The canal / narrowboat thread

[Bert Cheese]

Ah yes, the Pontcysyllte aqueduct...quite scary on first sight, best to remain sensible and not start mucking about...

[SimonTheSailor]

Well a frustrating time on the K&A over the last month Many stoppages/delays due to breakages/pump failures/water levels.

A late start due to red boards out on the Thames and K&A into May, at the point of giving up and turning around now..........

My first swing bridge where I had to hold up the traffic.............(I let the builders vans through first......).

[Simpo Two]

SimonTheSailor said:

Well a frustrating time on the K&A over the last month Many stoppages/delays due to breakages/pump failures/water levels.

A late start due to red boards out on the Thames and K&A into May, at the point of giving up and turning around now..........

That's sad, when you consider it is (1) quite newly restored (2) worked fine in the 18th century.

[Gretchen]

I’m looking at another (third) boat at the weekend cheeky little day/weekender.

Am loving river life and winding my house up, albeit a slow process. Spending around 70% on the boat. Have been taking our Fibreglass Dinghy up the backwaters and wild camping, out with friends and our dogs in the Buckingham I found them and saving up to lift Florentine out at the end of the year for some plating and engine rebuild.

Have even been looking at jobs within walking distance of our mooring for the eventual permanent move. Although I’m happy where I currently am and toying with the idea of staying until I can afford to reduce my hours or retire early.

I don’t miss any of the ‘luxuries’ of a house. We entertain ourselves with fire pits and games. From rainy days to heatwaves it’s definitely where my heart is.

[Gretchen]

Well we’ve bought another (smaller) boat. Picked her up yesterday for an and have a three day journey home.
Headed to March over five hours and met a chap who let us stay overnight on his mooring



Set off at 7am this morning for Denver Sluice crossing booked for 1pm



Forgot our winder :rollseyes: and used an industrial pair of Mole Grips at Priory Lock



Made it to Denver around 12.30pm and crossed through with ease. On our way to Ely and saw Mumma Seal with her Pup.

[ApOrbital]

Sweeeeeeeet.

[Gretchen]

Lovely stretch of river. Fens was so weed ridden and slow going. We stopped in Ely for dinner



Had to change the fuel pipe just outside The Fish & Duck which was a bit nerve wracking on narrow stretch of water with moored boats but I paddled us to the bank and Mr G sorted the pipe.

I’m in love with The Old West. Such a chilled natural vibe. Lots of off grid living. Beautiful scenery. Know a guy who lives up from here and I can see why.



Spent the night in the wild and set off at 8am this morning. Learnt a lot at Hermitage Lock and have met up with friends and passed through St Ives which is busy. Last stretch now and we’ll be home to Florentine.

[Gretchen]

She’s a 1975 Danwncraft Dandy and was full of rubbish and filthy when we picked up Friday (for a bargain price of a weekend F1 ticket) Have cleaned her up over the weekend a bit and cut some curtains which I’ll fit at some point. There’s a bag of seat covers I’ll wash and either use as templates (have a friend who sells upholstery fabrics for Liberty/Harrods etc which is handy) Fitted with a two hob oven, toilet/bathroom, lots of storage space, slide out table. Needs some TLC but will be fun for weekends away from main liveaboard.

[Simpo Two]

Gretchen said:

I’m in love with The Old West. Such a chilled natural vibe. Lots of off grid living.

Rather too much IMHO; just west of the Old Engine is 'tramp alley'; every year it gets longer and they don't share the usual boater's bonhomie. Not many river licences visible either.

[Gretchen]

Simpo Two said:

Gretchen said:

I’m in love with The Old West. Such a chilled natural vibe. Lots of off grid living.

Rather too much IMHO; just west of the Old Engine is 'tramp alley'; every year it gets longer and they don't share the usual boater's bonhomie. Not many river licences visible either.

Think that might’ve been the bit I liked
Had a ‘festival feel’ to it.

Last lock at Godmanchester now. Back to work tomorrow but will no doubt be out next weekend. Planning on heading to Bedford weekend after next I think and maybe Cambridge for long weekend end of August. She’s definitely going to be used a lot.

[Jimmy No Hands]

Gretchen said:

She’s a 1975 Danwncraft Dandy and was full of rubbish and filthy when we picked up Friday (for a bargain price of a weekend F1 ticket) Have cleaned her up over the weekend a bit and cut some curtains which I’ll fit at some point. There’s a bag of seat covers I’ll wash and either use as templates (have a friend who sells upholstery fabrics for Liberty/Harrods etc which is handy) Fitted with a two hob oven, toilet/bathroom, lots of storage space, slide out table. Needs some TLC but will be fun for weekends away from main liveaboard.

Could you feasibly live on (maybe a bigger) GRP cruiser? I only ask as I find myself considering such madness. I assume they aren't usually insulated so probably unpleasant in Winter.

[Gretchen]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Could you feasibly live on (maybe a bigger) GRP cruiser? I only ask as I find myself considering such madness. I assume they aren't usually insulated so probably unpleasant in Winter.

