widebeam?

[Jen_P]

Ok. So I know this might be opening a can of worms but....

 

Wondering about a wide beam because in the two places where I eventually hope to be , in one, you pay by length and the width is immaterial and in the other ,it's only a tiny bit more for mooring s wide beam. Financially, I'd get more living space for my mooring fees! Plus I have a very nice bed that I'd. Love to keep on my boat!

 

What are the disadvantages?

 

I think I'll have to wait longer for a suitable mooring to come up, for one.

 

I need more cash to buy it in the first place.

 

It limits my cruising options.

 

And .....?

 

Harder to resell perhaps?

[Gordias]

http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/mwp.php?wpage=Inland-Waterways-of-England.htm

[Jen_P]

Thank you! Even more food for thought as I realize that if I ever move, one of the places I might move too is narrowboat only! (Have favourite spots round country depending on where friends are!)

[Alan de Enfield]

Draw a line East to West - roughly in line with Leicester and Birmingham - you cannot cross that line in a 'fatty' so you either :

 

1) decide which side of the line you want to be on

2) crane it out and truck it to the 'other side'

3) go out to sea and back in again

4) get a thin boat

[Bettie Boo]

Ok. So I know this might be opening a can of worms but....

 

 

What are the disadvantages?

 

I think I'll have to wait longer for a suitable mooring to come up, for one.

 

I need more cash to buy it in the first place.

 

It limits my cruising options.

 

And .....?

 

Harder to resell perhaps?

 

IMO (novice & a WB owner) there are very few disadvantages once you get your head around you aren't able to cruise the entire system. But there are things that need to be considered.....

 

We travel slower than narrow boats due to the amount of wash we cause

 

Doing locks takes us longer as all 4 gates need to be opened and closed and we can't share locks on the canal system

 

Some marina's charge more for a pump out if your a WB

 

Our insurance costs more as the value & size of the boat is greater (in most instances) than a same length narrow boat

 

A Thames visitor license costs substantially more as it is charged by sq footage

 

Painting & blackening cost more - crane in & outs are limited to yards able to do it and cost more

 

Mooring spots can be a bit more limited in certain areas, as we need to ensure we aren't making it difficult for other boats to navigate past us

 

you need to be prepared to pull over to let narrow boats past as they can travel faster than you - well we do anyway

 

& of course you need to have a rather thick skin to deal with the few "miserable ol gits" who will happily share their distaste with you & their negative comments about WB's on some discussion forums.

 

However, in real life out on the cut, you very rarely actually receive any negativity about having a WB

 

Enjoy your space & proper bed

[Jen_P]

Really useful, thank you!

Making the decision about all of this is sooo hard!

[OldGoat]

Dear Jennifer,

If I may make so bold, you're going round I circles and you run the risk (if risk there is) of never doing anything. I know it's difficult - looking from the outside in. I also think, in truth you'd really like to be a static liveaboard, but afraid to admit such on here. It might be a good idea if you hired a boat - it'll have to be in the spring now - and cruise somewhere appropriate to you for a couple of weeks to see if you could adapt to that lifestyle.

 

It's a dream to be able to cruise the whole system - especially if you have connections that limit cruising to a particular area.

 

OK the 'thin bit in the middle' is a pain, but would you ever, seriously, actually cruise from Godalming to Ripon and back again. I built with that in mind but never get much beyond The Black Country, because The Management won't go boating for more than three weeks at a stretch.

 

If your requirements are for reasonable comfort and facilities as well as a bit of entertaining, then a fat boat will suit you better.

 

I could go on and on, but I've lost the will for now.

 

Except to say - get a reasonably priced NB that is in good order and ticks most of your boxes, but more importantly one that is resellable. Having found out what you really, really need and can work with then trade up - if indeed you haven't found the right boat already!!!!!

 

I see Betty-Boo has made similar comments.

Edited November 19, 2014 by OldGoat

[b0atman]

Ok the management will not do more than 3 weeks so why does that stop you going on as I do and lots of others do .I will be up t north for about 6 months next year and her indoors will join me as and when week breaks bank holidays etc I can put boat in a marina temporary if necessary.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Once you go Wide, there's no turning back, Give a Fatty a chance !. They tend to be built for comfort not speed.

Does my bum look big in this ?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ww14skiysauu8ay/IMAG0217.jpg?dl=0

(BTW 11ft wide)

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

[Jen_P]

Dear Jennifer,

If I may make so bold, you're going round I circles and you run the risk (if risk there is) of never doing anything. I know it's difficult - looking from the outside in. I also think, in truth you'd really like to be a static liveaboard, but afraid to admit such on here. It might be a good idea if you hired a boat - it'll have to be in the spring now - and cruise somewhere appropriate to you for a couple of weeks to see if you could adapt to that lifestyle.

 

It's a dream to be able to cruise the whole system - especially if you have connections that limit cruising to a particular area.

 

OK the 'thin bit in the middle' is a pain, but would you ever, seriously, actually cruise from Godalming to Ripon and back again. I built with that in mind but never get much beyond The Black Country, because The Management won't go boating for more than three weeks at a stretch.

 

If your requirements are for reasonable comfort and facilities as well as a bit of entertaining, then a fat boat will suit you better.

 

I could go on and on, but I've lost the will for now.

