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2014 08 31 Newsletter – Route Finding For Narrowboat Owners
What a difference a day makes. Last Sunday I took two single soon-to-be narrowboat owners out for a gentle cruise across a marina as flat as polished glass, up through the the three locks of the Calcutt Flight and along an M25-busy canal kissed by mid summer sun. There was so much traffic on the canal because it was the busiest weekend of the year on one of the most popular sections of the canal network.
We saw literally hundreds of boats on our eight hour cruise including one dilapidated project boat moored, if the term moored can be used for the practice of loosely tying a boat with a couple of pieces of frayed garden twine somewhere in the region of the towpath, right next to a bridge and right on a blind bend. A Trust official has slapped a notice on the boat but the plastic covered note had been there so long that it was in a similar condition to the boat it was stuck to.
We managed the tricky manouver past the floating wreck without ploughing head on into an oncoming boat. The inexperienced crew on the hire boat behind us weren’t so lucky. Still, once they had extracted their bow and two of their crew from the offside hawthorn they managed to squeeze past the badly moored wreck and continue with no harm done.
After stopping for lunch on the towpath near Flecknoe, we turned round at Braunston and headed back to the marina. Both the cruise and the weather were thoroughly enjoyable.
Bank Holiday Monday was totally different. The day was a holiday for most people but a normal working day for me, and what a miserable one it was too. I walked to work in the morning in rain, I spent all day sitting on my little Husqvarna mower in continuous rain, and I came home in rain. It was a very wet and chilly day.
On Sunday I wore a polo shirt and shorts for our cruise. On Monday I started off wearing my usual work lumberjack padded shirt and shorts but after a few minutes I put on my Calcutt Boats “waterproof” coat which is about as waterproof as a sponge. After the coat had collected about a gallon of rainwater, I drove back to the boat and swapped it for my Guy Cotten deep sea fishermen’s waterproof bib and braces trousers and jacket, fur lined rigger boots, a fleece hat and my Sealskinz Ultra Grip Weatherproof Gloves
The weather improved slightly as the week progressed but the improvement was a double edged sword. Better weather meant that I could drive out truck onto the grass bank around Meadows marina and carry on collecting the reeds Pat had cut. On Friday when I collected my 40th load the novelty of working next to the six acre lake was wearing a bit thin. Oh, the joys of being a groundsman!
A Lock Disaster Averted
Ian Roberts has been living on his narrowboat since April this year. I met him when he came to visit Calcutt Boats to look at one or two narrowboats he thought would suit him. They didn’t tick all his boxes so he ended up buying elsewhere. He’s kindly kept me updated on his progress since spring. I though that his latest anecdote would be of interest to you if you are a potential solo boater. Here’s his story.
“My only potential serious issue was traversing Whilton locks in July. I happened to pick up with a fellow single handed boatman obviously more experienced than me and so shared the locks on our way south. I choose to pull Alchemy in and out mostly by hand using the centre rope. My fellow traveller stayed aboard his smaller 45 footer.
The Buckby top lock gate is very leaky at the centre with a good water fall appearing as the lock level fell. Both boats were forward against the downhill gate. As I opened the gate I had left the center rope and as my compatriot accelerated out, alchemy started to move rapidly rearward and suddenly I noticed the waterfall approaching the stern so I quickly slid then fell down the lock ladder between the slimy wall and Alchemy’s cabin side, frantically rushing along the gunnels and onto the stern, the cockpit I like to call it, just as the waterfall swept across the deck toward the open cabin doors.
In controlled panic I slammed throttle into forward and closed the doors at the same time, just managing to keep the flood from entering. Then to make matter worse, my front starboard fender snagged the lock gate and snapped the brass bracket holding onto the cabin side. I just managed to retrieve the fender. My traveling companion was completely unaware of my predicament and proceeded on to set the next lock leaving me to stop Alchemy and reset the top lock. My shirt and jeans covered in slime. We progressed down the flight and worked well together until finally we said goodbye and he proceeded on his way south.
I tied up at Whilton marina, got changed and went into the chandlery to pay £5.99 for a new fender bracket and a spare just in case. Later on my journey I stopped to fit the bracket on the towpath, trying carefully not to slip off the gunnel or to drop precious screws or bracket into the cut, only to find the holes in the new bracket didn’t match the old screw holes. Ggrrrrhhhhh!!!!.
I decided to work on it on the return journey a few days later when it was on the towpath side, and spent time with drill and rat tail file opening up the new holes and varnishing the bracket to prevent tarnishing. Learning the hard way is sometimes the only way. Close the cabin doors and take up fenders before locking!”
Discovery Day
Last weekend was a real treat for me. I had the pleasure of taking four very different people out on James for a day of discovery and training. On Friday I took a brace of Andys onto the South Oxford and up the Napton flight. There’s a wonderful view from the top of the flight including the famous 200 strong herd of water buffalo.
I was asked, not for the first time, whether there were many single lady boaters on the cut. I told either Andy or Andy, I can’t remember which one posed the question but I think they were both interested, that there were quite a few about. Within minutes we passed a steady procession of lovely ladies including a trio of Bohemians taking a recently purchased vintage engined seventy footer down on to the Thames. I made the mistake of mentioning to one of them how sweet the engine sounded. She then launched enthusiastically into the pros and cons of two cylinder engines. I feel inadequate enough talking to a scruffy bloke about engines but having a pretty woman in a rather fetching billowing dress quoting chapter and verse didn’t do my self esteem any good at all!
The icing on the day’s cake was when Keith and Nicky Renouard off NB Badger Sett casually tossed a bag of six freshly baked scones at us as we sat on the towpath having lunch. It was an act of kindness often seen on the cut but one which is all too rare in “normal” society.
I ask for feedback from all discovery day participants. Here’s what Andy (Max) Wall had to say about his day out, the scones and my apparently inadequate narrowboat horn…
“Firstly, Thank you for a fantastic day and every time someone says “mind my chimney” I will think of the Discovery Day (although I can’t think of many situations in life where that phrase will be used!!)
Secondly, can you pass my thanks to the lady who gave us the scones. That was such a kind gesture and sums up the lifestyle afloat. Such simple acts of kindness don’t happen anymore on the “High Street”, much the shame, which is why I (and probably the vast majority of likeminded folk) move to the “Cut”. (However, next time jam and cream would also be nice).
The communication, via email, was very comprehensive and the drive from “Down South” was very uneventful. The SatNav lead me straight to the gates, which unfortunately were locked closed when I arrived, before 0730. Yes this was my fault as I set of early that morning (0430) from Portsmouth (SatNav said about two and a half hours) but I set out early anticipating traffic and coffee/cigarette stops. I think this locked gate may need to be advertised for any other “early birds” as it did give me a momentary “Oh Flip” moment. Fortunately the gates opened at 0730 and the drive to the nominated car park was just as the email stated. I parked the car and was greeted by my Discovery Day partner in crime, “Andy the Fireman”, we were instantly recognisable as boating novices by our mutual look of fear and anticipation on our faces!!
Quick introductions made, we then started to look for NB JAMES. The description I decided to look for was the wooden mast as I thought this would be an easy indicator as the marina was quite full of vessels. Off we walked, my new friend for the day and I. Once around the marina and no wooden mast! So off we went to high ground (the bridge at the bottom of the marina) to see if we could spot JAMES from our new high vantage point. That’s when I saw a lone figure walking at the far end of the marina. The man of the day? It had to be Paul?? So off we walked hoping it was him, or if not he may know where JAMES was moored. It was Paul! Let the Discovery Day commence!! Paul then guided us to JAMES (Paul had dropped the mast as he was not using the Marina Wi-Fi) Doh!!
A warm welcome (from the dogs) and a “posh coffee” (from Paul). A good start in my books! A guided tour of JAMES and a discussion as to why things were done with regard to the layout of the boat. It was obvious that Paul has done his homework and this is the main reason to attend the Discovery Day. Once things were explained, it is quite obvious for doing the things as Paul suggests. JAMES’ layout is very functional and Paul has optomised the space well, but it still felt homely. A quick chat about what we wanted to gain from the day then a quick walk to the Marina to “book in” and then we were off. Both Andy and I were interested the single handed boating, so we both were after the same things (which made the day flow well).
Initiation by fire as I was interested in reversing the boat and “winding”, so under Paul’s instructions I took the helm and reversed out of the mooring! Paul’s explanations were easy to follow and he seemed so calm as he handed over his home to a total stranger. He’s a braver man than me, as I wont even let anyone drive my car, let alone drive my home!
Andrew (Max) Wall still at the helm despite some very unfair comments about my horn’s volume!
Straight into the first Lock at the bottom of Calcutt then off down towards the Oxford canal. It was then that I let out my guilty secret that this was not my first time afloat. I’ve been in the Royal Navy for the past 30 years and I’m more at home at the Helm of a 636 foot, 26000 ton Aircraft Carrier!! One of my last jobs at sea was “Driving” HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, but handling a Narrowboat is totally different without the aid of a full crew and four very responsive gas turbine engines, twin propellers and hydraulic rudder controls!! As we approached the junction to turn right onto the Oxford, Paul sounded JAMES’ horn to alert any approaching craft and I foolishly compared it to the twin mighty deafening sirens on board HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. However, JAMES’ “Quack was more than sufficient to warn of our approach as a narrowboat was patiently waiting for us to make the turn. It just goes to prove that size isn’t everything!!!!!
The rest of the day was filled with locks, winding and beautiful scenery and a herd of water buffalo!! A stop along the way for lunch then back down the Napton Flight before arriving back at Calcutt.
The Discovery Day is just that! With Paul’s insight and knowledge you soon realise if this is the lifestyle for you. Paul tells it how it is without being self righteous. His style of instruction and guidance is spot on.
I’ve not met someone so easy to talk to in a long time. Obviously he suits this lifestyle. The day was over 10 hours long, but the time flew by as we chatted about anything and everything from what we have done in life to where we hope to be in the future, (that’s not us being together in the future!!!) topics from the sublime to the ridiculous – watch out for the narrowboat dating site!!! I felt like I was visiting an old friend rather than meeting someone for the first time. A top day out and very informative too. Well done Paul.”
Thanks for that Max. You can find out more about my discovery days here. I’ve had quite a few emails over the last week or two from people who intend to book a date “a bit closer to the time”. If you are considering coming on a discovery day, don’t wait too long before you book, Please remember that I shoe horn the discovery days in to what’s left of my free time after my full time commitments to Calcutt Boats and the work I have to do on this site. There are currently just nineteen dates remaining for next year. You can check availability by clicking on any of the yellow book now links on this page.
Planning Your Boating Trips
An extract of Pearson’s Canal Companion for the East Midlands showing the staircase locks at Watford Gap
I am an armchair traveller. I sit for hours with a table sized map of the waterways open in front of me. Waterways World give one away with their annual each year. I have four. The map has been reproduced on the IWA web site and can be downloaded here.
Because of my current work commitments I don’t do nearly as much cruising as I want. What I want to do, what I will do in no more than eighteen months’ time, is set off on a never ending cruise along the 2,200 miles of connected navigable rivers and canals in England and Wales. The Waterways World map is a wonderful aid to my daydreaming.
I can see where the canals and rivers are in relation to my current location at Calcutt Boats on the Grand Union near Napton Junction, and which routes to take to reach a desired destination. I can see the difference between rural and urban areas so I can choose between a day spent cruising through reed lined banks and under majestic ash, oak and weeping willows or trying to avoid underwater islands of shopping trollies and discarded bikes as I pass under graffiti adorned bridges.
I can clearly see the extent of the waterways and see the tiny distance I have explored so far and the considerable number of virgin waterways which await me. I often sit with Sally at our table suggesting intended routes, sights to see, countryside to explore, places to linger and spots to avoid. The map gives us a very useful overview of our intended journeys, but doesn’t offer much in the way of detail.
A very useful free tool, and one which provides masses of additional detail is the route planner on the CanalPlanAC web site. It’s always my
Nicholsons GU Leicester Section
first port of call when I’m thinking of cruising a new route. At the beginning of the year Sally and I decided to spend two weeks on a slow return cruise to Market Harborough. We knew that we had plenty of time to do the trip on our two week break because of the route finder. We entered our start and stop points and instantly discovered the following…
Totals
Total distance is 38 miles, 7 furlongs and 26 locks. There are at least 2 moveable bridges; 5 small aqueducts or underbridges and 3 tunnels (Braunston Tunnel (2042 yards long), Crick Tunnel (1528 yards long) and Husband’s Bosworth Tunnel (1166 yards long)).
This is made up of 28 miles, 5 furlongs of narrow canals; 10 miles, 2 furlongs of broad canals; 17 narrow locks; 9 broad locks.
This will take 19 hours, 33 minutes which is 2 days, 5 hours and 33 minutes at 7 hours per day. For calculation purposes this is taken as 3 days.
Overnight stopping places
This is calculated based on 3 full days travelling starting at Calcutt Marina.
On average each full day will be approximately 6 hours and 31 minutes travelling but some overnight stops have been moved to avoid unsuitable stopping places and this has affected the lengths of the days. The shortest day is 6 hours and 17 minutes and the longest is 6 hours and 45 minutes (the maximum day-length is set at 10 hours).
First day of trip
On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section – Old Grand Union), at Watford Gap M1 Bridge No 6 (to avoid stopping in a flight of locks) (half way between Watford Top Lock No 7 and Crick Tunnel (South end)). This is 12 miles, 5¾ furlongs and 16 locks and will take 6 hours 45 minutes.
Second day of trip
On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section – Old Grand Union), at Honey Pot Farm Bridge No 46 (just past Husband’s Bosworth Tunnel (Northeast end)). This is 15 miles, 3 furlongs and 0 locks and will take 6 hours 17 minutes.
Third day of trip
On the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section – Market Harborough Branch), at Market Harborough. This is 10 miles, 6¼ furlongs and 10 locks and will take 6 hours 31 minutes.
The route planner instantly gave us some very useful information. The distances are accurate and the suggested total time for the cruise is pretty close but the suggested overnight moorings need treating with suspicion. The first suggested overnight stop is next to bridge 6. What the route planner can’t tell you is that bridge six is literally a stone’s throw from the lorry park on the M1’s Watford Gap service station on one side and the West Coast Main Line and the busy A5 on the other. I don’t think there’s a noisier place to moor within fifty miles. I can use one of the widely available printed guides to show me this level of detail and more suitable places to moor.
The two most popular printed guides are Pearson’s and Nicholson’s. I have reproduced the Watford Gap section of my route from both guides above. Click on the images to show their full size. I prefer Pearson’s guides. I think they’re easier to read than Nickolson’s ordnance survey based maps but they both offer a wealth of information including water points, refuse disposal, Elsan points, showers, laundry facilities, winding holes, visitor and private moorings, mile posts, standard, swing and lift bridges, locks and their rise and fall and a wealth of other useful information including supermarkets, newsagents, post offices, butchers, pubs and pharmacies.
For the techies among you, there are a number of digital guides. Nicholson have made some of their guides available on the Kindle. Pearson’s have not. I’ve tried on Nickolson’s Kindle editions and found it quite difficult to use.
Navvygator is a free GPS mapping application which allows you to track your cruise in real time. The application is free but you will need a GPS device to make it work. The device including delivery will cost you about £50
Mike and Marion Kelly based at Braunston marina have produced two different digital applications for inland waterways boat owners. More information on both applications is here on their web site. The first was Water-Way which is Windows based and costs £130 for the Great Britain edition. I was give a copy of the application by Mike and Marion a few years ago but I renewed my laptop and haven’t been able to install it again. I’ve just had a look at their web site to refresh my memory and I have to say that the experience hasn’t been user friendly. The Water-Way demonstration requires a plugin which won’t install in my Firefox browser and the order process is far from easy. You have to email Mike and Marion via the site’s contact form to express an interest in making a purchase. That alone is enough to put me off. If it’s digital I want to download and pay for it instantly.
Their other digital application is much more user friendly. It’s e-canalmapp. The application runs on Android and Apple devices. There are eight regions costing £5.99 each. There’s a staggering amount of information available for each region but because there’s so much data you need plenty of free space on your device and a very good internet connection to download the data files. Each data file is approximately 1.5GB.
