The Stratford Canal

[BelgiumBrit]

Hi

 

I want to buy a boat to moor close to The Avon, well Stratford to be precise. Found a decent spot for possibe moorings on The Stratford Canal. My first choice of boat would be a wide beam, but considering flooding risks on The Avon, I have to be sensible and stay on canal moorings in a narrow boat.

 

I have looked at a 6'10" beam boat that seems to be within price and spec etc . My question; given that Max beam on The Stratford Canal is 7' , is this really feasible ? It is too tight for comfort isn't it ? An inch either side ? That's not comfortable cruising is it ?

 

I'd love for you all to say, no problem in a 6'10" beam. Would appreciate some feedback please.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

Edited August 16, 2011 by BelgiumBrit

[Theo]

Hi

 

I want to buy a boat to moor close to The Avon, well Stratford to be precise. Found a decent spot for possibe moorings on The Stratford Canal. My first choice of boat would be a wide beam, but considering flooding risks on The Avon, I have to be sensible and stay on canal moorings in a narrow boat.

 

I have looked at a 6'10" beam boat that seems to be within price and spec etc . My question; given that Max beam on The Stratford Canal is 7' , is this really feasible ? It is too tight for comfort isn't it ? An inch either side ? That's not comfortable cruising is it ?

 

I'd love for you all to say, no problem in a 6'10" beam. Would appreciate some feedback please.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

 

6'10" is fine. The locks are a nice snug fit. What length are you going for?

 

Nick

[john6767]

6' 10" is the standard beam for a "modern" narrowboat. So that is exactly would you would expect to be using on a narrow canal like the Stratford.

[GeoffS]

Hi

 

I want to buy a boat to moor close to The Avon, well Stratford to be precise. Found a decent spot for possibe moorings on The Stratford Canal. My first choice of boat would be a wide beam, but considering flooding risks on The Avon, I have to be sensible and stay on canal moorings in a narrow boat.

 

I have looked at a 6'10" beam boat that seems to be within price and spec etc . My question; given that Max beam on The Stratford Canal is 7' , is this really feasible ? It is too tight for comfort isn't it ? An inch either side ? That's not comfortable cruising is it ?

 

I'd love for you all to say, no problem in a 6'10" beam. Would appreciate some feedback please.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

 

I don't know the Stratford canal but the max beam that you refer to will just be for the locks. I doubt you will find a narrower boat than 6'10" although I'm sure someone will be along with an example!

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

I'd love for you all to say, no problem in a 6'10" beam. Would appreciate some feedback please.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

 

No problem in a 6' 10" beam. Tawny Owl is that size and goes up and down the Stratford fine

 

Richard

[BelgiumBrit]

Great answers there , and speedy repsonses ! Thanks very much.Now ... the aquaducts must be challenging though aren't they ?

[RLWP]

Great answers there , and speedy repsonses ! Thanks very much.Now ... the aquaducts must be challenging though aren't they ?

 

How can you go wrong? The aqueducts are about a foot wider than the boat, so once you're into one, the boat could just steer itself through

 

Richard

[mayalld]

Hi

 

I want to buy a boat to moor close to The Avon, well Stratford to be precise. Found a decent spot for possibe moorings on The Stratford Canal. My first choice of boat would be a wide beam, but considering flooding risks on The Avon, I have to be sensible and stay on canal moorings in a narrow boat.

 

I have looked at a 6'10" beam boat that seems to be within price and spec etc . My question; given that Max beam on The Stratford Canal is 7' , is this really feasible ? It is too tight for comfort isn't it ? An inch either side ? That's not comfortable cruising is it ?

 

I'd love for you all to say, no problem in a 6'10" beam. Would appreciate some feedback please.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

 

Narrow canals are pretty much universally 7' beam (some are a fraction tighter)

Modern narrowboats are pretty much universally 6'10" beam , and older craft are often 7' wide and sometimes a fraction wider.

 

This means that some older boats that have spread can encounter difficulties with locks that have warped a little.

 

However, 6'10" wide just isn't an issue.

[debbifiggy]

Hi

 

I want to buy a boat to moor close to The Avon, well Stratford to be precise. Found a decent spot for possibe moorings on The Stratford Canal. My first choice of boat would be a wide beam, but considering flooding risks on The Avon, I have to be sensible and stay on canal moorings in a narrow boat.

 

I have looked at a 6'10" beam boat that seems to be within price and spec etc . My question; given that Max beam on The Stratford Canal is 7' , is this really feasible ? It is too tight for comfort isn't it ? An inch either side ? That's not comfortable cruising is it ?

