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A Case Study Of Liveaboard Narrowboat Clay Hammer
David describes himself as MANKY – it’s not as bad as it sounds – who is single and who hasn’t become jaded to the point where he’s reluctant to change his status. Until last month he was in full time employment. Now his options are open. Will he cruise the network full time?
Who are you? (and your significant other and, of course, your dog if you have one)
My name is David and, at the time of writing (Sept 2013), I have neither a significant other or a dog, but am not adverse to having either at some
time in the future. Must like boats!
Tell me a little about yourself and why you decided to live a life afloat
I’m a M.A.N.K.(Y?) – Middle Aged No Kids (Yet?) – and have spent much of my time in creative places. Writing, teaching, adult education, mental health, web design and development, comedy, theatre, theatre production and venue management and photography. I also worked as a courier, delivery driver, telesales and telemarketing and customer services.
For the past ten years I worked in Central London within E-Commerce. Whilst it was great to have a steady income for a change and gain some business experience I found it ultimately a fairly sterile and fulfilling environment.
I first started thinking about living aboard about a couple of years ago. Without wanting to overegg the cliché I had hit a new low, was approaching 50, and the relationship I was in had started to unravel. Sadly, despite both our best efforts, it became painfully obvious that the relationship wasn’t recoverable so I started to look at my choices. In addition to this the phrase ‘Wouldn’t it be a good idea if…’, which had been a regular visitor throughout my life and hardly ever acted upon, had really started to rankle me.
So I eventually had flat, park home, mobile home/van, boat on my list. The flat choice was fairly easy one. I felt it was unlikely I would get a mortgage, did not want to shell out a ridiculous amount on rent and, ultimately, in any circumstance, didn’t want to have to try and find around £1,000/month just to cover the basics.
Park home? The idea still appeals, so maybe when I’m too old and decrepit I’ll look into this more fully, but the places I looked into at the time seemed to be little more than middle aged enclaves and, albeit I fit into that category, I thought they were a little too segregated for my liking.
Mobile home/van? Would have been far too small. I could have gone for a 7.5 tonne truck, but ultimately it felt far too impractical. Parking would have been a nightmare!
Boat? A very good friend of mine had been on the water for about 10 years and had also brought up their child on their boat. She introduced me to someone else who was also living aboard (c.15 years in total and to date 7 years continuous crusing). I spent some time talking to them about it, more time thinking about it, and to cut what is fast becoming a long story short, the boat choice really appealed to me on a practical, material and romantic level.
What is your boat called and why did you decide on that name?
Clay Hamer. It was her name when I bought her and I didn’t change it. It’s rather childish of me, but it kind of sounds like a 70’s/80’s rock band.
Do you have a permanent mooring?
Nope I’m a cc’er. With apologies to those who do have a permanent mooring I really didn’t see the point of having a boat and being static. Kids aside (it makes perfect sense for schooling etc.) I was still able to get into central London for work from pretty much anywhere along the Grand Union (Watford) to the River Lea (Cheshunt).
What is your boat style and length
45ft trad
How long have you been a narrowboat owner?
Since February 2013
How did you finance your boat?
Part loan, part cash (from my share of the sale of the flat)
How much time do you spend on your boat each year?
So far, all of it. It’s my home.
Are you still working? (If so, what do you do?)
I was until I was made redundant in August this year. Now I’m ‘freelance’ and looking at rekindling my photography and web development expertise as well as starting some wood turning.
What do you like least about narrowboat life?
There’s not really anything that sticks out yet. The lack of space? I still have too much ‘stuff’. Some of the Elsan facilities are less than ideal, but I guess that’s to be expected. The winter? More accurately my inept attempts at lighting, and keeping lit, the fire. As I’ve only been afloat since Feb 2013 and caught the tail end of the winter I guess we’ll see how I get on with my first proper winter and what it throws at me. On land I would start to struggle from around February – lack of light etc – and hanker for the onset of Spring.
Having said that I spent the majority of February though April this year (2013) over on the Grand Union between Packet Boat and Kings Langley and waking up in Cassiobury Park in February and March was absolutely magical. I may have to go back there for a late winter tonic.
What do you like most about narrowboat life?
I have met some very, very kind, considerate and helpful people. The vast are boaters, but I am continually surprised by the refreshing nature of the interactions with almost everyone and their abundance of humanity. Friends aside it’s something, in my experience, that’s sadly lacking on land.
If you could change just one thing about your boat, what would it be?
12v sockets. Something I’m hoping to resolve pdq.
When you are cruising how do you resupply (How do you get to the supermarket without a car)?
I try and use the coal boats as much as possible for coal, gas and wood and local shops for everything else.
How do you do your washing when you are cruising?
Launderette. Whilst I was working I was dropping it off in the morning for a service wash and collecting that evening.
What type of toilet do you have on board and are you happy with it?
Cassette. Happy? Yes. A little medieval, but simple. I’m trying out brewers yeast as the ‘additive’ rather than blue – it was recommended by another boater.
How do you connect to the internet when you are on your boat and are you happy with the service you receive?
Through a Three dongle. 15 gig monthly allowance. The connection can be a little slow sometimes, but is generally more than adequate, but I can burn through the 15 gig quite quickly especially if I’m on a Netflix fix!
What is your favourite canal or section of canal?
My experience is rather limited as I’ve only stopped off at various places between Kings Langley and Cheshunt, but so far it has to be Cassiobury (Grand Union) by a country mile. Absolutely enchanting.
How do you generate electricity when you are cruising and how much do you use?
200w solar panels, cruising and an hour or two just running the engine.
How warm is your narrowboat in the winter?
It was ok when I could keep the fire lit, but my inexperience and ineptitude were big factors earlier in the year and I found myself on more than one occasion just climbing under the duvet. I guess I’ll find out how adept at fire I am during my first proper winter.
What advice can you offer someone considering living on a narrowboat?
DO IT! If you don’t like it you can cross it off your bucket list. The saddest two words would be ‘if only.’
You can read see examples of David’s photography work here.
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Are you one of the lucky few who lives the dream on board your own narrowboat full time? Would you like to share your experience with some of the thousands of potential floating home owners who visit this site? If you can spare the time to answer a few simple questions, I would love to hear from you. Just let me know so I can email the questions to you. I’ll create a post like the one above complete with a link back to your own blog or website.
12v sockets. Something I’m hoping to resolve pdq.
A Case Study Of Liveaboard Narrowboat Festina Lente
After a brush with bowel cancer, Andy and his wife Sue decided to live life to the full, retire early and continuously cruise the canal network. They now have no fixed abode and love every minute of their new lifestyle.
