2013 07 28 Newsletter – It’s Official; There’s No Need To Pay Mooring Fees
Living on a Narrowboat News 28th July 2013
I heard many people complaining about the hot weather over the last week or two but I loved every minute of it. OK, I found sleeping a bit of a challenge on some nights when the temperature in our bedroom hovered at the twenty five degree mark even with all the doors and windows open and maybe it was a little warm for work, but the evenings were heaven.
Take last Monday evening for example: As usual I finished work at 5.30. By 5.35 I was back at the boat or, more accurately, by the side of the boat. Sally had two camp chairs set up in the shade of the cockspur thorn tree on the peninsula next to James. We enjoyed a salmon salad overlooking the marina island then rested for half an hour while I enjoyed my evening bottle of Theakston’s Old Peculiar. Then we went to collect our desert.
We have dozens of wild cherry on the site. Unfortunately their brightly coloured fruit are small and bitter so they don’t make good eating. However, there are two exceptions. There’s a 20 year old cherry tree – don’t ask me what type – bowed under the weight of ripe black cherries. There’s another six year old tree which, for the first time this year, has produced a wonderful crop of fat juicy and very sweet red cherries.
Within half and hour we collected at least 2KG of mixed red and black cherries, washed them, put a couple of handfuls for each of us in bowl and added a scoop of Tesco Finest vanilla ice cream. We took our freshly picked desert out to the shade of the cockspur thorn where we sat until dusk.
You can keep your big houses, fancy cars and exotic foreign holidays. Give me a bowl of freshly picked fruit enjoyed in a stunning rural setting any day!
It’s Official. Living On A Narrowboat Costs Next To Nothing… And You Don’t Have To Pay Mooring Fees
Did you read this article in the Daily Mail last week? I don’t actually read the Daily Mail, or any other newspaper for that matter- they’re too depressing – but this particular article was brought to my attention because it paints a far too rosy and none too accurate picture of life on a narrowboat.
Anyone who currently lives on board will notice the inaccuracies immediately. Probably the most glaring error is the claim that the owners don’t need to pay mooring fees or council tax because they are continuous cruisers. They aren’t. They’re moored in Stratford upon Avon where she works in a cafe and the kids go to school. They claim that they don’t need a mooring because they are continuous cruisers and move their boat every few days. A continuous cruiser has to be on a progressive journey. Clearly they aren’t if they have to be close to both work and to schools.
They claim to have reduced their household expenses from £11,000 a year to £3,000. The waterways license and mooring fees, which so far they have avoided (but I suggest not for long once the Trust read this article) would total £3,000. Then there’s the cost of their heating. They claim that they spend just £60 each month on diesel for both their heating and propulsion. Given that they didn’t decide so sell up until February this year, they probably didn’t move onto their boat until April or May. They haven’t actually experienced any cold weather yet so probably haven’t needed the heating on very often. They’ll get a shock later on this year.
There’s no mention of expenditure on gas so maybe they have an electric cooker which may well account for the high electricity cost and the need for a generator. They couldn’t run an electric cooker without one.
There’s no mention of the cost of running the solid fuel stove (I spent nearly £900 last autumn, winter and spring) or repairs and maintenance. I don’t know how long they intend to stay on the boat or how often they are going to carry out essential maintenance such as blacking, painting and essential engine and equipment servicing but they need to budget for them.
Another inaccuracy in the article about their life on a narrowboat is Mrs Lawrence’s claim that “It’s freezing in winter” How does she know? The article states that the final straw for them was in February this year when they were faced with huge fuel bills following a “harsh” winter. They probably didn’t move onto their boat until at least April so they haven’t experienced a winter on the boat yet.
For starters, last winter wasn’t particularly cold. It dragged on a bit, but there weren’t that many really cold spells. Secondly, life on a narrowboat doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Admittedly my first winter, the winter of 2010/11, was decidedly chilly. It was the coldest December since records began in 1908.
The marina was covered by five or six inches of ice for six weeks. We had a few consecutive days with highs of minus six and one night when the thermometer dropped to minus eighteen. That night the temperature in my bedroom was minus two. I woke the following morning to fine a quarter of an inch of frost on the cladding inside the engine room.
That winter I was cold. I hadn’t yet over plated the perished wooden top with steel – and sandwiched another layer of insulation between the two. I often needed to wear an additional fleece top and a hat when I was sitting at my laptop in my office area towards the rear of the boat. And I was still cold.
I was cold on my boat, but then so where thousands of other people in their bricks and mortar homes. The weather was as unusual as it was extreme.
The following two winters weren’t a problem. I haven’t been cold at all and James isn’t really what you could call a warm boat. I know many boaters, with better insulation and heating systems than I have, who leave their front doors open in the winter to let some of the heat out. Russ, our fitter, says that he can remember many a winter when he had his boat sitting sweating in his underpants (not a pleasant thought) with the front doors wide open and snow thick on the ground outside.
There really isn’t any need for this family to be cold in the winter. Maybe they’ve only used their central heating so far and not fired up the solid fuel stove as well. Anyway, the heating is the least of their problems.
Not many families live on narrowboats. There just isn’t the room. Most liveaboard narrowboaters are either singles, mainly men but quite a few women too, and older couples. The few liveaboard children are mainly pre school.
Teenagers need space. This family have a son and a daughter with bunks in the same “bedroom”. There’s very little space for clothes, toys and possessions, and absolutely no privacy. Twelve year old Phoebe will go through puberty with seven year old Jake for company. In five year’s time, Phoebe’s raging hormones will have Jake’s to contend with when he goes through the same changes.
At the moment, the family has all the space they need. The days are both warm and long. They can spend as much time as they like outside, returning to the boat just to eat or to sleep. All too soon the nights will draw in, the thermometer will drop and long evenings on the boat, enjoyed by adults who can appreciate the simple pleasure of reading a book sitting by a living coal fire, will have to be endured by energetic children.
Children can immerse themselves for hours or days in the virtual worlds available to them through their gaming consoles. However, and increasing number of these games rely on fast internet connectivity. Fast and internet aren’t two words you can often use together when you live on a boat. Very rarely is the boat’s internet connection fast. Sometimes there’s no connection at all.
An alternative to gaming is watching the infinite number of television channels available to couch potatoes everywhere. Everywhere that is apart from on boats some or all 0f the time.
I hope that this family make a go of it. I really do. But I don’t think they have either understood or budgeted for all of the costs involved in running and maintaining a narrowboat long term. They certainly haven’t understood the continuous cruising rules and the need to pay £2,000 – £3,000 for a residential mooring (if they can find one) so that they can stay close to work and to schools in Stratford.
I don’t think that they have considered the implications of housing two increasingly volatile youngsters in a very small space with little or no privacy, no room for their material possessions or access to their digital worlds. There are very few older children living with parents on narrowboats for some very good reasons. In years to come, I hope Phoebe and Jake can remember predominantly happy memories from the latter part of their childhood spent on a narrowboat. Somehow I doubt it.
There’s a thread on the forum dedicated to this article if you would like to offer your point of view.
S M Hudson Open Day
Everyone has their favourite boat builder. Mine is Steve Hudson. Some say he is too set in his ways, normally as a result of asking him to build a concept boat or to stray too far from his very successful formula. Steve Hudson builds traditional style narrowboats, usually with a boatman’s cabin, sometimes without, but always with a traditional stern.
Every summer S. M. Hudson hold an open weekend at their Glascote Basin premises near Tamworth. They usually have three or four of boats on show at different stages of construction. They also have an army of evangelistic Hudson narrowboat owners showing off their own boats.
Sally and I spent a very pleasant hour or two there last year looking at boats we couldn’t afford. We enjoyed the frustration so much we’re going again this afternoon. There was one 62′ bespoke liveaboard on show last year which we absolutely loved.
The boat was typically Hudson; classic lines, a glistening engine visible through the side hatches,chunky and plentiful woodwork inside, acres of storage space and every convenience neccessary to make life on board a real pleasure. We very nearly paid Steve Hudson £500 there and then to reserve a build slot for our own bespoke liveaboard.
There was just one small detail which encouraged me to leave my wallet in my pocket… We didn’t have the remaining £149,500 for the full price of the boat. Maybe next year, we said. Here we are. Next year is now this year. Sadly we’re not much closer to the total. We’ll carry on dreaming as we window shop this afternoon.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over three years ago to provide a source of information for anyone interested in narrowboats and the possibility of living on one full time. The site has grown to encompass a comprehensive listing of inland marinas in England and Wales, dozens of articles, a forum and regular newsletters. I’ve already created (below) indexes of the site articles and the more popular forum posts. I thought it was about time I created an easy to use index of the newsletter content. Here’s the index so far. I’ve managed to reach the end of 2012. I’ll add the rest next week.
