link help?

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...d+cruiser\

 

For what it is worth, we had the same question - though our needs are different - in our case, we have decided on a stern. From my reading of the previous topics, trad seems to be favoured by 'live aboards' for the reasons you quote, while cruiser is favoured for 'holiday' needs (which is what we want - weekender/short holiday) - i.e. gives you the social space (and I think may hire boats have this config for that reason).

 

Boots

[floatingphil]

Hello all,

Although I am sure this topic has been raised many times, and caused some heated debate no doubt, I have not been able to find it using the search.

My question is this: For year-round use of a narrowboat, continuous cruising with some week (or two) stops for exploring, which stern is best?

I have provisionally come to the conclusion that a trad stern is best for the following reasons:

Some shelter from the weather.

More space in the boat and hence a space for wet clothes to be taken off (engine room?).

Enough room for 2 people on the stern when required and the front seating area for relaxing and chatting, away from the engine noise.

Perhaps I am missing something? Is a cruiser stern with a canvas cockpit a better option?

I am particularly interested since I have been shown a 'cruiser stern' narrowboat that looks very good value and ticks most of my boxes, it's just that stern!

Thanks,

John

 

Well I,m no expert coz ive only had my boat a couple of months, but I have a semi trad which I think is a good middle ground. Yes u loose a bit of inside space,, but when cruising, everyone assembles on the stern it seems. Nearly knocked a couple of crew off with my( what seems) very long tiller. Suppose it depends on how important outside space is. I guess a trad is bettter for live aboard. Cruiser stern just look a little hire boat ish. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

 

Phil

[Guest User]

Trad, semi-trad or cruiser stern .... I think it's down individual preference, maybe try and get some time on each of them to see how you get on with each ?

 

Mine's a trad stern, and OH's is a cruiser stern, so I get to go on both, and maybe I'm in a minority, but I like both. I'm never sure why it polarises opinion so much.

[jonk]

Thanks for the links! Is it only me that finds it hard to find anything with the search button?

Some of those discussions have made me think again about the relative advantages/disadvantages. I didn't see any references to a rear canopy on a cruiser though.

John

[Keeping Up]

The search button on its own is pretty useless, but if you click on "more search options" you can with care get good results from the page that comes up.

 

We chose a cruiser stern because we like being sociable with lots of people for company when travelling and also it allows the dogs to wander about on the back deck. Admittedly we only live aboard for about 6 months of the year, but we have never for one moment regretted the choice we made when we had the boat built 18 years ago. We do cruise in the winter, but only for relatively short trips and not when the weather is truly awful, so we don't too much miss the extra protection of a trad stern, and not all trad sterns give that much extra usable room compared with a cruiser stern.

[Guest]

FWIW our current favourite is a cruiser stern, this is based on a few hire trips, most recently this week. it provided enough space for me, Jan and our dog Dennis to share some very nice autumn cruising weather.

 

I understand it is often said that a cruiser stern is a bit 'hire boatish' - and that is indeed because a lot of hire boats have cruiser sterns - but a lot have semi-trad sterns too. Hire boats are distinguishable by their livery rather than the style of the stern.

 

Check out Valley Cruisers and Ashby boats web site's for examples of both.

 

Trads generally give more internal space per foot overall length but some can be very awkward to get out of to the rear, that said we saw a very nice boat today at ABNB at Crick that was a trad, but it had a long/wide sliding hatch which made it very easy to get out onto the stern, still wouldn't have been enough room for the three of us though, so a trad is still probably a non-starter for us.

[PhilR]

The search button on its own is pretty useless, but if you click on "more search options" you can with care get good results from the page that comes up.

 

We chose a cruiser stern because we like being sociable with lots of people for company when travelling and also it allows the dogs to wander about on the back deck. Admittedly we only live aboard for about 6 months of the year, but we have never for one moment regretted the choice we made when we had the boat built 18 years ago. We do cruise in the winter, but only for relatively short trips and not when the weather is truly awful, so we don't too much miss the extra protection of a trad stern, and not all trad sterns give that much extra usable room compared with a cruiser stern.

 

Anyone out boating in the current weather would probably prefer to be steering from the hatch of a trad stern ;-)

 

My own boat is a cruiser stern, but I think I would prefer the flexibility of a semi trad. I have seen them with large sliding hatches and with tonneau covers which allow more covered storage at night.