Who are you? (and your significant other and, of course, your dog if you have one)
My name is Andy and I am married to Sue
Tell me a little about yourself and why you decided to live a life afloat
I suppose we have been planning getting a narrowboat since our 20’s. for when we retire but last year I had cancer of the bowel so we decided to retire early and live on smaller pensions.
What is your boat called and why did you decide on that name?
‘Festina Lente’ it’s latin for ‘make haste slowly’ The boat was already named.
Do you have a permanent mooring?
We haven’t a mooring yet but will have a winter berth in a marina.
What is your boat style and length
58 foot Trad
How long have you been a narrowboat owner?
Since April, this is our first year on her.
How did you finance your boat?
Savings
How much time do you spend on your boat each year?
All year so far.
Are you still working? (If so, what do you do?)
Early retirees
What do you like least about narrowboat life?
Inconsiderate people who moor at water points.
What do you like most about narrowboat life?
Absolutely everything, life at this pace gives your eyes time to see.
If you could change just one thing about your boat, what would it be?
A bigger cratch area maybe and I’d love a bow thruster.
When you are cruising how do you resupply (How do you get to the supermarket without a car)?
We moor near supermarkets or get them to deliver the heavy stuff, we use farm shops and local butchers which are a little more expensive but far superior quality. If we need a car to visit relatives we use Enterprise who collect us from the boat.
How do you do your washing when you are cruising?
We have a full size domestic appliance on board.
What type of toilet do you have on board and are you happy with it?
Cassette with 3 tanks. We can go a couple of weeks if we really needed too. We haven’t found Elsan services hard to find.
How do you connect to the internet when you are on your boat and are you happy with the service you receive?
MiFi contract with 3 , very happy, the coverage for the data is much better than their mobile phone coverage for some reason.
What is your favourite canal or section of canal?
Thames is our favourite waterway but the South Oxford is nice and we are on the Ashby as I write which is beuatifully rural although shallow in places.
How do you generate electricity when you are cruising and how much do you use?
Twin alternators and 5 leisure batteries plus 250 watt solar panels. The summer we have had we haven’t needed to run the engine to top the bank up. We are not big electric uses mainly recharging stuff like laptops. We have a TV but don’t use it much. The biggest user is the washing machine which we have to run the engine to use.
How warm is your narrowboat in the winter?
We haven’t been through a winter yet, but April was cool and we had the Epping stove lit which warms the boat nicely.We also have diesel central heating to 5 rads if we need it.
What advice can you offer someone considering living on a narrowboat?
Know your budget. Look at loads and loads of boats on the internet to get a feel for prices. Some brokers seem to chance their arm with the price probably to get the vendor to sell through them, then the price suddenly drops by as much as £10,000, so don’t get caught out. Make a list of everything you must have on your boat and another list of would be nice to have aboard. You can use this list to whittle down the boats to view. Then spend time driving around marinas viewing as many boats as you can and speak to boaters, sit by a lock and ask them questions , they are a chatty bunch. A full Survey is a must.
You can read Andy’s excellent and often updated blog here.
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Are you one of the lucky few who lives the dream on board your own narrowboat full time? Would you like to share your experience with some of the thousands of potential floating home owners who visit this site? If you can spare the time to answer a few simple questions, I would love to hear from you. Just let me know so I can email the questions to you. I’ll create a post like the one above complete with a link back to your own blog or website.
2013 09 15 Newsletter – Managing Your Narrowboat’s Water Supply
Living on a Narrowboat News 15th September 2013
Monday 9th September marked the passing of summer and the onset of autumn. Monday marked the onset of autumn as far as Sally and I were concerned anyway. We lit the stove for the first time since, I think, 8th June. Last winter and spring weren’t particularly cold compared with previous years but they were cold enough to warrant having the stove burning much of the time.
The stove will be on now intermittently until the end of September when it will roar into life full time for six or seven months. The boat won’t be cold even in the depths of winter. At least it won’t be cold at the front of the boat. The stove has a back boiler which feeds three radiators down the starboard side. The radiators are gravity fed. There’s not much of a fall between the front of the boat where the stove is and the last radiator in the rear cabin so by the time the scalding hot water from the back boiler has reached the bedroom it’s lost most of its ability to heat the bedroom.
We have an electric radiator in our bedroom but with the marina power charged at 20p a unit it prohibitively expensive to run. However, we need effective heating in the bedroom. There’s a ply bulkhead separating it from the poorly insulated engine room. Actually, that’s not quite correct, the engine room is insulated as well as the rest of the boat, but the insulation isn’t much good when there’s a howling wind blowing through the gaps in the poorly fitted rear doors.
The steel doors were fitted when the cabin was overplated. Generally I was very pleased with the work done, but the door fitting, both front and rear, was very poor quality. Consequently there are gaps between the doors and the front and rear bulkhead I can almost fit my finger in. It’s not so bad at the front of the boat because the cratch cover protects the entrance from the elements. The back doors are open to the elements though so when an icy east wind is blowing it quickly chills the engine room and then the bedroom beyond.
We often wake on a winter morning to a bedroom temperature of six or seven degrees (before I had the cabin overplated and an additional layer of insulation sandwiched between the old cabin and the new, the bedroom temperature was often just above freezing). Although we’re warm enough in bed with a winter duvet and blanket to protect us, it’s decidedly chilly getting in and out of bed.
In the fullness of time, I’ll have to get the rear doors either refitted or replaced. In the meantime I’ll temporarily plug the gap with insulation to keep the worst of the winter wind out. I also need to try and improve the heating in the bedroom.
I’ll be taking James in to the gloomy double dock at Calcutt shortly to have some work done on the heating. I don’t know when the system was last flushed, but it certainly hasn’t been done in the three and a half years I’ve been on board. I’ve been advised to have the system thoroughly flushed and, while it’s devoid of water, to have a 12v pump fitted to help the hot water reach the far and of the boat.
James will go in to the dock in the next week or two so we’ll have the pleasure of spending a couple of days and nights looking out of the windows at a room full of dusty tools rather the nodding reeds and lapping water we enjoy at the moment.
I also need to buy some coal for the winter. I’ve been offered 30 bags of Pureheat at last year’s price. Thirty bags will last me about three months so I’ll take all thirty bags. Paying for it is painful enough but carrying 750kg of coal 150 feet up to the top of a twenty feet high bank is very painful indeed. I’ll try to get Sally to help. Then she wouldn’t need to go to the gym.
On Board Water Consumption
One of my favourite stories about those new to boating is one told to me by a boat owner when he stopped at Calcutt for diesel. He told me that he had been on a mooring at a marina. He had a had a hose attached to the pontoon tap and was just inserting it in his boat’s water tank when the lady owner from a brand new and recently arrived boat moored next to him wandered over to ask what he was doing.
