Mooring Narrowboats on Lochs or Lakes?

[BGA]

road to the Caledonian...that gives you Loch Ness

You would need one hell of a long anchor rope on Loch ness

[Alway Swilby]

Does Tixall Wide count as a lake?

[Guest]

Does Tixall Wide count as a lake?

Beat me to it.......

[George94]

I suspect the depth will be no more than 220 feet and non tidal.

 

I wasn't being entirely serious, old chap.

 

But, many lochs ARE tidal, and some lochs are very deep indeed, though 3,000 ft was a slight exaggeration.

 

Morar, for example is over 1,000 ft deep.

[George94]

 

Which are they? Sounds exciting

 

There are dozens. Loch Awe, for instance, joins the sea at Connell, and the tidal race where it meets the sea is called the Falls of Lora. There's a nice old family-run hotel there of the same name.

 

To go against the tide you'd need Naughty Cal with a tankful of steroids.

[Jerra]

 

I wasn't being entirely serious, old chap.

 

But, many lochs ARE tidal, and some lochs are very deep indeed, though 3,000 ft was a slight exaggeration.

 

Morar, for example is over 1,000 ft deep.

I am aware of that, I was making an intelligent guess about where the boat would be. It isn't too difficult to guess.

[George94]

I am aware of that, I was making an intelligent guess about where the boat would be. It isn't too difficult to guess.

 

The point remains that anchoring in deep water is fraught with problems. If your intelligent guess is more or less correct, you would still need far more rope than a man could lift or a NB could accommodate. And the distance you would swing on your mooring would be huge. After a flood, you'd find yourself like Noah half way up Mt Ararat.

 

PS: not being entirely serious again, but it would still not be practicable to anchor in a depth of 220 feet without major alterations to the boat.

[Naughty Cal]

I dont see why you would limit you living space to that of a narrowboat when you have no width restrictions on the lochs.

 

There are far better suited boats for that type of cruising.

 

Oh and not all GRP boats are damp either. We use NC year round and she is dry, warm and very comfortable. Also capable of handling the rough stuff with ease, its what she is designed for.

[Alan de Enfield]

The forum at its best :

 

The OP has stated :

 

She wants a NB because in about 12 months they will move onto the canals.

She will be moored onto a pontoon.

 

So the speculaion about having 10,000 feet of anchor rope, or the fact that "there are far better suited boats" is irrelevant.

 

From the lack of response to the actual question I assume that (apart from the Loughs) in Ireland no one has actually experienced this and has nothing useful to help the OP with.

[alan_fincher]

Excellent examples of lochs and lakes easily accessible to narrowboats are - er - um...

 

Richard

Ours has accessed Mortlake easily.

 

And been through many thousands of locks.......

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Morning!

 

Does anyone have any experience of this please ?

 

Alternatively, would you anticipate any particular problems one may encounter with different types of stern?

 

Cheers

Sas :-)

 

 

Hi ya

Well I've got a 'fairly Narrow' Widebeam.

My chosen cruising grounds have mainly been Estuaries, & Have spent 18months or so Exploring some of the Beautiful Knooks n Crannies Scotland has to offer, & I've always preferred Anchoring,

 

Get plenty of Thick Blue El cheepo Nylon Warp, a selection Anchors to suit the bottom of your chosen cruising areas, (you will loose a cpl & the Nylon is easier to cut through if you get snagged, Although I use all Chain with a shackle every 5meters I can let loose) Home made Grapple worked a treat on the Rocks, but a bugger to stow, a minimum of 10 meters of Chain on Each Anchor should be fine, (Don't forget you can join 2 or more Anchors together if needs be) Danforth Type are easy to stow and a fair all rounder, Weed & Rock Are the main Enemy,

Use a Stern or even Side Kedge, if conditions warrant it, & Don't be afraid to take a line ashore !.

 

 

Don't mess about, Get a Boat that is capable of all the type of cruising that you think you are likely to do !.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q8ha8cpqqgntaoq/IMAG0231.jpg

 

A Widebeam with a High Stern enclosure. Does my bum look big in this ?.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ww14skiysauu8ay/IMAG0217.jpg

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4msmq5boatc9nh/IMAG0218.jpg

 

And enjoy.

 

 

The forum at its best :

 

The OP has stated :

 

She wants a NB because in about 12 months they will move onto the canals.

She will be moored onto a pontoon.

 

So the speculaion about having 10,000 feet of anchor rope, or the fact that "there are far better suited boats" is irrelevant.

 

From the lack of response to the actual question I assume that (apart from the Loughs) in Ireland no one has actually experienced this and has nothing useful to help the OP with.

 

Hi ya Alan,

If you look at the Thread Title, Then the Opening Fist post, Then the first batch of replies to the information given, At that time,

 

I certainly tried to give advice on Mooring,

Anchoring, & Stern type. Which was my interpretation of what was being asked !.Using my limited experience of cruising anchoring and mooring in such area's, ( EG Lochs as in the thread Title ) in the hope it would be useful to the op !. Not saying my methods are right, they just worked for me.