 

I'd love for you all to say, no problem in a 6'10" beam. Would appreciate some feedback please.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

 

Don't want to burst your bubble but is your decent spot for possible mooring already approved by British Waterways? I would suggest not getting the boat until you have secured a legitimate long term mooring. Could save you a lot of time, problems and money.

 

D

[steve hayes]

How can you go wrong? The aqueducts are about a foot wider than the boat, so once you're into one, the boat could just steer itself through

 

Richard

 

Edstone can be a little interesting in a gale, you certainly have all of the spare one foot on one side of the boat.

 

Still can't spell

Edited August 16, 2011 by steve hayes

[john6767]

Narrow canals are pretty much universally 7' beam (some are a fraction tighter)

Modern narrowboats are pretty much universally 6'10" beam , and older craft are often 7' wide and sometimes a fraction wider.

 

This means that some older boats that have spread can encounter difficulties with locks that have warped a little.

 

However, 6'10" wide just isn't an issue.

 

 

One such lock that is probably round about 7', or just a bit more, is on the Wilmcote flight. With our 6' 10" beam boat (although have to admit never measured it!) going down the lock it hard to believe that it will fit, but it does. Any boat that has fenders down will most likely get stuck in some of the locks on the lower Stratford.

 

Edited to add: Yes, Edstone is not nice in a howling wind with the boat pinned against the non-towpath side.

Edited August 16, 2011 by john6767

[BelgiumBrit]

Again , thanks for the replies and reassurances ESPECIALLY re; the Aquaducts ( Wondering if The Navigation Inn at Wooten Wawen is still a decent pub ). Debbi, the mooring is legit,not BW managed, privately managed, but NOT CHEAP! £2400 a year non residential. But not living in The UK, I do need somewhere secure and someone to keep an eye on the boat, so held to ransome really. It's going to be an expensive business that's for sure.

[steve hayes]

Again , thanks for the replies and reassurances ESPECIALLY re; the Aquaducts ( Wondering if The Navigation Inn at Wooten Wawen is still a decent pub ).

The Navigation is OK, it is a basic down to earth pub that serves generic pub food at OK prices.

[BlueStringPudding]

Steaks aren't half bad and they're not afraid of a lock in. Also jazz nights are great!

[BelgiumBrit]

The Navigation is OK, it is a basic down to earth pub that serves generic pub food at OK prices.

 

Thanks Steve , haven't been for quite a while, used to be something quite special many years ago. Last time i went, it was looking a little tired.

[steve hayes]

Also jazz nights are great!

 

Ahh forgot about them, Monday night if I remember rightly, good freindly evening

[BelgiumBrit]

Steaks aren't half bad and they're not afraid of a lock in. Also jazz nights are great!

 

Lock ins ? Well that takes me back , but I thought there was no need for that following licensing reforms ? However, it was always a great feeling when the landlord, closed and bolted the doors , and kept serving ! Naughty ,but nice ! lol

[TimD]

Lock ins ? Well that takes me back , but I thought there was no need for that following licensing reforms ? However, it was always a great feeling when the landlord, closed and bolted the doors , and kept serving ! Naughty ,but nice ! lol

Pubs are still supposed to adhere to their license hours and have to apply for non-standard hours. Many don't have late licences and if they do it might only be for specific nights or weekend nights. That said it now seems very rare to actually be locked in, and I could well believe that the police "blind eye" to the lock-in now extends to a non-lock-in impromtu late night.

 

The real reason for locking the door was to prevent drinkers going in after hours and I used to know lock-in pubs where the Landlord wouldn't serve you if you'd racked up at a quarter to 11 just for the lock-in, and I think the police would still be unhappy if a pub without a late license was getting "inward" migration after 11o'clock.

 

Twenty years ago I was in California trying to explain the concept of a lock-in to an intelligent but little travelled Los Angelean. "So the police know that the bar is illegally open but they don't bust the joint?"

"Provided there's no trouble, they know that it's worse to bust the place than to let people continue quietly drinking" I replied.

"Gee, your police are more intelligent than US Police."

[debbifiggy]

Again , thanks for the replies and reassurances ESPECIALLY re; the Aquaducts ( Wondering if The Navigation Inn at Wooten Wawen is still a decent pub ). Debbi, the mooring is legit,not BW managed, privately managed, but NOT CHEAP! £2400 a year non residential. But not living in The UK, I do need somewhere secure and someone to keep an eye on the boat, so held to ransome really. It's going to be an expensive business that's for sure.

 

Glad you got a mooring sorted ok. Price doesn't seem too bad to be in a such a lovely part of the world with a secure mooring. There are plenty of more expensive moorings elsewhere. After all they do say BOAT stands for Bring On Another Thousand

 

I'd love to do the Southern Stratford again but I might wait until it rains a bit and the water levels are a bit better. But not too much rain either as floods aren't good at Stratford.

D