What size boat?

[Yozzer]

Hello there!

 

My wife and I are giving serious consideration to buying a live-aboard boat. We have both retired and are thinking of downsizing; the thought of cruising the waterways seems to be quite an exciting and challenging prospect.

 

We have seen a new 60ft x 10ft wide-beam boat, but after speaking to one or two people it has been suggested that a boat of such size could be quite restrictive rearding locks and bridges.

 

Is this the case, or are there parts of the waterway system where this size of craft would not present such problems when moving from place to place?

 

Also, we are being told that it is near impossible to find residential moorings for a boat of such size. Is this right?

 

We look forward to hearing your 'insider' views and opinions!

 

Warm regards,

 

Yozzer

[DeanS]

Hello there!

 

My wife and I are giving serious consideration to buying a live-aboard boat. We have both retired and are thinking of downsizing; the thought of cruising the waterways seems to be quite an exciting and challenging prospect.

 

We have seen a new 60ft x 10ft wide-beam boat, but after speaking to one or two people it has been suggested that a boat of such size could be quite restrictive rearding locks and bridges.

 

Is this the case, or are there parts of the waterway system where this size of craft would not present such problems when moving from place to place?

 

Also, we are being told that it is near impossible to find residential moorings for a boat of such size. Is this right?

 

We look forward to hearing your 'insider' views and opinions!

 

Warm regards,

 

Yozzer

 

Hi Yozzer,

In the north, some locks are only 57ft long.

Not sure about the south.

Residential moorings are available (we have one in Manchester) but it depends where you are.

[Graham Davis]

Canals are either "narrow" or "broad".

Narrow canals take boats just less than 7' wide.

Broad canals take wider boats.

Narrow will fit into Broad, but not vica versa.

A 10' wide boat is a "broad" canal boat.

 

Put simply, that will mostly limit you to the Grand Union Canal and the Kennet & Avon in the South, and most of the canals in the North.(except that 60' is too long)

It will not allow you boat through the Midlands.

 

Have you actually been on a canal boat, such as a hirer? If not I suggest you do so before going any further?

 

And remember that a boat is a hole in the water into which you continually pour money!!

Edited July 29, 2012 by Graham Davis

[grahame r]

Hello there!

 

My wife and I are giving serious consideration to buying a live-aboard boat. We have both retired and are thinking of downsizing; the thought of cruising the waterways seems to be quite an exciting and challenging prospect.

 

We have seen a new 60ft x 10ft wide-beam boat, but after speaking to one or two people it has been suggested that a boat of such size could be quite restrictive rearding locks and bridges.

 

Is this the case, or are there parts of the waterway system where this size of craft would not present such problems when moving from place to place?

 

Also, we are being told that it is near impossible to find residential moorings for a boat of such size. Is this right?

 

We look forward to hearing your 'insider' views and opinions!

 

 

 

Warm regards,

 

Yozzer

 

Welcome to the forum.

You need to decide where you want to cruise. There are "wide" Canals and "narrow" Canals, you won't set out and suddenly come across one narrow point. Anything over 6ft 10ins wide is restricted by the width of locks on "narrow" canals. What's worse is that there is no way to travel between North and South on anything other than a narrow boat. For a widebeam if you are in the South then you have the choice of The Thames, Kennet & Avon, River Severn, River Wey, London Canals, Rivers Lee and Stort and The Grand Union as far as South Birmingham, if you want to go further North then it's a low loader. Jim Shead's web site gives a reasonable map showing rivers and canals for both widebeam and narrow boats.

Moorings in general have become easier to find over the last few years, at least in the South East, but it is easier to find moorings for a narrow boat.

My advice would be to do a lot more homework before committing yourself, it could even be worth considering buying a cheap narrowboat to "learn on" before spending your life savings as lots of decisions are simply your preferences and there's no right or wrong, if you buy wisely you'll get most of your money back when you know what you want.

[Dyad]

Jim Shead's web site gives a reasonable map showing rivers and canals for both widebeam and narrow boats.

 

 

Hi Yozzer and welcome to the forum.

 

HERE is a link to the Jim Shead site, hope it helps. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Dyad

[Tuscan]

Suggest you hire a boat out of season first. Then go to one of the larger brokerages like Whilton and spend a day looking at a lot of boats. You are very restricted where you can travel and sometimes when with a wide beam.

[Phil Ambrose]

Plenty of moorings for fat boats here in the fens plus not too many locks and at 10ft you should fit OK

 

Phil

[Guest]

Hello there!

 

My wife and I are giving serious consideration to buying a live-aboard boat. We have both retired and are thinking of downsizing; the thought of cruising the waterways seems to be quite an exciting and challenging prospect.

 

We have seen a new 60ft x 10ft wide-beam boat, but after speaking to one or two people it has been suggested that a boat of such size could be quite restrictive rearding locks and bridges.

 

Is this the case, or are there parts of the waterway system where this size of craft would not present such problems when moving from place to place?

 

Also, we are being told that it is near impossible to find residential moorings for a boat of such size. Is this right?

 

We look forward to hearing your 'insider' views and opinions!

 

Warm regards,

 

Yozzer

 

Depends on how much of the UK inland waterway system you wish to traverse or if you value living space...

 

these two factors are not inter-changeable..

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

As most wide locks are 14 ft plus then a 10ft boat wastes space we had a 13.5 x 62ft which we lived on for 10 years. Cruising from north of York down to Foxton from Liverpool to Hull, then lifted out at Liverpool and dropped in at Worcester, to do the Severn and up to Stratford on Avon, then all the rest of the wide waterways in the south. Do you need to camp in a marina or explore England?

[Yozzer]

Hello,

 

Many thanks for all the contributors who have helped with my question.

 

The colllective information has certainly given clarity to something which was originally very confusing.

 

Thanks to you all, your input is very much appreciated.

 

Kind regards,

 

Yozzer

[Penny Black]

To concur with The Dog House, you need to decide whether you want living space or manoeverability. I've lived on both narrow and wide, amazing the difference that an extra 4ft width can make, tougher to handle (particularly on rivers) but I don't cruise very often.