Maps of waterways - especially by boat length accessibility?

[TheBiscuits]

4 hours ago, ivan&alice said:

I took the link that @Dinz provided and "greyed out" all the canals that were listed as being under 70 foot in the other link that @reg provided. I excluded the Thorne lock discrepancy that @mrsmelly pointed out and also the Droitwich canal limitation (I can't figure out where that is). I ended up with the following map which is obviously very rough but it gives me a picture of how limited we'll be in a 70 foot boat - and the answer is not very!

 

 

Grey out the L&L from Wigan Junction to Skipton, and the Rufford Branch. You won't get through those locks in a 70' boat.

 

Ungrey the Aire & Calder from Castleford to Leeds.  You won't get a 70' boat into Granary Wharf at Leeds, but you can get to Leeds Dock and take the (free) water taxi into the city centre.

 

Ungrey the A&C from Castleford to Wakefield where it joins the Calder & Hebble.  Again you won't get through the lock, but you can get to just outside Wakefield town centre.

 

Ungrey the Bridgewater, Preston Brook to Manchester.

 

Anyone else spot a bit I have missed?

[mrsmelly]

5 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Grey out the L&L from Wigan Junction to Skipton, and the Rufford Branch. You won't get through those locks in a 70' boat.

 

Ungrey the Aire & Calder from Castleford to Leeds.  You won't get a 70' boat into Granary Wharf at Leeds, but you can get to Leeds Dock and take the (free) water taxi into the city centre.

 

Ungrey the A&C from Castleford to Wakefield where it joins the Calder & Hebble.  Again you won't get through the lock, but you can get to just outside Wakefield town centre.

 

Ungrey the Bridgewater, Preston Brook to Manchester.

 

Anyone else spot a bit I have missed?

You can get to York on the Ouse and a bit beyond.

[David Mack]

48 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Grey out the L&L from Wigan Junction to Skipton, and the Rufford Branch. You won't get through those locks in a 70' boat.

 

Ungrey the Aire & Calder from Castleford to Leeds.  You won't get a 70' boat into Granary Wharf at Leeds, but you can get to Leeds Dock and take the (free) water taxi into the city centre.

 

Ungrey the A&C from Castleford to Wakefield where it joins the Calder & Hebble.  Again you won't get through the lock, but you can get to just outside Wakefield town centre.

 

Ungrey the Bridgewater, Preston Brook to Manchester.

 

Anyone else spot a bit I have missed?

Ungrey the bottom end of the Worcester & Birmingham and the Droitwich.

And ungrey the eastern end of the Rochdale and the Calder and Hebble from Sowerby Bridge to the bottom of the Halifax arm.

Edited July 22, 2018 by David Mack

[Sea Dog]

3 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

I could add this data to the canalmaponline maps as i'm still in the process of adding a lot of data points to the map.

Top idea! Keep up the good work, your efforts are appreciated. I've inputted a couple of bits myself, so I hope you're getting good supporters the community. 

 

Oh, and weren't Buccaneers awesome? .  

[Chris Lowe]

I'll gradually do this as i update each waterway

[Tim Lewis]

21 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Grey out the L&L from Wigan Junction to Skipton, and the Rufford Branch. You won't get through those locks in a 70' boat.

 

Ungrey the Aire & Calder from Castleford to Leeds.  You won't get a 70' boat into Granary Wharf at Leeds, but you can get to Leeds Dock and take the (free) water taxi into the city centre.

 

Ungrey the A&C from Castleford to Wakefield where it joins the Calder & Hebble.  Again you won't get through the lock, but you can get to just outside Wakefield town centre.

 

Ungrey the Bridgewater, Preston Brook to Manchester.

 

Anyone else spot a bit I have missed?

 

 

The Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation   (Not sure how much)

 

The last bit of Brandon Creek

 

Lodes End Lock on the Middle levels

Edited July 23, 2018 by Tim Lewis

[Tim Lewis]

21 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

You can get to York on the Ouse and a bit beyond.

As far as Linton Lock, and through the first Lock on the River Fosse!

Edited July 23, 2018 by Tim Lewis

[David Mack]

49 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

Lodes End Lock on the Middle levels

 

Although I believe that sometimes the water levels are the same both sides, and a longer boat can just boat straight through (but at the risk perhaps of not being able to get out again for a while).

[Nick D]

If I were you, I'd go for a 60ft and think you can go anywhere apart from maybe the Ripon canal which is only the very last bit into Ripon.  IMO you will also find this length easier to manage, turn and moor and as others have suggested, it's more about design than overall length

[MartinClark]

On 22/07/2018 at 10:36, reg said:

There is also this one done in 2004 by Blue star surveys

Maximum craft dimensions..pdf

That is an old document created by British Waterways (and originally on the Waterscape website) which had always incorrectly shown the maximum length for the Calder & Hebble as 54ft 9 ins.

 

I eventually gave up trying to get BW to correct it.

 

Edited July 23, 2018 by MartinClark

[reg]

5 minutes ago, MartinClark said:

That is an old document created by British Waterways (and originally on the Waterscape website) which had always incorrectly shown the maximum length for the Calder & Hebble as 54ft 9 ins.

 

I eventually gave up trying to get BW to correct it.