I love technology but I don’t enjoy using the digital canal guides. They’re designed to be used as you’re cruising which means having them close at hand while you stand on at the back of your boat close to water, often in pouring rain. It’s not the easiest or safest place to operate an expensive smart phone, tablet or laptop. It’s not just the rain that’s a problem. On days blessed by bright sunlight you can’t actually see the information displayed. It’s very frustrating.
Bright sunlight might not be a problem with a Kindle which allows you to read whatever’s on the screen regardless of the light, but as Pearson don’t offer their guides at all in Kindle format yet and Nicholson only have two of their guides available, I’ll be sticking with paper maps for a while yet.
The problem with paper maps of course is they don’t like getting wet. Fortunately there are some very durable waterproof map cases available. The one I’ve linked to isn’t cheap, but it’s going to stand the test of time so as far as I’m concerned it’s money well spent
One final thought on route planning; always be aware of potential restrictions on your route. The Canal & River Trust schedule as much routine maintenance work as possible during the quieter winter months but routes can also restricted at other times of the year because of emergency work. A full list of stoppages is on the Trust’s site here. Always check current stoppages before you set off on a journey.
I’m going to make a cup of coffee now and sit down to do a little more daydreaming with the network map in front of me. North, south, east or west, where will I go?
I Need Some Help!
Each time I write a newsletter, I tick another subject off the list of things which those new to boating have told me that they want to read about. The hardest part of the process isn’t the writing itself, it’s constantly thinking of new content for each issue. The trouble is, I don’t know what you want to read. I think I keep the newsletters reasonably interesting but I don’t know for sure. That’s where I need your help.
Can you let me know what you would like to read in the future? Are there any areas of narrowboat life you don’t think I’ve covered enough or areas which I’ve missed completely? Please let me know what you want to read about. Thanks for your help.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over four 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.
Long term narrowboat hire – Is hiring a boat long term a realistic alternative to buying one?
living on board in the winter, the cost of living afloat generally and where you can moor your floating home are all subjects which are misunderstood by many aspiring narrowboat owners. Here’s what you need to know.
Narrowboat heating, electrics and engine specifications – How is the perfect live aboard narrowboat configured? Here are a few suggestions
Essential boating equipment – Here’s the stuff every boater should carry on board
The pros and cons of a wide beam boat – More and more wannabe boaters are considering more spacious wide beams rather than narrowboat. There is clearly more living space on board but how practical are wide beam boats on the inland waterways?
The dreaded weed hatch – Sooner or later your engine will start to overheat, you’ll lose propulsion and you’ll know that you need to dive down your weed hatch to free an obstacle or two from the propeller. Here’s how to do it properly and a list of the tools you’ll need.
Digital aids for narrowboat owners – Digital applications and maps for inland waterways boaters
Practical experience for lone boaters. Here’s an account of a day’s cruise with a nervous single boater. He wanted enough confidence to deal with locks on his own. I spent the day with him, designed a route to include twenty six locks and spent ten hours helping him hone his locking skills.
Extending your boat’s storage space – The pros and cons of fitting covers to your front and rear decks
Naming your boat – The legal requirements when naming, renaming and displaying your boat plus the inland waterways’ two hundred most popular boat names
Speeding boats – Are rocking stationary boats the fault of speeding passing boats or the fault of boat owners who can’t moor securely?
Boat Handling – lock and paddle gear types.
Boat handling – Swing and lift bridges
Single handed boating – Negotiating locks.
Single handed boating – Choosing the right type of boat for single handed cruising and equipment to make your solo journeys safer and more enjoyable.
How to avoid common narrowboat accidents. They happen far more often than you might think. Here’s what you need to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
If you want to live on your boat and don’t want to, or can’t, cruise full time, you must have a residential mooring. Here’s how to find one.
What makes a perfect live aboard narrowboat. Two experienced boaters discuss layout, size and essential equipment
A cautionary tale if you are considering buying a wide beam boat to live on.
A further update to the site content index.
The A -Z of everything narrowboat – With over 5,500 posts and pages on the site now, quickly finding exactly what you want can sometimes be a problem. For this newsletter I started creating and A-Z index of all the site content.
How do you continue to earn money to support your boating lifestyle as you cruise the network?
Sharing your narrowboat space – The practicalities of sharing living accommodation the same size as a large shed.
Paying for a narrowboat – What practical steps can you take to ensure you’ve established legal ownership and how do you deal with the transfer of monies between buyer and seller?
Narrowboat Knots – At my first lock on my first cruise I watched my boat drift into the centre of the canal along with my twelve year old son. If you want to avoid the same embarrassment and potential damage to both your boat and your self esteem, you need to know how to tie your boat securely in a number of different situations.
Toilets is a subject often discussed by narrowboat owners but they usually talk about either pump out or cassette toilets. There is a third type though and it’s one which is both environmentally friendly and cheap to run. Here’s all you need to know about composting toilets.
Boat owners who live on board are considered to have a pretty simple and basic life by many living in bricks and mortar homes. Compared with the lifestyle of the farmers I’ve been staying with in the Philippines though, my UK life seems overly materialistic and expensive. Cou
Here’s an account of my very first winter on board and that of one of the site’s subscribers, Nigel Buttery. They’re very different experiences. My first winter was the coldest on record. Nigel’s is one of the mildest winters we’ve had for a long time.
I’ve also included to links to my Philippines blog. I spent the whole of February living in a rural farming community on the island of Negros.
Have you ever wondered how a narowboat is built. Here are the first two parts of a very detailed account of the building of a Sea Otter aluminium narrowboat. You’ll be particularly interested in Sea Otters if you don’t fancy the constant battle with rust that you have with traditional steel narrowboats.
Condensation is something all boat owners have to deal with. Here’s an explanation of why it occurs and what to do about it. I also tested a remote boat monitoring application in this issue.
Cold floors, cold air above the floors and cold hull sides. It’s a combination which can cause your bottom half quite a bit of discomfort. Here’s what I do to deal with the problem.
Weil’s disease – It’s an often talked about and often feared aspect of living, working or playing close to inland waterways but just how dangerous is it and what can you do to keep yourself safe?
If you’re on a budget maybe a self fit our sailaway is the way to go for you. Here’s the story of a wide beam self fit out to give you inspiration (or put you off completely)
Planning for the year ahead – Written plans and goals have always been important to me. They help me see into the future. Here’s what we’ve planned for our lovely floating home in 2014.
The practicality of hosting Christmas afloat – How do you achieve a floating festive event (and do you really want to)?
Liveaboard case study, The Pearl – Tony and Jane Robinson believe in forward planning. They stated their narrowboat fund thirty years before buying their own boat. Now the two retired education workers moor in a marina for the winter then explore the waterways during the warmer months.
Narrowboat Storage Space – How much space is there to store your worldly goods on board a narrowboat? Here’s a video walk-through of my own boat James.
Roses and Castles Canal Art – What is it and why do boaters spend so much money decorating their boats with it?
Fitting secondary double glazing – Fitting the panels is a simple operation for those with the most basic DIY skills, something which I sadly haven’t developed. As you might expect then, the fitting didn’t go as well as it should.
Narrowboat videos – I launched the Living On A Narrowboat YouTube channel
Secondary double glazing for your boat – The pros and cons of double glazing on a boat and why secondary double glazing is a much better bet and a fraction of the cost.
Living on a narrowboat vidoes – My first hesitant steps into the world of video production for site content
Can you either live or holiday on a narrowboat if you have a disability? – Here’s what you need to know.
Winter fuel allowance – Do you qualify for one if you live on a boat?
Case Study – NB Progress. Kim Wainwright recorded her journey on the forum from nervous anticipation to current liveaboard boat owner. Here’s her story.
Narrowboat central heating – I don’t have any. All that is about to change. Here’s the system I’m going to install and why I’ve chosen it.
Narrowboat running costs – I compare my own running costs to those of a prominent YouTube video blogger and detail my exact costs for October 2013
Popular narrowboat terminology – Hundreds or words or phrases used to describe parts of boats and the waterways they cruise through.
The wind chill factor – How strong the wind is blowing and which direction it’s coming from can determine how difficult it is to heat your boat. Here’s what you need to know.
Case study – Another couple from down under living the dream on the inland waterways.
20th October 2013Condensation. It’s a common problem on boats. Here are a few suggestions how to keep your boat’s interior dry.
A new organisation for liveaboard boaters
On demand water heater problems – Discover a common fault with these water heaters and what you can do to resolve the problem.
Know your firewood – Not all timber burns well. Find out which is best and which to avoid.
Managing your boat’s water supply. You can use your water supply as and when you need it when you live in a house with all mod cons. You can pretty much do the same when you’re on a marina mooring with a water supply just a hose length away. It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on an online mooring.
Liveaboard case study – A prime example of mooring without a water supply on tap.
The folly of using unseasoned wood as a fuel – Here’s essential information if you plan to use logs you find to heat your boat for free
Creating lasting memories of your cruises – Slightly off topic, but please bear with me. You’ll have some wonderful adventures as you travel throughout the network. They’ll be adventures worth remembering but will you remember them? I have a very poor memory but instant and total recall of all my cruises is just a click away.
A tragedy at Calcutt. Sudden Oak Dieback hits our 1,500 twenty year old oak trees
Forum private messaging – Now you can email other forum users from within the site
Managing your water supply
An American blogs about his travels
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
8th September
A disaster – I inadvertently deleted this week’s newsletter and there wasn’t a backup on the server. What a shame. It was all about the damage you can do to your boat if you don’t watch what you’re doing in a lock. You would have loved it!
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.
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?
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
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?
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
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.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
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.
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 equivalent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
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
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.
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
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.
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
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
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
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
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
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
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
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
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
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
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
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.
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.
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
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now (April 2013) she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
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.
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
1th 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
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.
- Aluminium Boats – They don’t rust so why don’t you see more of them on the inland waterways?
- Ironing Board On Board – How do boaters manage a crease free life?
- Freezing Water – How to stop your pipes and pumps from freezing in the winter
- CRT & Continuous Cruising – The Trust and their enforcement of the rules
- Heat – Advice for the owner of a cold boat
- GPS Devices and Canal Mapping – Are there any decent ones available for your narrowboat and do you need them anyway?
- Battery Monitors – Replacing your leisure batteries is one of your more expensive maintenance costs. Here’s some detailed information about a device for looking after your batteries
- 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.
CRT (Canal & River Trust) maintain the waterways. Here’s their site.
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.
Find out more about narrowboat central heating costs here.
2014 08 24 Newsletter – Long Term Narrowboat Hire
It’s been an expensive week. On Monday my lovely old boat was hauled out of the water for a hull survey.
My insurer insists, as do most narrowboat insurers, that because of the boat’s age it needs to have the hull surveyed every five years. Although I have always been assured that James’ hull is in excellent condition, I have to admit that I committed a cardinal sin when I bought the boat by not having a survey done then. My excuse is that I bought the boat from my boss at the marina and trusted his judgement. Fortunately my trust seems to have been well placed.
I took the boat over to the slipway at 8am when I started work. I needed to do a little preparation before the boat was hauled out of the water. To take a boat out of the water at Calcutt, it is driven onto a cradle in the water. Once it’s in position, the wheeled cradle is pulled up the fairly steep slipway by one of our two site JCBs. The boat isn’t used to going up and down hills so I had to make sure that any freestanding items on the floor, worktops or shelves were laid flat so that they didn’t fall as the boat was dragged up the slipway.
The boat was hauled on to dry land without mishap. In addition to making sure that I didn’t knock anything over in the boat I had to make sure that the engine was turned off before the boat was clear of the water. The engine is raw water cooled so can’t be cooled effectively once the inlet is above water level.
Once out of the water, the hull survey didn’t take very long to do. A grinder was used to expose the bare metal in dozens of spots along both sides of the hull and on the base plate too. An ultra sonic tester was used to measure the thickness of the steel on the base plate, counter, sides and the bow and swim plate. The skeg, skeg bearing and rudder were also examined.
The original steel thickness when the boat was launched was 6mm for the sides and probably ¼” for the base plate. The reading for the sides varied between 5.7 and 5.9mm and between 6.2 and 6.8mm for the base plate. The examiner told me that the steel on my almost forty year old boat was in better condition than his own six year old.
The skeg, the horizontal bar which runs from the base plate to the bottom of the rudder, was in good condition as was the rudder itself. The skeg mounted bearing is slightly worn so will probably need to be replaced when I take James out of the water again for blacking next April. The survey’s conclusion was that…
“James No 194 has recently been painted from stem to stern for all lower hull up to the sub-gunwale guard. She is in good enough condition to be classed as seaworthy for four more years.”
I am very happy with the result.
My boat’s insurance was due for renewal this week (which prompted me to get the survey done in the first place). I use Craftinsure. I mentioned earlier that most insurers insist that a hull survey is done every five years for older boats. The age differs from insurer to insurer. Craftinsure’s threshold is thirty years.
James is insured for £40,000. Craftinsure are quite happy to insure live aboard boaters but they only allow 3% for the boat’s contents, £1,200 in my case, which isn’t sufficient to cover everything we have on board. The cover also excludes any individual items worth more than £250. For and additional premium the company agreed to insure another £4,000 worth of contents including a few items over the £250 threshold. Sally and I have just reviewed the current value of what we have on board and realised that we need to at least double the value of the insured contents. The premium at the moment for boat plus contents is £245. I expect the new premium to be about £485.
Reading through the policy I discovered that I’m not covered by damage resulting in warlike acts by a belligerent power, civil war, rebellion, insurection, revolution, civil strife or any loss or damage caused by radiation or radioactivity. I suppose all this means is that I should moor anywhere near Birmingham, London, Nottingham or Manchester.
Apart from charging across the marina in my boat a couple of times, all of my working week this week has been spent cutting b****y reeds. So far I’ve collected about thirty truck loads of the things and we’re still only half way around the marina.
Pat and I have developed a routine now. Pat uses the strimmer with the circular saw blade attachment to cut back the bank side back three or four feet, then dons a rather fetching pair of new leak free chest waders to get into the water to trim the water side. I follow up with our truck collecting the cut reeds, cut the reed stumps with our beast of a three wheeled weed cutter mower then clear up the resulting mess in the grass box of a smaller mower. The end result is very smart but tiring to achieve. We will need to work on the reeds all next week too.
Long Term Narrowboat Hire
The idea of living afloat might appeal to you but finding £20,000 for a fixer upper, £40,000+ for a half decent second hand narrowboat or more than £100,000 for a brand new boat might be beyond your means. Maybe you’ve though about renting one long term much as you would for a house or a flat.
Where to find these rentable floating homes is something I’m asked on a regular basis. Unfortunately there are very few operators advertising narrowboats for long term hire, and of those few, only Sheffield Narrowboat appear to offer a professional service. I’m not saying that any of the other three or four businesses offering hire boats for extended periods aren’t professional but I can tell you that they don’t respond to emails asking about their service. I have also met one of the operators who visited Calcutt on board one of his boats. The boat was very tired looking and had an engine which sounded awful. I wouldn’t have fancied a trip around the marina in it. Long term hire would have been out of the question.
Sheffield Narrowboats are a classy outfit with a very informative web site. They offer quality boats for hire but their prices reflect that. You’ll pay £3,000 a months for a three month period during the summer or £2,000 a month for five months beginning in November. If the cost hasn’t put you off you’ll still have to book well in advance of your intended cruise. Sheffield Narrowboats are booked solid until 2017.
There may not be many companies offering narrowboats to rent for extended periods but there are quite a few private boats offered on sites like this and in the popular narrowboat magazines.
Any boat owner who intends to hire out their boat is obliged to buy a leisure business license and obliged to abide by its terms which include obtaining a certificate from a CORGI registered fitter if there is gas on the boat, providing sewage and waste disposal. a drinking water supply, a suitable mooring for safe entry and exit to and from the boat and adequate and safe car parking.
The owner must also provide a handover service to the new hirer which includes the safe navigation of locks, the operation and care of the boat and its equipment and access to buoyancy aids if required.
If you intend to hire a boat from a private owner you need to check that he has complied with all of these obligations. If he doesn’t, the boat may be unsafe and/or uninsured.
I’m afraid that I don’t paint a very positive picture of long term narrowboat hire but the truth is that it often isn’t a viable option for getting your own floating home.