“I’m filling my water tank” he told her, “I have to fill it every five or six days”. She looked at him in horror, “I’m SO pleased I don’t have an old boat” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to do what you’re doing. I just turn the taps on inside and the water comes out!”
There are very few new boaters as naive as this lady but there are many who don’t really think about their water supply and its management until they’ve run out a few times. The lesson is usually all the more memorable when the water runs out when they are in the shower and miles away from the nearest water point. You only need to experience standing in a rapidly cooling shower tray covered in soap suds once before the importance of monitoring your water supply sinks home.
I’ve been on James now for three and a half years. I’ve not been able to find out what the water tank capacity is and there’s no easy way to do so. James has a very odd configuration. There’s a galvanised tank which feeds two smaller odd shaped plastic tanks. If there was just one regular shaped tank I could measure the dimensions and work out the capacity. I can’t so, in the interest of providing you with as much information as possible and to satisfy my own curiosity, I’m going to work out the capacity now… the hard way.
I’m just filling the water tank to the brim. I have to be careful. Unlike most modern narrowboats, James’ water inlet isn’t sealed. If I overfill the tank it overflows into the bottom of the boat, runs the full length of the cabin under the floor, reappears in the engine room, fills the engine bay and then floods the cabin.
he newsletter may be an hour or two late today. The tank is now full. I’m just about to empty it via the galley cold water tap and a litre jug.
I’m back again after just over an hour of filling the tank to capacity and then emptying it out again. I measured the capacity of the washing up bowl and counted the bowls I emptied. There were thirty two of them at eleven litres a bowl or 352 litres in total which works out at just over 78 gallons.
A 78 gallon water tank is quite small. If you look at any of the 1,000 plus narrowboats for sale on Apolloduck you will see water tank capacities, where listed, usually between one hundred and one hundred and fifty gallons. Although our tank is quite small, its capacity isn’t really an issue for us as we have a water supply close by. I don’t think the capacity would bother us if we were continuous cruisers either. The tank lasts us three or four days usually, less if Sally is using the washing machine.
When we’re out cruising the longest we stop in any one spot is two days. As these are only holiday breaks though we want to cruise most days so we can see more of the system. If we were cruising full time with no agenda to adhere to, we would be tempted to stay longer on idyllic rural moorings but the cassette toilet capacity rather then the water tank capacity would dictate how often we moved.
The only scenario when our current water tank capacity would be a real inconvenience would be if we had an online mooring without a water point. There are many liveaboards on moorings without water so they have to travel to the nearest BW water point to fill up. Replenishing the water supply on a boat with a normal 150 gallon tank would be an inconvenience but with James’ capacity so much smaller, trips to a water point to fill up after a hard day’s work would be a real pain.
How do we use our 78 gallons? We aren’t as frugal as some, but we don’t consider we waste much water. For example, we don’t ever leave the tap running while we are brushing our teeth, just a quick tap open and close to wet the toothbrush beforehand, another quick burst to rinse afterwards and a final burst of water at the end to fill a cup to gargle with.
Our water heater causes us to waste more than we would like though. The on demand water heater is in the bathroom which is about fifteen feet away from the galley. The hot water takes a couple of minutes to reach the galley after the tap is opened. That water is wasted. Some boaters collect this water to use later. I don’t know what they store it in our where they find the room to keep it but, quite frankly, we can’t be bothered with the hassle.
Our shower is another source of waste. It’s a bit of a pig to get the temperature right. I understand it’s something to do with the water pressure and the flow of water around the heater but it’s beyond me. All I know is that I have to fiddle around for a minute or two before I think I have the temperature right. Sometimes I have the pleasure of showering under jets of alternating jets of scalding and freezing water.
Some boaters use the “submarine” method of showering to save water. They turn the water in briefly to wet themselves, turn it off while they give themselves a good soaping, then turn the water back on just as briefly to rinse the soap off. I’m afraid the submarine method isn’t for me. I’m not tough enough. Our bathroom is unheated to in all but the warmest of weather we would be standing in an icy shower tray in a freezing cold bathroom spraying ourselves with frigid water. Just the thought is enough to make me want to climb into a warm bed and pull a heavy quilt over my head.
On a daily basis we each have a shower – less than five minutes – and fill and rinse out a washing up bowl morning and evening to wash the dishes. I also half fill the kettle six or seven times a day for a mug of coffee (I know I drink two much coffee. It’s my only vice, so please don’t lecture me!).
A five minute shower uses about sixty litres according to the South Staffs Water web site. We probably shower for a little less than five minutes but two showers at forty litres each plus the washing up water would use 100 litres a day which is about right if we’re refilling our 352 litre tank every three to four days.
Liveaboard narrowboat owner Julie reported in a recent case study that she only fills the tank of her narrowboat Lorien every six weeks. She’s explained how careful she is with water but I still don’t know how she does it. I don’t know how big her tank is but I think it must fill the front half of her boat and double as a swimming pool.
Regardless of the size of the tank on your own boat, you’re still going to have to be far more careful than you are at the moment with the water in your bricks and mortar home so as you look out of your window today at the solid sheets of rain falling from leaden skies onto our green and pleasant land, please remember that there’s not a lot of this precious stuff about.
More Tales From The American Among Us
A few weeks ago I published the case study of narrowboat Stardust. Owner Richard Varnes kindly sent me a few of the articles he’s written on his travels. I published two at the same time as the case study. Now I’ve added three more. Richard doesn’t just write about the canals he cruises on. He also writes about the people he meets on his travels. I think his articles are fascinating. I hope you do too. You’ll find links to his stories at the bottom of his case study here.
New Kindle Narrowboat Guide
In the last few newsletters I’ve mentioned my new guide Living On A Narrowboat: 101 Essential Narrowboat Articles. It’s a free download as a PDF here. It’s also no available on Amazon as a Kindle download. I’ve tried to make it available free of charge but I can’t work out how to do it so it’s been published at the lowest price setting of £1.99. The Kindle edition is here.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over three years ago to provide a source of information for anyone interested in narrowboats and the possibility of living on one full time. The site has grown to encompass a comprehensive listing of inland marinas in England and Wales, dozens of articles, a forum and regular newsletters. I’ve already created (below) indexes of the site articles and the more popular forum posts. I thought it was about time I created an easy to use index of the newsletter content. Here’s the index so far. I’ve managed to reach the end of 2012. I’ll add the rest next week.
11th January 2011 – 1st Newsletter
Dealing with the coldest winter on record
Digital reading – A detailed review of the Kindle, the perfect solution for book loving boat owners
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
The first four narrowboat case studies published
I’ll start with myself; Paul Smith, living on my own, moored in a marina and working full time. Narrowboat James case study
Meet Peggy. She has a husband and two small children, works full time and cruises the network during the summer months. Narrowboat Violet Mae case study
Fancy spending your retirement cruising the waterways of England and Wales? Meet Barry and Sue Horne. They’re living the dream! Narrowboat Adagio Case Study
Here are another working couple. Lina and Warren cruise the cut with their two cats.Narrowboat Olive Rose case study.
