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[TheBigStand]

Hi,

 

I bid for a narrowboat with 17mins to go, having done little research on the whole thing. its based in Lancaster, I'm far south so are throwing ourselves into an adventure. All i know is that I am very excited about being able to move around and explore and have wanted a boat for sometime now.

Quit my job as a teacher last week in london and starting a social enterprise so working from home will be very do-able (outside london)

 

looking forward to learning from my mistakes and becoming a fully fledged boater!! not to mention discovering and investigating the UK!

 

thanks

kiko and Charlie

 

 

[John V]

Welcome to the Forum Kiko and Charlie.....If you have questions just ask there will be someone along surprisingly quickly with an answer so check back very quickly. The "Search" facility is also extremely useful and you will find threads on many of the normal problems that people encounter. cheers John

[She25]

Hi,

 

I bid for a narrowboat with 17mins to go, having done little research on the whole thing. its based in Lancaster, I'm far south so are throwing ourselves into an adventure. All i know is that I am very excited about being able to move around and explore and have wanted a boat for sometime now.

Quit my job as a teacher last week in london and starting a social enterprise so working from home will be very do-able (outside london)

 

looking forward to learning from my mistakes and becoming a fully fledged boater!! not to mention discovering and investigating the UK!

 

thanks

kiko and Charlie

 

 

That's how to live your life! Love it, and best of luck!

 

I'm very new to this myself, will be living aboard from the new year and just want to thank people for their replies to my questions so far. Many more to come!

[Phil Ambrose]

Hey you guys just stick with us and as John said we'll all try to get you sorted, and welcome.

Phil

[sampeeter]

hi friends I am new on this forum and I don't have much experience in boating a Can any one give me tips

[sampeeter]

Safe Boating Tips

safety tips
No matter how much experience you have, it’s always a good idea for everyone to review boating safety rules before departures. Below you will find 10 basic boating safety tips to help you stay safe:

Be Weather-Wise

Always check local weather conditions before departure; TV and radio forecasts can be a good source of information. If you notice darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe by getting off the water.

Follow a Pre-Departure Checklist

Proper boating safety includes being prepared for any possibility on the water. Following a pre-departure checklist is the best way to make sure no boating safety rules or precautions have been overlooked or forgotten.

Use Common Sense

One of the most important parts of boating safety is to use your common sense. This means operating at a safe speed at all times (especially in crowded areas), staying alert at all times and steering clear of large vessels and watercraft that can be restricted in their ability to stop or turn. Also, be respectful of buoys and other navigational aids, all of which have been placed there to ensure your own safety.

Designate an Assistant Skipper

Make sure more than one person on board is familiar with all aspects of your boat’s handling, operations, and general boating safety. If the primary navigator is injured or incapacitated in any way, it’s important to make sure someone else can follow the proper boating safety rules to get everyone else back to shore.

[sampeeter]

WEARING YOUR LIFE JACKET
Boaters enjoy the feel of sun and spray. So it’s tempting to boat without wearing a life jacket – especially on nice days. But modern life jackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are built right into fishing vests or hunter coats. Others are inflatable compact as a scarf or fanny pack until they hit water, when they automatically fill with air.

There’s no excuse not to wear a life jacket on the water!

 

Edited January 2, 2015 by sampeeter

[Phil Ambrose]

Hi and welcome Sampeter, loved your safety tips nut must admit to having a chuckle given that you have just joined what is essentially a canal forum,of course we do have members on the lumpy stuff so a timely reminder would not go amiss.

Where shouts is your cruising ground of choice? what sort of vessel? tell us a bit more. Replies have been a little slow because of the festive season but should be fairly rapid from now on, so any questions just fire away.

Phil

[John V]

Hi She25 and Sampeeter, Welcome to the forum, as the hangovers subside the speed and accuracy of the answers will should might pick up.....Happy New Year to you all.......John

[sampeeter]

A Recreational boating is a favourite pastime in Canada with between seven and nine million people enjoying Canadian waterways each year. Sadly, not every boating excursion is a return trip: Over 200 boating fatalities occur each year along with an estimated 6,000 non-fatal accidents – most of them preventable. The general public and pleasure boaters had expressed concern that anyone of any age could operate a watercraft without having any prior boating experience. The Pleasure Craft Operator Card regulations are an attempt to reduce the number of boating related accidents & fatalities. The goal of the program is to encourage boaters to evaluate their capabilities and limits, to prepare themselves adequately before heading out, and to be responsible on the water.

