A cry for community help with photos..

[dmdunn88]

Good afternoon everyone,

 

I am entirely new to boating (although as my other half will tell you all, not new to buying 'too many' books on the subject over the past few weeks) but I can already feel a passion building. Narrowboating has an accessible history quite like no other hobby, I feel. I love the technology, the architecture and ultimately the scenery that goes along with narrowboating.

 

Now to my point.. Is there anyone here that for a commensurate amount of beer tokens or otherwise be willing to let me explore a boat and to take photos of said vessel? As an artist by trade I am trying to design/ depict the future 'goal'/ desired boat, though I've not wanted to walk up and take photos of a boat without permission. I am based in the Midlands.

 

I appreciate that I am new around here and this may be a massive faux pas for a newbie- if so, I apologise.

 

Otherwise, thanks to all that take the time to read this.

Daniel.

[dmr]

Most boaters just love talking about their boats and many quite like showing people round their boats so you should be fine. Get down to Gas Street or some other boaty spot and walk along the canal and get chatting to people on boats.

There are a few miserable old men too but don't be put off.

 

................Dave

 

[rusty69]

Or go up Whilton marina and ask for a bunch of keys.

[doratheexplorer]

I'm Birmingham based a lot of the time.  You can take pictures of mine if you want.  It's not like one of those fancy historic ones with a shiny engine though.

[Ray T]

Lots of external pictures here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=narrow+boats&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiGx6jUnZreAhVCC8AKHUjxDIoQ_AUIDigB&biw=1366&bih=666

 

 

 

[howardang]

53 minutes ago, dmdunn88 said:

Good afternoon everyone,

 

I am entirely new to boating (although as my other half will tell you all, not new to buying 'too many' books on the subject over the past few weeks) but I can already feel a passion building. Narrowboating has an accessible history quite like no other hobby, I feel. I love the technology, the architecture and ultimately the scenery that goes along with narrowboating.

 

Now to my point.. Is there anyone here that for a commensurate amount of beer tokens or otherwise be willing to let me explore a boat and to take photos of said vessel? As an artist by trade I am trying to design/ depict the future 'goal'/ desired boat, though I've not wanted to walk up and take photos of a boat without permission. I am based in the Midlands.

 

I appreciate that I am new around here and this may be a massive faux pas for a newbie- if so, I apologise.

 

Otherwise, thanks to all that take the time to read this.

Daniel.

I agree with everything that has been suggested so far and would also say that it would be a great insight into boating to hire a boat for a few days, both to get a feel for how they work, and when moored each evening you would be able to chat to fellow boaters on the moorings and possibly be invited on board their boat. 

 

Howard

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

I will be at Calcutt (Napton) on Saturday if its any good to you. Car needed unless you like a long walk from a bus.

[roland elsdon]

3 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

I'm Birmingham based a lot of the time.  You can take pictures of mine if you want.  It's not like one of those fancy historic ones with a shiny engine though.

Historic boats are rarely fancy they may be decorated and polished but an ex working boat is the broad equivalent of a transit van.

my boat is thuggish rather than fancy

[doratheexplorer]

2 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

Historic boats are rarely fancy they may be decorated and polished but an ex working boat is the broad equivalent of a transit van.

my boat is thuggish rather than fancy

Sounds fancy to me

[dmdunn88]

Thanks for your replies, chaps. I've popped out a few private messages to people.

 

I very nearly got the opportunity also to see a tug up near Stafford, problem is that it's now sold and thus out of bounds. I've found that marinas aren't the most approachable places to view a boat, especially if you aren't readily available to buy a boat there-and-then.

 

I'm definitely falling towards looking at the older style boats.. I fell in love with the bow and general arrangement of the tug. A few months ago I saw a late 19thC boat on apolloduck that also caught my eye.. there's charm in the 'older' stuff.

 

Dan.