The Practicalities of Life Aboard a Broads Cruiser

[Naughty Cal]

Funnily enough we were only discussing rope cutters yesterday. Our friend is taking delivery of his new, to him, dutch steel cruiser this week and that is first on his list of jobs to do. With a 4ft draft he may well need it!

As for handling, you will soon get the drop of it, use the prop hand to help along with current and wind, sometimes turning the opposite way to what you were traveling makes life easier.


I prefer a shaft driven semi displacement boat to one with a leg, much more positive feed back at the helm.

I'd be surprised if you couldn't find one with a bow thruster, I've seen an outboard powered seamaster 28 with a BT!

That will just depend what is for sale at the time we are ready to commit. Fitting a bowthruster isn't a deal breaker though.

[gazza]

Funnily enough we were only discussing rope cutters yesterday. Our friend is taking delivery of his new, to him, dutch steel cruiser this week and that is first on his list of jobs to do. With a 4ft draft he may well need it!

 

That will just depend what is for sale at the time we are ready to commit. Fitting a bowthruster isn't a deal breaker though.

That's true, I had a quick look and asap supplies are cheaper than prop protector site.

I didn't fancy the jaws type due to the forces they can generate and the potential for damage if they fail.

 

Spread your search onto the Great Ouse and Thames, some good bargains - especially on the Ouse, my brother has just purchased a DC 30 from Denver Cruising Club at a significantly lower price than he could on the Broads, he will transport it by road to the Yare and by quids in by 4k!

[GoodGurl]

 

OK I mistakenly said 'based on the canal'

You will still be based around Lincoln so why not take a couple of weeks holiday on the 'further inland waterways' using NC and see how you get on.

 

When you get up the Trent to Meadow Lane, go up the lock, thru' Nottingham, & onto the T&M (you will get as far as Burton-On-Trent before you have to turn around.

you will only get as far as willington winding hole with a 12ft beam

[Catnip King]

They look nice I've always liked them but if it had to be wide then I'd go for a steel widebeam at those prices...

[Naughty Cal]

They look nice I've always liked them but if it had to be wide then I'd go for a steel widebeam at those prices...

Steel boats are of no interest too us. We much prefer the GRP boats.

[Catnip King]

Steel boats are of no interest too us. We much prefer the GRP boats.

That's personal preference I guess. Anyhow your idea sounds like it would work to me

[Naughty Cal]

That's personal preference I guess. Anyhow your idea sounds like it would work to me

You just don't get anything like the same accommodation on fat narrowboats as you do with the Broads boats.

[Phil Ambrose]

You just don't get anything like the same accommodation on fat narrowboats as you do with the Broads boats.

Totally agree with that plus as Gazza said you will soon get the hang of handling a boat on shaft, I could turn our 40 footer round on its own axis, you just need to take account of wind and current but hey I reckon you know all that with NC.

Phil

[Murflynn]

Agree, a large GRP cruiser is an altogether more pleasant thing to behold, and to live in, and to maintain.

[Catnip King]

http://www.auction-solutions.co.uk/lot_list.asp?saleid=3465&siteid=1

 

Just saw this shared on my FB. might be worth a gander?

[Naughty Cal]

Totally agree with that plus as Gazza said you will soon get the hang of handling a boat on shaft, I could turn our 40 footer round on its own axis, you just need to take account of wind and current but hey I reckon you know all that with NC.

Phil

I'm pretty sure we will get the hang of it fairly quickly. We always managed with the smaller 30ft Broads boats.

 

It will feel very large though compared to NC's tiny 25' x 8'2"!

[Mac of Cygnet]

Excuse my ignorance, but why are all these seized boats for sale? Has a hire firm gone bust?

 

You don't tend to see lists of seized steel boats for sale.

[Naughty Cal]

Excuse my ignorance, but why are all these seized boats for sale? Has a hire firm gone bust?

 

You don't tend to see lists of seized steel boats for sale.

Yes Alphacraft have gone under.

 

Shame as their boats always looked well turned out.

 

No doubt one of the larger yards will buy the more modern boats on the list.

http://www.auction-solutions.co.uk/lot_list.asp?saleid=3465&siteid=1

 

Just saw this shared on my FB. might be worth a gander?

Already seen these thanks but unfortunately our funds are tied up at the moment so we can't bid on them.

[Naughty Cal]

I would like to pick your brains over fridges and freezers please.

 

We are thinking that something along the lines of this to go in the utility room:

 

http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/fridge-freezers/fridge-freezers---medium/fridge-over-freezer-fk196

 

And something like this to go in the galley:

 

http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/fridges/wide-fridges/wide-rr5511

 

Does anyone have any experience of these fridges? They do appear to be quite pricey but on the flip side they don't seem to use much in the way of power.

[PaulG]

I would like to pick your brains over fridges and freezers please.

 

We are thinking that something along the lines of this to go in the utility room:

 

http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/fridge-freezers/fridge-freezers---medium/fridge-over-freezer-fk196

 

And something like this to go in the galley:

 

http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/fridges/wide-fridges/wide-rr5511

 

Does anyone have any experience of these fridges? They do appear to be quite pricey but on the flip side they don't seem to use much in the way of power.