Other half has done this before and even suggested we sell our Dutch Barge and live on this! I’ve said a firm no, at the moment.
He’s had a lot of boats over the years, one was the slightly bigger Dawncraft (GRP) to which he added a wood burner.

It’s definitely feasible if you can live with not as big a shoe collection as I have and I’d join a gym for ‘facilities’.
We are lucky to have a secure cheap fixed mooring with a garden and a couple of sheds (we have Kayaks/Paddle Boards/Bikes and a Vespa) else it would be a case of constant cruising as most moorings are 36 or 48 hour around here.

It’s a fantastic way of life in all seasons. I’m really embarrassing being a ‘River Gypsy’.

[Simpo Two]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Could you feasibly live on (maybe a bigger) GRP cruiser? I only ask as I find myself considering such madness. I assume they aren't usually insulated so probably unpleasant in Winter.

I think any inland craft is going to be a challenge in winter. There are some former Broads cruisers in Tramp Alley and they would offer better accommodation than a narrowboat due to the extra beam.

If it was me I wouldn't go for the 'trad' heating of a stove and bags of coal and piles of wood all over the roof; I'd have diesel central heating via Eberspacher or Webasto, and radiators or hot air ducting. Narrow boats and wide beams may be insulated with a inch of foam etc but it's nowhere like a house.

One technical issue with cruisers is that being GRP, they don't have hull cooling for the engine like metal boats can. This can make them vulnerable in sub-zero conditions so make sure the engine doesn't freeze.

[dhutch]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Could you feasibly live on (maybe a bigger) GRP cruiser? I only ask as I find myself considering such madness. I assume they aren't usually insulated so probably unpleasant in Winter.

A friend of mine lived abroad a 32ft Highbridge Crusader (basically a big Dawncraft) at Uni and for a good few years afterwards. He's actually just sold it and moved onto a project steel boat which he has been replacing the bottom 18inches off the past 6months.

[Jimmy No Hands]

dhutch said:

A friend of mine lived abroad a 32ft Highbridge Crusader (basically a big Dawncraft) at Uni and for a good few years afterwards. He's actually just sold it and moved onto a project steel boat which he has been replacing the bottom 18inches off the past 6months.

There's a local Seamaster 813 for sale near me, with Webasto heating. It looks a very nice example. I'm York based and need to be for the next 12 months and traditional house and flat rent is extortionate as a single person. Has really got me thinking. It's way of life I've coveted for a while and I don't particularly own much and will likely never have another similar opportunity (little bit of capital)

Hmm..

[geeks]

Gretchen said:

Lovely stretch of river. Fens was so weed ridden and slow going. We stopped in Ely for dinner



Had to change the fuel pipe just outside The Fish & Duck which was a bit nerve wracking on narrow stretch of water with moored boats but I paddled us to the bank and Mr G sorted the pipe.

I’m in love with The Old West. Such a chilled natural vibe. Lots of off grid living. Beautiful scenery. Know a guy who lives up from here and I can see why.



Spent the night in the wild and set off at 8am this morning. Learnt a lot at Hermitage Lock and have met up with friends and passed through St Ives which is busy. Last stretch now and we’ll be home to Florentine.

I am extremely jealous, been looking at Dawncraft and Normans while day dreaming. Still about 6-12 months off being able to turn the day dreaming into a reality though (though if one came up locally for F1 ticket type money I would be there in a heartbeat). Perfect little weekend cruisers those Dawncrafts hope you enjoy pottering around on it Gretchen. I'll keep an eye out for it on my travels as looking at where you cruised through you can't be far from me (I am near Warboys)

[Gretchen]

Buy the boats!

Went out for dinner tonight.



Met some friendly Egyptian Geese



And taught a woman on her Honeymoon how to work the Lock (she was a bit upset as not sure it’s started off too well from what she was telling me) Mr G said he should’ve taken her somewhere exotic



Now headed back to the Mother Boat in the Sunset

Edited by Gretchen on Wednesday 12th July 21:25

[RichGault]

Are you moored up at Huntingdon Riverside there Gretchen?

[MB140]

Simpo Two said:

I think any inland craft is going to be a challenge in winter. There are some former Broads cruisers in Tramp Alley and they would offer better accommodation than a narrowboat due to the extra beam.

If it was me I wouldn't go for the 'trad' heating of a stove and bags of coal and piles of wood all over the roof; I'd have diesel central heating via Eberspacher or Webasto, and radiators or hot air ducting. Narrow boats and wide beams may be insulated with a inch of foam etc but it's nowhere like a house.

One technical issue with cruisers is that being GRP, they don't have hull cooling for the engine like metal boats can. This can make them vulnerable in sub-zero conditions so make sure the engine doesn't freeze.

I live right opposite Newark on Trent marina. One of our distant friends lives in a 45ft gro cruiser with his dog mojo. It’s bloody lovely inside. Got quite a big fly deck on top so it’s got 3 floors in effect. Only problem he has is the fly deck has to come off if he wants to go far down the river due to bridges. But as a home it’s lovely.

[Gretchen]

RichGault said:

Are you moored up at Huntingdon Riverside there Gretchen?

Yes we were.