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
Reviewed: The Liveaboard Guide by Tony Jones. A great guide to living afloat
eBay Narrowboat scam (and a little bit of flack for me from another forum)
Case Study: Author Toby Jones on his own liveaboard narrowboat
A review of Debdale Wharf marina
The downside of living on a narrowboat – This was a very controversial post. Liveaboard Pauline Roberts wrote about the less pleasant aspects of life afloat… and attracted a storm of comments
Case study: The Woodsman – Pauline Roberts again giving an insight into the life that you may think she doesn’t like.
As a result of the article about the downside of living on a narrowboat published in the 18th March newsletter, I asked liveaboard narrowboat owners to complete a survey to give a balanced view of the issues raised by Pauline. Here are the survey results and a much more positive article by liveaboard narrowboat owner and frequent forum contributer Peter Early.
Life on the river Cam – A guest article on the pleasures of river life by wide beam liveaboard Luther Phillips
Case Study – Freelance writer Anne and her South African farmer partner John reveal all
Case Study – Toni cruises constantly with ex husband Allan. They cruise together but they live apart… on separate boats
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
DIY narrowboat painting – I’ve broken down the complete cost of painting your own boat and
Dealing with wind on the river – A guest article from liveaboard narrowboat owner Alan Cazaly
How to clean your stove glass – One of the real pleasures of a living fire is watching the flames on a cold winter’s eve. Here’s what you need to do to ensure you can actually see the fire.
Smoking on board – An alternative to smelly smoke
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
I published my guide Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat. When this newsletter was published it was only available as a Kindle edition. Now it’s available in both Kindle and PDF format and is bundled with Narrowbudget, the site’s bespoke narrowboat budgeting application.
VAT on narrowboat sales
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
An unscheduled dip in the marina prompted me to write about safety on the waterways
Living on a narrowboat – Through the eyes of a young lady who would clearly prefer to be somewhere else
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
Low cost narrowboat ownership – A low cost solution to the problem of funding your first narrowboat
Solar power – All you need to know about installing solar panels on your boat. Written by the inland waterways most popular solar system installer
Case Study – Mr. Solar Panel Tim Davis writes about life on board his own narrowboat
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
Narrowboat electrics part 2 – The concluding article from Tim Davis
I asked newsletter subscribers to send me detailed breakdowns of their bricks and mortar expenses so I could compare them with the cost of running a narrowboat. Quite a few subscribers obliged. I added the breakdowns to my narrowboat costs guide and the budgeting application.
Case Studies – I put together 21 of the best case studies and analysed and summarised the data in this low cost guide. If you want ton save yourself hundreds of hours of research and costly mistakes, you need to read this guide.
Case Study – Mike’s circumstances are similar to my own. He moved onto his boat after a failed marriage. He’s upgraded from a 27′ GRP cruiser to a 50′ narrowboat
The real cost of going cheap. An in depth look at the cost of my 36 year old boat, and how much I spent (and still need to spend) before it will be a comfortable full time cruising boat.
Stove fuel test – What works best; coal, wood, briquettes or something else entirely – Here’s my own take on a Waterways World test
Essential stove maintenance – Here’s what you need to do to make sure that your stove always performs well.
Internet connectivity – I use the internet four or more hours every day. This is the setup I have on my boat to make sure that I’m always connected.
Detailed running costs for my own boat for January 2013
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
Where can you find residential moorings? Here’s a great place to start
Getting rid of unwelcome visitors – Geese used to regularly disturb a peaceful night’s sleep where I moor. Not any more. Here’s my solution
Know your narrowboat costs – Detailed costs for my own boat for February 2013
Half a dozen boaters now have access to their own blog section on the site. You can too. Here’s how.
Here’s an example of what happens when you really don’t understand how your narrowboat works.
Essential boating equipment – Here’s a low cost item which has paid for itself over and over again.
Whilton marina boat sales – Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be. This alleged fact about the boat sales at Whilton has come to me from several different sources.
Case study – Sarah lives on wide beam Antioch on the Leeds Liverpool canal. She can do man things with her hands. Here’s her story.
Be inspired – There are always reasons why you don’t make the move from bricks and mortar to steel and water. Here’s an anecdote which demonstrates once and for all that there really aren’t any worthwhile excuses.
Narrowboat security – A spate of burglaries from boats and a break in at my former family home encouraged me to write this article
Case study – You need to committed to sell your home to fund the purchase of your narrowboat. That’s what Mick and Marlene have done.
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
The Trust target illegal moorers but just what does the Trust consider to an illegal mooring?
Identity theft – The ongoing saga of my hacked laptop
RCR engine servicing – River Canal Rescue (RCR) are well known as the waterways equivelent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
Narrowboat blogs – My own first cruise, Our Nige takes his new home on its maiden voyage and a chance for you to have your very own blog section on this site.
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
An encounter with a wide beam boat and why they aren’t suitable for much of the canal network
An interview with the Trust’s head of boating. Sally Ash talks about the Trust’s approach to the thorny issue of residential moorings
My comments about an encounter on the Oxford/GU section between Napton and Braunston sparked a debate about the pros and cons of wide beams on the cut.
Keeping dry – You don’t really need to limit your cruising to sunny summer days. There’s something very special about standing on the back deck in the pouring ran protected by a set of bomb proof waterproofs.
Do you really need a car? Living on a narrowboat is all about enjoying a simple and stress free life. Sally and I had a car each. Mine cost £2,000 to run in the previous 12 months so I decided to get rid of mine to see if I could manage without one.
Laptop hacking – An update on the problems I encountered after buying a brand new laptop which I suspect was tampered with before I bought it.
Diary of a new narrowboat owner – Frequent forum poster “Our Nige” finally moved on to his new floating home. Here’s his story
An encounter with two poorly prepared holiday boaters and my own impending two week cruise encouraged me to put together a pre cruise check list
I was on holiday for the first two weeks of June. Sally and I cruised from Calcutt to Braunston, north along the north Oxford where we joined the Coventry canal briefly before taking a very sharp right turn onto the Ashby canal. Here’s a daily report of the first week of our holiday.
The Ashby canal cruise part two – We spent a bit more time on the Ashby before heading south again, joining the Coventry canal, this time following it into Coventry’s rather depressing and disappointing city centre, then retracing our steps back to Calcutt
Most popular narrowboat names – Here’s the definitive list of the top 200 most popular narrowboat names and a resource you can use to find out if any other boat has the same name as yours
Considerate boating – An article prompted after a near head on collision with another boat trying to avoid a fallen oak.