11th January 2011 – 1st Newsletter
Dealing with the coldest winter on record
Digital reading – A detailed review of the Kindle, the perfect solution for book loving boat owners
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
The first four narrowboat case studies published
I’ll start with myself; Paul Smith, living on my own, moored in a marina and working full time. Narrowboat James case study
Meet Peggy. She has a husband and two small children, works full time and cruises the network during the summer months. Narrowboat Violet Mae case study
Fancy spending your retirement cruising the waterways of England and Wales? Meet Barry and Sue Horne. They’re living the dream! Narrowboat Adagio Case Study
Here are another working couple. Lina and Warren cruise the cut with their two cats.Narrowboat Olive Rose case study.
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways. Now, just a year and a half later, she’s had enough. Her boat’s up for sale and she’s living in sunny Spain
Reviewed: The Liveaboard Guide by Tony Jones. A great guide to living afloat
eBay Narrowboat scam (and a little bit of flack for me from another forum)
Case Study: Author Toby Jones on his own liveaboard narrowboat
A review of Debdale Wharf marina
The downside of living on a narrowboat – This was a very controversial post. Liveaboard Pauline Roberts wrote about the less pleasant aspects of life afloat… and attracted a storm of comments
Case study: The Woodsman – Pauline Roberts again giving an insight into the life that you may think she doesn’t like.
As a result of the article about the downside of living on a narrowboat published in the 18th March newsletter, I asked liveaboard narrowboat owners to complete a survey to give a balanced view of the issues raised by Pauline. Here are the survey results and a much more positive article by liveaboard narrowboat owner and frequent forum contributer Peter Early.
Life on the river Cam – A guest article on the pleasures of river life by wide beam liveaboard Luther Phillips
Case Study – Freelance writer Anne and her South African farmer partner John reveal all
Case Study – Toni cruises constantly with ex husband Allan. They cruise together but they live apart… on separate boats
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
DIY narrowboat painting – I’ve broken down the complete cost of painting your own boat and
Dealing with wind on the river – A guest article from liveaboard narrowboat owner Alan Cazaly
How to clean your stove glass – One of the real pleasures of a living fire is watching the flames on a cold winter’s eve. Here’s what you need to do to ensure you can actually see the fire.
Smoking on board – An alternative to smelly smoke
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
I published my guide Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat. When this newsletter was published it was only available as a Kindle edition. Now it’s available in both Kindle and PDF format and is bundled with Narrowbudget, the site’s bespoke narrowboat budgeting application.
VAT on narrowboat sales
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
An unscheduled dip in the marina prompted me to write about safety on the waterways
Living on a narrowboat – Through the eyes of a young lady who would clearly prefer to be somewhere else
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
Low cost narrowboat ownership – A low cost solution to the problem of funding your first narrowboat
Solar power – All you need to know about installing solar panels on your boat. Written by the inland waterways most popular solar system installer
Case Study – Mr. Solar Panel Tim Davis writes about life on board his own narrowboat
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
Narrowboat electrics part 2 – The concluding article from Tim Davis
I asked newsletter subscribers to send me detailed breakdowns of their bricks and mortar expenses so I could compare them with the cost of running a narrowboat. Quite a few subscribers obliged. I added the breakdowns to my narrowboat costs guide and the budgeting application.
Case Studies – I put together 21 of the best case studies and analysed and summarised the data in this low cost guide. If you want ton save yourself hundreds of hours of research and costly mistakes, you need to read this guide.
Case Study – Mike’s circumstances are similar to my own. He moved onto his boat after a failed marriage. He’s upgraded from a 27′ GRP cruiser to a 50′ narrowboat
The real cost of going cheap. An in depth look at the cost of my 36 year old boat, and how much I spent (and still need to spend) before it will be a comfortable full time cruising boat.
Stove fuel test – What works best; coal, wood, briquettes or something else entirely – Here’s my own take on a Waterways World test
Essential stove maintenance – Here’s what you need to do to make sure that your stove always performs well.
Internet connectivity – I use the internet four or more hours every day. This is the setup I have on my boat to make sure that I’m always connected.
Detailed running costs for my own boat for January 2013
James’ upgrade – Adding solar panels and replacing carpets with oak effect laminate flooring
Where can you find residential moorings? Here’s a great place to start
Getting rid of unwelcome visitors – Geese used to regularly disturb a peaceful night’s sleep where I moor. Not any more. Here’s my solution
Know your narrowboat costs – Detailed costs for my own boat for February 2013
Half a dozen boaters now have access to their own blog section on the site. You can too. Here’s how.
Here’s an example of what happens when you really don’t understand how your narrowboat works.
Essential boating equipment – Here’s a low cost item which has paid for itself over and over again.
Whilton marina boat sales – Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be. This alleged fact about the boat sales at Whilton has come to me from several different sources.
Case study – Sarah lives on wide beam Antioch on the Leeds Liverpool canal. She can do man things with her hands. Here’s her story.
Be inspired – There are always reasons why you don’t make the move from bricks and mortar to steel and water. Here’s an anecdote which demonstrates once and for all that there really aren’t any worthwhile excuses.
Narrowboat security – A spate of burglaries from boats and a break in at my former family home encouraged me to write this article
Case study – You need to committed to sell your home to fund the purchase of your narrowboat. That’s what Mick and Marlene have done.
The perils of exceeding your monthly broadband data allowance. Learn from my mistakes.
The Trust target illegal moorers but just what does the Trust consider to an illegal mooring?
Identity theft – The ongoing saga of my hacked laptop
RCR engine servicing – River Canal Rescue (RCR) are well known as the waterways equivelent of the AA but did you know that they will also come to your mooring to service your boat?
Narrowboat blogs – My own first cruise, Our Nige takes his new home on its maiden voyage and a chance for you to have your very own blog section on this site.
Narrowboat fuel tanks – How much do they hold
Meet one of your legless canal side companions
The canal network’s largest floating hotel
An encounter with a wide beam boat and why they aren’t suitable for much of the canal network
An interview with the Trust’s head of boating. Sally Ash talks about the Trust’s approach to the thorny issue of residential moorings
My comments about an encounter on the Oxford/GU section between Napton and Braunston sparked a debate about the pros and cons of wide beams on the cut.
Keeping dry – You don’t really need to limit your cruising to sunny summer days. There’s something very special about standing on the back deck in the pouring ran protected by a set of bomb proof waterproofs.
Do you really need a car? Living on a narrowboat is all about enjoying a simple and stress free life. Sally and I had a car each. Mine cost £2,000 to run in the previous 12 months so I decided to get rid of mine to see if I could manage without one.
Laptop hacking – An update on the problems I encountered after buying a brand new laptop which I suspect was tampered with before I bought it.
Diary of a new narrowboat owner – Frequent forum poster “Our Nige” finally moved on to his new floating home. Here’s his story
An encounter with two poorly prepared holiday boaters and my own impending two week cruise encouraged me to put together a pre cruise check list
I was on holiday for the first two weeks of June. Sally and I cruised from Calcutt to Braunston, north along the north Oxford where we joined the Coventry canal briefly before taking a very sharp right turn onto the Ashby canal. Here’s a daily report of the first week of our holiday.
The Ashby canal cruise part two – We spent a bit more time on the Ashby before heading south again, joining the Coventry canal, this time following it into Coventry’s rather depressing and disappointing city centre, then retracing our steps back to Calcutt
Most popular narrowboat names – Here’s the definitive list of the top 200 most popular narrowboat names and a resource you can use to find out if any other boat has the same name as yours
Considerate boating – An article prompted after a near head on collision with another boat trying to avoid a fallen oak.
23rd June 2013 – The cost of a two week cruise. If you live on your own boat, what’s the real cost of taking it away for a two week break?
Case Study – Mary Anne swapped dry land home rental for floating home ownership. Now she loves life afloat and works from home.
Life as a continuous cruiser – The Holy Grail of narrowboat ownership. The ability to travel where and when you like. Peter Early tells all.
Keeping your stove glass clean – Maybe you think it’s an odd subject for the summer but you can’t trust the English weather. Late June and the stove was still on now and again. At least now I have a crystal clear view of the fire I shouldn’t need to light.
Traffic chaos caused by Braunston’s historic boat rally – On a day with high winds and a canal full of working boats returning home after the rally, I had the pleasure of taking some very nervous hirers out on the cut.
Anticipating winter weather – You may well be enjoying unusually warm winter weather but the winter will be with us all too soon. Now is the time that you need to plan for the cold weather ahead.
Fenland river cruising – Another boater’s maiden voyage to whet your appetite.
Hire boat expectations – Fully understanding what facilities will be available to you is essential if you’re going to enjoy a narrowboat holiday. Here’s what not to do.
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.
- Post & Postal Addresses For Continuous Cruisers – You need an address in order to receive post and open bank accounts, register for doctors and hospitals etc. How do continuous cruisers with no fixed abode manage it.
- Keeping Cool On A Narrowboat – How to keep people and pets cool in the summer
- It’s Official: There’s No Need To Pay Mooring Fees – Or so this Daily Mail article claims. You may disagree. I do.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.