 

Except to say - get a reasonably priced NB that is in good order and ticks most of your boxes, but more importantly one that is resellable. Having found out what you really, really need and can work with then trade up - if indeed you haven't found the right boat already!!!!!

 

I see Betty-Boo has made similar comments.

I have gone round in circles a bit. I'm trying to make this decision alongside several other major life decisions including changing career and moving from one end of the country to the other. Feels like everything is falling into place and the boat would be the final piece of the jigsaw!

 

I don't want to cruise much. Want to be happily moored and go for the odd little trip now and again!

 

And you're right - can't really see myself making a massive trip up the entire country.

 

Resale is a good point. I am beginning to think you have psychic ability (or you're tapping my phone?) as I did find a boat yesterday and put in an offer. I doubt it'll be accepted but it's the first time I've offered!

 

It is a wide beam.

 

One thing I have noticed is that the wide beams don't seem to sell as quickly and that concerns me about having a wide beam as my first boat. If I need to resell, will I be able to? Some of the wide beam boats I''ve seen have been on the market a while!

[OldGoat]

I have gone round in circles a bit. I'm trying to make this decision alongside several other major life decisions including changing career and moving from one end of the country to the other. Feels like everything is falling into place and the boat would be the final piece of the jigsaw!

 

I don't want to cruise much. Want to be happily moored and go for the odd little trip now and again!

 

And you're right - can't really see myself making a massive trip up the entire country.

 

Resale is a good point. I am beginning to think you have psychic ability (or you're tapping my phone?) as I did find a boat yesterday and put in an offer. I doubt it'll be accepted but it's the first time I've offered!

 

It is a wide beam.

 

One thing I have noticed is that the wide beams don't seem to sell as quickly and that concerns me about having a wide beam as my first boat. If I need to resell, will I be able to? Some of the wide beam boats I''ve seen have been on the market a while!

I see you're taking a scattergun approach now - I've just answered your later thread.

 

I know nothing about widebeams as a genre - perhaps that's because I'm on the Thames and most of the wide boats are tucked up in marinas...

Those that I have seen seem to have difficulty steering - but that may well (is probably) be due to the owners' inexperience.

 

It's a different market - most of what we see on here is lower priced boats and many ! of those are wanted by liveaboards with not a lot of money to spend.

 

Your other thread shows a boat offered for sale at £52K - perhaps a smaller offer would secure that and still be good value? I can see more folks migrating to the water - with the economy stagnating and nowhere to live affordably.

[Jen_P]

Scattergun? More the scatty approach!

!

All very helpful - thank you!

[DeanS]

Widebeams give you MUCH MORE SPACE.

[Staarek]

One more thing, I know quite a lot of people (including myself) that started their boat adventure on a narrowboat and move to widebeam but I haven't met a single person who would change wb for nb.

[Alan de Enfield]

I don't want to cruise much. Want to be happily moored and go for the odd little trip now and again!

 

 

It sounds like you are (at heart) looking for a 'floating flat', that you can take out for an odd week's Summer Holiday.

 

If this is the case then a widebeam will certainly meet all your criteria, (will allow you to keep your sofa) and maybe your best option.

 

It is maybe getting near the time when you need to define what you actually want and what are the priorities,

As an analagy, you currently seem to be looking at an assortment of 'house' - do you want

 

Mid Terrace ?

Semi Detached ?

Detached ?

Country cottage ?

Rural retreat ?

City centre apartment ?

[andyberg]

but I haven't met a single person who would change wb for nb.

Here's one.. I went from a 55x11 v&g liveaboard to a 57ft trad.

Hated the struggle of cruising the wb singlehanded and hankered after a trad with engine room... Certainly Miss the extra space tho!! :-)

[Jen_P]

I think in the end it'll boil down to the boat that feels like home! That elusive feeling of "this is the one!"

Made my first offer yesterday. It was turned down. Boat is overpriced though so won't raise my offer!

[GUMPY]

Here's one.. I went from a 55x11 v&g liveaboard to a 57ft trad.

Hated the struggle of cruising the wb singlehanded and hankered after a trad with engine room... Certainly Miss the extra space tho!! :-)

And another

Went from 60ft tug narrowboat to 60ft Duker barge replica, 10 years later went back to 60ft narrowboat.

Do I miss anything? Only my comfy sofa.

[blackrose]

One more thing, I know quite a lot of people (including myself) that started their boat adventure on a narrowboat and move to widebeam but I haven't met a single person who would change wb for nb.

 

Indeed. I'm another one who started out on a NB.

 

I'm sure it is a dream to cruise the entire system. I sometime wish I was retired and able to do it. But honestly, how many people on NBs actually cruise the entire system? I think I've probably cruised more of the system on my 12ft WB than most liveaboards on NBs.

[jollymoggy]

I plan to but all in good time

 

Indeed. I'm another one who started out on a NB.

 

I'm sure it is a dream to cruise the entire system. I sometime wish I was retired and able to do it. But honestly, how many people on NBs actually cruise the entire system? I think I've probably cruised more of the system on my 12ft WB than most liveaboards on NBs.

[Phil Ambrose]

One more thing, I know quite a lot of people (including myself) that started their boat adventure on a narrowboat and move to widebeam but I haven't met a single person who would change wb for nb.

I did, started with a 40ft x 12ft for 10 years now been on a N.B for over 4 years and love it.

Phil