Update 1st April 2015
I’ve recently been informed that Sheffield narrowboats ceased trading last year so long term narrowboat hire is now even more difficult. All is not lost though. Ashby Boats offer three of their hire fleet for out of season rental. I asked Julian from Ashby Boats for more details.
“We offer 3 boats for winter rental from 2 weeks to 3 months. They sleep up to four people. We moor the boats at our yard and hook up to mains electricity.
We charge £250 per week or £875 per month, excluding gas which they pay for at £18 per bottle. We pump the boat out once per week and diesel is included in the price. If the weather permits and the hirers want to cruise we charge an extra £50 per day but we like them to stay on the Ashby canal in case of a freeze.
Winter hire starts first week of November and electricity is included in the price.”
While this isn’t a workable solution if you want to move afloat full time, the company is offering a very cost effective opportunity to try the lifestyle before investing all your hard earned cash in something you may not enjoy. As far as I’m concerned, winter is still a very pleasant time of the year to be living on the water, but it’s not as easy or as enjoyable as lazy summer days relaxing on the towpath with a beer or glass of wine to hand as you watch the world drift slowly by.
On Board Mobile Reception
I have an iPhone 4s. It’s Sally’s old phone which I have had unlocked. I use it with my Three contract SIM. Phone coverage here at Calcutt and many places we take the boat to is, quite frankly, very poor indeed. It’s so poor that for the last two or three years I’ve told people who want to get in touch with me email me instead. I always have an internet connection on the boat courtesy of the marina WiFi or my Three MiFi dongle and I’m still OK when I’m at work because I can still connect to the marina network.
Being able to check the hundreds of emails every day is very handy, even though many of them are offering to improve the quantity and quality of part of me I’m not aware is too much of a problem. My mobile broadband is fine but although not being able to make or receive calls isn’t a major problem, it’s frustrating.
Until last week, if I wanted to make a phone call from the comfort of the boat, I had to use Skype. Skype is a wonderful service. I can make phone calls to anywhere in the world courtesy of my internet connection. Sally regularly uses it to chat to her sisters in the Philippines. The rate is 6p per minute.
Skype is a very handy service but however reasonable the rates are, the cost is far more than if I could use the call allowance I have on my Three contract SIM. My allowance is 1200 minutes each month. Last month I used just four minutes.
I was talking to Steven Cox in our office last week about the problem I have with mobile phone reception. He’s on the Three network too and enjoyed a similarly frustrating service until he installed an app which Three have recently developed. It’s called Three In Touch. The app allows you to make and receive calls and to send and receive texts via a WiFi connection if you don’t have a phone signal. It’s marvelous.
It works on both Android and IOS devices, although one or two phones are excluded. They are listed here. The app is simple to install via Google Play or the App Store. To configure it you just need to make sure that you have a phone signal. In less than a minute the app is configured and ready to use.
Since I installed the app I’ve been making calls constantly from the comfort of the boat. I haven’t actually had a reason to call anyone so I think the speaking clock is getting a bit fed up of me now but at least I know that my phone works if I ever make any friends.
I Need Some Help!
Each time I write a newsletter, I tick another subject off the list of things which those new to boating have told me that they want to read about. The hardest part of the process isn’t the writing itself, it’s constantly thinking of new content for each issue. The trouble is, I don’t know what you want to read. I think I keep the newsletters reasonably interesting but I don’t know for sure. That’s where I need your help.
Can you let me know what you would like to read in the future? Are there any areas of narrowboat life you don’t think I’ve covered enough or areas which I’ve missed completely? Please let me know what you want to read about. Thanks for your help.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over four 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.
living on board in the winter, the cost of living afloat generally and where you can moor your floating home are all subjects which are misunderstood by many aspiring narrowboat owners. Here’s what you need to know.
Narrowboat heating, electrics and engine specifications – How is the perfect live aboard narrowboat configured? Here are a few suggestions
Essential boating equipment – Here’s the stuff every boater should carry on board
The pros and cons of a wide beam boat – More and more wannabe boaters are considering more spacious wide beams rather than narrowboat. There is clearly more living space on board but how practical are wide beam boats on the inland waterways?
The dreaded weed hatch – Sooner or later your engine will start to overheat, you’ll lose propulsion and you’ll know that you need to dive down your weed hatch to free an obstacle or two from the propeller. Here’s how to do it properly and a list of the tools you’ll need.
Digital aids for narrowboat owners – Digital applications and maps for inland waterways boaters
Practical experience for lone boaters. Here’s an account of a day’s cruise with a nervous single boater. He wanted enough confidence to deal with locks on his own. I spent the day with him, designed a route to include twenty six locks and spent ten hours helping him hone his locking skills.
Extending your boat’s storage space – The pros and cons of fitting covers to your front and rear decks
Naming your boat – The legal requirements when naming, renaming and displaying your boat plus the inland waterways’ two hundred most popular boat names
Speeding boats – Are rocking stationary boats the fault of speeding passing boats or the fault of boat owners who can’t moor securely?
Boat Handling – lock and paddle gear types.
Boat handling – Swing and lift bridges
Single handed boating – Negotiating locks.
Single handed boating – Choosing the right type of boat for single handed cruising and equipment to make your solo journeys safer and more enjoyable.
How to avoid common narrowboat accidents. They happen far more often than you might think. Here’s what you need to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
If you want to live on your boat and don’t want to, or can’t, cruise full time, you must have a residential mooring. Here’s how to find one.
What makes a perfect live aboard narrowboat. Two experienced boaters discuss layout, size and essential equipment
A cautionary tale if you are considering buying a wide beam boat to live on.
A further update to the site content index.
The A -Z of everything narrowboat – With over 5,500 posts and pages on the site now, quickly finding exactly what you want can sometimes be a problem. For this newsletter I started creating and A-Z index of all the site content.
How do you continue to earn money to support your boating lifestyle as you cruise the network?
Sharing your narrowboat space – The practicalities of sharing living accommodation the same size as a large shed.
Paying for a narrowboat – What practical steps can you take to ensure you’ve established legal ownership and how do you deal with the transfer of monies between buyer and seller?
Narrowboat Knots – At my first lock on my first cruise I watched my boat drift into the centre of the canal along with my twelve year old son. If you want to avoid the same embarrassment and potential damage to both your boat and your self esteem, you need to know how to tie your boat securely in a number of different situations.
Toilets is a subject often discussed by narrowboat owners but they usually talk about either pump out or cassette toilets. There is a third type though and it’s one which is both environmentally friendly and cheap to run. Here’s all you need to know about composting toilets.
Boat owners who live on board are considered to have a pretty simple and basic life by many living in bricks and mortar homes. Compared with the lifestyle of the farmers I’ve been staying with in the Philippines though, my UK life seems overly materialistic and expensive. Cou
Here’s an account of my very first winter on board and that of one of the site’s subscribers, Nigel Buttery. They’re very different experiences. My first winter was the coldest on record. Nigel’s is one of the mildest winters we’ve had for a long time.
I’ve also included to links to my Philippines blog. I spent the whole of February living in a rural farming community on the island of Negros.
Have you ever wondered how a narowboat is built. Here are the first two parts of a very detailed account of the building of a Sea Otter aluminium narrowboat. You’ll be particularly interested in Sea Otters if you don’t fancy the constant battle with rust that you have with traditional steel narrowboats.
Condensation is something all boat owners have to deal with. Here’s an explanation of why it occurs and what to do about it. I also tested a remote boat monitoring application in this issue.
Cold floors, cold air above the floors and cold hull sides. It’s a combination which can cause your bottom half quite a bit of discomfort. Here’s what I do to deal with the problem.
Weil’s disease – It’s an often talked about and often feared aspect of living, working or playing close to inland waterways but just how dangerous is it and what can you do to keep yourself safe?
If you’re on a budget maybe a self fit our sailaway is the way to go for you. Here’s the story of a wide beam self fit out to give you inspiration (or put you off completely)
Planning for the year ahead – Written plans and goals have always been important to me. They help me see into the future. Here’s what we’ve planned for our lovely floating home in 2014.
The practicality of hosting Christmas afloat – How do you achieve a floating festive event (and do you really want to)?
Liveaboard case study, The Pearl – Tony and Jane Robinson believe in forward planning. They stated their narrowboat fund thirty years before buying their own boat. Now the two retired education workers moor in a marina for the winter then explore the waterways during the warmer months.
Narrowboat Storage Space – How much space is there to store your worldly goods on board a narrowboat? Here’s a video walk-through of my own boat James.
Roses and Castles Canal Art – What is it and why do boaters spend so much money decorating their boats with it?
Fitting secondary double glazing – Fitting the panels is a simple operation for those with the most basic DIY skills, something which I sadly haven’t developed. As you might expect then, the fitting didn’t go as well as it should.
Narrowboat videos – I launched the Living On A Narrowboat YouTube channel
Secondary double glazing for your boat – The pros and cons of double glazing on a boat and why secondary double glazing is a much better bet and a fraction of the cost.
Living on a narrowboat vidoes – My first hesitant steps into the world of video production for site content
Can you either live or holiday on a narrowboat if you have a disability? – Here’s what you need to know.
Winter fuel allowance – Do you qualify for one if you live on a boat?
Case Study – NB Progress. Kim Wainwright recorded her journey on the forum from nervous anticipation to current liveaboard boat owner. Here’s her story.
Narrowboat central heating – I don’t have any. All that is about to change. Here’s the system I’m going to install and why I’ve chosen it.
Narrowboat running costs – I compare my own running costs to those of a prominent YouTube video blogger and detail my exact costs for October 2013
Popular narrowboat terminology – Hundreds or words or phrases used to describe parts of boats and the waterways they cruise through.
The wind chill factor – How strong the wind is blowing and which direction it’s coming from can determine how difficult it is to heat your boat. Here’s what you need to know.
Case study – Another couple from down under living the dream on the inland waterways.
20th October 2013Condensation. It’s a common problem on boats. Here are a few suggestions how to keep your boat’s interior dry.
A new organisation for liveaboard boaters
On demand water heater problems – Discover a common fault with these water heaters and what you can do to resolve the problem.
Know your firewood – Not all timber burns well. Find out which is best and which to avoid.
Managing your boat’s water supply. You can use your water supply as and when you need it when you live in a house with all mod cons. You can pretty much do the same when you’re on a marina mooring with a water supply just a hose length away. It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on an online mooring.
Liveaboard case study – A prime example of mooring without a water supply on tap.
The folly of using unseasoned wood as a fuel – Here’s essential information if you plan to use logs you find to heat your boat for free
Creating lasting memories of your cruises – Slightly off topic, but please bear with me. You’ll have some wonderful adventures as you travel throughout the network. They’ll be adventures worth remembering but will you remember them? I have a very poor memory but instant and total recall of all my cruises is just a click away.
A tragedy at Calcutt. Sudden Oak Dieback hits our 1,500 twenty year old oak trees
Forum private messaging – Now you can email other forum users from within the site
Managing your water supply
An American blogs about his travels
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
8th September
A disaster – I inadvertently deleted this week’s newsletter and there wasn’t a backup on the server. What a shame. It was all about the damage you can do to your boat if you don’t watch what you’re doing in a lock. You would have loved it!
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.
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?
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
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?
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
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.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
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.
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 equivalent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
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
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.
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
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.
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
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
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
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
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
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
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
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
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
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
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
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.
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.
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
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now (April 2013) she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
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.
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
1th 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
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.
- Aluminium Boats – They don’t rust so why don’t you see more of them on the inland waterways?
- Ironing Board On Board – How do boaters manage a crease free life?
- Freezing Water – How to stop your pipes and pumps from freezing in the winter
- CRT & Continuous Cruising – The Trust and their enforcement of the rules
- Heat – Advice for the owner of a cold boat
- GPS Devices and Canal Mapping – Are there any decent ones available for your narrowboat and do you need them anyway?
- Battery Monitors – Replacing your leisure batteries is one of your more expensive maintenance costs. Here’s some detailed information about a device for looking after your batteries
- 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.
CRT (Canal & River Trust) maintain the waterways. Here’s their site.
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.
Find out more about narrowboat central heating costs here.
2014 08 17 Newsletter – Popular Narrowboat Myths And Misconceptions
Lat week I told you about my Australian bush hat’s baptism of fire when I spent four hours cruising in torrential rain. I received a few suggested remedies. One of them (from my father in Australia) was to send the send the kangaroo skin hat adorned with crocodile heat back to the supplier and get a crocodile skin hat decorated with kangaroo teeth which, my father assured me, should offer far more effective rain protection.
Much as I like the idea of a crocodile skin hat, I’ve settled for a more workable solution and ordered some good quality dubbin to rub into the hat. Unfortunately the application process involves heating both the hat and the dubbin with a hairdryer so I need to persuade Sally to lend me her monster. I’m sure she hires it out sometimes to film producers to use for wind effects.
Over the next couple of days I’ll make sure that it’s thoroughly covered with the mixture of wax, oil and tallow and then wait for some heavy rain so that I can try it out. I don’t think I’ll have to wait for long.
The weather has taken a turn for the worse. After months of beautiful summer days under cloudless skies, I’ve been regularly running for cover this week to escape heavy showers. Running for covers has often been difficult because I’ve spent much of my time chest deep in the marina. The reeds are a nightmare at the moment.
There’s nearly a mile of them to cut; 0.96 miles to be precise. I’ve just measured the circumference of the marina with the measuring tool on Google Maps. The circumference of Meadows marina is 0.48 miles and we need to cut back both the side facing the water and the side facing the bank.
The reeds, which we were assured wouldn’t spread when a two feet thick band were planted around the marina edge in 2006, are now a jungle fifteen feet wide in places. They’re encroaching on the marina’s grassed earthen retaining wall and are spreading out onto the moorings themselves.
We aren’t allowed to cut the reeds between the the beginning of February and mid May because of nesting birds but it’s open season on them now. Cutting the reeds on the bank side isn’t too painful a job. It’s painful enough, but it’s manageable. At this time of the year when the ground is hard, we can drive our Nissan Cabstar truck up onto the bank, use one of our strimmers with a circular saw blade attachment to cut the reeds and load the cuttings straight into the truck and then take them to our tip area where they will be burned.
It’s the water side which is proving a problem. We’ve tried casting a grappling hook from the bank to try to snag them and pull them out but the grappling hook can’t grip the slender stems. We’ve tried leaning over the back of the cruiser stern of one of our hire boats but we can’t get low enough to the water. We’ve tried doing the same from a small flat bottomed skiff but we’ve nearly overturned the thing. We’ve tried wading into the water to pull them out but Pat, who is built like a rather large silver back gorilla which has spent far too long in his jungle gym, has nearly put his back out trying to pull the deep rooted reeds out of the stones lining the marina.
The only option open to us at the moment is to climb chest deep into the marina wearing our only pair of chest waders armed with a pair of 12″ garden shears and cut them off level with the water. It’s not a very good solution given that (A) the shears are blunt, (B) there’s nearly half a mile of them to cut, (C) they extend out into the marina into water too deep for the waders and most importantly (D) the waders have now been punctured in half a dozen places by razor sharp cut reed stems.
It’s a right royal pain but there are worse jobs to do around the site. Sewage pipe unblocking is one of them. Unfortunately for Pat, he was the first one to see a blocked sewer this week. We process all of our own sewage on site. All of the human waste from the pump out and Elsan points in the wharf and in the marina, the toilets in the office, the cottage, the wharf toilet block and the toilets in the shower block flow down to our reed bed filtration system where the solids are retained in a tank for collection and the liquids pass through a reed bed for purification before entering drainage ditches. There are 350 metres of fairly narrow pipes to carry the waste. Unfortunately they are only a little larger than the caps of toilet cassettes which boat owners feel the need to drop down the Elsan points several times a year.
Fortunately for Pat, ten minutes with a forty feet length of blockage busting rods was enough to dislodge a thick wad of flow stopping toilet paper. The rod pushing endurance record was set by me last year when I spent seven hours knee deep in the brown stuff when a cassette cap jammed seventy metres from the nearest manhole in our tip area. It wasn’t my most pleasant day at work.
While Pat was busy with elbow length rubber gloves and reeking rubber rods, I was busy slug slicing.