2013 07 21 Newsletter – A Complete 2012 Newsletter Index
Living on a Narrowboat News 21st July 2013
Do you like cherries? I don’t. One of our woods is full of wild cherry and there are more of them growing every day. The canal-side wood was planted in 1994. It’s a beautiful shaded area of wild cherry, oak, ash, hemlock, Douglas fir, silver birch and holly. The wood has been allowed to do its own thing for nearly two decades and, beautiful as it is, needed some TLC. The wild cherry growth is prolific. Every established tree was surrounded by a dozen or more saplings ranging in size shoelace thick twigs to fifteen feet high small trees with four inch trunks. They were choking the growth of the other trees around them so they had to go.
I’ve spent much of the last week hiding from the fierce sun cutting the saplings with a pruning saw. I have to use a hand saw as I haven’t been trained to use a chain saw yet. I think the company are a little nervous at the thought of letting me loose with one. I can see their point. I didn’t have a very good track record with machinery – or my own safety – in the first year I was here. I managed to reverse a truck into the canal trying to avoid a moorhen with her two chicks, I blew the engine up on the ride on mower (I still don’t know how that happened), I reversed the ex-army fork lift truck through the double doors of the wharf workshop and I managed to narrowly avoid serious and lasting injury when impaled my left eyeball on a two inch hawthorn.
So in the last week I’ve cut down at least two hundred saplings with my little saw to clear the undergrowth and allow some light into the woods. There’s something immensely satisfying in working on the grounds here over a number of years. As I ride around the site during my working day in my little Nissan Cabstar or as I walk Charlie and Daisy in the evening in can enjoy the fruits of my labour. The 32 18″ tall Leylandaii I planted in 2011 are now head height, the acre island behind my boat, once covered in head high thistle, is now covered by a healthy layer of short cut grass and studded with white poplar, alder, horse chestnut, willow and field maple and the solitary oak, once surrounded by waste high course grass now stands tall and proud on its own verdant corner of the marina.
I love working on the ground but I also enjoy a change of scenery when I work on the wharf every Saturday.
Hire Boat Expectations
Yesterday was Calcutt Boats’ hire fleet’s first busy day of the season. Schools have closed for the summer so the families are out in force. Eight boats went out so there were eight boats to prepare in the morning and eight groups of holiday hirers to instruct. I love doing the instructions. The hirers are often tired after their journey from home to the marina, but they’re usually delighted to be here in beautiful Warwickshire, on their boat and ready to enjoy a week or two relaxing on the waterways.
Most of the hirers come back from their holiday with smiles on their faces after a restful, enjoyable and memorable break. There are always exceptions and I think the last couple I instructed yesterday were one of them.
He was a happy-g0-lucky guy in his forties, scruffy, laid back and ideally suited for boating. She was a very glamorous (and very attractive) lady of about the same age, dressed more for a cocktail party than a week on a narrowboat. After they loaded their luggage – an overnight bag for him and a never-ending collection of matching suitcases for her – they were ready for their instruction. I don’t know what Mr. Laid Back had told his newly acquired lady friend, but I don’t think he had been entirely truthful about the practicalities of boating.
The first part of the instruction is carried out on the back deck where the hirers are given some general boating advice and then shown the daily checks they need to carry out. The demonstration involves lifting the deck board to show them the engine bay and the location of the greaser and dipstick. From the look on the lady’s face when she saw the engine bay, you’d think she’d just been shown a tank full of raw sewage (That was later on in the instruction). She pulled a face and then moved as far away from the engine bay as possible, which isn’t actually very far on a narrowboat.
Once we’d finished on the back deck, we went inside the boat so that I could show them how the heating, shower, toilet, TV, cooker and electrics worked. She wasn’t exactly thrilled when I showed her the workings of the dump through toilet. She was even less pleased when I pointed out that they would need to consider having the sewage pumped out when the visible level rose close to the bottom of the toilet bowl.
The final straw though was the on board electrics. She had brought a hair dryer with her which would have doubled as a wind machine on a film set, several sets of high power hair straighteners and a number of other unidentifiable but very suspicious looking electrical devices.
I pointed out to her that the inverter on the boat was 1,000w which meant that none of her appliances would work. I had to explain the fact in a number of different ways before the full horror of the situation was clear to her. After a shocked silence she recovered briefly. “OK. It’s a huge inconvenience, but I’m sure there’s a way around it. I’m sure that there must be places along the way where I can plug them in.” I had to point out to her that although the Canal & River Trust are trying their hardest to improve facilities for boaters, they haven’t yet managed to upgrade the facilities to include fully serviced dressing rooms.
Still reeling from the shock of having to spend a week without arrow straight hair, she didn’t seem to understand me when I asked her whether she was going to steer or work the locks. She said that she was going to do neither and that her man would do all the hard work. I told her that, as there were only two of them on the boat and as they weren’t experienced boaters one would have to steer the boat into the locks while the other worked the lock.
She wasn’t happy but decided that steering the boat was the lesser of two evils… until she tried to take the boat into the lock. She told me that the engine was noisy and that the lock was too narrow, too damp and too wet. She also complained that the boat wasn’t working properly because it wouldn’t go where she wanted it to.
After we had sucessfully negotiated the lock and a short stretch of canal I stepped off the boat onto the towpath and left them to their “fun” holiday on the south Oxford. As they zig-zagged their way up the Grand Union towards Napton Junction I heard her asking him to find them a hotel to stay in. I can’t wait to see how they got on with their planned 100 miles and 76 locks return journey to Oxford when they come back next Saturday!
The Dangers Of Boat Roof Storage
You see plenty of boats with a roof filled with possessions which won’t fit inside the boat. It’s quite normal and doesn’t do the boat any harm, or does it? Regular forum contributer and ex submariner Martin Cowen explains the daners of rooftop storage.
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over three years ago to provide a source of information for anyone interested in narrowboats and the possibility of living on one full time. The site has grown to encompass a comprehensive listing of inland marinas in England and Wales, dozens of articles, a forum and regular newsletters. I’ve already created (below) indexes of the site articles and the more popular forum posts. I thought it was about time I created an easy to use index of the newsletter content. Here’s the index so far. I’ve managed to reach the end of 2012. I’ll add the rest next week.
11th January 2011 – 1st Newsletter
Dealing with the coldest winter on record
Digital reading – A detailed review of the Kindle, the perfect solution for book loving boat owners
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
The first four narrowboat case studies published
I’ll start with myself; Paul Smith, living on my own, moored in a marina and working full time. Narrowboat James case study
Meet Peggy. She has a husband and two small children, works full time and cruises the network during the summer months. Narrowboat Violet Mae case study
Fancy spending your retirement cruising the waterways of England and Wales? Meet Barry and Sue Horne. They’re living the dream! Narrowboat Adagio Case Study
Here are another working couple. Lina and Warren cruise the cut with their two cats.Narrowboat Olive Rose case study.
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways. Now, just a year and a half later, she’s had enough. Her boat’s up for sale and she’s living in sunny Spain
Reviewed: The Liveaboard Guide by Tony Jones. A great guide to living afloat
eBay Narrowboat scam (and a little bit of flack for me from another forum)
Case Study: Author Toby Jones on his own liveaboard narrowboat
A review of Debdale Wharf marina
The downside of living on a narrowboat – This was a very controversial post. Liveaboard Pauline Roberts wrote about the less pleasant aspects of life afloat… and attracted a storm of comments
Case study: The Woodsman – Pauline Roberts again giving an insight into the life that you may think she doesn’t like.
As a result of the article about the downside of living on a narrowboat published in the 18th March newsletter, I asked liveaboard narrowboat owners to complete a survey to give a balanced view of the issues raised by Pauline. Here are the survey results and a much more positive article by liveaboard narrowboat owner and frequent forum contributer Peter Early.
Life on the river Cam – A guest article on the pleasures of river life by wide beam liveaboard Luther Phillips
Case Study – Freelance writer Anne and her South African farmer partner John reveal all
Case Study – Toni cruises constantly with ex husband Allan. They cruise together but they live apart… on separate boats
DIY narrowboat painting – I spent three weeks in April painting my boat. Here’s the first of my progress reports
DIY narrowboat painting – I’ve broken down the complete cost of painting your own boat and
Dealing with wind on the river – A guest article from liveaboard narrowboat owner Alan Cazaly
How to clean your stove glass – One of the real pleasures of a living fire is watching the flames on a cold winter’s eve. Here’s what you need to do to ensure you can actually see the fire.
Smoking on board – An alternative to smelly smoke
Survey – Do you want a forum on the site? (You already know the answer to that!)
Repeat prescriptions, diesel heating systems and solar panels
Dealing with pests on a narrowboat – spiders and swans
Posh boats – My personal favourite: S.M. Hudson
I published my guide Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat. When this newsletter was published it was only available as a Kindle edition. Now it’s available in both Kindle and PDF format and is bundled with Narrowbudget, the site’s bespoke narrowboat budgeting application.
