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Best value for money marina on the grand Union?


Matt&Jo

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Hi people's,

we have come to the conclusion that the kennet and Avon canal is not going to be an option for our live aboard adventure due to costs and lack of moorings. So we have been looking to the grand Union due to its links with the kennet and Avon.

we have looked at a lot of marinas but without calling each that offer moorings to get a definitive answer to residential or "high use" moorings and prices we were hoping that some folks may have some suggestions for wide beam moorings that will allow "high use" moorings (we will/can disappear every few weeks for a few days) that can offer electricity and water nearby. Also parking potentially a nice view and a bit of security? I've searched on here for moorings on the grand Union but I'm trying to put my specifics out their

 

im not being lazy I promise.

 

any info guys would as always be greatly appreciated.

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11 minutes ago, Matt&Jo said:

Hi people's,

we have come to the conclusion that the kennet and Avon canal is not going to be an option for our live aboard adventure due to costs and lack of moorings. So we have been looking to the grand Union due to its links with the kennet and Avon.

we have looked at a lot of marinas but without calling each that offer moorings to get a definitive answer to residential or "high use" moorings and prices we were hoping that some folks may have some suggestions for wide beam moorings that will allow "high use" moorings (we will/can disappear every few weeks for a few days) that can offer electricity and water nearby. Also parking potentially a nice view and a bit of security? I've searched on here for moorings on the grand Union but I'm trying to put my specifics out their

 

im not being lazy I promise.

 

any info guys would as always be greatly appreciated.

 

The link to the K+A being a trip down to the Thames to the Thames then up to Reading?

Does that mean you prefer a marina right down near Thames?

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1 minute ago, mark99 said:

 

The link to the K+A being a trip down to the Thames to the Thames then up to Reading?

Does that mean you prefer a marina right down near Thames?

Sorry mark99 I didn't explain properly,

we are from Southampton but we fancy a change of scene. We know the kennet and Avon fairly well and would like to visit it over a month or so each year but we don't mind at all where on the grand Union we go. We're looking to sell up our house buy a wide beam and another property close..ish to our base location to supliment our income somewhat as we hope to work part time rather than the crazy hours at present down here.

dont get me wrong the money is great but after a close shave with cancer and my wife having an unfortunate illness (and were only 33) we both want a quality of life over a quantity of money.

 

so the long and short of it is anywhere. We kinda like braunston marina (good price) and close to friends in Birmingham but we're open to any suggestions.

 

 

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Just now, Matt&Jo said:

I do beleive the grand union is one of the better canals for widebeams? I may be wrong but i read this on a website dedicated to the uk canal network.

The Grand Union North of Tring Summit is not actually at all well suited to wide beam use.

The canal was built with channel suitable for narrow boats, and was never improved to allow barge traffic.

People do increasingly navigate wide beams North of Tring Summit, but not in my experience all that comfortably, and often creating additional problems for other boats.

Obviously the less wide ones cause less issues than the really wide ones.  Up to (say) 10' 6" beam is far less of a problem than 12' and above.  How wide is yours.

Worst is when a long length is also involved.  There are 70' * 12' 6" wide beams about, (fortunately only in very small numbers), but they are totally unsuited to this canal in my view.

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I'd echo Alan's post...plus I would check the availability of wide beam berths. If you want to explore and travel....and what's the point of having a boat if you don't....then a narrowboats is much better for a number of reasons...not least is that it fits the network much better in more places!.....watching two wide beams meet on most of the GU is a fun thing to watch unless you are one of them. If you just want a static home then think about a caravan!

 

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Have you asked (in person) about a mooring at Caan Hill on the K&A? I suspect that it will not be a whole lot more expensive than a mooring on the GU.

Rather than a 60 by 10 fugly boat why not get a 70 by just under 7 narrow boat? then you can actually visit your friends in Birmingham. You can also go all the way to Liverpool, go to the folk and boat festival in Middlewich, travel the Peak forest canal into the peak district, visit Stratford upon Avon, and get down the western end of the K&A without causing chaos.

and instead of getting a boat built to your specification (you have lived on boats before I assume if you know how to specify a liveaboard boat?) why not get a nice second hand narrowboat now? If you really really don't like it Then you can think about a brand new widebeam. 

We passed several brand new fat boats on the K&A this year and somehow felt that most of them were taking their proud owners towards unhappiness.

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

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and forgot to add, as someone who spent his whole working life in Southampton, just about everywhere on the canal system is a better place to be.

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

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2 hours ago, frangar said:

I'd echo Alan's post...plus I would check the availability of wide beam berths. If you want to explore and travel....and what's the point of having a boat if you don't....then a narrowboats is much better for a number of reasons...not least is that it fits the network much better in more places!.....watching two wide beams meet on most of the GU is a fun thing to watch unless you are one of them. If you just want a static home then think about a caravan!