We’ve had plenty of heavy showers this week followed by bright sunny spells. It’s perfect weather to bring out the slugs in droves. In places the grass was alive with masses of writhing 6″ long black custard filled crawlers. In a perfect world I suppose I should have either postponed my grass cutting until the slugs retired for the day, or scooped them up by the bucketful to carry them to the safety of the verges. But we don’t live in a perfect world, I don’t like slugs and I didn’t have time to move them so I mowed them instead. Cutting them to shreds didn’t bother me too much but cleaning off the body parts from the mower’s three blades at the end of the day wasn’t too pleasant.
We took the boat out for the day on Friday, just so that we could play at being proper boaters. We didn’t go far. Even though we moor in a wonderful location on the network with a wide variety of routes available to us, two out of the three canals within a day’s travel have a dozen locks within an hour’s cruise so they aren’t really practical for a day out.
We made our way around the frequent twists and turns heading towards Braunston, turned the boat around at the winding hole in the middle of the garden moorings at Wolfhampcote and headed back towards Calcutt. We stopped for an hour to sit in the sun, then cruised for another hour while Sally made dinner with an ever changing view from her kitchen window.
We moored again for long enough to enjoy a leisurely meal while we watched the rain clouds march towards us then made our way back to Calcutt. We decided to stay above the top lock on Friday night so that we could make a quick escape after I finished my normal day’s work on Saturday and after Sally had finished some last minute overtime.
We didn’t quite beat the rain. We moored in a torrential downpour in the only space available which meant trying to secure pins in a crumbling bank hoping to secure the boat against the stiff breeze which was trying to push us into the middle of the canal. After half a dozen attempts I found some firm ground. At least I thought it was firm ground until the following day.
Just before lunchtime on Saturday I was working on one of the seven boats due out in the afternoon. Young Stewart was washing down a boat roof so he could see above the top lock. “Is Sally taking your boat out on her own?”, he asked me. I told him that she was at work. “Then why is your boat moving out into the middle of the canal?”
I ran from the wharf back to the boat to find that the pin holding the bow had pulled from the crumbling bank in the freshening breeze allowing the boat to swing out into the canal blocking it in both directions. How embarrassing!
A couple of passing boaters had pulled over and were busy pulling the boat back in when I arrived. They left me to finish the job with a cheery wave. I pulled the boat back into a recently vacated space next to firm ground. We’re still there now. I didn’t say goodbye to the last holiday hirer until 6pm yesterday so wasn’t in the mood to cruise for a couple of hours in a strong breeze.
Neither of us minded staying put. It’s a wonderful location to just chill out and do a bit of people watching. The couple moored on the opposite bank have five dogs. The dogs were quiet last night but they also have a large and very vocal pet crow in a wardrobe sized cage beside the boat. Other than that we enjoyed a tranquil night on the towpath. It’s wonderful living afloat.
The Three Most Commonly Asked Questions And Misconceptions… And The Subject Which No One Wants To Ask About But Everyone Needs To Know
Popular misconception number one; a narrowboat is like an ice box when the temperature drops. “I bet your boat is cold in winter!” the gongoozlers cry. I answered this one last week so I won’t go into it again. Here’s last week’s newsletter, here’s a post I wrote about living on board during the colder months and here’s a post from last year when I tested a number of different stove fuels. There you go, no more cold winters or winter boat problems.
Popular misconception number two; I don’t need a mooring. I can save several thousand pound every year by moving to a new location every two weeks. The only way you can do this is by moving as part of a genuine cruise from points A to B to C to D to E. What you aren’t allowed to do is to move from points A to B to A to B to A. It’ called bridge hopping and the boat owners who do it are often referred to as continuous moorers.
Continuous moorers or what CRT call non compliant continuous cruisers, are an increasing problem on the waterways, especially in the south. The lower section of the Grand Union, large stretches of the Kennet and Avon and just about anywhere on the canals around London have become extremely congested. I’ve been told, although I haven’t been able to verify the fact, that the number of residential boaters in London has increased by 60% in the last year. Many do not have official moorings.
I emailed CRT at the beginning of May to ask about the current status of residential moorings and the Trust’s view on the recent increase in boat owners wanting to live afloat. Here’s the reply I received.
“Hi Paul,
I don’t think I’ll easily be able to get any figures about availability of residential moorings (most moorings are managed independently, not by the Trust) – although anecdotally in some areas (London, for example) it can be difficult to secure a mooring space. Like with the property market, supply and demand means that in popular areas moorings can be very expensive. Some information on finding a home mooring is available here: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/mooring/finding-a-home-mooring
Our policy on non-compliant continuous cruisers remains the same. We’re big fans of continuous cruising, but we urge people to consider the demands of the lifestyle before casting off. If you’re tied to an area, for example, because you have children in school etc, it may be hard for you to fulfil the licence terms. There’s more information on continuous cruising here: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/mooring/want-to-be-a-continuous-cruiser. Perhaps a good summary is the two questions asked on the page:
To help you see whether your circumstances ‘fit’ the continuous cruising lifestyle, you only need ask yourself two questions:
Are you free of fixed obligations, such as education, employment or healthcare, in any one area?
Can you commit to moving to a new place every 14 days?
If you answered no to either question something in your circumstances would have to change for you to become a footloose, rule-following continuous cruiser.
We’ve recently started contacting all newly registered continuous cruisers welcoming them to the waterways and providing them with information about the requirements they need to fulfil, and the action we’ll take if they don’t. I’ve attached the related press release, which I think you’ll find helpful. We want people to be aware of the cruising requirements so they don’t run into trouble later on.
Hope this helps,
Fran”
Here’s the press release…
“CANAL & RIVER TRUST SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT DEMANDS OF LIVING AFLOAT
The Canal & River Trust is reminding people taking up a new liveaboard lifestyle on its canals, but without a home mooring, to think carefully about the demands of living afloat through a series of awareness-raising measures.
In some popular areas, this style of living is on the increase and the Trust is concerned that the newcomers may not be aware of or fully understand the requirement for bona fide navigation and may believe it is sufficient simply to move around within a small area. Some therefore get a shock when they find that they are in breach of the rules, while the Trust is forced to embark on a time-consuming and costly enforcement process.
The Trust is working to raise awareness of these constraints amongst home-seekers and boat sales advertisers. It is also aiming to provide clearer information to the floating community so, from January 2014, will be contacting everyone newly registering as a continuous cruiser to ensure they fully understand the requirements. After three months, if there is concern about a boat’s limited movement, the charity will send a reminder and invitation to contact the local enforcement officer to discuss the cruising pattern. Ultimately if they can’t meet the movement requirements they will need to get a home mooring before their licence can be renewed.
Sally Ash, head of boating at the Canal & River Trust, said: “We want people thinking of living afloat to be fully aware of the challenges, as well as the benefits, before taking the leap. We hope that, by spreading the message widely, people won’t end up making a costly mistake. Our new step of contacting every new continuous cruiser will help them in their new lifestyle, without falling foul of the enforcement procedures needed to manage the waterways fairly for everyone. We hope that, by keeping people informed, they will use the waterways responsibly, so they can be enjoyed by everybody.”
I receive emails almost daily asking me about the availability of moorings, especially in the south. The fact is that official residential moorings are hard to find so unless you are free of ties to a geographical area or unless you are prepared to invest in a considerable amount of time looking for a suitable mooring you need to think very carefully about the viability of living afloat.
Popular misconception number three; narrowboats are cheap to live on. It’s true. There are boat owners who exist on very little but they tend to do just that, exist, rather than living in comfort.
A couple of years ago, a common site at Calcutt was a single middle aged guy named Paul and his affectionate bull terrier. Paul lived on a run down GRP cruiser. The benefits he received from the government funded his lifestyle but it was a lifestyle which was a long way from being comfortable.. Although he wasn’t quite as uncomfortable as those sleeping rough on the streets, he wasn’t far removed.
Paul liked to move from place to place but he couldn’t afford fuel for his outboard engine so he pulled his boat along the towpath with a piece of string as he couldn’t afford any rope. I didn’t establish whether he had any cooking facilities on board, and I don’t think he had heating either. He certainly didn’t have a license for the boat, didn’t have a home mooring to pay for, and didn’t have to fork out for expensive engine maintenance given that he didn’t use his engine. It was a very low cost lifestyle, but it wasn’t a lifestyle which would suit me.
Of course Paul was at the far end of the scale but there are a fair few live aboard boaters who aren’t far removed from Paul’s situation. Roughly 4% of all boats on the network are unlicensed. Given that there are 34,000 boats registered on the inland waterways network, that means that over 1,300 are unlicensed. But many of the licensed boats are in a bit of a state too.
I get to know quite a few live aboard boaters and a little about their personal circumstances. Many spend a honeymoon period, sometimes lasting a year or more, when they live a very comfortable lifestyle courtesy of what remains of their savings after they’ve bought their boat. Once the initial period of easy living is over though, they have to rely on income which doesn’t always allow them to maintain the boat and live the way they would like.
At the moment it’s not too difficult to get away without having an expensive mooring, or even a mooring at all. It’s possible to avoid the waterways enforcement team for a while and a boat will last for a number of years without any maintenance at all. Eventually though. paint will flake, bare steel will rust and pressure from the authorities will mount to pay the required fees. The once idyllic lifestyle will become just as painful as it was on dry land. It’s best to know the full costs involved before you sell your bricks and mortar and buy a boat to live on.
I’m frequently told that the very best place to find out the true cost of living afloat is here on the site. The package is the result of years of writing and research. There’s over 500 pages of information, in PDF and Kindle format and a user friendly and very flexible browser based budget calculator for you to play around with and establish how much your new lifestyle is going to cost. If you’re seriously considering living afloat and don’t know the costs involved you can instantly have all the information you need at your fingertips for less than the cost of a pub meal.
Toilet Talk – A Popular Boaters’ Topic
Put two or more boaters in the same room and sooner or later the subject of toilets will come up. They’ll discuss waste tank capacity, pump out costs, toilet designs and problems, and they’ll do it with a degree of enthusiasm which you might not expect. Toilets and their contents is something which boat owners need to get much closer to than those living with the luxury of mains drainage.
As a boater, I’m quite used to discussing the topic length. As an instructor for Calcutt Boats I have to discuss toilets briefly and very delicately with our holiday hirers. I normally see the first grimace of distaste from the adults, and sniggers from the children, when I say “dump through toilet”. Most hirers dislike the subject but manage to get through the two minute toilet tuition without any problem. Most, but not all.
Last week we had to explain the ins and outs of on board waste disposal with a very sensitive lady. Her first sight of the dump through toilet was enough to start her retching. By the time we had explained how to tell if the waste tank is full (You press the flush pedal to open the flap at the bottom of the toilet bowl so that you can see the level of waste in the tank beneath), she was leaning over the side of the boat examining her morning’s breakfast.
Most people don’t find the topic that distressing but it’s a subject you need to be familiar with when you own a floating home. I’ve written a post here about narrowboat toilets here. I made the mistake of stating that there are two types of narrowboat toilet. Of course there are three types. I didn’t mention the composting toilet but several people have added comprehensive comments about composting toilets.
Narrowboat Electrics
I received the following email after I published last week’s newsletter on the subject of narrowboat electrics…
Hi Paul,
Continuing on the theme of Narrowboat electrics there seem to be a number of options:
- Shore line connection supplying stable 220-240V AC 50Hz. The amount od current is only limited by the thickness of the cable and of course the upper limit imposed by the shore supplier
- DC 12 – 48V from batteries, powering battery equipment. Batteries can supply lots of current but have limited capacity so need a source of electricity to charge them
- Modified or pure sine wave inverter supplying 220-240V AC 50Hz, drawing power from a bank of batteries. The available current is limited by the size of the inverter and capacity of the batteries. Some equipment and appliances do not take kindly to modified sine wave, so there can be a problem.
- On board generator supplying 220-240V AC 50Hz to power appliances and other equipment, and possibly also charge batteries when needed. Some generators are fitted with a starter motor and battery and also have a 12V DC output specifically for charging external batteries.
This leads me on to the suggestion for another article, which will probably need some research, so maybe should be as an invite for an expert to comment or write –
What about a fairly powerful generator connected directly to the main engine. This could provide maybe up to 10kVA of sinewave 220-240V AC 50Hz, sufficient to power almost anything you care to imagine (fridge, freezer, washing machine, coffee maker, electric kettle, lights, heaters – the list is endless).
For a continuous cruiser this would seen the ideal, while cruising along spare engine capacity could be put to good use making life on board as convenient as living in a house, but with the added advantage of the freedom of cruising. I don’t know much about diesel engines but I remember reading somewhere that they “prefer” to be loaded, running on light load causes them to coke up.
The one problem I see is the need for a stable sinewave frequency of 50Hz, this is controlled by the engine rpm, so needs to be stable. For a single phase generator this usually means a shaft speed of 3,000 rpm (divide that by 60 to get revs per second and this magically gives a result of 50). The only way I know to maintain a steady engine speed and still control the boat speed is to use a variable pitch propeller and use a governor system on the engine – are these available for narrowboats?
I see a quite complex electrical set up as being the ideal. Shore line connection, on board generator, solar panels, maybe even a wind generator, batteries and inverter. Each interlinked via a complex switching arrangement (which can be automated) so certain sockets on the boat are only powered when under certain conditions. This would allow the big things to be run from raw AC power (shore line or generator) while smaller things like laptops and tv’s etc to be run from the inverter, which then also acts as a UPS (uninteruptable power supply)
Just some thoughts
Kind regards
Roy Plant
An engine mounted generator is available from Beta Marine. I understand that the downside of the Travel Power system is that it’s difficult to retro fit because of the pulley configuration and that the maximum stated power is only available when the engine is running at between 1500 and 2000rpm or, in my case, at maximum inland waterways cruising speed. Other than that, I’m afraid I don’t know much about the system. However, there are a few technical types on the forum who will be able to provide you with all the information you need on the subject.
Discovery Day Case Study
I’ve been inviting narrowboat enthusiasts on board my own live aboard narrowboat now for the last two months as part of a new service I offer on the site. The day is a mix of helmsmanship, a day long discussion on the pros and cons of different narrowboat styles, sizes and types of equipment, a walk through of my own boat and an explanation of how everything works (or doesn’t in some cases) and a cruise through the beautiful Warwickshire countryside.
Last week I took Justin Parish out for the day. Justin is ex military, so he’s had the pleasure of living all over the world. He’s used to packing light and constantly moving, living close to nature and meeting new people. Justin is a seasoned narrowboat hirer so he didn’t need any basic helmsmanship training. His goal for the day was to learn how to handle a narrowboat single handed and to decide one way or the other whether living a life exploring the canal network is the right move to make.
Here’s what he had to say about the day…
“Hi Paul
Thanks again for a great day, good to have a laugh when we could and certainly your company kept me cheerful. Sorry to read that you ultra snazy croc hat was a bit of a flop! You can buy waterproofing spray for them by the way. Will let you know how I get on with boating. I guess I should sign up for he site.
The pre info for the day was great. The directions were very good. I followed them and had no issues finding my way directly to your boat. Just looked over them again and cant see anything missing really.
I thought the day was splendid. As you know I am planning to buy a canal boat and live on board cruising permanently. Although I have plenty of holidaying on boats experience I had gaps in knowledge and was particularly after information/tips on buying a boat and preferred specs, some explanations on technical aspects and to gain some experience with solo boating.
I thought you covered everything I was after. The walk round your boat explaining systems and talking about relative merits of different types of heating etc was great and will help me greatly with buying a boat. I enjoyed the cruise and was grateful to learn how to solo lock with someone about to help or fish me out of the canal if needed. The way you get information across is very good with your knowledge, patience and enthusiasm for the subject always coming through. I can not think of anything else I needed on the day. I think the merit of your day is that it covers pretty much everything with enough time to still be tailored to the needs of those who attend.
If anyone is thinking of canal boating and has any doubts in their mind about any aspect then the day is well worthwhile. I’m sure novices and veterans could all learn something and you were great company throughout.
Thanks again Paul for a great day. I enjoyed myself and learned lots, which I know will give me the confidence to make my dream happen.