VAT on narrowboat sales
The best tip for a wannabe narrowboat owner – Advice from existing boat owners
Practical flooring for narrowboat dogs
Case study – Mike and Mags use a double redundancy payment to pay for their new floating home
I started to develop the narrowboat budgeting software. This newsletter detailed the concept and the progress to date
An unscheduled dip in the marina prompted me to write about safety on the waterways
Living on a narrowboat – Through the eyes of a young lady who would clearly prefer to be somewhere else
The first release of the new spreadsheet based narrowboat budgeting application
First tests and reviews of the budgeting application
The best aerial for a narrowboat television
Low cost narrowboat ownership – A low cost solution to the problem of funding your first narrowboat
Solar power – All you need to know about installing solar panels on your boat. Written by the inland waterways most popular solar system installer
Case Study – Mr. Solar Panel Tim Davis writes about life on board his own narrowboat
Understanding narrowboat electrics – Another excellent article from Tim Davis
Satellite television for narrowboats – Information from a system installer
Narrowboat electrics part 2 – The concluding article from Tim Davis
I asked newsletter subscribers to send me detailed breakdowns of their bricks and mortar expenses so I could compare them with the cost of running a narrowboat. Quite a few subscribers obliged. I added the breakdowns to my narrowboat costs guide and the budgeting application.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Once more the weather has beaten me into submission. Please forgive me if I found the prospect of sitting with a beer on a grassy sun kissed peninsula more attractive then the inside of my poorly ventilated cabin. The forecast for the week ahead is a little cooler and a fair amount of thundery rain so I should be able to dedicate more time to the site.
See you again next week…
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.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.
Taking The Stick
A few months ago I wrote briefly about our encounter with an old (circa 1937) seventy-foot working boat still on the canals — now selling diesel, propane and solid fuel to clients between Milton Keynes and Marswoth. The boat “Towcester” (pronounced “toaster”) is owned by Jules and her husband Richard, the business being: “Jules’ Fuels”. The Towcester has a classic two-cylinder Lister diesel engine, which makes an impossible-not-to-love shucka-puppa-schuka-puppa sound as it moves along the water.
Well, last night, who should come along and moor just ahead of us but Jules and Richard and their dog “Jesse” on Towcester. They spotted us as they were coming in and asked cheekily if dinner was ready — I shot back, “of course — and the recommended wine tonight is a nice Chablis!”
When Towcester was secured to the bank, I went over to chat and Valari surprised all of us by coming out with two glasses of Chablis for Jules and Richard. So, we sat and talked for some about the sorry state of the world, the pleasures of the canal, the joys of growing older and how Jules and Richard came to be in this particular business. It turns out that Jules was born in the famous canal town of Stoke Bruerne, has loved boats all her life and has been living on working boats since she was thirteen. Richard has been on the cut since 1990, and so is a relative new-comer.
Now in her fifties, Jules has owned Towcester twice. As a girl, it had always her dream to own this specific boat as she watched it pass through Stoke Bruerne. She finally was able to buy the boat as a young woman — later lost it in a divorce, then found and bought it again several years ago. Recently she had the original Lister engine completely restored — and it is a thing of beauty.
I was sitting on Towcester’s stern, admiring their boatman’s cabin, with the two metal wheels that control the engine just above my head, when I said, almost to myself: “it must be amazing to operate a boat like this…” Richard replied: “Well, come along when we start off tomorrow and you can give it a try!”
So, this morning at about 8, under a pleasantly overcast sky and cool temperatures, Jules said, “Alright — take the stick and let’s move off”. Standing in the trad stern hatch, I clunked the left hand wheel a quarter turn anti-clockwise (putting the boat into forward gear) and gave the right hand throttle wheel a light spin or two. The Lister sped up making its glorious sound as we pulled away from the bank — with Valari on the towpath taking photos of The Departure.
As instructed, I kept Towcester dead centre in the channel — because it draws three feet of water and, whatever happened, I was determined that we would not end up on a sand bank while I was entrusted with the boat.
Stops were made to sell diesel to The Cheese Boat and deliver over a half ton of coal to live-aboard boats, including a retired couple on “Papillion”. Jules would take the tiller briefly to execute delicate manoeuvres coming along-side, but as we went along, I took some of this on too. I was alternately introduced to the customers as “the man in charge of coal-sack quality control” or “our Yank apprentice”.
While Jules sent texts to long-standing customers to let them know we were in the area, Richard and I talked about the many and varied aspects of boat life past and present, his happiness in marriage with Jules, and bits of many other topics – all punctuated with occasional directions based on the nature of the channel and bridges coming up, “Try to take a line to a bridge-hole that gets your bow visible as soon as possible to any boats that might be coming the other way”, or, “don’t cut this corner — it’s deceptively shallow right there” or “watch the branches as we come in here — if we scratch the brass work on Jules’ chimney we’ll both never hear the end of it…!”.
Jules is truly a woman of the cut. She has spent her entire life on or within 2-3 miles of the canals. Richard spoke with endearing compassion of how, when they must take the car out to shop or deliver coal to a non-canal customer “Jules’ whole face and body become a rigid expression of unhappiness — it still startles me. But, as soon as we are back on the boat, she is immediately alive and smiling again.”
The most pleasing part of the trip was, of course, taking Towcester through the flight of three locks at Soulbury — and there we said our goodbyes until next time and I walked the 3 1/2 miles back to Stardust.
In trying to explain the experience to Valari, the best I could do was to say that it was an opportunity to briefly stop observing and actually step into the living history of the canals that Jules and Richard and “toaster” represent.
Last night we were invited to a barbecue being put on this evening by another couple we have met here and there along the cut. So, after getting back from time with Towcester, I went down the tow path to see what might be needed that we could bring. It turns out that the invitation must have been issued in an alcohol-fueled moment of now (completely) forgotten bon ami, as there were no chairs or place settings for us. But, that’s another story…
Cheers!
Travels of Joanie M – Life as a Continuous Cruiser – BCN, the Southern Bit
The Southern BCN, also known as ‘Back of the Map’, is a useful and attractive alternative link between the Staffs & Worcs and Birmingham. We enter it from the New Main Line and through Netherton Tunnel. At 3027 yards long, this is one of the longest in the country, built by John Walker in 1858 to bypasss the congested Dudley Tunnel with towpaths on each side and originally lit by gas. Gas was replaced by electricity generated by a turbine at the base of Tividale Aqueduct. If you look back as you enter the tunnel you can still see the pipes that fed water from the higher level to drive the turbine.
Coming out of the tunnel you arrive at one of the prettiest spots on the BCN, Windmill End. Here, the new tunnel canal cut through the older Dudley Canal to make a large loop on the right. Left the Dudley Canal used to head off towards the W & B but now ends at Hawne Basin after passing through the low and tight Gosty Tunnel and the remnants of Coombeswood Tube Works. Just past the junction is a café and information centre with a water point and extensive moorings. Walk back to Cobbs Engine House of the hill which used to pump water from the local mine shafts.
As you cruise on, the Dudley Canal makes a big curve around the base of Netherton Hill whose church can be seen on the top. You pass the old railway interchange basin at Withymoor, now operated as residential moorings with a useful pumpout service. Netherton was known for its chain and anchor manufacturers and by Primrose Bridge was where they were tested by Lloyds.
Lodge Farm Reservoir sits on the old line of the canal, it being straightened in 1838 through Brewins Tunnel. The tunnel has now been removed and the cutting opened out but the site is clearly visible. Next up is Blackbrook Junction. The bit to the left was called the Two Lock Line as it originally passed through 2 locks to rejoin the canal a few hundred yards away. This gradually subsided into the old mine workings so we now have to travel a mile or so following the contour to Parkhead.
The locks to the right take you up to the entrance to the Dudley Tunnel and also the junction with the Pensnett Canal and the Grazebrook Arm. These two latter are no more but much of the route of the Pensnett can be followed. The Parkhead Rally of Boats is often held here. The locks are overshadowed by a large railway viaduct which will someday become part of the Metro route from Walsall to Merryhill. There is sanitary station here and if you intend to spend much time at Merryhill you are advised to fill your water tank here.
The main route turns left down the deep Blowers Green Lock. There were originally two locks here but our old friend subsidence saw them rebuilt as one deeper one. CRT have now installed a footbridge over the lock entrance so you no longer have to clamber over the gates. The newly upgraded towpath, now cycle friendly, changes sides at the next bridge, one that seems particularly narrow and I never seem to get through it without scraping the sides. The Two Lock Line enters from the right and then you are in a stretch of canal that is very industrial with remains of bridges on both sides.
You are entering the site of the mighty Round Oak steel works, now buried forever below the delights of The Waterfront and Merryhill shopping centre. The canal here has been moved, tidied up, realigned and moved again. However, there are extensive moorings plus an Elsan point and showers but alas, no public water point. There are residential moorings in The Waterfront with water so if desperate no doubt they will help. Currently this is a desolate place with a lot of the office space and most of the retail units empty and forlorn. The 2 pubs are still in business though! Up the hill is a useful Aldi and Wickes and The Rose & Crown, a Holdens house.
You now arrive at the top of Delph Locks. Descending the hill in a graceful curve, only the top and bottom locks are original, the other seven old locks being replaced with six new ones in a straight line, hence the name of the bridge, Nine Locks, and the pub at the bottom, The Tenth Lock. If it is beer you’re after, make your way to the Vine, also known as the Bull & Bladder. This is the brewery tap for Bathams Brewery and besides the excellent ale they do very good value lunches. If you examine the brickwork on the flight you will see a roll call of Black Country brickmakers commemorated.