The alternative is to buy an energy-efficient 240v fridge and run it off the inverter.

 

The inverter isn't 100% efficient, but on the other hand you do save a few hundred beer vouchers.

[Naughty Cal]

The alternative is to buy an energy-efficient 240v fridge and run it off the inverter.

 

The inverter isn't 100% efficient, but on the other hand you do save a few hundred beer vouchers.

Our aim is to keep as much stuff as possible 12v. We won't always be on shore power and we don't really want to leave an inverter on 24/7.

 

We know there are certain items like the washer/dryer that we won't have any option but items left on 24/7 we would like to be 12v where possible.

[Catnip King]

Can't comment on either you posted but best thing I ever purchased was this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JJV2V5I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1I've got a cushion on top use as a seat. It can be used as a fridge or freezer very low power usage. Love it!

[Naughty Cal]

Can't comment on either you posted but best thing I ever purchased was this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JJV2V5I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1I've got a cushion on top use as a seat. It can be used as a fridge or freezer very low power usage. Love it!

The sort of boat we are intending to buy lends itself more to built in kitchen appliances and I don't think we will need a spare seat with something like this

 

 

[Phil Ambrose]

I would like to pick your brains over fridges and freezers please.

 

We are thinking that something along the lines of this to go in the utility room:

 

http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/fridge-freezers/fridge-freezers---medium/fridge-over-freezer-fk196

 

And something like this to go in the galley:

 

http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/fridges/wide-fridges/wide-rr5511

 

Does anyone have any experience of these fridges? They do appear to be quite pricey but on the flip side they don't seem to use much in the way of power.

Hi Rachael, we invested in a Shoreline larder fridge 110ltr capacity and a Shoreline freezer 80ltr capacity shortly after moving aboard. They are both the same size cabinet and so both under counter models. As you pointed out they are quite frugal with power and we would not be without them.

Phil

[Naughty Cal]

Hi Rachael, we invested in a Shoreline larder fridge 110ltr capacity and a Shoreline freezer 80ltr capacity shortly after moving aboard. They are both the same size cabinet and so both under counter models. As you pointed out they are quite frugal with power and we would not be without them.

Phil

Cheers Phil. Just the sort of info I was after.

 

Think we will go for having two fridges as Liam wants a booze fridge so it makes more sense to get the fridge over freezer and then a separate fridge as the fridge over freezer uses 2.1 AH per hour average compared to the 1.6 AH per hour average for the under counter fridges and freezers.

[Catnip King]

The sort of boat we are intending to buy lends itself more to built in kitchen appliances and I don't think we will need a spare seat with something like this

 

 

Yes I gathered. But since you mentioned power usage the type I posted are the most efficient you can get due to the box design and the fact cold air falls. So the typical door type the cold air falls out and then needs to use power again. I have a big boat and could have gone built in also but I suppose if you want built in then its of no use to you. Yes I do love the seating on those boats very nice, been looking at those boats on the auction I shared and its hard not to put a bid in

The other 2 I was considering are on bimblesolar: http://www.bimblesolar.com/offgrid/solarfridge

[Naughty Cal]

If our cash was freed up we would have been bidding.

 

Would need to be wary of the 20% buyers fee though and would also need to investigate the VAT status of the boats.

[Naughty Cal]

Yes I gathered. But since you mentioned power usage the type I posted are the most efficient you can get due to the box design and the fact cold air falls. So the typical door type the cold air falls out and then needs to use power again. I have a big boat and could have gone built in also but I suppose if you want built in then its of no use to you. Yes I do love the seating on those boats very nice, been looking at those boats on the auction I shared and its hard not to put a bid in

The other 2 I was considering are on bimblesolar: http://www.bimblesolar.com/offgrid/solarfridge

They look interesting.

 

We will be fitting solar panels to the boat. We reckon we can get 4No. 100w panels on the rear cabin roof. In theory these should keep up with the Shoreline Fridges, during the summer months anyway.

[Naughty Cal]

I would like to pick your brains again guys if you don't mind.

 

We intend to install 4No. 100 watt solar panels on the roof of the Broads boat. My question to you is what sort of power generation should we expect from this set up?

 

Obviously there are many variables but a rough idea is all that we are looking for for say January, April, July, September.

 

The panels will be fixed so not adjustable.

[FadeToScarlet]

We have 2 100 watt flat stick-on panels.

 

I've not got exact numbers, but they're enough to run a 12v fridge between about May-September, and can generally keep up with the rest of the usage throughout the year- LED lights, water and shower pump, phone charging- without having to run the generator, unless we've had several overcast days in a row.

 

We are pretty minimal users of power, though.

We have 2 100 watt flat stick-on panels.

 

I've not got exact numbers, but they're enough to run a 12v fridge between about May-September, and can generally keep up with the rest of the usage throughout the year- LED lights, water and shower pump, phone charging- without having to run the generator, unless we've had several overcast days in a row.

 

We are pretty minimal users of power, though.