Justin”
I try very hard to make the day as informative and as pleasant as possible. It’s great to receive feedback which indicates that I’m on the right track. If you’re seriously considering living afloat I urge you to consider attending a discovery day. There’s an enormous amount of information on the site but the discovery day allows you to piece it all together and get some practical boating experience under your belt too. You can find out more about discovery days here. Please note that you need book well in advance of the date you want. You can check availability by clicking on any of the yellow click here to book now links.
I Need Some Help!
Each time I write a newsletter, I tick another subject off the list of things which those new to boating have told me that they want to read about. The hardest part of the process isn’t the writing itself, it’s constantly thinking of new content for each issue. The trouble is, I don’t know what you want to read. I think I keep the newsletters reasonably interesting but I don’t know for sure. That’s where I need your help.
Can you let me know what you would like to read in the future? Are there any areas of narrowboat life you don’t think I’ve covered enough or areas which I’ve missed completely? Please let me know what you want to read about. Thanks for your help.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over four 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.
Narrowboat heating, electrics and engine specifications – How is the perfect live aboard narrowboat configured? Here are a few suggestions
Essential boating equipment – Here’s the stuff every boater should carry on board
The pros and cons of a wide beam boat – More and more wannabe boaters are considering more spacious wide beams rather than narrowboat. There is clearly more living space on board but how practical are wide beam boats on the inland waterways?
The dreaded weed hatch – Sooner or later your engine will start to overheat, you’ll lose propulsion and you’ll know that you need to dive down your weed hatch to free an obstacle or two from the propeller. Here’s how to do it properly and a list of the tools you’ll need.
Digital aids for narrowboat owners – Digital applications and maps for inland waterways boaters
Practical experience for lone boaters. Here’s an account of a day’s cruise with a nervous single boater. He wanted enough confidence to deal with locks on his own. I spent the day with him, designed a route to include twenty six locks and spent ten hours helping him hone his locking skills.
Extending your boat’s storage space – The pros and cons of fitting covers to your front and rear decks
Naming your boat – The legal requirements when naming, renaming and displaying your boat plus the inland waterways’ two hundred most popular boat names
Speeding boats – Are rocking stationary boats the fault of speeding passing boats or the fault of boat owners who can’t moor securely?
Boat Handling – lock and paddle gear types.
Boat handling – Swing and lift bridges
Single handed boating – Negotiating locks.
Single handed boating – Choosing the right type of boat for single handed cruising and equipment to make your solo journeys safer and more enjoyable.
How to avoid common narrowboat accidents. They happen far more often than you might think. Here’s what you need to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
If you want to live on your boat and don’t want to, or can’t, cruise full time, you must have a residential mooring. Here’s how to find one.
What makes a perfect live aboard narrowboat. Two experienced boaters discuss layout, size and essential equipment
A cautionary tale if you are considering buying a wide beam boat to live on.
A further update to the site content index.
The A -Z of everything narrowboat – With over 5,500 posts and pages on the site now, quickly finding exactly what you want can sometimes be a problem. For this newsletter I started creating and A-Z index of all the site content.
How do you continue to earn money to support your boating lifestyle as you cruise the network?
Sharing your narrowboat space – The practicalities of sharing living accommodation the same size as a large shed.
Paying for a narrowboat – What practical steps can you take to ensure you’ve established legal ownership and how do you deal with the transfer of monies between buyer and seller?
Narrowboat Knots – At my first lock on my first cruise I watched my boat drift into the centre of the canal along with my twelve year old son. If you want to avoid the same embarrassment and potential damage to both your boat and your self esteem, you need to know how to tie your boat securely in a number of different situations.
Toilets is a subject often discussed by narrowboat owners but they usually talk about either pump out or cassette toilets. There is a third type though and it’s one which is both environmentally friendly and cheap to run. Here’s all you need to know about composting toilets.
Boat owners who live on board are considered to have a pretty simple and basic life by many living in bricks and mortar homes. Compared with the lifestyle of the farmers I’ve been staying with in the Philippines though, my UK life seems overly materialistic and expensive. Cou
Here’s an account of my very first winter on board and that of one of the site’s subscribers, Nigel Buttery. They’re very different experiences. My first winter was the coldest on record. Nigel’s is one of the mildest winters we’ve had for a long time.
I’ve also included to links to my Philippines blog. I spent the whole of February living in a rural farming community on the island of Negros.
Have you ever wondered how a narowboat is built. Here are the first two parts of a very detailed account of the building of a Sea Otter aluminium narrowboat. You’ll be particularly interested in Sea Otters if you don’t fancy the constant battle with rust that you have with traditional steel narrowboats.
Condensation is something all boat owners have to deal with. Here’s an explanation of why it occurs and what to do about it. I also tested a remote boat monitoring application in this issue.
Cold floors, cold air above the floors and cold hull sides. It’s a combination which can cause your bottom half quite a bit of discomfort. Here’s what I do to deal with the problem.
Weil’s disease – It’s an often talked about and often feared aspect of living, working or playing close to inland waterways but just how dangerous is it and what can you do to keep yourself safe?
If you’re on a budget maybe a self fit our sailaway is the way to go for you. Here’s the story of a wide beam self fit out to give you inspiration (or put you off completely)
Planning for the year ahead – Written plans and goals have always been important to me. They help me see into the future. Here’s what we’ve planned for our lovely floating home in 2014.
The practicality of hosting Christmas afloat – How do you achieve a floating festive event (and do you really want to)?
Liveaboard case study, The Pearl – Tony and Jane Robinson believe in forward planning. They stated their narrowboat fund thirty years before buying their own boat. Now the two retired education workers moor in a marina for the winter then explore the waterways during the warmer months.
Narrowboat Storage Space – How much space is there to store your worldly goods on board a narrowboat? Here’s a video walk-through of my own boat James.
Roses and Castles Canal Art – What is it and why do boaters spend so much money decorating their boats with it?
Fitting secondary double glazing – Fitting the panels is a simple operation for those with the most basic DIY skills, something which I sadly haven’t developed. As you might expect then, the fitting didn’t go as well as it should.
Narrowboat videos – I launched the Living On A Narrowboat YouTube channel
Secondary double glazing for your boat – The pros and cons of double glazing on a boat and why secondary double glazing is a much better bet and a fraction of the cost.
Living on a narrowboat vidoes – My first hesitant steps into the world of video production for site content
Can you either live or holiday on a narrowboat if you have a disability? – Here’s what you need to know.
Winter fuel allowance – Do you qualify for one if you live on a boat?
Case Study – NB Progress. Kim Wainwright recorded her journey on the forum from nervous anticipation to current liveaboard boat owner. Here’s her story.
Narrowboat central heating – I don’t have any. All that is about to change. Here’s the system I’m going to install and why I’ve chosen it.
Narrowboat running costs – I compare my own running costs to those of a prominent YouTube video blogger and detail my exact costs for October 2013
Popular narrowboat terminology – Hundreds or words or phrases used to describe parts of boats and the waterways they cruise through.
The wind chill factor – How strong the wind is blowing and which direction it’s coming from can determine how difficult it is to heat your boat. Here’s what you need to know.
Case study – Another couple from down under living the dream on the inland waterways.
20th October 2013Condensation. It’s a common problem on boats. Here are a few suggestions how to keep your boat’s interior dry.
A new organisation for liveaboard boaters
On demand water heater problems – Discover a common fault with these water heaters and what you can do to resolve the problem.
Know your firewood – Not all timber burns well. Find out which is best and which to avoid.
Managing your boat’s water supply. You can use your water supply as and when you need it when you live in a house with all mod cons. You can pretty much do the same when you’re on a marina mooring with a water supply just a hose length away. It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on an online mooring.
Liveaboard case study – A prime example of mooring without a water supply on tap.
The folly of using unseasoned wood as a fuel – Here’s essential information if you plan to use logs you find to heat your boat for free
Creating lasting memories of your cruises – Slightly off topic, but please bear with me. You’ll have some wonderful adventures as you travel throughout the network. They’ll be adventures worth remembering but will you remember them? I have a very poor memory but instant and total recall of all my cruises is just a click away.
A tragedy at Calcutt. Sudden Oak Dieback hits our 1,500 twenty year old oak trees
Forum private messaging – Now you can email other forum users from within the site
Managing your water supply
An American blogs about his travels
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
8th September
A disaster – I inadvertently deleted this week’s newsletter and there wasn’t a backup on the server. What a shame. It was all about the damage you can do to your boat if you don’t watch what you’re doing in a lock. You would have loved it!
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.
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?
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
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?
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
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.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
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.
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 equivalent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
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
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.
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
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.
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
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
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
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
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
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
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
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
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
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
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
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.
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.
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
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now (April 2013) she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
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.
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
1th 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
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.
- Aluminium Boats – They don’t rust so why don’t you see more of them on the inland waterways?
- Ironing Board On Board – How do boaters manage a crease free life?
- Freezing Water – How to stop your pipes and pumps from freezing in the winter
- CRT & Continuous Cruising – The Trust and their enforcement of the rules
- Heat – Advice for the owner of a cold boat
- GPS Devices and Canal Mapping – Are there any decent ones available for your narrowboat and do you need them anyway?
- Battery Monitors – Replacing your leisure batteries is one of your more expensive maintenance costs. Here’s some detailed information about a device for looking after your batteries
- 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.
CRT (Canal & River Trust) maintain the waterways. Here’s their site.
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.
Find out more about narrowboat central heating costs here.
When your dream is just out of reach!
I had hoped by now to be writing, at the very least, about the building and fit-out of my boat. But yet again, I have delays that mean I can’t put the order in for the hull just yet! I have a job overlooking the the Lee Valley Navigation, (Where? Exactly!…Oh come on points for trying at least!) and I would love to be able to spend 2-3 days a week up there on my boat and toddle down to Ricky for the weekend. Instead I have a daily (2-3 days or more a week) two hours commute! In with the herd, Mooooo! Oh I hate it!
But it does remind me every time I look out the window at the cut and the boats passing or moored that whilst it has its challenges life on the cut definitely has its compensations too!
One common theme to both life afloat and on land is crime. I had my bike pinched from outside of my flat two weeks back! Not worth much but really causing me no end of inconvenience. I have heard of several boats having things pinched that were actually chained down such as gennys.
So we need to take care and also to look out for each other. I know a lot of the boat owners as I travel along Watford to Ricky regularly and I am always conscious of someone who just does not seem to “fit” or I might know is not associated with the owner of a boat. Most of the scumbags are from outside the waterways community but occasionally you find a worm in the apple!
The story I was told of a boat with light-fingered owners who were caught red-handed with a blanket they had lifted of someones washing line and a genny grabbed off the stern of someones trad. They were told in no uncertain terms to move on! The gossip was they did but took their larcenous habits with them. Apparently they picked on the wrong people as they came home from the pub to find someone had sunk their boat! Oh dear, apparently damaged beyond repair. Such a shame.
So, as the weather gets glorious and all the people head out to the cut have a thought for your kit and lock it up or hide it away.
2014 08 10 Newsletter – Narrowboat electrics, heating and engine specifications
Another week in paradise has flashed by. Here we are on Sunday again and I’ve spent so much time thinking about to write in the main section of the newsletter that I haven’t had time to tell you about my working week at the marina. You’re probably fed up heating about that anyway, so maybe it’s a good thing.
As ever, I am eternally grateful to anyone who takes the time to email me with content or a suggestion for content which I can use in the newsletter. Stephen Hartley sent me the following email. I hope you find my answer useful.
“You are asking for suggestions for your Newsletter. I am about to look for a high fit second hand boat or commission a new one. I would be interested to know what is thought to be the minimum engine/batteries/chargers/generators/heating/number of rads to have an efficient live aboard. Hope you will be interested.”
Always happy to oblige Stephen. I hope the following will be of use to you.
Narrowboat Electrics
Firstly, you need to decide what you are going to use your boat for. I know it’s going to be a boat you will live on, but is the boat going to stay on a mooring most or all of the time, or do you intend to live a nomadic lifestyle cruising the waterways continuously and spending most of your time disconnected from the national grid?
If you are going to travel very little and have an electrical supply on your mooring which you can plug into, you won’t need to worry so much about generating and storing your own power when you are cruising.
I currently moor in a marina so my on board electrical needs are pretty basic. However, I take the boat out for a couple of week every summer, escape for a day or two whenever I can and I hope to be out cruising full time in about two years so I want the boat fully equipped for extended cruises.
The boat’s power setup was very basic when I moved on board four years ago. Nothing elaborate was needed because it had never been a live aboard boat. James was built in 1977 for a family who lived in London. They used the boat regularly but not extensively for warmer weather cruising. The engine averaged 200 hours a year for the twenty years they had it until the owner sadly passed away in 1997. James was then purchased by Roger Preen, Calcutt Boats’ owner. Apart from the odd day out, James was unused until I moved on board in April 2010.
The boat had one starter battery and one leisure battery which could only be charged by running the engine. The starter battery was reserved solely for starting the engine. All of the on board electrics, the internal and external lights and the fridge plus the bilge, water and shower pumps were 12v and were powered by the single 110ah leisure battery. The boat also had 230v sockets which could only be powered by plugging into a shore supply.
As soon as I moved on board I had a charger fitted which would keep the batteries topped up when the shore line was connected and I replaced the single 110ah battery with two 135ah. The two batteries weren’t sufficient for our needs if we wanted to spend time away from the marina so I eventually upgraded the domestic battery bank to four 135ah batteries.
Four 135ah batteries is right for us, but you may be able to get by with less if you want to live a pretty simple life, or you may want more batteries or even a generator if you want all the electrical comfort you enjoy on dry land. You may also need a couple of extra batteries if you want a bow thruster.
My next electrical addition was an inverter. An inverter is needed if you want to run 230v appliances when you aren’t plugged into the national grid. An inverter will cost you anything from under £100 to over £2,000 depending upon the size of the load it can handle and whether it is pure or modified sine. If you don’t understand what this means, there’s an excellent article about inverters and all other narrowboat electrics on the site here.
The final piece in my electrical jigsaw was to have a solar array fitted. I have 3 x 100w panels coupled with an MPPT converter. The solar panels provide me with plenty of free electricity in the warmer months so I don’t have to run the engine as often to charge the batteries when I am off grid. Again, there’s an excellent article about solar power on the site here.
Our electrical system on board is now in pretty good shape but because of the limitations of the charge held in our batteries and the size of our inverter there are many appliances we can’t run when we are cruising. Our washing machine will still work because we have a low power twin tub machine which requires just 120w on the wash cycle and 180w on the spin cycle. We couldn’t run either of the two popular narrowboat washing machines from Candy and Zanussi. We also can’t use hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters, electric heaters or my beloved Nespresso coffee machine.
We will need additional power generation if we want to run any of these power hungry appliances. The easiest and cheapest solution is for us to buy a suitcase generator to keep on board. One of the smallest, lightest and consequently more expensive suitcase generators is the Honda EU20i at about £1,000.
The Honda is one of the lightest on the market but it still weighs about the same as a bag of coal. You also have the logistical issue of storing it somewhere away from the vermin who like to take what isn’t theirs and you have to find somewhere to store the petrol you need to run it or convert it to run on your boat’s propane supply.
Yet again, there’s excellent advice about generators here.
Heating Your Boat
“Is your boat cold in winter?” It’s a question which every boat owner is asked sooner or later. The usual answer is something like, “No. Actually, I’m far warmer on my boat than I ever was in my house.” Some boaters take the statement to extremes. Russ, one of our fitters, said that when he lived afloat he can remember several occasions when the boat was so warm that he sat in his boxer shorts with the front doors wide open watching the snow falling on the towpath outside. My initial experience was at the opposite end of the scale.
I moved onto my long neglected boat in April 2010. After I removed the water from the engine room which had begun to seep into the main cabin, I spent a month with a dehumidifier running to combat the damp. The sunny summer days were glorious. I spent hours each day sitting at the removable table on my front deck either reading or just enjoying the peace and quiet.
The long summer days shortened, the nights drew in and the nights turned chilly. I had my Torgem solid fuel stove burning for longer and longer each day until by mid October it was burning coal briquettes twenty four hours a day.
