First very basic questions

[louca Inglese]

Hi all.

 

As the title suggests these are my very first basic and somewhat naive questions but i need answers.

Am i correct to say the two most common types of narrowboat are Traditional style and cruiser stern style?

This question is based on my observations when viewing the boats for sale adds.

To enable me to understand the differences i need to know what the pros and cons of both types are.

Initial thoughts are :-

Trad style has a small (very small) area in which to steer the boat.

Cruiser style has more room for the above but has less "useable" covered space on a similar sized boat.

Well that`s all for now......I look forward to hearing your views.

Oh one other thing,........ narrowboat I believe is the correct name for this type of boat although spellcheckers always hate it even UK spell checkers......why is that?

 

 

[Paul C]

You'd stand inside the step/hatch on a trad stern at least some of the time. But yes, its a much smaller area than a cruiser stern. If there's more than 1 person at the back of the boat, it will be cramped. But for 1 its okay. Don't forget there's also semi-trad stern, with a larger open area (no roof but sides) which gives better weather protection and storage spaces than a cruiser stern.

[jelunga]

I had the same dilemma when we bought our boat. I would say in my view, a cruiser stern is great for leisure use in warmer months, if such exist any more. A semi trad gives a little protection from the elements with a social seating area. I suppose you could add a tonneau cover in winter with a zip out bit for the helmsman.

A trad gives more than enough room for the helmsman, and in bad weather more protection since you can close the doors and pull the hatch closed. You also get more inside storage space

[nicknorman]

Yes, as has been said trad stern is best for all-weather boating with perhaps 2 on board, cruiser is perhaps better for occasional fine weather boating and / or a more social outside space at the back. There is often an effect on the front deck, so that typically a trad will have a larger front deck than a cruiser, so the outside space is still there but more useful as a social space when the boat is moored.

 

Also into the pot is reverse or normal layout (galley/saloon at front or back). Reverse layout makes sense with a cruiser stern but not really with a trad.

 

Despite all these points people are happy with their cruisers, trads etc so I suspect its not that important and you get used to whatever you have.

[Ray T]

Dominic, who posts on this forum has this on his site:

 

http://rugbyboats.co.uk/Boating-Advice/boat-advice-canal-and-river-advice-technical-boating-matters.html

 

Useful information when starting out.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Ray T

[louca Inglese]

Thanks all for your input.

My only experiences with narrowboating are with holiday hire boats some ten or more years ago and they almost exclusively came with a large rear deck area of which we made great use during our holidays.

However as i will be purchasing a boat to enable me the wife and our little dog to live comfortably afloat then i suppose a large open rear deck is not going to be on my list of priorities because apart from sitting out on fine days what use can i make of the space?

Are trad style boats anti social when cruising?........I have seen on many occasions husband/partner at the back steering and wife/partner at the front with the only communication between the two a set of two way radios!

I am sure there are times when my missus would appreciate this scenario but on the whole i do prefer to talk to her face to face.

[bottle]

We have trad style and always travel with both at the stern, inside the hatch, tandem style.

 

I stand one step higher than my fellow traveller and so no problem seeing where we are going.

 

ps. Our hatch was designed with this in mind.

[Ray T]

Best of both worlds solution:

 

[Guest]

Thanks all for your input.

My only experiences with narrowboating are with holiday hire boats some ten or more years ago and they almost exclusively came with a large rear deck area of which we made great use during our holidays.

However as i will be purchasing a boat to enable me the wife and our little dog to live comfortably afloat then i suppose a large open rear deck is not going to be on my list of priorities because apart from sitting out on fine days what use can i make of the space?

Are trad style boats anti social when cruising?........I have seen on many occasions husband/partner at the back steering and wife/partner at the front with the only communication between the two a set of two way radios!

I am sure there are times when my missus would appreciate this scenario but on the whole i do prefer to talk to her face to face.