23rd June 2013 – The cost of a two week cruise. If you live on your own boat, what’s the real cost of taking it away for a two week break?
Case Study – Mary Anne swapped dry land home rental for floating home ownership. Now she loves life afloat and works from home.
Life as a continuous cruiser – The Holy Grail of narrowboat ownership. The ability to travel where and when you like. Peter Early tells all.
Keeping your stove glass clean – Maybe you think it’s an odd subject for the summer but you can’t trust the English weather. Late June and the stove was still on now and again. At least now I have a crystal clear view of the fire I shouldn’t need to light.
Traffic chaos caused by Braunston’s historic boat rally – On a day with high winds and a canal full of working boats returning home after the rally, I had the pleasure of taking some very nervous hirers out on the cut.
Anticipating winter weather – You may well be enjoying unusually warm winter weather but the winter will be with us all too soon. Now is the time that you need to plan for the cold weather ahead.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
Hire boat expectations – Fully understanding what facilities will be available to you is essential if you’re going to enjoy a narrowboat holiday. Here’s what not to do.
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
The perfect narrowboat washing machine? – It’s low cost and doesn’t need plumbing in, but does it actually clean clothes?
The cost of a continuous cruising lifestyle – How much does living the life of a water gypsy really cost?
A free download – Living On A Narrowboat: 101 Essential Narrowboat Articles
Narrowboat tips – Handy hints from experienced narrowboat owners
The cost of a continuous cruising lifestyle – How one liveaboard boater manages on a shoestring
CART Guide Approval – The waterways’ governing body is now promoting the information packages available from this site. Yippee!
Narrowboat Insurance – A summary of insurance quotes from the major narrowboat insurers
Liveaboard Case Study – Keith and Nicky downsized their property in Jersey, used the released capital to buy their 57? “go anywhere” narrowboat and now live on their boat full time while they continuously cruise the canal network. They’re ridiculously young to retire, and I’m very, very jealous
Downsizing from a 3 bed semi to a narrowboat – What do you do with a lifetime’s accumulated possessions?
Effective fly killers for boats
The downside to living on a narrowboat
Liveaboard Case Study – American Richard Varnes has taken a year out from work to cruise the canal network and write about his adventure. Here’s his case study and a few stories from his journey so far.
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
Comprehensive Site Article Listing
There are dozens of helpful and interesting articles on the site, but have you found them all? I thought you might appreciate a list of the more popular articles that you can glance through and click on the ones that take your fancy. Here it is.
Popular Forum Posts
There’s a wealth of information on the site in general, but if you’re struggling to find the answer to a particular issue, the forum is the place to find it. I’ve listed some of the more popular posts below but if you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask your question on the forum. If you don’t know how to create a post, or if you can’t log in, please let me know. I’ll be more than happy to get you up and running.
- Survey Costs – How much should you pay to have your boat removed from the water for a survey?
- Battery monitors – Gimmick or essential boating equipment?
- Engine size and performance – Most engines are suitable for pottering about on the canal but what size engine do you need if you plan to cruise on rivers?
- A Big Inverter Or A Suitcase Generator – What are the pros and cons of either option?
- Who Owns Your Boat? – How do you find out if there’s still finance attached to your boat when you buy it.
- Boat Shares – A low cost alternative to outright narrowboat ownership. Advice from a current share owner
- Plumbing In A Back Boiler – Advice Offered
- Inverter Installation – What do you need and can you fit one yourself?
- Getting Rid Of Space Wasting CD’s & DVD’s – The solution is to digitise your collection. Here’s how to do it.
- Depreciation – How much does a new narrowboat lose in value as the years go by?
- The Cost Of Continuous Cruising – How much does the nomadic lifestyle really cost?
- 12v Narrowboat Washing Machines – Is there any such animal?
- “Chiggers” – It’s a mite you can pick up from the ever growing population of Canada Geese. Beware!
- Post & Postal Addresses For Continuous Cruisers – You need an address in order to receive post and open bank accounts, register for doctors and hospitals etc. How do continuous cruisers with no fixed abode manage it.
- Keeping Cool On A Narrowboat – How to keep people and pets cool in the summer
- It’s Official: There’s No Need To Pay Mooring Fees – Or so this Daily Mail article claims. You may disagree. I do.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.
2013 09 01 Newsletter – A Solution To A Leaky Engine Room
Living on a Narrowboat News 1st September 2013
I think I have a problem. I’ve been burying my head in the sand but it’s not going to go away.
I have a leak. I don’t know where the water’s coming from, but it ends up in the engine room and there’s plenty of it. When we took the boat out for two weeks at the beginning of July the leak appeared to be worse than it was when we were on the mooring full time. Because it was worse, I was sure that the water was coming either from the canal along the drive shaft, or from the raw water inlet. James is slightly unusual in that the boat has an engine which is cooled by water drawn in from the canal, pumped around the engine and expelled from the exhaust. I now don’t think the leak is in the engine room at all.
Sally has been nagging me to get the leak sorted out for a while now. I’ve been resisting fixing it because (a) anything technical is usually beyond me and (b) I think we might actually have a serious, costly and very disruptive problem.
Anyway, today I decided to take the bull by the horns and try to find out how big a problem we have. We took James from the marina to Calcutt wharf which involved going up through Calcutt Bottom and Middle locks. I wanted to use the wet vacuum cleaner we use for removing water and much from the engine room and scuppers when we prepare hire boats ready for new guests.
The wet vac isn’t a normal vacuum cleaner. It’s called the Big Brute and has a holding tank the size of a wheelie bin. It’s fantastic for removing large volumes of oily water from engine bays.
In addition to removing the excess water from the engine room, I also needed to remove some ballast. The bottom of the engine room is layered with different sized iron ballast bars, most the size of a gold ingot and weighing about ten pounds. There were probably about seventy of them, most of which I no longer need.
When I had the cabin over plated I added about two tonnes to the weight of the boat. The additional weight pushed the hull about two inches deeper into the water and pushed the holes where the water drains from the bathroom sink and shower out into the canal down to the water line.
I took about fifty bars out which took me just under three hours. The ballast bars were heavy, difficult to get at, and glued to the steel by an oily sludge.
Once the bars were out I was able to vacuum the sludge and water until the floor was dry. Now all I have to do is keep checking to see where the water’s coming from. As I said earlier, I don’t think the leak is in the engine room at all. I think the water is coming from the front of the boat.
There’s a hole about an inch off the floor in the engine room which allows water under the floor in the rest of the boat to drain into the engine room where it is accessible and can be removed. I suspect and Russ, one of our fitters, agrees that the water may be coming from a leak around the water tank under the front deck and flowing down the length of the boat into the engine room.
