First time sleeping afloat......

[Squishy]

We had a day trip on a lovely little boat the other day, on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and of course fell in love.

 

Now we're hoping to book for either a short break or a week and I would like to know some things please.............

 

When you sleep on the narrowboat do you feel much rocking? Is anything likely to go past in the night and cause waves and therefore movement?

 

Are all locks manned? I'm a little worried with my disabilities that hubby and son together might struggle. We can do swing bridges but didn't get to attempt any locks on our day trip.

 

Finally, if we book when we're hoping to for July/August time, how bad is really hot weather on a narrowboat? Is it lovely and cool near the water, or unbearably hot inside?

 

Grateful for any help

[Moley]

We had a day trip on a lovely little boat the other day ... Now we're hoping to book for either a short break or a week

 

And then you'll have to buy your own. Wonderfully addicitive, innit?

 

When you sleep on the narrowboat do you feel much rocking?

Oh, you're asking for trouble with this mob

Is anything likely to go past in the night and cause waves and therefore movement?

 

I shall resist rising to the rocking issue, but nothing should pass in the night, and the gentle lapping or movement of the water can be rather soothing.

 

Are all locks manned? I'm a little worried with my disabilities that hubby and son together might struggle. We can do swing bridges but didn't get to attempt any locks on our day trip.

 

Hardly any locks are manned, but it's all part of the fun, take your time, there are frequently other crews to assist, don't worry about locks, they can be the best bit.

 

Finally, if we book when we're hoping to for July/August time, how bad is really hot weather on a narrowboat? Is it lovely and cool near the water, or unbearably hot inside?

 

I suppose that depends on how many windows / doors / side hatches etc. you open. I don't like it too hot, but haven't found it a problem at the height of Summer.

[bottle]

We had a day trip on a lovely little boat the other day, on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and of course fell in love.

 

Now we're hoping to book for either a short break or a week and I would like to know some things please.............

 

When you sleep on the narrowboat do you feel much rocking? Not if you lie still but we never notice it, if there is. There will be some (very little) movement but you soon get used to it Is anything likely to go past in the night and cause waves and therefore movement? Most boating is done in the daylight,hire boats are not allowed to move at night (insurance reasons)

 

Are all locks manned? No I'm a little worried with my disabilities that hubby and son together might struggle. We can do swing bridges but didn't get to attempt any locks on our day trip. If you managed a swing bridge then you will manage a lock and do not forget that some people boaters travel alone.

I do not know your disability but could you steer and the rest of the crew 'work' the lock

Finally, if we book when we're hoping to for July/August time, how bad is really hot weather on a narrowboat? No worse than in a house. Is it lovely and cool near the water, or unbearably hot inside?

 

Grateful for any help

 

Finally beware the bug it can be very dangerous, usually ends in buying your own boat.

 

Go for it and enjoy.

 

Edit: Moley beat me whilst I was typing

Edited April 5, 2007 by bottle

[Squishy]

Thanks!

 

I live near where the Northern Reaches is being restored, and should (in theory, fingers crossed they actually do it) be living really quite close to where the new canal head will be. So the plan is - get addicted (done!) get used to it (working on it!) try and get clued up on what we need (may take a while!) and buy our own boat

[John Orentas]

Hi Squishy.

 

By the Northern Reaches I assume you mean the Lancaster canal!

I can only echo what others have said, when you are new to narrowboats you are aware of a gentle rocking but as you get used to things you don't notice, I used to find that rocking was more pronounced after a long day on the boat, sitting on a stool in the pub, you can always tell the boaters Nicholson's guides on the table they gently sway in unison. A modern narrowboat will be well insulated, making it cool in summer except of course on the hottest of days and warm in winter, they are comfortable in most conditions.

 

I am sure the male members of your family will manage the locks very well, but don't be put off if you have a couple of tough wet days, things get much easier the more you practise. You will find there are many people on the canals with varying degrees of disability, things can be done at an individuals pace and no-one is ever under pressure speed up or slow down except perhaps when closing time approaches.

[Squishy]

LOL thanks John

 

I do indeed mean the Lancaster Canal - from Tewitfield northwards to Kendal. That's the Northern Reaches bit that is getting restored (hooray!)

 

Just this morning I have secured a booking on the 57ft Airton boat with pennine Cruisers for early August. I think I might burst with excitment

 

 

I'm a teeny weeny bit nervous though, as shortly after getting off the boat and into the car I went into some sort of odd drifting-in-and-out-of-consciousnous thing while feeling most peculiar and as if the world was rocking

[Moley]

I'm a teeny weeny bit nervous though, as shortly after getting off the boat and into the car I went into some sort of odd drifting-in-and-out-of-consciousness thing while feeling most peculiar and as if the world was rocking

 

Our first time out, it amazed me just how quickly you slow down (if you know what I mean), and after just 4 days we stopped in Stone and walked into the town. All those people hurtling around in their shiny steel carapaces seemed almost obscene.

