March of the Widebeams

[BilgePump]

6 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

This blows my mind.  I can't wrap my head around it at all.

Seriously, what's the point?  A static caravan on a park home site would be a lot cheaper to buy and to maintain.

Why does it even have an engine in it?  You could quite easily punt over to the pump out machine.

With you on this. The huge attraction of a boat is the freedom, the potential to go anywhere, even if you rarely do. Knowing that you can't would ruin it. Widebeams stuck in narrow canal marinas can't go anywhere without help from a crane and truck and that doesn't come cheap for such craft. If you want to be on a narrow canal, but need the space, then two narrow boats would seem to make better sense. 

[doratheexplorer]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Have you watched the Floating Homes program on TV, 3 story floating houses moored closer than a housing estate in the last one.

No.  I don't watch much tv.  I can just about grasp the idea of a square houseboat with no engine (although I wouldn't want to own one).  But having a boat which is designed and built to travel and then voluntarily imprison yourself with it?  No. No. No. No. No. No.

[MtB]

The thing worrying me is that passing Cropredy marina the other day, I noticed the entrances to the marina pools are plenty wide enough for the fattest of widebeams to fit through....

 

 

 

[frangar]

34 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

No.  I don't watch much tv.  I can just about grasp the idea of a square houseboat with no engine (although I wouldn't want to own one).  But having a boat which is designed and built to travel and then voluntarily imprison yourself with it?  No. No. No. No. No. No.

I don’t think most widebeams travel far even on wide waters. 

[Athy]

41 minutes ago, MtB said:

The thing worrying me is that passing Cropredy marina the other day, I noticed the entrances to the marina pools are plenty wide enough for the fattest of widebeams to fit through....

 

 

 

I don't remember where I heard this - perhaps it was mentioned on here - but isn't there a CART rule that all new marinas have to have these broad-gauge entrances?

[john6767]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

The thing worrying me is that passing Cropredy marina the other day, I noticed the entrances to the marina pools are plenty wide enough for the fattest of widebeams to fit through....

 

 

 

Would not have much of a cruising range from there though

[MtB]

29 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Would not have much of a cruising range from there though

 

Yes, that was the whole point of my observation. 

[Naughty Cal]

3 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

This blows my mind.  I can't wrap my head around it at all.

Seriously, what's the point?  A static caravan on a park home site would be a lot cheaper to buy and to maintain.

Why does it even have an engine in it?  You could quite easily punt over to the pump out machine.

Have you seen the prices of static caravans and the site fees nowadays? They are not cheap.

 

Plus you have to get the statics off the bigger sites when they reach a certain age.

 

More hassle and expense then people suspect.

[doratheexplorer]

2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Have you seen the prices of static caravans and the site fees nowadays? They are not cheap.

 

Plus you have to get the statics off the bigger sites when they reach a certain age.

 

More hassle and expense then people suspect.

Still cheaper than a widebeam boat and running costs.

[Steilsteven]

4 hours ago, Athy said:

I don't remember where I heard this - perhaps it was mentioned on here - but isn't there a CART rule that all new marinas have to have these broad-gauge entrances?

Yes that's because they plan to widen all those little canals so that proper boats can use them. 😉

 

Keith

[Graham and Jo]

Apparently C&RT have recived many complaints about the one moored in the winding hole at Calcutt. Most on them are about dog poo though! Cheers Graham

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Graham and Jo said:

Apparently C&RT have recived many complaints about the one moored in the winding hole at Calcutt. Most on them are about dog poo though! Cheers Graham

So why is it still there?

[MtB]

1 minute ago, IanD said:

So why is it still there?

 

Because so few owners pick it up...

[IanD]

3 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Because so few owners pick it up...

Not the dog poo, the boat... 😉

[MtB]

Just now, IanD said:

Not the dog poo, the boat... 😉

 

You set 'em up, I'll knock 'em in!

[tree monkey]

42 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

You set 'em up, I'll step 'em in!

 

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

You set 'em up, I'll step 'em in!

 

Now you're just mucking about!! 

[cuthound]

On 02/09/2021 at 16:54, Graham and Jo said:

Apparently C&RT have recived many complaints about the one moored in the winding hole at Calcutt. Most on them are about dog poo though! Cheers Graham

 

Whilst I can understand people not liking widebeams using narrow canals and those that block winding holes, throwing dog poo at it seems a bit extreme... 😉🤣😂

[matty40s]

Ah, the peace and enjoyment of a tranquil cruise....fenders, poles and bowthruster ready..

 

How can this be enjoyable.....

 

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by matty40s

[Cheshire cat]

That's an interesting former on the roof. I wonder what the plans are for it

[frangar]

28 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Ah, the peace and enjoyment of a tranquil cruise....fenders, poles and bowthruster ready..

 

How can this be enjoyable.....

 

 

I think there should be a cwdf prize for the most unsuitable craft on the GU…..there’s a lot to choose from it seems….

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

That's an interesting former on the roof. I wonder what the plans are for it

 

The shape matches the stern.

 

Wheelhouse roof??

[David Mack]

32 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

That's an interesting former on the roof. I wonder what the plans are for it

I assume its the wheelhouse roof. But how on earth do you get it into position? It must weigh a fair bit!

[Mike Todd]

20 minutes ago, frangar said:

I think there should be a cwdf prize for the most unsuitable craft on the GU…..there’s a lot to choose from it seems….

Pushing on a pole like that is plain daft and could be dangerous. How about steering and going rather slower?

[zenataomm]

I can't quite make out the name on it.

Does it say "Marge Tub"?

If they painted it yellow, they could have gone with "Utterly Butterly"