How often

[Solentsailor]

I am considering changing my sailing yacht into a narrow boat. I have thousands of questions.

A few for starters.

I am quite used to having yacht craned out each year and antifouling the hull and changing anodes. Seems as though this is done far less often on narrowboats, any one tell me what would be normal. Is it a DIY operation or not?

Are towpath side moorings safe or can i expect boat to get broken into?

With large extended family it looks as though an ex hire boat will fit the bill because of the number of berths. Are they a reasonable bet or will I have to buy and fit loads of extras to make them suitable for family cruising. Do they strip them out of things like fridges and tvs before selling them?

I would expect also to go singlehanding from time to time, is that practical, 57 footer I think.

What diesel consumption can I expect?

enough for now!

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[wrigglefingers]

I am considering changing my sailing yacht into a narrow boat. I have thousands of questions.

A few for starters.

I am quite used to having yacht craned out each year and antifouling the hull and changing anodes. Seems as though this is done far less often on narrowboats, any one tell me what would be normal. Is it a DIY operation or not?

It can be, narrowboats come out of the water about once every two years on average, but others will disagree. How long is a piece of string? Costs will vary from place to place but expect to pay up to £800 plus. Much cheaper (and filthier) to do it yourself. Hiring a dry dock may need to be done some time in advance.

 

Are towpath side moorings safe or can i expect boat to get broken into?

 

Depends, on the whole yes. Don't leave any valuables on board if you can avoid it.

 

With large extended family it looks as though an ex hire boat will fit the bill because of the number of berths. Are they a reasonable bet or will I have to buy and fit loads of extras to make them suitable for family cruising. Do they strip them out of things like fridges and tvs before selling them?

 

Some ex-hire boats are a very good proposition, Black Prince springs to mind, I think inventory is negotiable, but all fixtures and fittings should stay onboard unless the seller advises you otherwise. It needs to be settled at price negotiation time.

 

I would expect also to go singlehanding from time to time, is that practical, 57 footer I think.

 

Yes, I singlehanded a 58fter with some ease after the learning curve was done and I'm not a giant (though v wide). About to move onto a 62fter which I shall also singlehand. In fact, it's a rite of passage to singlehand your boat in order to become a boring old fart on here!

 

What diesel consumption can I expect?

 

Between .8 to 1.5lt per hour but it varies widely depending on your engine, speed, flow, cut or river etc.

 

enough for now!

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

Hello Tim,

 

Welcome the boring old farts forum. My briefly considered thoughts are in red I hope. Someone will be along to disagree shortly!

 

Regards, Jill

 

PS You will need to change your forum name too otherwise we'll get confused.

[RLWP]

I am considering changing my sailing yacht into a narrow boat. I have thousands of questions.

A few for starters.

I am quite used to having yacht craned out each year and antifouling the hull and changing anodes. Seems as though this is done far less often on narrowboats, any one tell me what would be normal. Is it a DIY operation or not?

Are towpath side moorings safe or can i expect boat to get broken into?

With large extended family it looks as though an ex hire boat will fit the bill because of the number of berths. Are they a reasonable bet or will I have to buy and fit loads of extras to make them suitable for family cruising. Do they strip them out of things like fridges and tvs before selling them?

I would expect also to go singlehanding from time to time, is that practical, 57 footer I think.

What diesel consumption can I expect?

enough for now!

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

 

Hi Tim,

 

we have an ex-hire boat on a towpath mooring,. and have done so for seven years now. It is much as we bought it and suits us fine. We bought a hire boat because that's basically how we use it.

 

Richard

[DHutch]

We take emilyanne out every four years, thats a little less often than most, but we use good paint and always have since new.

 

We have also always DIY'ed, a lot of docks now dont allow it in H&S grounds as there insurance doesn't cover it but as we like to do it ourself and as we prefer to drydock rather than crane out we do that and use Worsley drydock near manchester which is about as good as it gets and local.

Pressure wash off and two coats of a one pot vinyl underwater paint from leighs paints. Primer is is two pack epoxy aluminum on two pack blast primer but again that not overly common. Comastic or Bitumen is cheaper but less durable.

 

We move the boat continuously over summer, with someone moving her about every other weekend, rairly staying more than a fortnight at a time anywhere. We have moved the boat all over the place by this method, saves getting bored of the same patch. Then we put it in a the cheapest mooring thats within an hour of home and leave it there for 5months till its warm again!

 

 

Daniel

[carlt]

Hi Tim

You're mad...so you should fit right in.

 

Any cheap moorings, down your way, for a 51 footer? (I went the other way)

[ChrisPy]

I am considering changing my sailing yacht into a narrow boat.

you'll need a good boatbuilder to do that

 

welcome to the madhouse

[Solentsailor]

Hey everyone, that is great, maybe a picture will emerge eventually, so thanks.

 

More questions posted but as New Topic titled "more yet more questions"

 

Tim

[Ray T]

Tim welcome,

 

I used to sale offshore, but as age creeps up SWMBO and I bought our first narrowboat in April last year. Black Prince as mentioned are a good bet to buy. See here: http://www.black-prince.com/sales.htm.

 

Having hired BP boats for many a year I personally can vouch for their quality.

 

Ex BP owners also have their own web site: http://www.blackprinceowners.org.uk/midcabinprogress.html

 

They are all cruiser sterns however, can get a bit draughty if you intend to cruise throught the Autum / Winter periods.

 

Wrigglefingers has about covered it all.

 

One bonus of narrowboating, when you put your pint down it stays where you put it!!

Edited January 19, 2010 by Ray T

[Gunna Do]

I am considering changing my sailing yacht into a narrow boat. I have thousands of questions.

A few for starters.

I am quite used to having yacht craned out each year and antifouling the hull and changing anodes. Seems as though this is done far less often on narrowboats, any one tell me what would be normal. Is it a DIY operation or not?

Are towpath side moorings safe or can i expect boat to get broken into?

With large extended family it looks as though an ex hire boat will fit the bill because of the number of berths. Are they a reasonable bet or will I have to buy and fit loads of extras to make them suitable for family cruising. Do they strip them out of things like fridges and tvs before selling them?

I would expect also to go singlehanding from time to time, is that practical, 57 footer I think.

What diesel consumption can I expect?

enough for now!

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

Hi Tim,

Welcome to the Nut House. I too moved from yachts to a Nb.

Blacking deals can be found in the canal boat comics but you pay your money and hope. Personally I would prefer to DIY.

I hope you have hired first and experienced the canals for real as it would seem from your narrative that this may not have happened. It is money well spent and gives the chance to experience different layouts and sterns! Some would seem ideal until tried for real!

Good Luck and we'll see you on the cut.