If the leak is coming from around the tank, sealing it could be very expensive. James’ water storage is odd. There’s a galvanised tank linked to two plastic tanks under the front deck. In front of them preventing access to the tanks is a maze of copper pipes, the water pump and accumulator. All of these would need removing to allow access to the tanks in order to establish where the problem is. If the galvanised tank itself is leaking, or if the leak is at the back of the tank closest to the bow, it will have to be removed in order to carry out the repair.
Removing a water tank is often very disruptive. It goes into the boat before the internal carpentry is done. A lot of internal carpentry has been done inside James next to the water tank. There are substantial and very useful book cases and cupboards either side of the front door. They would all need to come out if the tank had to be removed. Removing the woodwork wouldn’t be a problem, but removing it carefully so that it could be put back in the same condition afterwards would take time and, because Calcutt Boats would be doing the work, plenty of money.
In order to establish whether the leak is coming from the front of the boat or from the engine room, I’ve temporarily sealed the hole between the engine room and the rest of the boat. If the engine room fills with water now I’ll know there’s a leak in there somewhere. If, when I remove the seal, I don’t get a rush of water through the hole, I’ll know that my bulkhead book cases and cupboards are safe. A couple of days should suffice. I’ll let you know the result.
Update
Two days ago I sealed the hole which allows water to flow under the floor of the main cabin into the engine room. Over the following forty eight hours I watched the water level rise in the engine room until it was about an inch deep proving that there is certainly a leak somewhere in the engine room. This didn’t mean that there wasn’t also a leak somewhere at the front of the boat. The only way to establish that the front of the boat was dry was to remove the seal between the main cabin and the engine room. My heart was in my mouth as I grabbed the plastic plug I had used to seal the hole. If I pulled it out and a torrent of water followed it, I would know that I was facing some very expensive repair/replacement work to the water tanks.
I gave the plastic plug a yank and… Not a drop of water came out. Yippee!
Over the last two days I’ve had visions of the beautiful book cases and cupboards inside the forward bulkheads having to be ripped out to get at the water tanks. Of course, in addition to the expense, I would have the knowledge that, not matter how good the carpenter, the shelves and cupboards wouldn’t look quite as good when they were refitted.
Anyway, after pulling the plug I knew that the front of the boat was OK. All I needed to do was resolve the issues in the engine room or, to be entirely accurate, ask Russ my guardian boat-fitting angel to come up with a solution for me. But first I had to pinpoint the leak.
I vacuumed the water out of the engine bay again and then, torch in hand, watched for any drips or puddles forming. The leak was a steady drip from the stern gland, a leak which was impossible to see when the ballast bars were packed around it. There are three possible causes for the leak;
- The stern gland packing needs replacing. Mine was done not so long ago but there’s a suggestion that more packing should have been used. Here’s a great diagram and explanation. I’m going to have the packing replaced again.
- The greaser hasn’t been turned down enough at the end of a cruise
- The stern gland packing has solidified and abraded the drive shaft enough to allow water in.
Russ’s solution, in retrospect, was simple. He’s fitted a catch tray underneath the leak. Inside the catch tray he’s fitted a bilge pump attached to a float switch. Bingo! No more water in the engine room. Any water finding its way along the drive shaft from the canal is now collected in the catch tray. The rising water level in the catch tray activates the float switch which turns the bilge pump on.
In the fullness of time I’ll have the stern gland re-packed but there’s no rush. The floor in the engine room is now bone dry, and what a difference it’s made.
When I moved onto James the rear cabin was very damp indeed. In fact, the cabin floor was covered by an inch of water. The water had come through a leak in the roof and had also overflowed from the engine room into the bedroom.
I fixed the roof leak by having the whole cabin over plated and pumped out the engine room. Until this week there has always been water in the bilge though. I’ve been used to seeing water in bilges on many of the boats in the marina so I accepted it as a normal part of boating. I also accepted the damp bedroom caused by the excess engine room water.
Over the last week since the water ingress problem has been resolved, we’ve enjoyed significant decrease in dampness at the back end of the boat. It’s marvelous and I’m going to make sure that the boat stays dry.
Bone dry is the new benchmark and nothing less is acceptable.
Swimming Lessons
Talking of excess water, I’ve had more than my fair share of it in the last week.
Before our holiday hirers are allowed out in one of our boats on their own, they are given an instruction lasting about an hour and a half. The instruction covers how everything works inside the boat, how and where to fill up with water, a lock instruction in one of the locks either side of the wharf, some basic engine maintenance and everything they need to know about the weed hatch.
For the none boaters, let me tell you about the weed hatch.
Our canals are often very shallow. A narrowboat’s draft, the height of the section of the boat which sits under the water, is usually between 2’0″ and 2’6″. Even though there isn’t much of a narrowboat under the water, the canals are so shallow that the bottom of the boat is often in contact with the bottom of the canal. Consequently, the debris on the bottom of the canal, disturbed by the boat as it passes, often comes into contact with the rapidly spinning propeller.
Because the propeller is spinning, the debris is wound around the propeller either causing the engine to overheat or the boat to lose power.
If you’re lucky, you can put the boat into reverse while the engine is still in gear and throw the obstacle off. If you’re not quite so lucky you have to moor your boat, stop the engine and dive down the weed hatch. The weed hatch is usually either a square or rectangular plate in the engine bay secured tight against the steel on the bottom of the boat by a locking bar.
Removing the locking bar and the weed hatch cover gives you access to the water directly above the propeller. By carefully reaching about a foot under the water you can feel, but not see, the propeller and anything that’s fouling it. If you’re lucky the propeller will only be fouled by plastic bags, bits of old rope or items of clothing which have found their way into the canal. If you aren’t so lucky, the obstruction can be lengths of barbed wire, matresses, car tyres, bicycles, shopping trollies and one particularly unpleasant fouling I heard about, a fox carcass!
We had a call last Monday from a party of three ladies who had hired one of the Royal Navy narrowboats we look after. They had committed the cardinal sin of leaving their stern mooring rope on the counter – the horizontal surface at the very back of the boat – as they traveled. As often happens when a rope is left there, the rope had vibrated off the counter and into the water as they traveled and fallen in to the propeller.
The ladies did everything right. They tried to remove the rope by reversing the boat while it was in gear. When that didn’t work, they moored the boat, switched the engine off and opened the weed hatch. With the aid of a sharp knife and much unladylike language they managed to remove the section of rope from the propeller. But there was still a section held fast under the boat. They couldn’t get it off so they called us.
I don’t normally go out on call outs to hire boats because I know very little about the normal engine problems which need resolving. As the solution to this particular problem just involved brute force and ignorance, I was allowed to go.