This then is the end of the BCN, you now being on the Stourbridge Canal which descends by 16 locks at Worsley and another 4 at Stourton to join the Staffs & Worcs Canal. If you head this way, make the short diversion into Stourbridge itself. Don’t be put off by the moored boats at the end, Keep on past them and you can turn at the very end to come back and moor by the last bridge.
Ice
Well, it was bound to happen — after arriving for the coldest March in recorded history we are now “basking” (as The Times says) in record summer heat, meaning: mid to upper 80’s F.
So, a daily ritual has been to locate and buy a bag of ice each afternoon for cold evening drinks on the boat. This was easy in Berkhampsted with a supermarket just a block away, but today was different. We moored near Gebe Canal Cruises that offers day hire boats for locals and has a shop where you can buy nautical caps that say “Captain”. Operated by “Collin” and his wife and teenage son, Gebe also runs a cafe where I went in hopes of ice.
I approached the teenage lad at the counter and asked if I could buy some ice. He said: “No — but I’ll give you some!” and reached into the cooler to find that there was none left. Mum came by about this time and said the nearest place to buy ice was “Marsdon’s” market in the nearby town of Pitsdon: “left out the drive, left under the rail bridge, then carry on for about twenty minutes”. She had forgotten the bit about “left again at the roundabout”, but I’m beginning to sort out the English way of giving directions…
I arrived at Marsdon’s, bought ice and let them know I had been sent their way by Collin — and was asked therefore to give him their hellos on the way back.
Stumping again through Pitsdon I crossed paths with the mere slip of an old woman looking very fine indeed in her white summer dress and pale yellow straw hat. We exchanged greetings with hers being a heartfelt “lovely day..!” and my replying “Oh yes, a bit hot, but lovely.” “Well” she replied,”we English are never happy, it’s either too hot or too cold or too windy or not.” I agreed, and added that I thought all people were like that: “it’s a common misery we can share with each other…” she laughed a slip of a laugh and we went each our own way.
I stopped by the hire boat company to drop off the ice I had bought for them and the teenage lad said: “whoy’d yah doo thaht?”. I told him that his earlier offer of free ice had been an Act of Kindness and, as such, should be returned in kind. Collin was off somewhere by then so I came back to the boat.
The iced tea — and later iced wine — tasted all the finer for the walk.
2013 07 14 Newsletter – Fenland River Cruising
Living on a Narrowboat News 14th July 2013
Hasn’t the weather been wonderful over the last week or so? With the daytime temperature hovering around the mid twenties, strenuous physical activity has been very demanding. Grass cutting has slowed down a little now that we’re enjoying drier days so there’s a little more time for other tasks around the marina.
Each mooring bay around the larger Meadows marina is fringed by reeds. They grow at a tremendous rate, as much as six inches a week, so they have to be cut regularly to prevent them from obstructing the pontoons. Firstly they need to be cut with a circular saw blade attached to a trimmer and then some good old fashioned hard labour to collect the reeds with a rake and a couple of dozen builders rubble sacks.
It’s hot and tiring work in the current balmy weather but so relaxing working next to the water. Monstrous carp cruise the shallows, black and white coot with their colourful chicks dash frantically two and fro as the bull rushes bob in the breeze. MORE HERE…
On Saturday I usually work on the wharf preparing hire boats in the morning and then instructing hirers on the correct use of their temporary homes when they arrive in the afternoon. Yesterday there were enough staff to deal with the boats in the morning so, aftera few hours very enjoyable weeding, I was on the wharf for when the hirers started to arrive at 2pm.
One boat had been hired by a very vocal man and his long suffering wife. They had reversed their car on to the wharf and were loading their luggage onto the their boat (usually enough to keep them going for at least a month). Mr. Vocal came out of his boat and shouted across to fellow instructor Rob and I.
“Oi! Have either of you taken my water out of the fridge?”
“No” said Rob, “Neither of us has been on your boat”
“Well, it’s not there now and I haven’t taken it out of the fridge”
“Why don’t you look in the fridge on the boat next to you?” suggested Rob. “Maybe your water’s there”
“Why would my water be in next door’s boat?” asked Mr. Vocal aggressively
“Because the boat next door is your boat” smiled Rob “You’re standing on the wrong one!”
Mr. Vocal was as quiet as a church mouse during his instruction. He was actually very pleasant. His long drive on a very hot day had caused a bit of an upset to his normally placid nature. I love working on the wharf. We have such fun!
Yesterday, Saturday, was a beautiful hot and sunny day. The emphasis was on hot. The thermometer just touched thirty degrees. Sally and I decided that the weather was too good to spend on our mooring so we decided to go out for a cruise overnight last night and all day today.
Before I finished work at 5.30 we had a surprise visit from Londoner Lucy Illiffe and her mother. They owned James from April 1977 when she was handed over to them from the builder until 1997 when Lucy’s father sadly passed away. Lucy was six when they took delivery of James so she had very fond memories of James spanning two decades. Her visit to the marina to see James was bittersweet. She was pleased to see that James had loving and caring new owners but the memories were too much for her.
After a tearful farewell from Lucy we backed off our mooring and headed into the sunset. What a wonderful evening it was for a cruise. Many of the owners of locally moored narrowboats had clearly had the same idea as us. We had to cruise for an hour before finding a decent mooring. Every available spot was filled with happy boaters tending barbecues and sitting in camp chairs sipping wine in the sun.
We found a quiet spot just after 8pm. Within ten minutes we were sitting on the towpath enjoying salmon fillets wrapped in bacon, a bottle of Old Peculiar for me and a bottle of Kopparberg mixed fruit cider for Sally. Sally was delighted that she’d found the Kopparberg on special offer at just £1 a bottle. She was delighted until she realised that the cider was alcohol free. You can’t win them all!
We’re still there now. It’s 9am. We’ve had our normal full English Sunday treat, Sally’s clipping Daisy’s coat on the front deck and I’m writing the newsletter, glancing out of the window now and then to rest my eyes and enjoying the panoramic view of the rolling hills around Flecknoe. Life is good!
A Virgin Boat Owner Takes To The Waterways
Could there be a better time of the year to start cruising in your new floating home? I don’t think so. Nor does John. He’s having the time of his life of the rivers of East Anglia. John has written about his experience on the forum from the logistics of organising his pre purchase survey to his current idyllic continuous cruising. You can read about his experience by following the links below
The Logistics Of Buying A Boat
The Adventure Begins
Fenland River Boating
Newsletter Index
I created the site just over three years ago to provide a source of information for anyone interested in narrowboats and the possibility of living on one full time. The site has grown to encompass a comprehensive listing of inland marinas in England and Wales, dozens of articles, a forum and regular newsletters. I’ve already created (below) indexes of the site articles and the more popular forum posts. I thought it was about time I created an easy to use index of the newsletter content.
11th January 2011 – 1st Newsletter
Dealing with the coldest winter on record
Digital reading – A detailed review of the Kindle, the perfect solution for book loving boat owners
Article – Living on a narrowboat in winter
The first four narrowboat case studies published
I’ll start with myself; Paul Smith, living on my own, moored in a marina and working full time. Narrowboat James case study
Meet Peggy. She has a husband and two small children, works full time and cruises the network during the summer months. Narrowboat Violet Mae case study
Fancy spending your retirement cruising the waterways of England and Wales? Meet Barry and Sue Horne. They’re living the dream! Narrowboat Adagio Case Study
Here are another working couple. Lina and Warren cruise the cut with their two cats.Narrowboat Olive Rose case study.
Two more case studies. One of them waxed lyrical about life on the waterways. Now, just a year and a half later, she’s had enough. Her boat’s up for sale and she’s living in sunny Spain
Reviewed: The Liveaboard Guide by Tony Jones. A great guide to living afloat
eBay Narrowboat scam (and a little bit of flack for me from another forum)
Case Study: Author Toby Jones on his own liveaboard narrowboat
A review of Debdale Wharf marina
The downside of living on a narrowboat – This was a very controversial post. Liveaboard Pauline Roberts wrote about the less pleasant aspects of life afloat… and attracted a storm of comments
Case study: The Woodsman – Pauline Roberts again giving an insight into the life that you may think she doesn’t like.
As a result of the article about the downside of living on a narrowboat published in the 18th March newsletter, I asked liveaboard narrowboat owners to complete a survey to give a balanced view of the issues raised by Pauline. Here are the survey results and a much more positive article by liveaboard narrowboat owner and frequent forum contributer Peter Early.
TO BE CONTINUED…
I’m sorry. I’m only human. Like most people I can’t resist the sunshine. I feel so much better sitting out in the sun with a good book and a glass of wine than I do hunched over my laptop in a hot and sweaty boat cabin. This is all I can manage this week. I’ll complete the newsletter listing next week but, for now, it’s time to cast off the lines and cruise the waterways!
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.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.