 

We like our semi-trad not because it makes our boat look like a trad from the side ( we don't particularly care about that) but rather it offers a decent space which we as a couple can share with our dog and get a degree of protection provided by the sides if the weather is bad.

 

One disadvantage with a cruiser stern and a semi trad is that they can be prone to letting rain water into the engine bilge. It depends how well your deck boards and hatches fit and how well the drainage channels work (or don't) but it is something worth considering.

Edited May 15, 2013 by The Dog House

[Rebotco]

Also bear in mind, a trad will usually have an engine room directly in front of the steerer - whereas on a cruiser, the engine is usually underneath the large cruiser stern deck.

[louca Inglese]

Dominic, who posts on this forum has this on his site:

 

http://rugbyboats.co.uk/Boating-Advice/boat-advice-canal-and-river-advice-technical-boating-matters.html

 

Useful information when starting out.

Thanks, I have bookmarked and will have a good look later.

[Keeping Up]

A trad stern is often completely unsuitable for a dog, which may have difficulty getting past the engine safely, may have difficulty negotiating the steps, and then may have difficulty finding anywhere safe to stand and watch the scenery. Our two dogs love being on the cruiser stern

[louca Inglese]

We have trad style and always travel with both at the stern, inside the hatch, tandem style.

 

I stand one step higher than my fellow traveller and so no problem seeing where we are going.

 

ps. Our hatch was designed with this in mind.

Sounds like you have a perfect solution.

[louca Inglese]

A trad stern is often completely unsuitable for a dog, which may have difficulty getting past the engine safely, may have difficulty negotiating the steps, and then may have difficulty finding anywhere safe to stand and watch the scenery. Our two dogs love being on the cruiser stern

Well this is one of my main concerns with a trad and i think i am leaning towards a cruiser stern if only for this reason.

We really did appreciate the outside space on the boats we hired but thought this somewhat unusable space would be .....errrm.........unusable, in a liveaboard scenario.

I suppose i can`t have everything i want and as with most things a compromise will have to made somewhere.

[Jerra]

A semi trad stern doesn't take up (in my experience) as much space as a cruiser stern and has worked well for us when we have had a dog on board.

[Hastings]

Oh one other thing,........ narrowboat I believe is the correct name for this type of boat although spellcheckers always hate it even UK spell checkers......why is that?

 

Actually, most writers on the subject use "narrow boat", i.e. two words, and I would suggest that this is the generally accepted correct usage. But quite why, I'm not sure, as the opposite "broad boat" isn't really in use!

Edited May 15, 2013 by Hastings

[louca Inglese]

Also bear in mind, a trad will usually have an engine room directly in front of the steerer - whereas on a cruiser, the engine is usually underneath the large cruiser stern deck.

This had crossed my mind.

Online pictures suggest the engine room of a Trad is big enough to take off and stow wet weather gear/boots etc and enable easy maintenance of the engine, whereas the cruiser style of which i am familiar only has a small area in which to hang coats etc and the engine is maybe a bit more difficult to work on being under the floor........am i correct in these assumptions?

[Ange]

I asked this question when we were boat shopping as I wanted a cruiser stern and my husband wanted a trad. The best piece of advice I received was to let the boat decide - find the boat that ticks all the boxes for you and that's the stern you buy.

 

We did this and ended up with a trad stern. There are a few days per year when we've got visitors out for a cruise with us and I do wish for a cruiser stern on those days, but there's many many more days when it's just us on board. Also hubby gets to do any engine maintenance in the dry whatever the weather's doing.

 

Luckily we've got a very small dog who lives on the roof when we're cruising, so the dog access isn't a problem.

[louca Inglese]

Actually, most writers on the subject use "narrow boat", i.e. two words, and I would suggest that this is the generally accepted correct usage. But quite why, I'm not sure, as the opposite "broad boat" isn't really in use!

Yes i suppose narrowboat as one word is a corruption/contraction of the descriptive words narrow and boat.......thanks for that.