The problem was obvious, so was the solution. The rope was twisted around the rudder’s bottom bracket which wasn’t accessible from the inside of the boat. No amount of tugging, twisting or pulling would release it. There were only two ways of getting it off. Either (A) take the boat out of the water so that the rope could be removed or (B) get into the water to remove the rope.
Taking the boat out of the water wasn’t practical so the simplest solution was for someone to jump into the canal and cut the rope off. As the lady crew mysteriously disappeared shortly after I suggested the solution, a summer’s day paddle along the canal’s muddy bottom was down to me.
I stripped down to my boxers and jumped in. At this stage the crew appeared out of thin air to offer encouragement. They were amazed to see that the water only came up to my chest. I pointed out to them that this was actually one of the deeper sections of the canal as there was at least two feet of clear water under the boat.
Removing the rope took less than a minute. Showering on their boat to remove the muddy sludge from my legs and any germs I might have picked up from the dirty canal water took another quarter of an hour.
Although I don’t particularly enjoy wading along the canal’s slippery bottom, I love the fact that I don’t ever know what the day holds in store for me when I start work at 8am.
I really do enjoy my work!
New Liveaboard Case Studies
Julie and Jim love life afloat so much they’ve brought a little person into the world to share the adventure with them. Although they both work they constantly cruise the network, never staying longer than two weeks in the same spot. You can read about their life afloat here.
Alan had a choice to make. He could either do nothing but feel sorry for himself when his wife sadly passed away, or he could seize life with both hands and move ahead with his plans to buy a liveaboard narrowboat. A year later he’s continuously cruising the inland waterways network with his rescue border collie.
Alan has been a frequent forum poster since before he bought his boat. Click here to find out about the man behind the posts.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over three years ago to provide a source of information for anyone interested in narrowboats and the possibility of living on one full time. The site has grown to encompass a comprehensive listing of inland marinas in England and Wales, dozens of articles, a forum and regular newsletters. I’ve already created (below) indexes of the site articles and the more popular forum posts. I thought it was about time I created an easy to use index of the newsletter content. Here’s the index so far. I’ve managed to reach the end of 2012. I’ll add the rest next week.
11th January 2011 – 1st Newsletter
Dealing with the coldest winter on record
Digital reading – A detailed review of the Kindle, the perfect solution for book loving boat owners
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
The first four narrowboat case studies published
I’ll start with myself; Paul Smith, living on my own, moored in a marina and working full time. Narrowboat James case study
Meet Peggy. She has a husband and two small children, works full time and cruises the network during the summer months. Narrowboat Violet Mae case study
Fancy spending your retirement cruising the waterways of England and Wales? Meet Barry and Sue Horne. They’re living the dream! Narrowboat Adagio Case Study
Here are another working couple. Lina and Warren cruise the cut with their two cats.Narrowboat Olive Rose case study.
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
Reviewed: The Liveaboard Guide by Tony Jones. A great guide to living afloat
eBay Narrowboat scam (and a little bit of flack for me from another forum)
Case Study: Author Toby Jones on his own liveaboard narrowboat
A review of Debdale Wharf marina
The downside of living on a narrowboat – This was a very controversial post. Liveaboard Pauline Roberts wrote about the less pleasant aspects of life afloat… and attracted a storm of comments
Case study: The Woodsman – Pauline Roberts again giving an insight into the life that you may think she doesn’t like.
As a result of the article about the downside of living on a narrowboat published in the 18th March newsletter, I asked liveaboard narrowboat owners to complete a survey to give a balanced view of the issues raised by Pauline. Here are the survey results and a much more positive article by liveaboard narrowboat owner and frequent forum contributer Peter Early.
Life on the river Cam – A guest article on the pleasures of river life by wide beam liveaboard Luther Phillips
Case Study – Freelance writer Anne and her South African farmer partner John reveal all
Case Study – Toni cruises constantly with ex husband Allan. They cruise together but they live apart… on separate boats
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
DIY narrowboat painting – I’ve broken down the complete cost of painting your own boat and
Dealing with wind on the river – A guest article from liveaboard narrowboat owner Alan Cazaly
How to clean your stove glass – One of the real pleasures of a living fire is watching the flames on a cold winter’s eve. Here’s what you need to do to ensure you can actually see the fire.
Smoking on board – An alternative to smelly smoke
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
I published my guide Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat. When this newsletter was published it was only available as a Kindle edition. Now it’s available in both Kindle and PDF format and is bundled with Narrowbudget, the site’s bespoke narrowboat budgeting application.
VAT on narrowboat sales
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
An unscheduled dip in the marina prompted me to write about safety on the waterways
Living on a narrowboat – Through the eyes of a young lady who would clearly prefer to be somewhere else
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
Low cost narrowboat ownership – A low cost solution to the problem of funding your first narrowboat
Solar power – All you need to know about installing solar panels on your boat. Written by the inland waterways most popular solar system installer
Case Study – Mr. Solar Panel Tim Davis writes about life on board his own narrowboat
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
Narrowboat electrics part 2 – The concluding article from Tim Davis
I asked newsletter subscribers to send me detailed breakdowns of their bricks and mortar expenses so I could compare them with the cost of running a narrowboat. Quite a few subscribers obliged. I added the breakdowns to my narrowboat costs guide and the budgeting application.
Case Studies – I put together 21 of the best case studies and analysed and summarised the data in this low cost guide. If you want ton save yourself hundreds of hours of research and costly mistakes, you need to read this guide.
Case Study – Mike’s circumstances are similar to my own. He moved onto his boat after a failed marriage. He’s upgraded from a 27′ GRP cruiser to a 50′ narrowboat
The real cost of going cheap. An in depth look at the cost of my 36 year old boat, and how much I spent (and still need to spend) before it will be a comfortable full time cruising boat.
Stove fuel test – What works best; coal, wood, briquettes or something else entirely – Here’s my own take on a Waterways World test
Essential stove maintenance – Here’s what you need to do to make sure that your stove always performs well.
Internet connectivity – I use the internet four or more hours every day. This is the setup I have on my boat to make sure that I’m always connected.
Detailed running costs for my own boat for January 2013
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
Where can you find residential moorings? Here’s a great place to start
Getting rid of unwelcome visitors – Geese used to regularly disturb a peaceful night’s sleep where I moor. Not any more. Here’s my solution
Know your narrowboat costs – Detailed costs for my own boat for February 2013
Half a dozen boaters now have access to their own blog section on the site. You can too. Here’s how.
Here’s an example of what happens when you really don’t understand how your narrowboat works.
Essential boating equipment – Here’s a low cost item which has paid for itself over and over again.