By mid November the temperature plummeted to well below zero overnight and barely above freezing during the day. A steadily thickening layer of ice formed on the water. Within a week all waterways traffic had stopped. Boats were immobile under ice thick enough to walk on. Mallards, coots, swans and geese huddled together on a paddling pool sized hole in the ice. At least they had an effective layer of insulation to keep them warm, which was more than I had.
My boat was cold. The temperature dropped to a decidedly chilly minus eighteen one night. I woke the following morning to a below zero bedroom, a thin layer of frost on the bulkhead separating my bedroom from the engine room and a quarter of an inch of it over the Parana pine cladding inside the engine room.
My solid fuel stove was on all of the time. It has a back boiler which feeds three radiators down the boat’s port side but the radiators don’t provide much heat and they didn’t provide any heat worth talking about during my first winter.
I had two pairs of folding doors which separated the galley, dining and seating area from the rest rear section of the boat. I kept the doors closed to conserve the heat in the front of the boat but this meant that only the heat from the gravity fed radiators reached the rear section of the cabin.
I had created an “office” in the boat’s second cabin where there were three additional berths on single bunks. I used one as my office desk. I fed my Three mobile broadband dongle through a roof vent and up a four foot mast on the boat roof and sat in this very cold room for up to fourteen hours on my days off work. My indoor attire for these long sessions at the keyboard was two fleece tops zipped up to my chin, a fleece hat and a pair of fingerless fleece mittens, and I was still cold.
Of course my first winter was exceptional. It was the coldest winter on record with a six week period when no boats moved on the canal network at all because of the ice. Our pump out machines had to be disconnected each night and stored in a heated building to prevent them from freezing solid, not that any boats could actually reach the pump out machines through the ice although we tried to keep the marinas clear by charging around them in an old work boat we had at the time to break the ice. On several occasions I managed to get the front third of the fifteen tonne boat stuck on top of the ice. It was great fun but, boy, it was cold.
After this exceptionally cold introduction to boating I decided to improve the boat’s insulation and also cure the leaks in the old Masonite roof panels which allowed a steady stream of rainwater into the boat. In November 2011 James was transported eight miles away to have the Masonite cabin over plated with 4mm steel. Before the steel was fitted polystyrene sheet were fitted to the outside of the existing cabin roof and sides.
The enhanced heat retention was a huge improvement but the back of the boat was still very cold. I didn’t mind the bedroom being chilly because we could easily remedy that by sleeping under a heavy winter duvet, but the temperature in my office area was still too low for me to work comfortably. Because I spend most of my time with my shore line plugged in I was able to use electric heaters to supplement the heat from the stove. I bought two Dimplex 500w greenhouse heaters. One of them was plugged in under the desk where I work. The office is warm enough now but the electric heaters can’t be used if I am away from the marina.
The two pairs of folding doors across the centre of the boat were also a problem. They prevented any heat from the stove reaching the office section when they were closed and they were just in the way when they were open. I removed them.
Stove top fans are very useful for moving heat away from the stove and further into the boat. I bought one of the most popular, and Ecofan and noticed an improvement. It worked well when the blades were spinning but this wasn’t all the time. I realised that my stove was to blame. The Ecofan uses the stove’s heat to power the fan. The stove’s top needs to reach (I think) one hundred and ninety degrees before the fan will work effectively. Unfortunately for me, unlike the popular Morso Squirrel stove, my stove has a double skin on the top plate which means that I could probably sit comfortably on the stove top without coming to any harm.
I’m considering taking my Torgem stove out and replacing it with a Squirrel. The problem that I have is that the Squirrel is slightly deeper than the Torgem so it would protrude three inches further into the middle of the boat than it does now. We will make a decision about that some time in the future. It’s not a priority but the additional efficiency would be very welcome, as would the larger single skinned top plate which would allow the Ecofan to work and would allow us to both cook and heat water on the stove top.
A new and slightly better stove would be good, but it’s not going to heat the back of the boat. We need additional heating in the boat. We need additional heating which doesn’t neccesitate us being attached to the national grid if we want to keep the boat warm when we are away from the marina during the winter months.
I want to install a central heating system to supplement the heat from the stove. I also want a central heating system for the warm days/cold nights periods in the spring and autumn. I considered a number of options. The first be discounted was anything which requires gas.
Gas central heating is very expensive to run. When my floating home was taken away to have the new steel cabin fitted, I spent ten days during a not particularly cold November living on one of our hire boats. Most of our hire boats have gas central heating. They have two 19kg propane cylinders in lockers on the back deck. The boat I stayed on had two full cylinders when I moved on board and two empty cylinders when I left. I used 38kg in ten days or 3.8kg per day. The cost of the 13kg cylinders which are fitted on most boats cost £27 or £2.08 per kg. The cost to heat the cabin of the small boat I was on for ten days was £78.92. The cost to keep my stove burning twenty four hours a day using coal briquettes is £42. Given that my stove is burning most or all of the day for seven or eight months a year, gas would be a very expensive option.
Have you noticed that I only mentioned the cost of coal as a fuel for the stove and didn’t include wood which many consider a free fuel readily available from woodland as you cruise the network? I haven’t mentioned it because I don’t consider wood to be a cost effective option.
First of all, wood needs to be seasoned before it can be used as a fuel. Seasoning logs involves waiting for at least two years for the moisture content to reduce to an acceptable level. The acceptable level is under 20% moisture. Two of the most common trees you see on your boating travels are ash and oak. Oak has a moisture content of 45% or more when it’s cut. Ash, which many people think can be burned immediately, has a moisture content of up to 35% when cut.
If the logs are burned before they are seasoned, the fire uses more energy evaporating the moisture than it does generating heat so the logs don’t burn very hot and because they don’t burn very hot they create creosote. The creosote forms an ever thickening layer on the inside of the flue and creates difficult to remove stains on the cabin sides near the chimney.
Storing your seasoned logs is also an issue for boat owners. I use about two tonnes of coal briquettes each year. I can buy coal from a multitude of canal side suppliers as and when I need it and store enough fuel for a few weeks either on the cabin roof or on the front deck. If I wanted a constant supply of seasoned wood available as and when I needed it, I would need space to keep seasoning logs and space to keep logs which were ready to burn. That storage space would need to be under cover. Unless you have a mooring where you are allowed to store tonnes of dry fuel, wood burning on board really isn’t a practical option.
Diesel central heating costs about the same as running a solid fuel stove. You pay duty on the diesel you use for propulsion, but diesel for heating is duty free. Diesel for your boat’s heating system is easy to store. It will be drawn from either your boat’s propulsion diesel tank or from a separate tank fitted just for the central heating system.
A disadvantage of diesel heating is that the burners can be very noisy. During the winter as I walk around the marina I can hear diesel heaters running on boats from a distance of about fifty feet. One of the quietest and most reliable of the popular narrowboat diesel heaters is the Webasto Thermotop C.
I purchased one at the beginning of the year along with a fifty five litre calorifier. The calorifier has replaced my old and unreliable gas water heater. The calorifier has already been fitted and is wonderful. It supplies me with piping hot water via the immersion heater when my land line is plugged in and via the engine when I’m cruising. Once the Webasto is fitted the calorifier will have a third heat source.
I understand that the Webasto burners will coke up if they cycle on and off too often. To combat this it is essential to make sure that the radiators have a capacity greater than the burner’s heat output. I have calculated what radiators I need to keep the burner happy. I’m going to add a heated towel rail in the engine room too to help dry wet weather gear. I’m hoping to have everything fitted before the end of the year.
I haven’t gone into technical detail about on board heating systems for one very good reason. I’m incapable of it. However, I know a man who is very knowledgeable on the subject. Here are two posts he wrote for me on narrowboat heating. The first details stoves, the second central heating systems.
Choosing an engine
I’m really out of my depth with this section. I know nothing about engines. They frighten me. Over the last four years I’ve learned how to check the oil and water religiously before I take the boat out, but that’s about it. The thought of doing anything else fills me with dread.
My own engine is rather unusual. It’s a Mercedes OM636. It was developed in the late forties and was fitted in the Mercedes Ponton sedans in the 1950’s. A marine engineer who was doing some maintenance on an old working boat here at the marina had a look at it for me. I told him that my engine has done just over 4,000 hours in the thirty seven years since it’s been installed. He listened to me for a little while, he listened to the engine for much longer, he crawled around it for five minutes, then he offered me his opinion.
“It’s a cracking engine! I haven’t done much work on these because they rarely go wrong. Your engine is a baby. It has four thousand hours on it. The engine should be good for a hundred thousand hours or more. This type of engine is what’s called oily which means even if you took it out and pressure washed it, once it was running again it would look dirty again within half an hour. Don’t worry about it though. The engine should go on and on!”
I was understandably very happy with the appraisal but there is one aspect of the engine that I am slightly nervous about. Most modern engines are keel cooled which means that the engine water is kept cool by running through a skin tank fitted against the boat’s hull. Some older boats like James are raw water cooled. Water is drawn from the canal and through a heat exchanger before being expelled from the boat via the exhaust.
There are two potential problems with a raw water system; blockages and water ingress. There’s a fine mesh grill fitted over the water inlet in the hull to prevent larger object from being drawn into the engine and then a “mud box” for removing fine sediment, weeds and bits of dead animals which can pass through the grill. The mud box is in the bilge beside the engine and the bulkhead separating the engine room from the bedroom. It’s a pain to get to but periodically I have to squeeze myself into a tight gap, unbolt the mud box cap, scoop out the accumulated debris with my hands into a bucket, reassemble the mud box, climb out of the tiny space with my bucket, and throw the contents overboard. It’s a bit of a pain but I need to do it to keep the raw water system working effectively.
The real worry though is the sea cock. The sea cock needs to be opened before I start the engine and closed again when I stop. Leaving the sea cock open all the time would be much easier for me. If I forget to open the sea cock before I start the engine, the raw water system won’t work so the engine will overheat. Leaving the sea cock open all of the time would mean that I would remove the hassle every time I start the engine of lifting the deck boards off the engine, carrying them off the boat, climbing down into the bilge to open the sea cock and fetching and replacing the deck boards. Leaving the sea cock permanently open would be much easier but, as I have been often reminded by engineers, rather risky.
If the sea cock is open and the valve fails when I am away from the boat even for a relatively short period of time, the boat would sink. I have been advised to keep a spare and more powerful than usual bilge pump on the boat set up ready for immediate connection to the battery bank in case of emergencies. I am sure that, in reality, the raw water system will be good for many years to come but the expectation that when I’m out cruising continuously I’ll experience blockages, and the possibility of water ingress is enough to make me consider having the engine adapted to keel rather than raw water cooled.
The most difficult part of the exercise will be to get a skin tank fabricated and welded in place. I haven’t looked at the costs involved yet but the project is on my to do list. So is having a hybrid system fitted.
A hybrid system is a standard narrowboat engine coupled with a powerful electric motor. The engine charges a very large bank of batteries which then allows the boat to run on the electric motor. The benefits are significant for a nature loving boat owner. When the electric motor us running, the boat moves along the canal without a sound.
Silent running is wonderful. I haven’t actually cruised on a boat equipped with an electric motor but I have seen several and have spoken to the owners. I’ve spoken to the owners when they have been standing on the back of the boats cruising past with the motor running. Unusually for a conversation with someone on the back of a moving narrowboat, they could hear every word I was saying. You often have a quick chat on the cut with the helmsman on a passing boat and you often don’t have a clue what the other is saying because of the noise from your own engine.
The electric motor is silent. The quiet operation allows easy conversation with other boat owners or towpath walkers. The silent operation also means that you can get closer to the canal-side wildlife without frightening it off and you can get closer to blind bends and bridges without fear of another boat appearing unexpectedly just where you don’t want them to be. You can actually hear an oncoming boat because your own engine is so quiet.
Other benefits include having an almost unlimited amount of electricity at hand so that you can stay for days at a time on a mooring without having to run your engine to charge your batteries, you can save a substantial amount on diesel costs and rather than surrounding yourself with diesel fumes when you’re stationary in long lock flights, sometimes for hours, you can switch to electric running and enjoy a fume free lock passage. You can also hear your crew when going through a lock.
When I’m working I’m often close to one of the three locks in the Calcutt flight. I don’t have to be that close to hear a boat and its crew in the lock as they try to communicate by shouting.
“Are you ready for me to open the paddle Bert?”
“Eh?”
“I SAID, ARE YOU READY FOR ME TO OPEN THE PADDLE!?
“I can’t hear what you’re saying over the engine love!”
“Always excuses Bert. You never listen to me. DO YOU WANT ME TO OPEN THE PADDLE?
“I still can’t hear you Brenda, but don’t just stand there talking, get the paddle open. We can’t wait here all day!”
Silent running means that boat crews can communicate easily without having to resort to shouting, sign language or the use of two way radios. I don’t mind the use of two way radios because they often add a little additional entertainment for the staff at Calcutt. Sometimes passing boaters will have their own radios set to the same frequency as the ones that all staff at Calcutt carry. It’s too much of a temptation to keep quiet. Sometimes we join their conversation and cause no end of confusion.
If I was having a new boat built I would be very tempted to have a hybrid system fitted. I understand that it’s possible to fit retro fit a system to some but not all engines. I don’t know whether it’s possible to fit one to my Mercedes. I also don’t know if it’s possible to fit the size and type of battery bank needed.
The system uses very heavy traction batteries. They’re difficult to get in and out of the engine bay because of the weight and because of the weight they can upset the boat’s trim. If the system is fitted when the boat is built, the batteries can form part of the ballast. If the batteries are installed in a boat which, like mine is already ballasted, some ballast would probably have to be removed. The problem that I have is that I have already removed a considerable amount of the accessible ballast to compensate for the weight of the steel which was added when cabin was over plated.
That’s about all I can tell you about engines I’m afraid and I’m rather embarrassed to report that there’s not a huge amount of information about engines on the site. There’s a very useful forum post here discussing the merits of having an engine with enough power to get you out of trouble on fast flowing rivers and there’s a pretty good summary of engine types on an external site here.
I Need Some Help!
Each time I write a newsletter, I tick another subject off the list of things which those new to boating have told me that they want to read about. The hardest part of the process isn’t the writing itself, it’s constantly thinking of new content for each issue. The trouble is, I don’t know what you want to read. I think I keep the newsletters reasonably interesting but I don’t know for sure. That’s where I need your help.
Can you let me know what you would like to read in the future? Are there any areas of narrowboat life you don’t think I’ve covered enough or areas which I’ve missed completely? Please let me know what you want to read about. Thanks for your help.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over four 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.
Essential boating equipment – Here’s the stuff every boater should carry on board
The pros and cons of a wide beam boat – More and more wannabe boaters are considering more spacious wide beams rather than narrowboat. There is clearly more living space on board but how practical are wide beam boats on the inland waterways?
The dreaded weed hatch – Sooner or later your engine will start to overheat, you’ll lose propulsion and you’ll know that you need to dive down your weed hatch to free an obstacle or two from the propeller. Here’s how to do it properly and a list of the tools you’ll need.
Digital aids for narrowboat owners – Digital applications and maps for inland waterways boaters
Practical experience for lone boaters. Here’s an account of a day’s cruise with a nervous single boater. He wanted enough confidence to deal with locks on his own. I spent the day with him, designed a route to include twenty six locks and spent ten hours helping him hone his locking skills.
Extending your boat’s storage space – The pros and cons of fitting covers to your front and rear decks
Naming your boat – The legal requirements when naming, renaming and displaying your boat plus the inland waterways’ two hundred most popular boat names
Speeding boats – Are rocking stationary boats the fault of speeding passing boats or the fault of boat owners who can’t moor securely?
Boat Handling – lock and paddle gear types.
Boat handling – Swing and lift bridges
Single handed boating – Negotiating locks.
Single handed boating – Choosing the right type of boat for single handed cruising and equipment to make your solo journeys safer and more enjoyable.
How to avoid common narrowboat accidents. They happen far more often than you might think. Here’s what you need to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
If you want to live on your boat and don’t want to, or can’t, cruise full time, you must have a residential mooring. Here’s how to find one.
What makes a perfect live aboard narrowboat. Two experienced boaters discuss layout, size and essential equipment
A cautionary tale if you are considering buying a wide beam boat to live on.
A further update to the site content index.