 

Phil

[nb Innisfree]

For us cruiser stern with pramhood gives room for socialising, shelter in wet weather cruising and somewhere to dry clothes/boots etc + dry shelter while opening up boat with a load of shopping.

[journeyperson]

There is always the Scottish solution, a compromise called the Truiser stern, invented by Donald Mc Donald who built several of them and then managed to lose them all. People often stopped him on the towpath to ask. "Donald where's yer Truisers?"

[alan_fincher]

There is always the Scottish solution, a compromise called the Truiser stern, invented by Donald Mc Donald who built several of them and then managed to lose them all. People often stopped him on the towpath to ask. "Donald where's yer Truisers?"

Would they have anything to do with the breeches that have mysteriously started appearing in English canals.

[NiceNarrowboat]

I find the inside of a pub the ideal shelter during bad weather. I definitely would have a stern which allows more than two people - guests like to steer more when they've got an audience!

 

Had a cruiser and a semi-trad - would always go for a semi-trad as I like the look more.

[nb Innisfree]

There is always the Scottish solution, a compromise called the Truiser stern, invented by Donald Mc Donald who built several of them and then managed to lose them all. People often stopped him on the towpath to ask. "Donald where's yer Truisers?"

 

[carlt]

Entirely down to personal preferences balanced against personal needs.

 

Now if someone were ever to ask "What underwater profile should I go for"......

[Keeping Up]

I find the inside of a pub the ideal shelter during bad weather. I definitely would have a stern which allows more than two people - guests like to steer more when they've got an audience!

 

Had a cruiser and a semi-trad - would always go for a semi-trad as I like the look more.

Yes, what better excuse could there be to go to the pub. Sometimes we've been trapped there for hours waiting for the rain to stop.

 

Personally I really dislike semi-trads, I reckon you get some of the advantages and most of the disadvantage of both - but that's purely a personal opinion. It's a good thing we all like different boats, otherwise we'd all be trying to buy the same one!

[PhilR]

Personally I really dislike semi-trads, I reckon you get some of the advantages and most of the disadvantage of both - but that's purely a personal opinion. It's a good thing we all like different boats, otherwise we'd all be trying to buy the same one!

 

I agree about us all having different opinions etc - and viva la difference !!

 

But I am interested to hear what all the disadvantages are with a semi-trad. Is this mainly about increased engine noise and /or lack of storage?

[Keeping Up]

I agree about us all having different opinions etc - and viva la difference !!

 

But I am interested to hear what all the disadvantages are with a semi-trad. Is this mainly about increased engine noise and /or lack of storage?

Certainly as far as engine noise and storage are concerned, the semitrad is roughly equivalent to a cruiser stern. For weather protection they are slightly better than a cruiser but far inferior to a trad. Their looks can be quite pleasing - particularly if you don't like the looks of a cruiser stern - though I have also seen some dreadful examples. My main dislike though is that as far as access on/off the boat is concerned they are roughly equivalent to a trad stern (it can be difficult to get past the tiller and step to/from the bank with dogs & family, especially if they are very young or old) and while they are as sociable as a cruiser stern for adults, they are not as good for dogs and children. Children can't see anything so they get bored, whereas with a cruiser they can look out to the sides; the dogs inevitavly move behind the steerer so they can see round the sides, and then you step on them or trip over them and you can't get past them when you need to go ashore.

 

I know these aren't absolutes, and not everyone would share this viewpoint (possibly seeing it as an advantage that children wouldn't want to be on the back deck for example), but for me the semi-trad doesn't give enough advantage to balance its disadvantages. The 'weather protection' argment is a good one, but it is often over-stated; even in torrential rain you can be perfectly warm and dry inside the right clothing, and then you're all ready to go ashore when you get to the next lock. On the Ashby and Bridgewater canals that's not an issue so maybe a pram hood makes more sense there than it would on a heavily-locked canal, but travelling on all canals I'd prefer to invest in a good set of waterproofs - or in a few pints of beer while I sit beside a glowing log fire in a friendly hostelry.

[n.b.Goldie]

All types of stern have their fors and againsts. My first ship was a cruiser, my current ship is a trad and my experiences are:

 

The 'steering experience' is much superior on a trad.

 

It was great to sit out on the cruiser stern of a warm evening enjoying a G&T.

 

Cabin space was 'lost' to the cruiser stern.