When you Moor/Anchor it's probably more sensible to do so towards the shallower edges of the Lochs, Hence the. 'Don't be afraid to take a line ashore' quote. Not Dropping the hook in the Middle, at quite possibly the Deepest parts, in the main Channels.

Even if you don't find the information useful, I hope the OP or other readers of this thread does,

Edited June 19, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[George94]

The forum at its best :

 

The OP has stated :

 

She wants a NB because in about 12 months they will move onto the canals.

She will be moored onto a pontoon.

 

So the speculaion about having 10,000 feet of anchor rope, or the fact that "there are far better suited boats" is irrelevant.

 

From the lack of response to the actual question I assume that (apart from the Loughs) in Ireland no one has actually experienced this and has nothing useful to help the OP with.

 

As I stated earlier, my post about depths was not entirely serious. Possibly you didn't spot that. But it is nonetheless true that anchoring in very deep water is not advisable. Since the OP asked about anchoring in lochs, that observation is not irrelevant.

[Naughty Cal]

 

As I stated earlier, my post about depths was not entirely serious. Possibly you didn't spot that. But it is nonetheless true that anchoring in very deep water is not advisable. Since the OP asked about anchoring in lochs, that observation is not irrelevant.

Nor is the advice that there are better suited boats!

 

Buy a better suited boat, cruise the lochs, sell boat, buy narrowboat, cruise canals.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Naughty Cal

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Nor is the advice that there are better suited boats!

 

Buy a better suited boat, cruise the lochs, sell boat, buy narrowboat, cruise canals.

 

Or as suggested in post 39 along the lines of buy a boat that will cope with all the cruising 'YOU' are likely to do.!. Which again, I thought wad fair advice Alan.

 

 

 

(Unless you are assuming it's just the Narrow Canals that the OP is talking about !.)

[Naughty Cal]

 

Or as suggested in post 39 along the lines of buy a boat that will cope with all the cruising 'YOU' are likely to do.!. Which again, I thought wad fair advice Alan.

 

 

 

(Unless you are assuming it's just the Narrow Canals that the OP is talking about !.)

I agree, each to their own, but we are allowed to point out the advantages/disadvantages of a persons theory/choice.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Dead right NC, my post was ment to complement yours, & give an alternative POV,not disagree.

 

My crap presentation.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Paul C]

I thought my post #35 was reasonable advice, but I gave up when faced with the paradox of the original poster wanting to buy a boat; but "buying and selling one" not really being viable.

 

 

Sadly there are at least 2 " quality GRPs" for sale where we are going, and they've been so for at least 2 years, so the idea of buying and selling one here isn't really viable :-(

[bassplayer]

Nor is the advice that there are better suited boats!

 

Buy a better suited boat, cruise the lochs, sell boat, buy narrowboat, cruise canals.

If you get a 'suitable' boat presumably you could sail it in from the sea at some locations and save on road transportation.

 

Which leads me to a question...what sort of boat would handle the sea well, narrow canals, rivers, and lakes and still make a good live aboard? I suspect NC has the answer

[Paul C]

If you get a 'suitable' boat presumably you could sail it in from the sea at some locations and save on road transportation.

 

Which leads me to a question...what sort of boat would handle the sea well, narrow canals, rivers, and lakes and still make a good live aboard? I suspect NC has the answer

 

I don't think we've even established if its narrow canals......

[bassplayer]

 

I don't think we've even established if its narrow canals......

Yes I know, but if there was a boat which fitted all of that criteria (and the cost wasn't a problem) I'd be tempted to switch from a narrow boat...

 

I was seriously considering moving my narrow boat to Cornwall permanently but I think I'd have more options with something else...I just don't know what at the moment...

[Naughty Cal]

If you get a 'suitable' boat presumably you could sail it in from the sea at some locations and save on road transportation.

 

Which leads me to a question...what sort of boat would handle the sea well, narrow canals, rivers, and lakes and still make a good live aboard? I suspect NC has the answer

I don't.

 

Ours struggles with narrow canals

Yes I know, but if there was a boat which fitted all of that criteria (and the cost wasn't a problem) I'd be tempted to switch from a narrow boat...

 

I was seriously considering moving my narrow boat to Cornwall permanently but I think I'd have more options with something else...I just don't know what at the moment...

If you design it you would be a very rich man !

[MtB]

If you get a 'suitable' boat presumably you could sail it in from the sea at some locations and save on road transportation.

 

Which leads me to a question...what sort of boat would handle the sea well, narrow canals, rivers, and lakes and still make a good live aboard? I suspect NC has the answer

 

She also claims to have the answer to single-handed operation of lift bridges, but we are still waiting for her to post it.

 

 

MtB

[Naughty Cal]

 

She also claims to have the answer to single-handed operation of lift bridges, but we are still waiting for her to post it.

 

 

MtB

Wrong!

[MtB]

Oh good! where did you post it please?

 

Thanks.

 

MtB

[blackrose]

 

My personal opinion is that unless she was getting waves a foot+ high then there would be no problem - and if there was then its probably not the best time to go cruising a narrowboat.

 

A foot? Surely narrowboats regularly go through much bigger waves on the tidal Thames. I've hit 3ft waves on my widebeam without a problem.