 

And then at the end of the fortnight, getting back into the car (apart from the gentle swaying), rushing home at 30mph on the motorway was quite disconcerting.

[John Orentas]

Reluctant to bring this up again Squishy but it must be a couple of years since the possibility of a link into Windermere has come up, there is no great altitude difference though the route may be a bit tortuous. Now that the nutters with their speed boats have been kicked off the lake the locals will I am sure get behind the scheme.

 

Lots of members on here were a bit scathing about the feasibility of the idea but anyone who lives within a few miles of the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale as a few of us do will know the engineering is a 'piece of cake'. I for one quite like the idea of a 20 mile stretch of open water.

[carlt]

Reluctant to bring this up again Squishy but it must be a couple of years since the possibility of a link into Windermere has come up, there is no great altitude difference though the route may be a bit tortuous. Now that the nutters with their speed boats have been kicked off the lake the locals will I am sure get behind the scheme.

 

Lots of members on here were a bit scathing about the feasibility of the idea but anyone who lives within a few miles of the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale as a few of us do will know the engineering is a 'piece of cake'. I for one quite like the idea of a 20 mile stretch of open water.

Hasn't the Lake District suffered enough? What with the traffic rivalling the m25, the ramblers eroding the paths, do we really want a load of ditch crawlers invading Windermere? If you want to boat the lakes buy a launch or dinghy. Don't pollute more of the waterways with our ugly tubes.

[John Orentas]

Hasn't the Lake District suffered enough? What with the traffic rivalling the m25, the ramblers eroding the paths, do we really want a load of ditch crawlers invading Windermere? If you want to boat the lakes buy a launch or dinghy. Don't pollute more of the waterways with our ugly tubes.

 

 

You speak for yorself, my boat has never polluted anything, a dingy with a smokey two-stroke on the back vomiting sooty black oil into the water, I don't think so.

[Squishy]

Interesting, I've never heard of a connection to Windermere. Not sure how that would work really *scratches head*

[John Orentas]

Interesting, I've never heard of a connection to Windermere. Not sure how that would work really *scratches head*

 

 

There have been rough feasibility studies, it was first suggested by BW themselves though they deny it now. Let's get to Kendal first.

[R Dixon]

Our first "experience" alone (me and the misses) was in October with the in-laws boat. The first (and only) arguement occured at the beginning after leaving the marina. Our boat handling skills weren't up to much but we managed locks between us. It is easy to manage with only two people.

 

As for the sleeping thing, we never had a problem. The neigbours (wildlife) will be the only thing keeping you awake!!

 

Our first "experience" alone (me and the misses) was in October with the in-laws boat. The first (and only) arguement occured at the beginning after leaving the marina. Our boat handling skills weren't up to much but we managed locks between us. It is easy to manage with only two people.

 

As for the sleeping thing, we never had a problem. The neighbours (wildlife) will be the only thing keeping you awake!!

[Christine]

There doesn't seem to be much of a problem if you sleep 'stem to stern' as there isn't much wobble. I would think if you sleep across the bows, wobbling would be more obvious.

 

As the one who slept on the inside of a double berth, the walls were cold so I padded this out with spare pillows.

 

My only problem is that I am an early riser so I had to climb over Mr Ken without him groaning (I like to take my Sea Searcher magnet out for a trawl and sit out on the stern with my morning cuppa in the early morning mist before the rest wake up).

 

Life afloat is a matter of making some adjustments but the advantages are so fantastic that little troubles far out way the problems.

 

(edited coz I have OD'ed on the G&T's so I hope this makes sense)

Edited April 5, 2007 by Christine

[bottle]

Hi Squishy

 

There was only one time that we had a night that was disturbed.

 

It was getting late and the light was fading so we found a spot, tied up had something to eat and went to bed.

 

Early next morning, about six, there was some heavy tapping on the roof, irregular so very annoying.

 

Investigated and found that we had moored under an Oak tree and it was time for the acorns to fall.

 

We now check the trees we moor near

[Carrie]

Hello Squishy

My first night afloat was part of a boat-handling weekend course - on November 5th! It was a wild windy night, fireworks fizzing and banging and the trees swaying overhead. I was SO excited and happy to be on a narrowboat, I kept the curtains wide open so I could watch the branches against the sky! It was lovely and unforgettable. Didn't get any sleep at all and used the tiller to prop me up all next day!