 

On the cruiser the hatch could be shut whilst cruising in bad weather with all engine controls still to hand. Not possible on a trad as the controls are 'inside'.

 

Folk might tell you it is not possible to make a cruiser stern rain proof, it is possible, I did it and it was not difficult.

 

Engine/gearbox etc. servicing was v.easy on the cruiser, up the deck-boards and its all there. The trad is a 'bitch' cos the engine etc. is inside a plywood box which has to be disassembled each time. Even when the box is away access is not easy!

 

My next boat will be a trad with an engine room. All round good access, a store for tools, a drying room for wet clothes, work on the engine regardless of weather, etc......etc........ the best of all worlds.

 

Ditchdabbler

[Chertsey]

To know what's going to suit you you probably really need to try both. But at least you're not considering a semi-trad!

[Ange]

Does this link help?

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...d+cruiser\

 

 

Boots

 

It did make me chuckle when I followed this link and found a thread I started when we were noobs looking for our first boat, especially as I wrote that I expected to get my own way, when in fact we ended up buying a trad!

 

We never did agree which stern to go for and decided to let the boat decide for us, as it turned out the boat that ticked all the boxes had a trad stern so that's what we bought. We live aboard full time now and while I'd never regret buying Iona I have both positive and negative observations

 

Positive - as stated we have more indoor living space - very important if you're planning to liveaboard full time. Dave can work on the engine indoors and has a good sized area to store tools, etc, which is also a nice warm drying area for coats, etc. While cruising in inclement weather the steerer has more protection from the elements.

 

Negative - access to the rear of the boat is tricky - I have bashed myself in more places than I can count trying to get out of the back. When there are two of us on the back the one not steering has to perch on the gunwhales - not the most comfortable of positions over a long cruise. When we do have visitors there's no room for them on the back - they have to sit at the front of the boat whereas I'd rather we could all congregate at the back. Saying that I do think you should make your choice based on what you want rather than what would suit potential visitors.

 

If we were using the boat for holidays I would definitely want a cruiser stern, but as we live aboard full time and cruise all year round the trad stern has been the best choice.

 

Just my thoughts on the subject - as has been said at the end of the day it's all down to your personal preference.

 

Good luck

[bottle]

We are liveabords but most of you know that, with a 'trad' stern.

 

Part of the remit for the shell build was that two people could stand in the hatch, we had it designed longer but not wider and we can both stand there in tandem, with me steering from behind and one step higher.

 

Storage consits of one wet weather coat locker, two electric cupboards, another cupboard that gives access to the calorifier and stern greaser, one folding bike cupboard, acces door to the generator and another folding bike, two underfloor storage areas and lift up floor panels everywhere.

 

All in 7 feet.

[Janet S]

It would have to be a cruiser stern for us, if we ever find ourselves in the enviable position of being able to afford one!

 

We like being able to stand and chat to each other...it just isn't possible on a trad stern.

 

I recently had a great day out with a forum member, but it wasn't the most comfortable of places to be....there was only room for one on the tiller...the other had to either sit on the roof or hang precariously on the gunwhales...access to the interior of the boat was a real nightmare!

 

It wouldn't do for me..I'd rather sacrifice some internal storage for the flexiblity of being able to socialise with other crew members.

 

Janet

[carlt]

Wheelhouse.

[LoneWolf]

It would have to be a cruiser stern for us, if we ever find ourselves in the enviable position of being able to afford one!

 

We like being able to stand and chat to each other...it just isn't possible on a trad stern.

 

I recently had a great day out with a forum member, but it wasn't the most comfortable of places to be....there was only room for one on the tiller...the other had to either sit on the roof or hang precariously on the gunwhales...access to the interior of the boat was a real nightmare!

 

It wouldn't do for me..I'd rather sacrifice some internal storage for the flexiblity of being able to socialise with other crew members.

 

Janet

 

 

It's part of the fun though, ducking & diving round the tiller & other person.

[Janet S]

It's part of the fun though, ducking & diving round the tiller & other person.

 

Yes, it was very good fun, and I had a great day out, but I don't think I could do it for too long! It felt rather precarious at times! Thoroughly enjoyable day though, despite the wind and the rain!

 

We're heading down to do the Thames Ring next year, and thank goodness we have a boat with a cruiser stern! There will be three of us on board for one of the weeks, and it just wouldn't work with a trad stern.

 

Janet