The A -Z of everything narrowboat – With over 5,500 posts and pages on the site now, quickly finding exactly what you want can sometimes be a problem. For this newsletter I started creating and A-Z index of all the site content.
How do you continue to earn money to support your boating lifestyle as you cruise the network?
Sharing your narrowboat space – The practicalities of sharing living accommodation the same size as a large shed.
Paying for a narrowboat – What practical steps can you take to ensure you’ve established legal ownership and how do you deal with the transfer of monies between buyer and seller?
Narrowboat Knots – At my first lock on my first cruise I watched my boat drift into the centre of the canal along with my twelve year old son. If you want to avoid the same embarrassment and potential damage to both your boat and your self esteem, you need to know how to tie your boat securely in a number of different situations.
Toilets is a subject often discussed by narrowboat owners but they usually talk about either pump out or cassette toilets. There is a third type though and it’s one which is both environmentally friendly and cheap to run. Here’s all you need to know about composting toilets.
Boat owners who live on board are considered to have a pretty simple and basic life by many living in bricks and mortar homes. Compared with the lifestyle of the farmers I’ve been staying with in the Philippines though, my UK life seems overly materialistic and expensive. Cou
Here’s an account of my very first winter on board and that of one of the site’s subscribers, Nigel Buttery. They’re very different experiences. My first winter was the coldest on record. Nigel’s is one of the mildest winters we’ve had for a long time.
I’ve also included to links to my Philippines blog. I spent the whole of February living in a rural farming community on the island of Negros.
Have you ever wondered how a narowboat is built. Here are the first two parts of a very detailed account of the building of a Sea Otter aluminium narrowboat. You’ll be particularly interested in Sea Otters if you don’t fancy the constant battle with rust that you have with traditional steel narrowboats.
Condensation is something all boat owners have to deal with. Here’s an explanation of why it occurs and what to do about it. I also tested a remote boat monitoring application in this issue.
Cold floors, cold air above the floors and cold hull sides. It’s a combination which can cause your bottom half quite a bit of discomfort. Here’s what I do to deal with the problem.
Weil’s disease – It’s an often talked about and often feared aspect of living, working or playing close to inland waterways but just how dangerous is it and what can you do to keep yourself safe?
If you’re on a budget maybe a self fit our sailaway is the way to go for you. Here’s the story of a wide beam self fit out to give you inspiration (or put you off completely)
Planning for the year ahead – Written plans and goals have always been important to me. They help me see into the future. Here’s what we’ve planned for our lovely floating home in 2014.
The practicality of hosting Christmas afloat – How do you achieve a floating festive event (and do you really want to)?
Liveaboard case study, The Pearl – Tony and Jane Robinson believe in forward planning. They stated their narrowboat fund thirty years before buying their own boat. Now the two retired education workers moor in a marina for the winter then explore the waterways during the warmer months.
Narrowboat Storage Space – How much space is there to store your worldly goods on board a narrowboat? Here’s a video walk-through of my own boat James.
Roses and Castles Canal Art – What is it and why do boaters spend so much money decorating their boats with it?
Fitting secondary double glazing – Fitting the panels is a simple operation for those with the most basic DIY skills, something which I sadly haven’t developed. As you might expect then, the fitting didn’t go as well as it should.
Narrowboat videos – I launched the Living On A Narrowboat YouTube channel
Secondary double glazing for your boat – The pros and cons of double glazing on a boat and why secondary double glazing is a much better bet and a fraction of the cost.
Living on a narrowboat vidoes – My first hesitant steps into the world of video production for site content
Can you either live or holiday on a narrowboat if you have a disability? – Here’s what you need to know.
Winter fuel allowance – Do you qualify for one if you live on a boat?
Case Study – NB Progress. Kim Wainwright recorded her journey on the forum from nervous anticipation to current liveaboard boat owner. Here’s her story.
Narrowboat central heating – I don’t have any. All that is about to change. Here’s the system I’m going to install and why I’ve chosen it.
Narrowboat running costs – I compare my own running costs to those of a prominent YouTube video blogger and detail my exact costs for October 2013
Popular narrowboat terminology – Hundreds or words or phrases used to describe parts of boats and the waterways they cruise through.
The wind chill factor – How strong the wind is blowing and which direction it’s coming from can determine how difficult it is to heat your boat. Here’s what you need to know.
Case study – Another couple from down under living the dream on the inland waterways.
20th October 2013Condensation. It’s a common problem on boats. Here are a few suggestions how to keep your boat’s interior dry.
A new organisation for liveaboard boaters
On demand water heater problems – Discover a common fault with these water heaters and what you can do to resolve the problem.
Know your firewood – Not all timber burns well. Find out which is best and which to avoid.
Managing your boat’s water supply. You can use your water supply as and when you need it when you live in a house with all mod cons. You can pretty much do the same when you’re on a marina mooring with a water supply just a hose length away. It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on an online mooring.
Liveaboard case study – A prime example of mooring without a water supply on tap.
The folly of using unseasoned wood as a fuel – Here’s essential information if you plan to use logs you find to heat your boat for free
Creating lasting memories of your cruises – Slightly off topic, but please bear with me. You’ll have some wonderful adventures as you travel throughout the network. They’ll be adventures worth remembering but will you remember them? I have a very poor memory but instant and total recall of all my cruises is just a click away.
A tragedy at Calcutt. Sudden Oak Dieback hits our 1,500 twenty year old oak trees
Forum private messaging – Now you can email other forum users from within the site
Managing your water supply
An American blogs about his travels
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
8th September
A disaster – I inadvertently deleted this week’s newsletter and there wasn’t a backup on the server. What a shame. It was all about the damage you can do to your boat if you don’t watch what you’re doing in a lock. You would have loved it!
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.
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?
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
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?
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
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.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
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.
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 equivalent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
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
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.
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
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.
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
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
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
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
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
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
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
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
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
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
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
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.
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.
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
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now (April 2013) she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
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.
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
1th 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
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.
- Aluminium Boats – They don’t rust so why don’t you see more of them on the inland waterways?
- Ironing Board On Board – How do boaters manage a crease free life?
- Freezing Water – How to stop your pipes and pumps from freezing in the winter
- CRT & Continuous Cruising – The Trust and their enforcement of the rules
- Heat – Advice for the owner of a cold boat
- GPS Devices and Canal Mapping – Are there any decent ones available for your narrowboat and do you need them anyway?
- Battery Monitors – Replacing your leisure batteries is one of your more expensive maintenance costs. Here’s some detailed information about a device for looking after your batteries
- 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.
CRT (Canal & River Trust) maintain the waterways. Here’s their site.
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.
Find out more about narrowboat central heating costs here.
2014 08 03 Newsletter – Essential Boating Equipment
The hire boats are out in force. Our wharf is empty. All of our boats are out, as are the boats of many of the hire companies in the area. Most are having a wonderful time but I met a not so happy hirer on the wharf last Sunday evening. I had just come back from a discovery day, dropped off two very tired but happy soon-to-be boat owners and, as I was on the wharf, took the opportunity to vacuum yet more water out of my engine room.
I have a leak again. For months my bilge was gratifyingly dry but in the last two weeks since I had my new calorifier fitted, the half inch deep water is back again. As I was feeding the vacuum hose into the engine room I noticed a hire boat veer off the main channel and charge up to the wharf. I’m always slightly nervous when I see hire boats approaching me at speed, especially in this case as my boat was at right angles to the rapidly approaching hirer. Some hirers are very experienced boaters with more cruising hours under their belts than many boat owners. Many are not, and many are often not fully or even at all in control of boats which often weigh in excess of fifteen tonnes.
This guy had his boat under control but was only just keeping a lid on his temper. He was desperate for a pump out. Two pump outs actually. He and his four crew had been on the boat for just six days but both toilets were full to the brim. He was angry because he had just called the yard which hired them the boat and asked why the toilet tanks were full. Their reply, and you can understand why he was angry, was that the problem had been caused by his group eating and drinking too much!
The toilet tanks on our hire boats will last a family of four about a week on average but of course the exact length of time will depend upon the amount the toilet is used and how often it is flushed. It’s also possible for the flush water to continue flowing after the flush pedal or button has been released so the contents of the boat’s water tank are fairly quickly transferred into the waste tank.
The guy had to moor above Calcutt Top Lock and return to the wharf the following morning to have his toilet tanks emptied. He was a different man the following day. His family had had a tranquil evening moored next to Napton reservoir’s forty acres, they had access to our toilet block overnight and when he phoned the hire company again the following morning, the hire company agreed to pay the £18 cost for one of his pump outs. Another happy boater.
At the beginning of the week I spent a few hours in the main woods on one of my latest projects. The six and a half acres of predominantly broad leaf woodland close to where Sally parks here car has matured wonderfully over the four years that I’ve been here. The oak and ash now provide a canopy over the network of paths which twist among the trees. The spindle, hazel, holly and field maple which were planted last autumn now provide even more variety and ground cover for our woodland creatures. There’s a wonderful mix of native trees and shrubs but very little colour. I have decided to change that.
On Monday I cleared a hundred square metre area of sparse nettle growth on either side of a path to a glade where I have installed a picnic bench where Sally and I often sit and read. I’m going to spray the area a couple of times over then next few months and then sow wild flower seeds over the winter which I have just bought from this web site.
I might see one or two flowers next year but most will appear from the second year onwards. The flowers will attract more insect which in turn will bring in more birds. The woodland glade is going to be a wonderful place to sit and relax in years to come.
I had the pleasure of watching passing boats for most of the day on Wednesday. I was in the cottage garden behind the water point removing a substantial self seeded willow which has spent the last few years forcing the brickwork apart on the side of the old lock in the garden which was used in years gone by to weight the cargo of boats passing between the Oxford and the Grand Union canals. The lock is now an ornamental rectangular pond. The twenty five feet high willow looked slightly odd in a garden full of fruit trees and was causing a considerable amount of damage. It had to go, as did an ash sapling growing out of the opposite side of the lock.
On Thursday I had to take James back into one of the workshops to try and identify the source of the new leak. As suspected, it was the calorifier. The seal around the imersion heater was dripping steadily onto the ply flooring under the bed and then running backwards into the engine bay. I purchased the calorifier in January this year from Steve Smith at Evesham marina along with the yet to be fitted Webasto heater. Steve’s response to my phone call was first class. “Sorry to hear about your leak, but it’s no problem at all. I’ll send you another calorifier. It will be with you before midday tomorrow. Replace the faulty calorifier with the new one and send the faulty one back to me so that I can return it under warranty.” Now THAT is what I call good service.
This really is a wonderful time of the year to be living afloat. The weather is gloriously warm so Sally and I spend much of our time on board with the doors and hatches open. We’re close to nature all year round but with the boat open to the great outdoors we really feel part of it.
Last week I hung a bird feeder from the cockspur thorn tree on the grassy bank next to our mooring. The feeder hasn’t attracted a huge number of birds yet but we really enjoy watching the few colourful finches which turn up now and then to stuff themselves on the feeder’s seed mix. We keep a pair of binoculars next to the open port side hatch so that we can see the birds in glorious close up detail.
Sally also uses the open side hatch to interact with her new best friends. There’s two adult coots with one chick almost the same size as them and another tiny and ungainly chick with its prominent red and mustard yellow head markings. There’s a pair of mallards with six cute chicks and a ravenous shoal of roach fry.
We spent a very happy hour on Thursday evening leaning out of the side hatch basking in the warm sun while we teased both birds and fish with pieces of my favourite whole grain bread. We watched the silver red finned roach flash beneath the surface and snatch mouthfuls of bread from under the stabbing beaks of the frantic birds. Who needs television?
We had so much fun feeding the menagerie that I was toastless on Friday morning. Sally said that the birds’ need was greater than mine as she patted me on a slightly wobbly stomach.
After a rabbit food breakfast I took James back across the marina to get the replacement calorifer fitted. Even though the bed base needed to be removed to get the calorifiers in and out, the swap took less than an hour as all the pipes were in place. As expected, the new tank has cured the problem. We appear to be leak free once more.
Essential Boating Equipment
I received this email from Chris Dury last week…
“I do like a good list. With your experience, is there a list of items that you would not leave the marina without? There are the obvious ones like a first aid kit, spare windlass, light bulb etc. but I thought you would be able to put together a handy checklist. You mentioned in a recent newsletter that parachute cord was very useful and not bulky.”
I included the following pre cruise check list on the newsletter on 2nd June last year but I have added one or two items which aren’t essential for cruising but which are very handy to keep on board.
- Hose and hose reel – I tried several different hose types before settling on my current hose. I had two of the flat blue hoses on white reels you often see in chandlers. They were rubbish. The hose reels fell apart within days and after a couple of month of dragging the hose across gravel they swelled until they would no longer fit on the broken reel. I moved on to the standard Hozelock hoses and reels after that. They didn’t fare much better. The standard hose kinks very easily. I now have a Hozelock maxi plus anti kink hose and it’s marvelous.
- A dog poo spade (Probably not muck use to you if you don’t have a dog) – We don’t collect our dogs’ mess in plastic bags because we then have to carry the waste around with us and when we do finally find a bin for it, it ends up as land fill and, because it’s in a plastic bag, doesn’t rot away. We use the spade, a small coal shovel, to flick the poo out of the way where it can’t be stood on, usually in a hedge, where it decomposes within days.
- Garden shears – Otherwise perfect moorings are often quite frustrating to use when the bank side grass is too long. Five minutes with the shears soon sorts the grass out.
- Folding chairs and table – Ours are from Midland Chandlers. We can sit and enjoy our evening meal on the towpath or just watch the world go by at a snail’s pace.
- 2 x windlesses – one spare just in case we throw one in which we can’t find with the recovery magnet.
- 2 x lump hammers – one spare
- 3 x mooring stakes – one spare
- 3 x mooring chains – one spare
- British Waterways key – for the locking plates on the water points, the waterways owned Elsan points, showers and toilets and for some lift and swing bridges.
- A recovery magnet – It’s worth its weight in gold. My Maxigrab magnet has roughly the same diameter as a two pence piece, is about the length of a box of matches and can lift a very impressive fifty pounds – I have used it to retrieve several windlasses, mooring hooks, shackles and, on two occasions, my main bunch of keys with all the boat keys on it.
- A reel of para cord – Great for tying onto the recovery magnet when I go fishing but also very handy for temporary washing lines, shoe laces, belts, dog leads etc.
- Anchor, chain and rope – I don’t need one for most of my trips out from the marina but when I’m cruising the network full time, an anchor will be essential. I have one on board at the moment but I need to change it for something more substantial.
- Life jackets – I have two similar to the ones worn by CART employees
- Weed hatch tools – A sharp knife with a serrated blade, bolt croppers and mole grips for removing obstacles from the propeller.
- A set of tools which I should use more often – My tools are pretty basic but include, screwdrivers, spanners, socket set, Stanley knife, pliers, electric drill and bits, Allen keys, hacksaw, wood saw and my favourite and most often used tool, a hammer.
- Torches – We have two of them, one kept in the engine room and another in a cupboard near the front doors
- A laser pen – I really, really don’t like Canada geese or the noise they make. A quick flash of the laser pen at the marina is enough to scare them off the water for the night. I haven’t had to use it on the cut yet, but it’s there just in case.
- Roof furniture – Pole, plank and boat hook, and also a children’s fishing net for those little things which frequently blow off or get dropped from the boat into the water.
- Coal, kindling and firelighters – Some boaters carry ten or more bags of coal on the boat roof during the winter months. I have to be very careful what weight I add above the waterline. I added a couple of tonnes to the weight of the boat when I had the cabin over plated with steel so the centre of gravity is already much higher than it should be which means that the boat isn’t as stable in the water as I would like.
- Carbon monoxide monitor – Carbon monoxide from a solid fuel stove can kill. We have one in the main cabin and one in the bedroom.
- Stove top fan – The most popular is the Ecofan. They use the heat from the stove to power a fan to distribute the heat further from the stove. Boat owners with the very popular Morso Squirrel stove tell me that they work brilliantly. Unfortunately for me, my stove has a double skin on the top plate so the fan struggle to reach the temperature necessary to work. A new stove is on our shopping list.