 

To keep cool, try and tie up under leafy trees in the summer - that should help keep you cool.

[MaryP]

Our first night on our boat was minus 6 outside, so it froze on the inside of the windows. Because I was cold I was easily awoken by some sort of animal walking up and down on the roof!

Didn't put us off though! The next morning was beautiful outside, and then we had the first passage through the Harecastle tunnel that day. As the air was below freezing we went through a very misty steaming tunnel - wonderful!!

[carlt]

You speak for yorself, my boat has never polluted anything, a dingy with a smokey two-stroke on the back vomiting sooty black oil into the water, I don't think so.

I was talking aesthetic pollution John. Compared to real boats, a man with your discerning eye for form and style must see that our narrowboats are designed for practicality, not looks.

[Tullz]

Hi Squishy.

*snip*

...

I used to find that rocking was more pronounced after a long day on the boat, sitting on a stool in the pub, you can always tell the boaters Nicholson's guides on the table they gently sway in unison.

 

I agree with John

Just arrived back home after a week on a NB; every now and agian I get broadsided by a wave

As to addictive - well yes it is, I'm just about to book another week in July, this time on the Broads which don't have any locks.

 

As to disabilities - we saw a guy on a NB in a wheelchair who was steering the boat as his crew were mooring. It did look as if it had a lift at the stern end. Dunno if it was a hire boat or private.

 

[Squishy]

Hi

 

I hope I don't get shot for ressurecting an old, old topic (some forums are very funny about it, some insist on it rather than starting new)

 

Anyway............... we managed the holiday (me, hubby, son and nephew) and it was terrifically hard work (pour moi with my physical limitations at least) but enormous fun.

 

We'd like to try the Norfolk Broads, potentially next August. What I'd like to know, really, is how busy do the Broads get in August? My dad seems to think "very" and we'll struggle to moor.

 

How different are the broads in comparison to the canals?

 

Any advice/experience welcome, and sorry for the long abscence

[RLWP]

Hi

 

I hope I don't get shot for ressurecting an old, old topic (some forums are very funny about it, some insist on it rather than starting new)

 

Anyway............... we managed the holiday (me, hubby, son and nephew) and it was terrifically hard work (pour moi with my physical limitations at least) but enormous fun.

 

We'd like to try the Norfolk Broads, potentially next August. What I'd like to know, really, is how busy do the Broads get in August? My dad seems to think "very" and we'll struggle to moor.

 

How different are the broads in comparison to the canals?

 

Any advice/experience welcome, and sorry for the long abscence

 

Hey, you don't get away that easily!

 

Tell us about your holiday then...

 

Richard

[Squishy]

Hey, you don't get away that easily!

 

Tell us about your holiday then...

 

Richard

 

It was lovely actually. We pootled up and down quite well, didn't venture too far. We even managed to get my mum and dad on board for a happy few hours one day aswell. Made my dad's day

 

I struggled a bit with aching at the end of the day, and sitting in a tepid bath of 3 inches of water didn't help much But I lived.

 

Locks became second nature, I felt like quite the expert by the end! I do think it'd be too much for me now though, to try again (I have a really rare condition that affects every bit of me in new and more exciting ways every day, which is progressively getting more and more limiting, sadly)

 

But I do love the water, so that's why I'm wondering if the Broads may be the answer.

[cotswoldsman]

Having just spent 3 months on Lancaster canal can certainly recommend it to everyone, but can certainly say that I don't think the Northern section will ever be opened.

 

If you are interested have lots of photos etc of my 3 month here Visit My Website

Edited October 9, 2009 by cotswoldsman

[MikeV]

The broads have their "honeypot" locations, particularly near pubs, where it can get very busy in the height of the season but there is plenty of river bank where you can moor but you may be some distance from any facilities, or have no access to them at all. I can think of a few islands we moored on! The other option on the larger broads is to just drop the mud weight and swing round that.

 

As you move down the rivers you need to be aware of the tide rise and fall. It's not that great but you need to have enough slack on your mooring ropes to account for it or you may find yourself having to get up in the night to adjust ropes.

 

You should also not ignore the 41 miles of lock free canal on your doorstep. The Lancaster has very pleasant scenery and interesting towns and villages. Water Babies hire out boats on the Lancaster Canal although I have no direct experience of them.

[Squishy]

I absolutely agree, MikeV, however as much as I adore where I live, I see it every day and would like to experience somewhere different Thanks for the tips.

 

Cotswoldman, I can assure you it is happening. Hooray!