[Alan de Enfield]

Its always good to get other folks perspective on boating under different conditions.

 

The UK canals are very calm water, they are probably 40 feet wide and average 3 feet deep, we do not have a buoy system and the maximum speed is 4 mph

Many of the locks on the canal system are just over 7 feet wide, so the maximum width of a narrowboat is 7 feet.

 

Some of the Southern & Northern canals are 'wide' and the locks are around 14 feet wide and can accommodate 1 widebeam, or two narrowboats.

 

We do make use of rivers (some of which are tidal) and it is always good advice to have VHF radio, anchors and life-jackets.

 

All the best for boating in 2015

[boycey1969]

Hi

We are Diane & Jeff( complete newbies). We are contemplating buying a narrowboat so we are currently researching running costs etc.

Having never been on a NB we have booked a 3 night stay on one in February to see what we make of it.

We are considering mooring on the Lancaster Canal because we have a holiday lodge in Borwick and the canal is about a 5 minute walk from there

[Sue74]

HI everyone,

 

My name is Susan and my husband is Mark.

 

We have not actually brought a narrowboat as of yet. We are in the process of looking. Deciding on old or new.

 

We live permanently in the South west of France and my husband works in the UK Monday -Friday but never in the same place for long periods of time as he is a contractor.

 

We want to buy a boat to solve the rental costs of a single head on a pillow from Monday - Friday. Plus a boat we can enjoy as a family.

 

 

so please be prepared for many questions.

 

Hello to everyone.

 

 

[Mendip-Locks]

HI everyone,

 

My name is Susan and my husband is Mark.

 

We have not actually brought a narrowboat as of yet. We are in the process of looking. Deciding on old or new.

 

We live permanently in the South west of France and my husband works in the UK Monday -Friday but never in the same place for long periods of time as he is a contractor.

 

We want to buy a boat to solve the rental costs of a single head on a pillow from Monday - Friday. Plus a boat we can enjoy as a family.

 

 

so please be prepared for many questions.

 

Hello to everyone.

 

 

I thought perhaps I'd say Hi Sue, I'm new myself sounds like a great plan.

Perhaps you should get in touch with Junior of this parish he I believe does the opposite heads to France to work and has actually just sold his NB and on the hunt for a historic replacement.

Welcome along.

 

Ade

[papercrate]

Hello, my name is Andrew. I'm not new to boating, but new to living aboard. Working on my project boat, a 25 foot river cruiser with small cabin that will primarily travel around the Lee River and London canals. Hopeful to complete a very minimal and simple refit of it on account of my large studio space when I keep most of my belongings (and work most of the hours of the day).

 

Looking forward to advice I hope to receive here.

Edited January 21, 2015 by papercrate

[John V]

Hi Diane and Jeff, Sue and Mark, and Andrew....Welcome all of you to the forum, Ask any question and you will get plenty of advice.....sometimes contradictory, sometimes grumpy, but nearly always helpful . Please use the "search" facility before you post a question as it is very likely that it will have been covered before (this prevents some of the muttering from the grumpy brigade) also check for answers all the time as they will usually come in extremely quickly

(yesterday I posted an enquiry regarding a washing machine, the first reply came in within 5 minutes!!! cheers John

[DaisyMay]

Hello, my name is Cath and I am looking to live aboard.

 

I'm currently researching and looking to buy this year. I think I'd like a new boat to fit out myself but will be going for something fairly standard, just in case I don't enjoy the life and need to sell on :-( My main issue is where I can store my motorbikes whilst I'm on board! The rest is just deciding on the best product for me and my wallet (I think).

 

I am planning to go radical on the toilet front (a popular subject for boaters by the looks of it) and am going to build a compost loo to try in my flat before making a toilet decision onboard ;-)

 

I am looking forward to trawling through all the lovely advice on this forum, so thank you to everyone who offers it!