Travels of Joanie M – Life as a Continuous Cruiser – BCN Summary
There will be 4 parts to the BCN bits but I should warn you that the BCN is addictive.
We first travelled on it in 1982, going around the Northern reaches. After a while you will want to cruise every last mile of them, and there are about 100 miles to choose from. Despite being built unashamedly for industrial use there are many parts that are surprisingly rural. You can see signs of previous use all over, bridges carrying the towpath over a now non-existent canal, a length of piling in an otherwise stone faced canal edge, junctions with in-filled branches.
The BCN Society run Explorer Cruise every year where a number of boats accompanied by an experienced BCN-er cruise as a group around the system for a few days. Or, if you feel up to it, there is the BCN Challenge where boats compete to see who can accumulate the most points over a 24 hour period by visiting the lesser used parts. The society has its headquarters in the old pump house at the top of the Titford Locks in Oldbury and hold monthly meetings as well as running the popular annual rally at Pelsall (see the Northern Bits) and the Bonfire Rally in November at the Engine Arm, Smethwick (see the Middle Bits Part 1)
If you want to know where all those arms went to or what business’ occupied the site then try to get a copy of ‘Birmingham Canal Navigations – A Cruising & Walking Guide’ published in 1984 by the IWA. ‘The Other 60 Miles’ by Richard Chester-Brown covers all those parts of the BCN now lost to our use, although one day….
Travels of Joanie M – Life as a Continuous Cruiser – BCN The Middle Bits Part 2
We left the Old Main Line at Smethwick but if we continued up the locks instead and onto the Wolverhampton level we shortly make an intimate acquaintance with the M5. The motorway builders elected to follow the canal route for the next mile or so with the motorway either above or to one side. To do this they have altered to canal a bit and you now have a concrete lined channel with some rather awkward bends. The land under the motorway is rather sterile but there are still some sights to look at. There are still a couple of original bridges in its shadow and you cross the New Main Line on the Steward Aqueduct. Look behind you here to see one canal crossing the other, the railway above both of them and the motorway higher still. If you are lucky you may also have a jet taking off from Birmingham Airport.
Just before the aqueduct are Spon Lane Locks. This is part of Brindleys original canal taking boats to the Wednesbury Old Canal. The New Main Line now joins these locks at the bottom. Just after the aqueduct is the junction with the Titford Canal. Climbing these locks takes you to the highest part of the BCN. The Titford ends in a couple of large pools under the motorway and is part of the feeder to Rotton Park Reservoir. The pumphouse at the top is now home of the BCNS.
Immediately after the junction was the site of Thomas Claytons yard. Claytons specialised in collecting waste products from the various gas works around the Midlands. Several of their boats are still extant, all being named after rivers.
The motorway now leaves us in peace and you arrive at Oldbury. There are moorings here to enable to you visit the large Sainsburys nearby. The stubs of old basins opposite were the home of Les Allen. You can see his boats all over the country, usually identified by having ‘Oldbury’ somewhere on them. The transport company that now own the land famously filled in one of the basins a few years ago without permission. It was too late to dig it back out so another bit of history is lost.
Next up is the junction with the Brades branch where a staircase pair and a single take you back to the main line. You then cross the Netherton Tunnel Branch on Tividale Aqueduct before passing through a housing development called Tividale Quays. There are extensive moorings here but I have never seen a boat here. It looks one of those places where you would be asked to move on if you tried it.
Another mile or so brings you to the beginning of the Dudley Canal. You can’t take your boat through the tunnel but there are very pleasant moorings and a very clean sanitary station. The Black Country Living Museum is well worth a visit as is a trip into the tunnel. The BCLM has a recreation of a Victorian fish and chip shop though they are no longer wrapped in old newspapers, and a reconstruction of The Bottle & Glass pub selling excellent real ale – no lager as it wasn’t around in Victorian times although the prices are distinctly 21st century.
Passing the end of the Dudley Canal you have some new CRT moorings in Tipton. Tipton is worth exploring. The first bridge you come to after the Dudley junction used to have toll house built against it. You can still see the outline amongst the weeds. The house here bears a BCN number plate above the door. The toll point was here because it was the junction with the Tipton & Toll End Communication Canal. although long infilled, you can still walk the route as far as the New Main Line, the path passing through one of the lock chambers.
At Factory Junction the New Main Line joins and we now follow the Brindley route for about 1/2 mile to Bloomfield Junction where the old route went off to the right. You can just make out the site by the difference in the canal edging. Telfords new line charges straight ahead through the short Coseley Tunnel to Deepfields Junction where you rejoin the original route. You can still travel part of this old loop as far as the CRT workshops at Bradley. I don’t think it is something you would want to do twice!
The remainder of the route to Wolverhampton is all Brindleys and you shortly pass through Bilston, where the mighty Bilston or Spring Vale Steelworks once stood. As you approach Wolverhampton, Chillington Steel Terminal is on the right. It has been unused for years and is now listed but is slowly rusting into oblivion. There are then two short arms on the left. The first, Minerva Wharf, is now the home of the City Council where they operate a boat collecting rubbish from the water. The second is Wulfrana Coal Company but is not accessible by boat.
Passing Horseley Fields Junction where the Wyrley & Essington Canal goes off to the right (see BCN – The Northern Bits) you pass through Wolverhampton Tunnel. This is not part of the original route but is a diversion built in 1850 to allow the construction of the LNWR station. The arm that now houses the sanitary station is part of this original route. There are plans to redevelop the station but I am unsure what affect this will have on the canal. There is plenty of mooring here. On the towpath outside the arm, directly opposite are very safe moorings but there is no access to the outside world, or through the bridge to the moorings above the top lock.
And now you descend the Wolverhampton 21. I like this flight. Quick and easy to use, you start in the city and end in the country. When first built there were only 20 locks but the last one was considered too deep at 10 foot and too wasteful of water so the current lock 20 was added in 1784. You will see that this lock has a single leaf bottom gate whereas all the others have a pair of mitred gates.
The junction at the bottom is called Aldersley and used to have two toll houses, one BCN and one S & W. Turn left for Stourport or right for Great Haywood or the Shropshire Union.
2013 07 07 Newsletter – Enjoy The Summer, Plan For The Winter
Living on a Narrowboat News 7th July 2013
It’s hard staying focussed enough to write the newsletter this time of the year. In the winter it’s easy. The early mornings and evenings are dark and cold so it’s a pleasure sitting in my cosy “office” listening to the wind howling and the rain beating against the window. The last week has been far, far different. Last night after I finished work I tried to write a little more for today’s newsletter but I just couldn’t do it.
I looked at the thermometer. Twenty four degrees at 7.30pm. I looked out of my window at the sun kissed reed fringed peninsula next to James’ mooring, closed my laptop, grabbed a folding camp chair, my Kindle and a bottle of Theakstons Old Peculiar and spent the rest of the evening with an unread Kindle on my lap as I sipped my favourite beer and listened to the birds on a very tranquil marina.
I love living on James all year round but lazy summer evenings are the icing on a very rich and fruity cake. The early mornings are hard to beat too. I’m trying to settle down to finish the newsletter off. It’s 7.30 on Sunday morning. We’ve just finished our Sunday treat, a full English breakfast. Sally’s just left for a twelve hour shift at the care home where she works in Daventry, I’ve made my second cup of coffee of the day and my laptop’s fired up and ready to go.
I don’t think I’ll start just yet though. The sunshine’s calling me. It’s hard to resist, as are the imploring stares from the two eager spaniels at my feet. I think we’ll just have a quick walk through the meadows before I begin…
Anticipating Winter Weather
The weather is beautiful at the moment and set to continue for at least the next week. As the thermometer threatens to head north of thirty degrees, the shops are full of happy sun bronzed boaters buying cool beers and beef for barbecues. It’s the time of year for sitting in the shade doing nothing much at all and watching the world go by. It’s this kind of weather which confirms that you’ve made the right decision to abandon your bricks and mortar in favour of steel and water. It’s wonderful, and I love it.
All too soon though we’ll be facing shorts days and long, dark and cold nights. Nights when sub zero temperatures cause the water to freeze and cause you, the happy summer boater, all kinds of problems you might not have anticipated. Forewarned is forearmed so as you sit in the shade sipping your Pimms, here’s some food for thought for the year ahead.
Over the last three years I’ve been living on my own boat the winters have varied quite significantly. The first winter, the winter of 2010/11, was by far the worst. James was very poorly insulated at the time and the warped hatches, with gaps wide enough to insert a finger or two, allowed the icy winds to howl through the boat.
There were several conscutive days with a daytime high of minus six and a decidedly chilly minus eighteen overnight. The temperature in my bedroom at the far end of the boat from the stove was rarely above zero. In the engine room just a thin plywood bulkhead away from my bedroom I often discovered up to a quarter of an inch of frost on the pine cladding.
For six weeks the marina and the adjacent canals were impassible due to a layer of ice five inches thick. One morning when I was feeling particularly adventurous I walked on the ice around James. My twelve and a half stone didn’t cause a crack or a creak.