- A spare 13kg gas cylinder – Up until a month ago I was using gas for both cooking and water heating. Since I have had the calorifier installed my gas usage has reduced signifficantly. I was going through a 13kg cylinder every twenty one days but a month after the gas water heater was removed the cylinder which was in use at the time is still half full. I expect a cylinder to now last me three months or more but I will still always carry a spare on board.
- Oil – Spare engine and gearbox oil
- Spare grease for the greaser – Turning down your greaser at the end of each cruising session is essential. The greaser is a brass syringe which forces grease between the stern gland packing and the prop shaft. This helps prevent canal water from entering the engine bay along the prop shaft. I always have a full tub of water resistant grease in the engine room for refilling the greaser.
- A dipstick for my fuel tank – It’s a four feet length of dowel which I have marked at the full, half and quarter levels
- Rope – Bow line, stern line and two centre ropes plus a spare stored in the engine room. all present and in good condition
- Maps – The two most popular guides are Nicholson’s and Peasrso’s. I favour Pearson’s purely because they are the ones I am used to. They are essential for finding water points, turning areas, estimated journey times and quiet mooring spots away from housing, roads and railways.
- Compass – We don’t need one to find out where we are going, but it’s useful to know where the sun is going to end up in the evening. We always try to find a mooring which is open to the west so we know we can sit in the sun in the evening.
- Waterproofs – I have two sets. I have a totally bomb proof jacket and trousers from Guy Cotten. They are designed for use by deep sea fishermen. They are 100% waterproof but aren’t breathable. They are wonderful for standing immobile in the pouring rain but not very good if you’re walking between and operating locks and generating heat. You very quickly get as wet through sweat building up inside the waterproofs as you would from the rain if you’re exerting yourself. I also have I also have a Kakadu leather hat and full length drover’s coat which is a very good waterproof combination and breathable too.
- Wellington boots – The towpath can get very muddy. Wellies are both comfortable and easy to clean.
- A pair of binoculars – There’s plenty to see when cruising but it’s often not close enough to see enough detail. Binoculars allow us to get much closer.
- Sun hats and sunglasses – I favour a wide brimmed leather hat. Sally likes baseball caps, although I don’t know why. There no accounting for taste. We both wear sunglasses.
- Gloves – Sally uses a pair of smart gardening gloves to protect her hands when locking. I have a pair of Sealskinz gloves which I just use for colder weather.
- Fleece hats and tops. Mine are made by Swazi. They’re warm and very durable.
- Collin’s reference books for flowers, trees and birds – Being able to identify the flora and fauna adds to the cruising experience.
- A battery powered vacuum cleaner – At the moment we have a Phillips mini vac but I’m thinking of upgrading to a Dyson DC59 Animal. It’s claimed to have as much power as a corded vacuum cleaner. One of the guys at Calcutt has just bought one. I’ve had a quick play with it on his boat and it’s carpet liftingly powerful. The battery life is supposed to be twenty minutes but I’ve read one or two reviews which claim it’s only half that, but even at ten minutes it’s plenty long enough to vacuum our little home. I know that Sally will love it but at £350 she’ll probably have to wait until Christmas.
- A sense of adventure and anticipation, and a degree of flexibility – You never know what’s around the corner to either encourage or force you to stop for a while. Plans are good but they need to be flexible. Rigid schedules can be a disaster on the waterways.
- Emergency food – Fresh food availability can be quite limited in many rural areas so we always carry tinned and dried food as a back up. A tin of pilchards, a couple of dried chillies and a couple of cups of rice makes a very easy and tasty meal. Our emergency food can easily last us for a week
I’m sure that if I sat here for another half an hour thinking hard about what we have on board I could add a few more items but, to be honest, we moored in a sunny spot on the towpath as I write this and the canvas chair under a towering ash next to the canal is calling me. If you don’t mind, I’ll leave the list for a while in favour of a gentle summer breeze and a view over rolling hills.
The Pros And Cons Of Wide Beam Boats
Last week I wrote an article about wide beam boats which I knew some regular site visitors would disagree with. Some did, but not as many as I thought. Here’s a thread which started as a result of the article. If you’re still undecided about the suitability of a wide beam for your boating needs, maybe this additional information will help.
Discovery Days
I received an email last week which upset me a little. The sender, it the nicest possible way, suggested that this site is becoming too commercial, that the narrowboat community is a very giving group of people and that I should follow suit rather than trying to sell stuff to people.
I objected to the sentiment for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there is a huge amount of free information on the site. Over 6,000 posts and pages actually. The content has taken me four years and many thousands of hours to research, write and publish on the site. The vast majority of the information I provide is free of charge but the site itself is far from free to maintain. The site actually costs hundreds of pounds each month to run. I pay the site running costs from the income I receive from book sales, access to the budget application and the recently introduced discovery days. Yes, you will see adverts for these products and services from time to time, but I don’t think they are too intrusive. If the guides, the budget calculator or the combination helmsmanship and discovery day courses don’t interest you, you can easily ignore the adverts.
On the other hand if you are serious about living afloat the products and services are, I’m often told, very good value for money. The new discovery days are proving just as popular.
I don’t think anywhere is more beautiful than England when the weather is good, and it’s very good indeed at the moment. I took John and Elaine Lord out on a discovery day last Sunday. John came back the colour of a cooked beetroot. He was tired after a 5am start and exhausted after handling his first ever narrowboat for six very rewarding hours.
John and Elaine plan to buy a narrowboat and live afloat in three or four years’ time. They wanted to find out as much as possible about the live aboard lifestyle and learn how to handle a narrowboat properly in anticipation of their hire boat holiday later on in the year.
As you know I’ve only recently launched my discovery days so I’m very keen to get feedback from everyone who joins me for the day. Here’s what John and Elaine had to say about their experience last weekend.
“Hi Paul,
First of all we would like to thank you for such a brilliant day on James, we both really enjoyed it along with your company.
It was great to spend the day with such a knowledgeable and super guy, you were a fantastic, calm and patient instructor, a real pleasure to spend the day with.
The day was brilliant, the amount of information that you shared with us was excellent and answered all of our questions, and more, about living aboard and maintaining the boat.
Your instructions on boat handling were delivered in a very calm, patient, clear and confidence building way, it was an absolute pleasure to learn from you and you put us at ease right from your greeting, by your two loveable dogs, the best latte I have had for a long time, and the wonderful cups of tea. We don’t think you could of added any more to the day as you covered all of our questions regarding live aboard, boat handling and canal etiquette.
Yes my shoulders did ache, and I have never felt so exhausted in my life, but a deep bath soon sorted that out! The sun sparkling on the wind ruffled water is etched on my brain forever.
Thank you again for such a lovely day, most appreciated.
John and Elaine”
I’ve haven’t shared John’s email with you to try and boost my own ego, although it’s always a pleasure to receive such pleasant feedback. I’ve included it because I want you to know that everyone who has been on a discovery day so far, all potential or new boat owners like yourself, has found the discovery day very useful indeed.
My discovery day diary is completely full now until the beginning of November, apart from Sunday 10th August. The couple who were booked on the day have had to reschedule for later on in the year so this is a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of the current glorious English summer and learn how to handle a narrowboat while you discover the pros and cons of living afloat.
You can find out more here. Just click on one of the yellow “book now” boxes to go to the calendar and reserve your slot.
I Need Some Help!
Each time I write a newsletter, I tick another subject off the list of things which those new to boating have told me that they want to read about. The hardest part of the process isn’t the writing itself, it’s constantly thinking of new content for each issue. The trouble is, I don’t know what you want to read. I think I keep the newsletters reasonably interesting but I don’t know for sure. That’s where I need your help.
Can you let me know what you would like to read in the future? Are there any areas of narrowboat life you don’t think I’ve covered enough or areas which I’ve missed completely? Please let me know what you want to read about. Thanks for your help.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over four 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.
The pros and cons of a wide beam boat – More and more wannabe boaters are considering more spacious wide beams rather than narrowboat. There is clearly more living space on board but how practical are wide beam boats on the inland waterways?
The dreaded weed hatch – Sooner or later your engine will start to overheat, you’ll lose propulsion and you’ll know that you need to dive down your weed hatch to free an obstacle or two from the propeller. Here’s how to do it properly and a list of the tools you’ll need.
Digital aids for narrowboat owners – Digital applications and maps for inland waterways boaters
Practical experience for lone boaters. Here’s an account of a day’s cruise with a nervous single boater. He wanted enough confidence to deal with locks on his own. I spent the day with him, designed a route to include twenty six locks and spent ten hours helping him hone his locking skills.
Extending your boat’s storage space – The pros and cons of fitting covers to your front and rear decks
Naming your boat – The legal requirements when naming, renaming and displaying your boat plus the inland waterways’ two hundred most popular boat names
Speeding boats – Are rocking stationary boats the fault of speeding passing boats or the fault of boat owners who can’t moor securely?
Boat Handling – lock and paddle gear types.
Boat handling – Swing and lift bridges
Single handed boating – Negotiating locks.
Single handed boating – Choosing the right type of boat for single handed cruising and equipment to make your solo journeys safer and more enjoyable.
How to avoid common narrowboat accidents. They happen far more often than you might think. Here’s what you need to keep yourself out of harm’s way.
If you want to live on your boat and don’t want to, or can’t, cruise full time, you must have a residential mooring. Here’s how to find one.
What makes a perfect live aboard narrowboat. Two experienced boaters discuss layout, size and essential equipment
A cautionary tale if you are considering buying a wide beam boat to live on.
A further update to the site content index.
The A -Z of everything narrowboat – With over 5,500 posts and pages on the site now, quickly finding exactly what you want can sometimes be a problem. For this newsletter I started creating and A-Z index of all the site content.
How do you continue to earn money to support your boating lifestyle as you cruise the network?
Sharing your narrowboat space – The practicalities of sharing living accommodation the same size as a large shed.
Paying for a narrowboat – What practical steps can you take to ensure you’ve established legal ownership and how do you deal with the transfer of monies between buyer and seller?
Narrowboat Knots – At my first lock on my first cruise I watched my boat drift into the centre of the canal along with my twelve year old son. If you want to avoid the same embarrassment and potential damage to both your boat and your self esteem, you need to know how to tie your boat securely in a number of different situations.
Toilets is a subject often discussed by narrowboat owners but they usually talk about either pump out or cassette toilets. There is a third type though and it’s one which is both environmentally friendly and cheap to run. Here’s all you need to know about composting toilets.
Boat owners who live on board are considered to have a pretty simple and basic life by many living in bricks and mortar homes. Compared with the lifestyle of the farmers I’ve been staying with in the Philippines though, my UK life seems overly materialistic and expensive. Cou
Here’s an account of my very first winter on board and that of one of the site’s subscribers, Nigel Buttery. They’re very different experiences. My first winter was the coldest on record. Nigel’s is one of the mildest winters we’ve had for a long time.
I’ve also included to links to my Philippines blog. I spent the whole of February living in a rural farming community on the island of Negros.
Have you ever wondered how a narowboat is built. Here are the first two parts of a very detailed account of the building of a Sea Otter aluminium narrowboat. You’ll be particularly interested in Sea Otters if you don’t fancy the constant battle with rust that you have with traditional steel narrowboats.
Condensation is something all boat owners have to deal with. Here’s an explanation of why it occurs and what to do about it. I also tested a remote boat monitoring application in this issue.
Cold floors, cold air above the floors and cold hull sides. It’s a combination which can cause your bottom half quite a bit of discomfort. Here’s what I do to deal with the problem.
Weil’s disease – It’s an often talked about and often feared aspect of living, working or playing close to inland waterways but just how dangerous is it and what can you do to keep yourself safe?
If you’re on a budget maybe a self fit our sailaway is the way to go for you. Here’s the story of a wide beam self fit out to give you inspiration (or put you off completely)
Planning for the year ahead – Written plans and goals have always been important to me. They help me see into the future. Here’s what we’ve planned for our lovely floating home in 2014.
The practicality of hosting Christmas afloat – How do you achieve a floating festive event (and do you really want to)?
Liveaboard case study, The Pearl – Tony and Jane Robinson believe in forward planning. They stated their narrowboat fund thirty years before buying their own boat. Now the two retired education workers moor in a marina for the winter then explore the waterways during the warmer months.
Narrowboat Storage Space – How much space is there to store your worldly goods on board a narrowboat? Here’s a video walk-through of my own boat James.
Roses and Castles Canal Art – What is it and why do boaters spend so much money decorating their boats with it?
Fitting secondary double glazing – Fitting the panels is a simple operation for those with the most basic DIY skills, something which I sadly haven’t developed. As you might expect then, the fitting didn’t go as well as it should.
Narrowboat videos – I launched the Living On A Narrowboat YouTube channel
Secondary double glazing for your boat – The pros and cons of double glazing on a boat and why secondary double glazing is a much better bet and a fraction of the cost.
Living on a narrowboat vidoes – My first hesitant steps into the world of video production for site content
Can you either live or holiday on a narrowboat if you have a disability? – Here’s what you need to know.
Winter fuel allowance – Do you qualify for one if you live on a boat?
Case Study – NB Progress. Kim Wainwright recorded her journey on the forum from nervous anticipation to current liveaboard boat owner. Here’s her story.
Narrowboat central heating – I don’t have any. All that is about to change. Here’s the system I’m going to install and why I’ve chosen it.
Narrowboat running costs – I compare my own running costs to those of a prominent YouTube video blogger and detail my exact costs for October 2013
Popular narrowboat terminology – Hundreds or words or phrases used to describe parts of boats and the waterways they cruise through.
The wind chill factor – How strong the wind is blowing and which direction it’s coming from can determine how difficult it is to heat your boat. Here’s what you need to know.
Case study – Another couple from down under living the dream on the inland waterways.
20th October 2013Condensation. It’s a common problem on boats. Here are a few suggestions how to keep your boat’s interior dry.
A new organisation for liveaboard boaters
On demand water heater problems – Discover a common fault with these water heaters and what you can do to resolve the problem.
Know your firewood – Not all timber burns well. Find out which is best and which to avoid.
Managing your boat’s water supply. You can use your water supply as and when you need it when you live in a house with all mod cons. You can pretty much do the same when you’re on a marina mooring with a water supply just a hose length away. It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on an online mooring.
Liveaboard case study – A prime example of mooring without a water supply on tap.
The folly of using unseasoned wood as a fuel – Here’s essential information if you plan to use logs you find to heat your boat for free
Creating lasting memories of your cruises – Slightly off topic, but please bear with me. You’ll have some wonderful adventures as you travel throughout the network. They’ll be adventures worth remembering but will you remember them? I have a very poor memory but instant and total recall of all my cruises is just a click away.
A tragedy at Calcutt. Sudden Oak Dieback hits our 1,500 twenty year old oak trees
Forum private messaging – Now you can email other forum users from within the site
Managing your water supply
An American blogs about his travels
Solving engine room leaks – A simple solution to a dripping stern tube
All about the weed hatch – Removing debris from your propeller
8th September
A disaster – I inadvertently deleted this week’s newsletter and there wasn’t a backup on the server. What a shame. It was all about the damage you can do to your boat if you don’t watch what you’re doing in a lock. You would have loved it!
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.
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?
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
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?
The cost of living on a narrowboat – An article in the Daily Mail… and why most boaters disagree with what they said.
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.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
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.
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 equivalent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
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
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.
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
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.
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
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
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
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
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
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
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
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
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
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
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
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.
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.
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
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways and enjoyed every minute of her life afloat. Now (April 2013) she’s selling up to follow another dream in Spain.
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.
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
1th 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
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.
- Aluminium Boats – They don’t rust so why don’t you see more of them on the inland waterways?
- Ironing Board On Board – How do boaters manage a crease free life?
- Freezing Water – How to stop your pipes and pumps from freezing in the winter
- CRT & Continuous Cruising – The Trust and their enforcement of the rules
- Heat – Advice for the owner of a cold boat
- GPS Devices and Canal Mapping – Are there any decent ones available for your narrowboat and do you need them anyway?
- Battery Monitors – Replacing your leisure batteries is one of your more expensive maintenance costs. Here’s some detailed information about a device for looking after your batteries
- 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.
CRT (Canal & River Trust) maintain the waterways. Here’s their site.
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.
Find out more about narrowboat central heating costs here.