Is the extra 3 feet worth the downside?

[Pen n Ink]

I realise that there have been many threads discussing boat lengths so apologies, but in our early planning stages we are trying to work out whether the extra 3 feet going from 57' to 60' would be good or bad for a live aboard.

 

The intention is to build a new pair, and to maximise the cruising and trading opportunities but not necessarily to the extremes; I guess what it boils down to is - are the northern sections that the lower length would open up worth the penalty?

 

All valid opinions listened to carefully!

[Tuscan]

Go for full length -- plenty f room then, ok I'm happy to admit m biased.

[nicknorman]

I realise that there have been many threads discussing boat lengths so apologies, but in our early planning stages we are trying to work out whether the extra 3 feet going from 57' to 60' would be good or bad for a live aboard.

 

The intention is to build a new pair, and to maximise the cruising and trading opportunities but not necessarily to the extremes; I guess what it boils down to is - are the northern sections that the lower length would open up worth the penalty?

 

All valid opinions listened to carefully!

Allegedly some of the shorter locks in the NE that are quoted as being 57' can in fact take narrowboats a little longer due to being able to tuck them behind the gates / across the diagonal or whatever. This is why we decided on 59'. However I have never actually tried it yet, but no doubt others have...

[Guest]

I realise that there have been many threads discussing boat lengths so apologies, but in our early planning stages we are trying to work out whether the extra 3 feet going from 57' to 60' would be good or bad for a live aboard.

 

The intention is to build a new pair, and to maximise the cruising and trading opportunities but not necessarily to the extremes; I guess what it boils down to is - are the northern sections that the lower length would open up worth the penalty?

 

All valid opinions listened to carefully!

 

Personally as a boater with a 60ft boat on the Northern waterways if I was buying or speccing a boat again I would lose the 2-3ft. It's all doable with a 60ft allegedly but losing those 3 extra feet would save faffing about going in on the diagonal in certain locks and messing about lifting fenders and so on.

[nicknorman]

Personally as a boater with a 60ft boat on the Northern waterways if I was buying or speccing a boat again I would lose the 2-3ft. It's all doable with a 60ft allegedly but losing those 3 extra feet would save faffing about going in on the diagonal in certain locks and messing about lifting fenders and so on.

But perhaps if you only intend to visit those waterways very infrequently it might be worth carrying the extra footage, versus being based up there where the extra would be a pain?

[Guest]

But perhaps if you only intend to visit those waterways very infrequently it might be worth carrying the extra footage, versus being based up there where the extra would be a pain?

 

Fair point

[Offcumden]

Personally as a boater with a 60ft boat on the Northern waterways if I was buying or speccing a boat again I would lose the 2-3ft. It's all doable with a 60ft allegedly but losing those 3 extra feet would save faffing about going in on the diagonal in certain locks and messing about lifting fenders and so on.

 

Especially as the Op is talking about having a pair at least he would be able to get them both in the same broad lock

[Guest]

Especially as the Op is talking about having a pair at least he would be able to get them both in the same broad lock

 

Ah - yes of course, otherwise each 60ft boat would have to be brought through certain locks separately...

[Pen n Ink]

... having a pair at least he would be able to get them both in the same broad lock

 

 

Here we have the crux of it. I can't help feeling with my as-yet-minimal understanding that the fact of running a pair as opposed to a single is probably near the top of the list of considerations? Clearly without hydraulic stacking lifts it would be difficult to get a pair in together diagonally...

[bottle]

Allegedly a 60 will go just about everywhere, a 57 will go everywhere.

 

but that has to be balanced as to how often you will visit the 'problem' canals.

 

We went for a 60 as it will probably be just the one visit to the 'problem' canals.

 

If we were permanently on the 'problem' canals then would probably gone 57 and just lost the second loo.

[Guest]

Here we have the crux of it. I can't help feeling with my as-yet-minimal understanding that the fact of running a pair as opposed to a single is probably near the top of the list of considerations? Clearly without hydraulic stacking lifts it would be difficult to get a pair in together diagonally...

 

It would be a faff on the likes of the Calder and Hebble having to go through separately particularly if one of the pair was unpowered and had to be bow -hauled in each time.

 

You'd get both in the locks on the Leeds and Liverpool I reckon as there is a bit more wriggle room on there, that said it will be tight getting the bottom gates open (we always get the shorter boat to go out first so we can wriggle out) AND you will get water on the counter and the steerer as you cannot get away from the very often leaking top gates that you come across on the L&L - waterproof trousers and a working bilge pump are essential!!!

 

Of course the likes of the Aire & Calder would not be a problem at all.

 

[bargemast]

Another possible solution could be what I saw last year at the IWA at Burton upon Trent, at the Steethay stand, where they had a short narrowboat front section attached in front of a 57' narrowboat, to make the total lenght 70'.

 

In the short 57' but wide locks, this short section could be strapped alongside. It would make an idependent room for children, mother in law, or if fitted-out differently it could be an independent workshop.

 

On the first photo you have to look at the opposite site from where I took the photo.

 

 

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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

Peter.

[Ange]

We went for a 57' boat because we knew we wanted to extensively travel the northern waterways. We've lived aboard for 3 years and I honestly don't think an extra 3 feet would make that much difference.