For the full month and a half we couldn’t offer a pump out service. Boats couldn’t reach the pump out station because of the ice and the tap and the rinse and sewage hoses were frozen solid. One moorer was desperate for a pump out. He lived on board, his sewage tank was full and he didn’t have a cassette toilet on board. We offered to help him smash his way through the ice from his mooring and across two marinas to the pump out station.
Navigating through thick ice is a dangerous affair. Pushing through anything more than half an inch of ice will do a better job of removing the protective hull blacking than a shot blaster. But removing the protective paint is the least of your problems. It’s not uncommon for boat owners to punch holes through the steel when negotiating thick ice.
We managed to get him to the far side of the marinas but the cost was high. The owner was fortunately moored stern in so he didn’t have to try to turn when he backed out of a mooring (something which is very difficult indeed in the ice). I helped him move the boat. It was an exhausting affair. Engine power alone wasn’t enough to break the ice so I had to stand in the well deck punching holes through the ice at the front of the boat with his pole. Before we had gone three feet I had snapped the pole in half.
I swapped the wooden pole for a ten foot scaffold pole. For the next hour and a half I would smash a dozen holes in the ice around the bow before the owner would back up thirty of forty feet so he could ram the ice. The need to get his boat across the marinas quickly became an obsession. He gritted his teeth, his eyes glazed over, his knuckles turned white as he gripped the tiller and it was full speed ahead and damn the consequences.
The consequences were that his long suffering wife poked her head through the hatch more and more often as his charges became wilder and less controlled. The resulting crashes into the unyielding ice caused anything inside the boat which wasn’t screwed down to leap off shelves and out of cupboards. Cups and glasses were smashed, his wife fell over twice and an insecure fire extinguisher flew off the wall. Each step closer to the pump out machine was a step closer to irreparable damage to his marriage.
We reached the pump out machine after an hour and a half. Getting the equipment working and doing the pump out took another hour and a half. Ten minutes later he was back on the mooring. The following morning he was frozen in again and planning to have the boat blacked again the following spring.
Most of the time a pump out toilet most boaters would agree that a pump out toilet is the best option on a boat. During the winter the need to move your boat in order to get rid of your waste can present a problem. You don’t have the same problem with a cassette toilet. You can leave your boat where it is and walk with your cassette to a nearly Elsan point. You’ll probably want to have a trolly available though. I use a Porta Potti. The waste tank holds 21 litres so the full tank weighs over 40lb. I don’t like carrying it very far.
There isn’t a problem emptying a cassette in freezing weather but there is often a problem rinsing it out. Unless the rinse hose tap is protected you’ll just have to make do with emptying the cassette contents.
Liquid waste management isn’t the only problem you’ll have in the winter. You need to be able to top up your boat’s water supply on a regular basis. I top up my tank roughly every three days, but topping up is easy for me with a tap just 20′ from the boat’s water tank. In the winter it’s not much more difficult. We turn off the above ground taps at the end of the piers and ask moorers to use better insulated below ground taps which don’t freeze even after the coldest nights.
This facility is only available to moorers in the newer Meadows marina. The original Locks marina has taps which are above ground. They are insulated as much as possible but they usually freeze in the colder months. Ten minutes with a kettle full of boiling water normally thaws them out enough to use.
Moorers at the marina are lucky because all of the boats have taps available just a hose length away from their boats. They don’t need to move their boats to top up the water supply. Boat owners on online moorings often aren’t quite so lucky. Some online are fully serviced with accessible water and electricity but many have neither. Electricity has to be generated on board and water has to obtained from the nearest water point.
Liveaboard blogger Peggy Melmoth illustrates the problems she faces in the winter trying to fill up at a Trust water point in the winter in this charming video. Have a look at it and ask yourself whether you would be prepared to endure this painful water collection process every day when the canal is iced over. I know if would very quickly drive me mad. Maybe it’s one of the aspects of narrowboat life which has encouraged her to sell her boat (I’ll tell you more about her boat sale in a minute).
Maybe you aren’t going to spend the winter on your boat but you still need to be aware of the problems cold weather can cause you.
If you’re going to leave your boat for any length of time over the winter you need to make sure that you either “winterise” your boat or make sure that your boat is warm enough to prevent any water from freezing. Every year we are asked to repair substantial damage to at least one boat caused by freezing water.
Winterising your boat involves turning the water off and draining the system down so that the expended frozen water can’t damage fittings. Winterising your boat is the route to go down if you’re going to be away from your boat for weeks or months at a time. If you are going to visit your boat quite regularly, you won’t want the hassle of winterising and de-winterising every time you visit so hating your boat is maybe the way to go.
In order to heat your boat while you’re away for extended periods, you’ll need access to mains electricity. I use two Dimplex Coldwatcher 500 greenhouse heaters. They stop any water on the boat from freezing even in the coldest weather but I have to run them via my shore line. They wou
Liveaboard Narrowboat For Sale
Peggy Melmoth has been living on her 70′ narrowboat Violet Mae for thirteen years. Circumstances and two young children have dictated that she leaves the water and moves onto dry land. Her boat’s for sales so if you would like to find out more about a ready made floating home, have a look at the details on Peggy’s web site. She says the interior is both beautiful and spacious but admits that the exterior needs a little TLC
Login update
Over the last year or so I’ve been trying to integrate two different software applications so that users can just use one login form for the forum, Narrowbudget (the sites bespoke narrowboat budget calculator) and any purchases made on the site. I’m afraid to say that I’ve failed. The two applications don’t want to “talk” to each other so all too often users were changing a password for one section of the site but it wasn’t being updated elsewhere. It’s been a frustrating experience for me and for quite a few site users. If you’re one of them, please accept my sincere apologies.
I’ve decided to go back to basics. There will be two login forms but most site visitors will only need the login form for the forum. It’s the standard WordPress form which requires your username and password. You’ll find it on the main forum page here. You access the form by clicking on the Log In button on the right hand side of the page. If you can’t remember your user name or password, you can click the “Lost Password” link at the bottom of the form. You will receive an email notifying you of your user name and a link to rest your password if you’ve forgotten it. Once you’ve successfully completed the form you’ll be redirected back to the forum. From now on you should use this form as your default login form.
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.
- Overcrowded Waterways – More and more people are choosing a life afloat. Are the waterways becoming congested?
- VAT On New Narrowboats – Can you knock 20% off the cost of your new narrowboat?
- Lock Techniques – How do you handle a narrowboat in a lock on your own?
- Narrowboat Burglary – Two boats burgled at the same location. Where is it and what can you do to minimise the risk of theft from your own boat wherever you are?
- Insuring Your Car When You Live On A Boat – A boat owner had his car insurance cancelled when he told them he lives on a narrowboat. How does he approach other insurance companies?
- Remedies For Sooty Stove Glass – For me, one of the great pleasures of living on a narrowboat is a winter evening in front of a flickering fire. Here’s how you can keep your stove glass clear so you can see the fire in all its glory
- Visitor Moorings With Shore Power – Sometimes you need to hook up to the mains when you moor for the night. Where can you find these moorings?
- Steam Power – Are there any steam powered narrowboats on the network?
- Lightning – Is there a risk of your narrowboat being struck by lightning?
- Overplating/Replating – What’s the difference between the two and what’s involved in having the work done?
- The Logistics Of Buying A Boat – A fascinating account from a potential narrowboat owner as he tried to get a boat out of the water so that it can be suryeyed.
- Winter Stoppages 2013/2014 – The Trust carry out essential scheduled repairs during the quieter, cooler months. Here’s their planned stoppages for the coming winter.
- A New Narrowboat Dog – Alan recently moved on board his own floating home. He loved his new boat but something was missing. Now he has a new best friend and he’s in love, although his new best friend has proven a bit of a challenge.
- Electric Boats – What do they cost to run? Why would you want one? There’s a huge amount of information for you here if you’ve ever considered an alternative to a diesel narrowboat engine.
- Pram Covers – “Pram cover” is the term for a cover over the rear deck, usually on a cruiser stern narrowboat. Here are the pros and cons.
- The difference between cruising on canalas and rivers – This is a very popular thread for very good reason. It’s packed with advice if you’re new to river cruising.
- Checklists – What do you need to check before you set off on a cruise? There’s some very detailed information including a very useful post by fellow Calcutt moorer Graham who has issues with his mobility after an RTA many years ago.
- Television Aerials – If you can’t live without your Corrie, you’ll need a decent aerial for your boat.
- My New Life – I urge you to read this forum thread. If you dream of living on your own narrowboat one day, reading this post, written by a new liveaboard boater, may well prove the catalyst you need. It’s essential reading for any aspiring narrowboat owner.
- Narrowboat Ownership – How do you prove that the person offering a narrowboat for sale is the real owner?
- Tips For Continuous Cruisers – He’s making a bit of a habit of it; Pearley’s back with some great cruising tips
- The Llangollen Canal – One of the country’s most beautiful canals discussed
- Deliveries to your boat – Excellent information from regular forum contributor Pearley
- Mobile Broadband – All you need to know about internet connectivity on board
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that fellow boaters can steal your internet data allowance?