 

I asked this question when we were boat shopping as I wanted a cruiser stern and my husband wanted a trad. The best piece of advice I received was to let the boat decide - find the boat that ticks all the boxes for you and that's the stern you buy.

 

We did this and ended up with a trad stern. There are a few days per year when we've got visitors out for a cruise with us and I do wish for a cruiser stern on those days, but there's many many more days when it's just us on board. Also hubby gets to do any engine maintenance in the dry whatever the weather's doing.

 

Luckily we've got a very small dog who lives on the roof when we're cruising, so the dog access isn't a problem.

Oh now you have got me all of a dither........first a trad then a cruiser.........i do like the thought of doing engine maintenance in the dry though....thanks.

 

A semi trad stern doesn't take up (in my experience) as much space as a cruiser stern and has worked well for us when we have had a dog on board.

Does sound like the best of both worlds and i will check out semi trad stern boats when it comes to viewing.......thanks.

[bizzard]

I had the same dilemma when we bought our boat. I would say in my view, a cruiser stern is great for leisure use in warmer months, if such exist any more. A semi trad gives a little protection from the elements with a social seating area. I suppose you could add a tonneau cover in winter with a zip out bit for the helmsman.

A trad gives more than enough room for the helmsman, and in bad weather more protection since you can close the doors and pull the hatch closed. You also get more inside storage space

Pull the hatch closed going along with yourself standing in it?

[Rebotco]

One option is a pram hood cover over the cruiser stern. Gives you virtually an extra room and seems popular for some liveaboards. Doesn't help access to the engine though - except to keep you dry.

[louca Inglese]

Well i certainly have lots to think about and i have only asked about Traditional or Cruiser!

I have a question for Mods/Admin...............is there a search function on this forum?............to save repetitive questions i could search to find if a subject has been covered before.

Also is there a notification option?........where i am notified by email if someone has replied to a thread/post i am following.

Sorry if i have posted in the wrong section.

[LoneWolf]

This had crossed my mind.

Online pictures suggest the engine room of a Trad is big enough to take off and stow wet weather gear/boots etc and enable easy maintenance of the engine, whereas the cruiser style of which i am familiar only has a small area in which to hang coats etc and the engine is maybe a bit more difficult to work on being under the floor........am i correct in these assumptions?

 

Ah, now there are 2 types of engine room with a trad stern.

 

One is Traditional (olde style) which is where the engine gets a whole room of it's own - usually the engine is one of the big old Bolinder/Gardner/kelvin type

The other 'modern trad' has a 'modern' engine under the floorboards in the 'engine room' which is a small dry area at the back that you wont be able to stand up in unless you are very small

 

 

I asked this question when we were boat shopping as I wanted a cruiser stern and my husband wanted a trad. The best piece of advice I received was to let the boat decide - find the boat that ticks all the boxes for you and that's the stern you buy.

 

We did this and ended up with a trad stern.

 

Thats what I did! most of the boats i looked at were cruiser, a few were semi and one was trad - which was the one i got.

[jelunga]

 

Pull the hatch closed going along with yourself standing in it?

Yes but only to my waist leaving me enough room so about half closed

[Ange]

Well i certainly have lots to think about and i have only asked about Traditional or Cruiser!

I have a question for Mods/Admin...............is there a search function on this forum?............to save repetitive questions i could search to find if a subject has been covered before.

Also is there a notification option?........where i am notified by email if someone has replied to a thread/post i am following.

Sorry if i have posted in the wrong section.

The search function is on the top right hand side - if you click the gear symbol next to the search bit you get more options.

 

You can get notifications - I'll have a look to see where it is (though someone will probably tell you before I find it!)

 

Got it. Click the down arrow next to your name on the top right hand side and select "My Settings". Then select "Notification Options" from the list on the left hand side. You'll find a section headed "Topics and Posts" where you can opt to receive notifications by e-mail.