 

It all depends how much you want to travel on those "problem" waterways.

 

SNIP(we always get the shorter boat to go out first so we can wriggle out)

 

I'm loving the mental image of a narrowboat wriggling! Made me chuckle that did.

[Pen n Ink]

We went for a 57' boat because we knew we wanted to extensively travel the northern waterways. We've lived aboard for 3 years and I honestly don't think an extra 3 feet would make that much difference.

 

It all depends how much you want to travel on those "problem" waterways.

 

 

 

I'm loving the mental image of a narrowboat wriggling! Made me chuckle that did.

 

 

It's the KNOWING bit that worries us - as in... we know nuurrthing! Personally I rather liked the detachable mother-in-law... stiff running tidal stretch; clamps come accidentally undone.........

[nb Innisfree]

After spending considerable time planning our layout we kept increasing the length until we arrived at 60', the reason being that we realised 60' with a bit of faffing about will go anywhere a 57' will go and that extra 3' makes a vital difference for full time living aboard especially as we would be spending more time moored than cruising as opposed to non liveaboards spending much more of their time cruising, no regrets so far. Of course if we had a pair we would have gone shorter, the one just mentioned with a detachable front end would be ideal but with maybe a 50:20 ratio?

[Grace and Favour]

It all depends on how efficiently you use the space within your boat . . . .

 

If all you're going to do with it is enlarge the size of your jacuzzi - I wouldn't bother, however, if it enlarges your galley by 100% then it would be worthwhile

[nb Innisfree]

It all depends on how efficiently you use the space within your boat . . . .

 

If all you're going to do with it is enlarge the size of your jacuzzi - I wouldn't bother, however, if it enlarges your galley by 100% then it would be worthwhile

 

For us it meant we could have separate longitudal 3' bunks because as liveaboards we didn't fancy sharing a 4' bed. . Other reasons were we could have a dedicated dining area/guest bed and a small back cabin for tools and coats. Anything shorter would mean losing one of these. One compromise we had to make to achieve this was a short 3' front deck.

[Athy]

Grace and Innisfree have pre-empted my thoughts: have a 57 footer with short front well deck and short trad stern. It won't look quite as aesthetically pleasing as some, but you aren't going to live on the outside of it.

[nb Innisfree]

Grace and Innisfree have pre-empted my thoughts: have a 57 footer with short front well deck and short trad stern. It won't look quite as aesthetically pleasing as some, but you aren't going to live on the outside of it.

 

True but we chose a cruiser stern with tha addition of semi trad style 'wings' so we could enjoy spacious cruising. Having cruised together with a trad stern we are glad we made our choice. To maximise the space available we went for wheel steering which allows any passengers to sit on the deck wothout getting in the way of the steerer, another decision we are happy with.

[bargemast]

It's the KNOWING bit that worries us - as in... we know nuurrthing! Personally I rather liked the detachable mother-in-law... stiff running tidal stretch; clamps come accidentally undone.........

 

 

Too bad I didn't take more photos that would have showed you how they are strapped together, it's done with a cable-winch on each side, and you can see on the photos how far the 57' boat go's into the long V-shape of the short front section, the winches are there more for security to keep the front bit on when you reverse, they haven't got much to do.

 

Peter.

[RLWP]

Here we have the crux of it. I can't help feeling with my as-yet-minimal understanding that the fact of running a pair as opposed to a single is probably near the top of the list of considerations? Clearly without hydraulic stacking lifts it would be difficult to get a pair in together diagonally...

 

Have a think about where you intend to trade

 

We got caught up in the 'how long should our boat be' think when we were buying. Clearly the 'fashionable' 57' gives you the go-anywhere option.

 

In reality, our lifestyle means we do not have enough time to take our boat up to the parts where she won't fit. So for us, a 70' boat doesn't prevent us going anywhere that we are realistically going to go

 

Richard

[Pen n Ink]

Have a think about where you intend to trade

 

Richard

 

RLWP - Good point.

 

Because of the nature of our business (craft, not carrying / hotel etc) we aren't really tied to anywhere at all which is one of the things which attracts us to the whole cc idea. I'm not sure about the "fashionable" bit though - doesn't sound like us at all!

 

There have been so many really good, useful pointers on here already - I have to say I'm really impressed with this forum in comparison with most others I've ever come across. Keep up the good work.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Pen n Ink

[Guest]

I'm loving the mental image of a narrowboat wriggling! Made me chuckle that did.

 

On reflection I think it should be a jiggle rather than a wiggle - Jan has got quite adept and jiggling or wiggling the bow just at the right time so I can get the bottom gate open. We probably wouldn't need to if we lifted or removed the front fender but that's a bit of a faff.

[cotswoldsman]

Not found a canal yet where I have either had difficulty or problems with 60ft boat and have now covered most of where you might want to go. So far this year have done from Liverpool to Ripon including the L&L all locks done twined with a 57ft boat.

[Phil Ambrose]

I agree with everything that has been said. Only ever having lived on a 60 footer I cannot say what a 57ft boat is like to live on but I can tell you that owners of 57 footers have said my boat is like a Tardis, so perhaps the extra 3ft does make a difference.

 

Phil