That is an old document created by British Waterways (and originally on the Waterscape website) which had always incorrectly shown the maximum length for the Calder & Hebble as 54ft 9 ins.

 

I eventually gave up trying to get BW to correct it.

That is an old document created by British Waterways (and originally on the Waterscape website) which had always incorrectly shown the maximum length for the Calder & Hebble as 54ft 9 ins.

 

I eventually gave up trying to get BW to correct it.

This gives it at 57ft 6inch and also give some info, with reservations, on getting a 60ft through. 

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/calder/locks.htm

 

Any other links like this could be very useful

[MartinClark]

3 minutes ago, reg said:

This gives it at 57ft 6inch and also give some info, with reservations, on getting a 60ft through. 

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/calder/locks.htm

I know. I wrote that page.

[mrsmelly]

On ‎23‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 17:42, Nick D said:

If I were you, I'd go for a 60ft and think you can go anywhere apart from maybe the Ripon canal which is only the very last bit into Ripon.  IMO you will also find this length easier to manage, turn and moor and as others have suggested, it's more about design than overall length

I would agree if it was a hobby boat but I think the OP is going to live aboard and speaking from umpteen years liveaboard 24/7  365 experience the extra ten feet is a huge difference when living aboard. Yes design comes into it which is why my 68 foot colecraft has more interior space than my 70 foot Hudson had but nevertheless a well designed 70 footer will always have way more space and comfort levels than a well designed 60 footer.

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

speaking from umpteen years liveaboard 24/7  365 experience

Have you been onboard long then? 

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, rusty69 said:

Have you been onboard long then? 

 

 

He doesn't get out much ...

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Have you been onboard long then? 

 

 

Testicles ?

3 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

He doesn't get out much ...

Ive just had a night in a house actualy so there ?

[rusty69]

Just now, mrsmelly said:

Testicles ?

Is that wot you're cooking on the barbie tonight? 

[jetzi]

I think this really has answered my question, I haven't made the changes that you guys have suggested - but since they are "ungrey"s I think it's pretty clear that you can get to the vast majority of the network on a 70 foot narrowboat. If we run out of canals that will take a 70 foot we can think about trading her in for a shorter one at that point!

 

If we happen to see a 57 to 60 foot boat available that's a good deal, I will consider it. But an extra 10 feet is another room. I think a 70' going to make a world of difference for a 24/7 liveaboard.

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, ivan&alice said:

I think this really has answered my question, I haven't made the changes that you guys have suggested - but since they are "ungrey"s I think it's pretty clear that you can get to the vast majority of the network on a 70 foot narrowboat. If we run out of canals that will take a 70 foot we can think about trading her in for a shorter one at that point!

 

If we happen to see a 57 to 60 foot boat available that's a good deal, I will consider it. But an extra 10 feet is another room. I think a 70' going to make a world of difference for a 24/7 liveaboard.

It sounds like a good plan. One i have considered, downsizing if required.

 

Having been on our 70ft for 20 yrs (not as long as grampa mrsmelly), i think we would find it very difficult to do in practice. 

 

Afterall, where is the mrs going to store her 10ft worth of handbags and shoes? 

[mrsmelly]

3 minutes ago, ivan&alice said:

I think this really has answered my question, I haven't made the changes that you guys have suggested - but since they are "ungrey"s I think it's pretty clear that you can get to the vast majority of the network on a 70 foot narrowboat. If we run out of canals that will take a 70 foot we can think about trading her in for a shorter one at that point!

 

If we happen to see a 57 to 60 foot boat available that's a good deal, I will consider it. But an extra 10 feet is another room. I think a 70' going to make a world of difference for a 24/7 liveaboard.

I have met many many 57 foot owners over the years who primarily bought as the boat would " Go anywhere " many of them having owned for many years had never been anywhere near the northern canals and could have benefited from the extra space of a whole boat. If anyone has a desperate want to do for instance the L and L then a boat can be hired. We did the L and L a few times over the years but not since 2001 when we started living on longer boats and I for one deffo prefer the extra space rather than a few extra miles of canal system, and it is only a few extra miles.

[jetzi]

1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

Afterall, where is the mrs going to store her 10ft worth of handbags and shoes?

Yes I think it's too late once your wife starts counting her handbags and shoes in feet ?

 

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

We did the L and L a few times over the years but not since 2001 when we started living on longer boats and I for one deffo prefer the extra space rather than a few extra miles of canal system, and it is only a few extra miles.

I think this is a very reasonable approach.

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, ivan&alice said:

Yes I think it's too late once your wife starts counting her handbags and shoes in feet ?

I expect her to count shoes in feet, after all, it's logical. Handbags however should be counted in hands (specially ones made from horse) 

[TheBiscuits]

9 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I expect her to count shoes in feet, after all, it's logical. Handbags however should be counted in hands (specially ones made from horse) 

Two feet would be reasonable, but you said she had ten!

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

Two feet would be reasonable, but you said she had ten!

She's a decapede! 

 

I'm just a decrepite! 

[X Alan W]

To the OP if you are using your boat as living & working platform & you work a 5day week with normal 40ish hours & only move CC distances +holidays it will take you some time to cover the distances available to a 70ft narrow beam boat The L&L & other canals not available is small