Whilton marina boat sales – Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be. This alleged fact about the boat sales at Whilton has come to me from several different sources.
Case study – Sarah lives on wide beam Antioch on the Leeds Liverpool canal. She can do man things with her hands. Here’s her story.
Be inspired – There are always reasons why you don’t make the move from bricks and mortar to steel and water. Here’s an anecdote which demonstrates once and for all that there really aren’t any worthwhile excuses.
Narrowboat security – A spate of burglaries from boats and a break in at my former family home encouraged me to write this article
Case study – You need to committed to sell your home to fund the purchase of your narrowboat. That’s what Mick and Marlene have done.
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
The Trust target illegal moorers but just what does the Trust consider to an illegal mooring?
Identity theft – The ongoing saga of my hacked laptop
RCR engine servicing – River Canal Rescue (RCR) are well known as the waterways equivelent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
Narrowboat blogs – My own first cruise, Our Nige takes his new home on its maiden voyage and a chance for you to have your very own blog section on this site.
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
An encounter with a wide beam boat and why they aren’t suitable for much of the canal network
An interview with the Trust’s head of boating. Sally Ash talks about the Trust’s approach to the thorny issue of residential moorings
My comments about an encounter on the Oxford/GU section between Napton and Braunston sparked a debate about the pros and cons of wide beams on the cut.
Keeping dry – You don’t really need to limit your cruising to sunny summer days. There’s something very special about standing on the back deck in the pouring ran protected by a set of bomb proof waterproofs.
Do you really need a car? Living on a narrowboat is all about enjoying a simple and stress free life. Sally and I had a car each. Mine cost £2,000 to run in the previous 12 months so I decided to get rid of mine to see if I could manage without one.
Laptop hacking – An update on the problems I encountered after buying a brand new laptop which I suspect was tampered with before I bought it.
Diary of a new narrowboat owner – Frequent forum poster “Our Nige” finally moved on to his new floating home. Here’s his story
An encounter with two poorly prepared holiday boaters and my own impending two week cruise encouraged me to put together a pre cruise check list
I was on holiday for the first two weeks of June. Sally and I cruised from Calcutt to Braunston, north along the north Oxford where we joined the Coventry canal briefly before taking a very sharp right turn onto the Ashby canal. Here’s a daily report of the first week of our holiday.
The Ashby canal cruise part two – We spent a bit more time on the Ashby before heading south again, joining the Coventry canal, this time following it into Coventry’s rather depressing and disappointing city centre, then retracing our steps back to Calcutt
Most popular narrowboat names – Here’s the definitive list of the top 200 most popular narrowboat names and a resource you can use to find out if any other boat has the same name as yours
Considerate boating – An article prompted after a near head on collision with another boat trying to avoid a fallen oak.
23rd June 2013 – The cost of a two week cruise. If you live on your own boat, what’s the real cost of taking it away for a two week break?
Case Study – Mary Anne swapped dry land home rental for floating home ownership. Now she loves life afloat and works from home.
Life as a continuous cruiser – The Holy Grail of narrowboat ownership. The ability to travel where and when you like. Peter Early tells all.
Keeping your stove glass clean – Maybe you think it’s an odd subject for the summer but you can’t trust the English weather. Late June and the stove was still on now and again. At least now I have a crystal clear view of the fire I shouldn’t need to light.
Traffic chaos caused by Braunston’s historic boat rally – On a day with high winds and a canal full of working boats returning home after the rally, I had the pleasure of taking some very nervous hirers out on the cut.
Anticipating winter weather – You may well be enjoying unusually warm winter weather but the winter will be with us all too soon. Now is the time that you need to plan for the cold weather ahead.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
Hire boat expectations – Fully understanding what facilities will be available to you is essential if you’re going to enjoy a narrowboat holiday. Here’s what not to do.
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
The perfect narrowboat washing machine? – It’s low cost and doesn’t need plumbing in, but does it actually clean clothes?
The cost of a continuous cruising lifestyle – How much does living the life of a water gypsy really cost?
A free download – Living On A Narrowboat: 101 Essential Narrowboat Articles
Narrowboat tips – Handy hints from experienced narrowboat owners
The cost of a continuous cruising lifestyle – How one liveaboard boater manages on a shoestring
CART Guide Approval – The waterways’ governing body is now promoting the information packages available from this site. Yippee!
Narrowboat Insurance – A summary of insurance quotes from the major narrowboat insurers
Liveaboard Case Study – Keith and Nicky downsized their property in Jersey, used the released capital to buy their 57? “go anywhere” narrowboat and now live on their boat full time while they continuously cruise the canal network. They’re ridiculously young to retire, and I’m very, very jealous
Downsizing from a 3 bed semi to a narrowboat – What do you do with a lifetime’s accumulated possessions?
Effective fly killers for boats
The downside to living on a narrowboat
Liveaboard Case Study – American Richard Varnes has taken a year out from work to cruise the canal network and write about his adventure. Here’s his case study and a few stories from his journey so far.
Comprehensive Site Article Listing
There are dozens of helpful and interesting articles on the site, but have you found them all? I thought you might appreciate a list of the more popular articles that you can glance through and click on the ones that take your fancy. Here it is.
Popular Forum Posts
There’s a wealth of information on the site in general, but if you’re struggling to find the answer to a particular issue, the forum is the place to find it. I’ve listed some of the more popular posts below but if you can’t find what you’re looking for, ask your question on the forum. If you don’t know how to create a post, or if you can’t log in, please let me know. I’ll be more than happy to get you up and running.
- A Big Inverter Or A Suitcase Generator – What are the pros and cons of either option?
- Who Owns Your Boat? – How do you find out if there’s still finance attached to your boat when you buy it.
- Boat Shares – A low cost alternative to outright narrowboat ownership. Advice from a current share owner
- Plumbing In A Back Boiler – Advice Offered
- Inverter Installation – What do you need and can you fit one yourself?
- Getting Rid Of Space Wasting CD’s & DVD’s – The solution is to digitise your collection. Here’s how to do it.
- Depreciation – How much does a new narrowboat lose in value as the years go by?
- The Cost Of Continuous Cruising – How much does the nomadic lifestyle really cost?
- 12v Narrowboat Washing Machines – Is there any such animal?
- “Chiggers” – It’s a mite you can pick up from the ever growing population of Canada Geese. Beware!
- Post & Postal Addresses For Continuous Cruisers – You need an address in order to receive post and open bank accounts, register for doctors and hospitals etc. How do continuous cruisers with no fixed abode manage it.
- Keeping Cool On A Narrowboat – How to keep people and pets cool in the summer
- It’s Official: There’s No Need To Pay Mooring Fees – Or so this Daily Mail article claims. You may disagree. I do.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.