- Boat Planning & Design – Is there any free software available to hel you plan your dream boat?
- A Narrowboat Checklist – What checks do you need to carry out before you set out on a cruise?
- Tunnels – How do you navigate them? Who has priority?
- Windows Or Portholes – Round or square, which is best? Is it just a matter of personal preference?
- Day To Day Questions About Narrowboat Life – How can “newbies” find out the answers to questions about day to day life on a narrowboat? The answer is simple. Find out by reading this post.
- Beds – The pros and cons of fixed doubles and cross beds. You need to read this if you are taller or slightly wider than average.
- Flushing Out a Toilet Waste Tank – Emptying your pumpout toilet holding tank isn’t just a case of sucking out your unmentionables. You also need to flush water through the tank to remove the built up solids. Here’s how to do it.
- Narrowboat Knots – Do you know your bowline from your buntline hitch, your cleat hitch from your clove hitch or your poacher’s knot from your square knot? No? It’s about time you did!
- Free Narrowboat Heating – Is there any such thing? Read this post to find out
- Narrowboat Furniture – Not everyone wants fitted furniture on their boat. Here are a few ideas if you want to add your own.
- Weight on a narrowboat – How many people can you carry on a narrowboat, and how much luggage can they bring with them?
- Narrowboat Finance – A Canadian hoping to move to the UK, buy a boat and cruise the network.
- Internet Data Theft – Did you know that you can have your boat’s broadband allowance stolen? Here’s what you can do to prevent the theft.
- Problems Powering An Inverter With A Generator – Why didn’t it work and what’s the solution?
- Diesel Costs – You need it to run your boat and maybe your heating system. How much can you expect to pay for it?
- Stove Top Fans – Are they worth the money?
- Mooring Pins and Piling Hooks – What are they and when do you use them?
- Water Pump Problems – What to do if your water pump appear to have a life of its own
- Fuel Contamination – How do you know if you’ve water in your diesel… and what do you do about it when you have?
- Anchors – What’s the best size and weight anchor for narrowboats on tidal rivers
- Single Handed Boating for Ladies – Can a lady on her own pass safely through locks?
- Different Types of Mooring – What’s the difference between residential and leisure moorings? How long can you stay on your boat with each type?
- Which Ropes To Use? – There are so many different types available. Are the more expensive ones worth using or is it just a case of money for old rope?
- Windows – Why do narrowboat owners tolerate condensation? Why don’t they have modern uPVC windows fitted?
- Best Ex Hire Boats – Are you considering buying an ex hire boat to live on? Should you? Here’s some important information for you.
- Liveaboard Conclusions – Mel Davies has been doing plenty of research into her hoped for lifestyle afloat. Here are the conclusions she’s reached and comments from a few existing liveaboard narrowboat owners.
- Handling Floodwaters – How safe is a river mooring during and after heavy rain? Can you stay on a river when the level rises? What can you do to minimise danger?
- Narrowboat steel thickness – How thick is your boat’s steel? How long does it last?
- Retro fitting a solid fuel stove – Where’s the best place to put your stove and what’s involved in fitting it?
- Converting from a cassette toilet to a pump out – A pump out toilet is far more convenient to use than a toilet with a portable cassette but how easy are they to retro fit in a narrowboat?
- Gas free boating – If you don’t fancy heaving unwieldy gas bottles into a difficult to reach bow locker, a gas free boat might be the solution
- Winter on the cut – Are you able to cruise all year on your boat or should you find a mooring for the winter?
- Transporting your boat – Sometimes you may want or need to take your narrowboat by road rather than cruise along the canal. Here’s an idea of the cost
- Bike types and preferences – If you don’t have a car parked near your boat, you’ll probably want a bike, but which type of bike is best?
- Towing a butty – I’ve upset someone. I didn’t mean to. Wainbody wanted to know the best way of towing an unpowered second narrowboat (butty). I came across as patronising when I replied. It was unintentional but to make amends I thought I would ask anyone with boat handling experience to reply to his thread with some constructive advice. If you can help him, please reply to the post.
- The best flooring for a narrowboat pets – What’s the best way to protect your floor from a dirty doggy?
- The best time of the year to buy a boat – Is there a deal to be done by buying a boat in the winter?
- The best length for a liveaboard narrowboat – What’s the best length to buy? What are the pros and cons of different length boats
- ONE tip to offer a potential narrowboat owner – If you are already a narrowboat owner, you can share your experience. If you haven’t bought one yet, you need to read this thread.
- Powering your computer on a narrowboat – Can you power your computer/laptop from the boat’s 12v supply or do you need mains power?
- Must-have gadgets and necessities – The most useful/useless gadgets for life on a narrowboat
- Choosing a stove for your boat – Are domestic solid fuel stoves as good as the ones designed specifically for boats? Which is the best one to buy?
- Diesel heating for boats – How important is a solid fuel stove on a liveaboard narrowboat? Is a diesel heating system OK as a primary heat source?
- Computers on boats – Can a computer be powered from your boat’s 12v system or does it need to be plugged into the mains
- Receiving post on your boat – How does the postman find you when you’re cruising? How do you apply for a driving license, a TV license or a bank statement when you have no official address?
- Bikes on board – Many boat owners do not have cars so they rely on bikes to get them to the shops (or the pub). Some use bikes to collect their cars after a day’s cruising. There’s a huge selection of bikes to choose from. Which are the best for your boat? To tell you the truth, I don’t know the answer. Can you point forum member Ainslo in the right direction?
- VAT on narrowboat sales – Does the price of your narrowboat contain a VAT element? Can the VAT be reclaimed?
- Internet access – How do you connect to the internet when you live on a boat?
- Living off property rental income – Do you have a property that you indend to let while you cruise the waterways? Read this before you work out your budget.
- How to find a narrowboat to live on – Here’s an article about choosing a liveaboard narrowboat, and a question about finding a narrowboat with a steering wheel.
- Vertigo – How to deal with walking over lock gates if you’re frightened of heights.
- Long term narrowboat hire – If you aren’t ready to buy a narrowboat yet, what are your chances of hiring a narrowboat for more than a few weeks?
- Residential moorings and single handed boating – How do you handle a narrowboat on your own? What do you do about a mooring if you live on board and only want a mooring for part of the year
- Too tall for a narrowboat? – Is a narrowboat suitable for you if you are above average height?
- Dealing with condensation – Do all narrowboats suffer from damp? What can you do about it?
- Solar panels – More information about portable and fixed solar panels
- Heating systems – Hurricane and Mikuni heating systems discussed
Useful Links
Living on a Narrowboat: The REAL Cost of a Life Afloat – Narrowboat costs explained in detail. My own maintenance and living cost on narrowboat James for a full year. Use this information to work out your own costs.
Find out what parts of the canal are closed and for how long. Essential cruising information for you.
Do you need to find a home for your boat? Here’s a comprehensive list of the narrowboat friendly marinas in the UK
Do you want to see where these marinas are on a map? Here it is.
Here’s a map of all the canals on the system to help you plan your route.
Newsletter Archive – Browse through a wealth of useful content in the newsletters over the last year.
Hilda
On Tuesday I took the Great Western train out west to visit my old friend Hilda B who lives in Somerton, Somerset. Unfortunatey, Somerton’s rail stop was eliminated many years ago and so the closest station is Castle Cary and from their you take a cab or bus.
Going at this time of year required navigating around the enormous Glastonbury Festival (which actually takes place in Pilton) for which Castle Cary is the closest train connection. By Tuesday the tsunami of rock fans had largely passed through leaving only a few dozen stragglers at the station.
Stepping off the train, I was surprised at a host of old memories and feelings brought by by the rich green smell of the Somerset air.
I first met Hilda in 1985 — the year a small group of us Boulderites bought a holiday cottage in Somerton. At that time Hilda was just moving out of the thatched cottage in nearby Compton-Dundon where she had lived for many years, and into Council housing in the same village. Three years ago Hilda moved into Somerton and has now been in the same area 55 years.
Formerly a nurse in the town of Street, two miles north, Hilda’s life has since been a gradually slowing mix of gardening, visits from her son Julian in Devon and reading and needlework in the winter.
In talking of her various houses, she recalled the time as a little girl when the family lived near Bristol in another thatched dwelling. For the first time, the street outside was being paved and the equipment included an immense steam-roller which was, at that time, actually powered by a steam engine that threw out masses of smoke and sparks. Hilda’s jog was to perch on the roof top and sweep off any sparks that threatened to ignite the thatch. “Very nice thatch is” she said: “Cool in the summer and warm in the winter.”
Our conversation sparkled and wound through everything from The Rolling Stones to her parents life “in service”. Until her death, Hilda’s mother had been lady’s maid to Alice Clarke, of the shoe family in Street.
After a lovely lunch at the Lime Kiln Pub, we had tea at her cosy Council cottage and then it was goodbye and back to London. As I was leaving she said “So lovely to see you. I don’t think of you very often — but I do think…. I mean of you…”
It is so interesting where we find anchors in this wide world.