[Ray T]

Hello, my name is Cath and I am looking to live aboard.

 

I'm currently researching and looking to buy this year. I think I'd like a new boat to fit out myself but will be going for something fairly standard, just in case I don't enjoy the life and need to sell on :-( My main issue is where I can store my motorbikes whilst I'm on board! The rest is just deciding on the best product for me and my wallet (I think).

 

I am planning to go radical on the toilet front (a popular subject for boaters by the looks of it) and am going to build a compost loo to try in my flat before making a toilet decision onboard ;-)

 

I am looking forward to trawling through all the lovely advice on this forum, so thank you to everyone who offers it!

 

 

 

Other piccy's here: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=motor+bikes+on+Narrowboats&FORM=HDRSC2

 

Article here:

 

http://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/2009/10/motorcycle-on-a-narrowboat-foredeck-turntable.html

 

BTW welcome.

[DaisyMay]

 

 

 

Other piccy's here: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=motor+bikes+on+Narrowboats&FORM=HDRSC2

 

Article here:

 

http://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/2009/10/motorcycle-on-a-narrowboat-foredeck-turntable.html

 

BTW welcome.

 

Wow - maybe I need a butty: I have five motorbikes at the moment! Thanks for the pics ;-)

[Alan de Enfield]

We met up with a guy, last year who had a "butty" that attached to the front of his boat with chains, it was used for his disability buggy and had a hydraulic lift, room for tools and a couple of 45 gallon drums of fuel. Certainly room for several motorbikes.

 

It was called "Victoria Plums Garage".

It was 13 feet long x 7 feet wide and he had had it custom built.

I think it also had a hydraulic 'roof'.

 

It was licensed as a canoe as C&RT couldn't define it as anything else - licence was just a few £s per year

 

I noticed (November time) that it (the garage) was for sale at one of the brokers - it was advertised in the Towpath (free magazine).

 

I think I have a picture somewhere - I'll have a look and post it if I find it.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2015 by Alan de Enfield

[johno38]

 

Wow - maybe I need a butty: I have five motorbikes at the moment! Thanks for the pics ;-)

What make of bikes so you have?

[Dave Sampson]

Hello my name Dave I bought my first boat in September 2014 she is a Nauticus 27' Cabin Cruiser with an in board watermota engine. she runs well, but as she is about 40 years old does need some maintance not too much to interfere with enjoying her. I was wondering if anyone has fitted a propex 2000 heater in their boat if so where did you place the heater and where did you fit the exhaust any help would be very much appreciated I am thinking of buying one because they do not produce any condensation.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Dave Sampson

[John V]

Welcome to the Forum DaisyMay

To echo Johno....what types of motorbike ?

 

Also welcome to you Dave.....good to have another yoghurt pot driver on board

[Phil Ambrose]

Wow - maybe I need a butty: I have five motorbikes at the moment! Thanks for the pics ;-)

Hi and welcome, with 5 bikes you may like to consider a Tug, depending on the boat you may be able to squeeze them all on , the size of tug decks do vary.

Phil

[Phil Ambrose]

Hello my name Dave I bought my first boat in September 2014 she is a Nauticus 27' Cabin Cruiser with an in board watermota engine. she runs well, but as she is about 40 years old does need some maintance not too much to interfere with enjoying her. I was wondering if anyone has fitted a propex 2000 heater in their boat if so where did you place the heater and where did you fit the exhaust any help would be very much appreciated I am thinking of buying one because they do not produce any condensation.

 

Hi Dave, Propex are simple to fit, the exhaust and combustion air intake both connect to a single S/S skin fitting, to make the best and easiest job of fitting it the unit should be fairly close to the skin fitting. In fact I think you'll find that the supplied S/S flexi hose is fairly short.

A good tip to remember is when arranging the ducting take the trouble to draw the air to be heated from inside the cabin, that way you are only heating warm air as opposed to drawing air from outside which may be freezing. These units are very goog and fairly quiet, had one myself in the past.

Phil