 

This is all very true. The only dimensions to have in the uk to travel must be 7ft beam or less. If you want much more comfort however then a wider beam is hugely better but the GU is simply two small a waterway for living aboard a widebeam AND cruising. I lived aboard a widebeam for 3 years but that was on  waterways built for them and the GU is simply too piddly. A static caravan does make more sense.

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7 minutes ago, dmr said:

Have you asked (in person) about a mooring at Caan Hill on the K&A? I suspect that it will not be a whole lot more expensive than a mooring on the GU.

Rather than a 60 by 10 fugly boat why not get a 70 by just under 7 narrow boat? then you can actually visit your friends in Birmingham. You can also go all the way to Liverpool, go to the folk and boat festival in Middlewich, travel the Peak forest canal into the peak district, visit Stratford upon Avon, and get down the western end of the K&A without causing chaos.

and instead of getting a boat built to your specification (you have lived on boats before I assume if you know how to specify a liveaboard boat?) why not get a nice second hand narrowboat now? If you really really don't like it Then you can think about a brand new widebeam. 

We passed several brand new fat boats on the K&A this year and somehow felt that most of them were taking their proud owners towards unhappiness.

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

Dave

Most of your post is spot on BUT having lived on both fat and narrow boats the difference is so vast as to be unexplainable to someone who hasnt lived on both. The widebeam handles better boating wise and the comfort levels are simply a different league unobtainable in even full length narrowboats believe me I know. However to move around it has to be sub 7 feet and a nice secondhand narrowboat makes much more sense here.

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2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Dave

Most of your post is spot on BUT having lived on both fat and narrow boats the difference is so vast as to be unexplainable to someone who hasnt lived on both. The widebeam handles better boating wise and the comfort levels are simply a different league unobtainable in even full length narrowboats believe me I know. However to move around it has to be sub 7 feet and a nice secondhand narrowboat makes much more sense here.

Have been on a fair few widebeams visiting friends etc, many are truly spectacular, and in a different life, or even a bit later in this one, I could live on one.

At Kings lock on the Thames tonight, tomorrow we will be on the Oxford (give a wave as we pass, maybe a pint if our timings allow) then Birmingham for the BCN challenge, then trading at the Middlewich festival, then on up to Liverpool.  I could just not give this up for the luxury of a widebeam, but if I did it would be a shapely barge of some sort.

I really felt that some of the fat narrowboats rapidly appearing on the K&A this year are wrong. They invariably have square sterns with a sort of full width white leather sofa type thing and look more like a rich mans Mediterranean yacht than a canal boat. If they ever go to Birmingham the kids will surely throw stones at them :D.  There are some very lovely big boats on the Thames.

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

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11 hours ago, dmr said:

Have been on a fair few widebeams visiting friends etc, many are truly spectacular, and in a different life, or even a bit later in this one, I could live on one.

At Kings lock on the Thames tonight, tomorrow we will be on the Oxford (give a wave as we pass, maybe a pint if our timings allow) then Birmingham for the BCN challenge, then trading at the Middlewich festival, then on up to Liverpool.  I could just not give this up for the luxury of a widebeam, but if I did it would be a shapely barge of some sort.

I really felt that some of the fat narrowboats rapidly appearing on the K&A this year are wrong. They invariably have square sterns with a sort of full width white leather sofa type thing and look more like a rich mans Mediterranean yacht than a canal boat. If they ever go to Birmingham the kids will surely throw stones at them :D.  There are some very lovely big boats on the Thames.

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

Call in if you get chance or wave " loudly " as you pass :cheers:

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Thanks again for all your replys.

Firstly a static caravan is not what i want otherwise i would buy one so thats a non sensicle argument from where im standing but i get the sentiment. The wide beam boat for us is more for liveaboard comfort hence wanting to be in a marina and then travel the suitable areas of the networks perhaps a couple times a month. 

I understand u hardcore narrow boat lovers think they (widebeams) are unsuitable and fugly and you are welcome to hold those opinions but im just drawn to the space available. I also think the square back with seating is great for social gatherings etc. We dont all have the same thoughts on how to use our boats or on how we intend to live our lives on them.

I want and have the same right to be around nature and natural habitats you all enjoy and im willing to pay extra for the privaledge.

The grand union is about £200 a month cheaper than the kennet and avon.

Caen hill has moorings at over £600 a month but ive called a few on the grand union and they have moorings for aprox £400 ish so a noteable cost saving.

Thank you all for your thoughts its all things to consider.

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What are peoples thought on wether the trent and mersey canal is suitable for 10ft wide beam canal boats?

Where can i find this info myself as all the canals that say wide beams can navigate you guys who actualy travel them tell me that is not the case.

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Except for a few locks from the junction with the River Trent, to Stenson lock near Burton-on-Trent, and the big lock at Middlewich,  all of the locks on the Trent & Mersey are narrow (around 7 foot 6 inches).

This will severely limit your cruising.

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Thank you cuthound. I found a map of canals suitable for wife beam use last night and all of the midlands are a no go but it advertises the GU as suitable and the trent and mersey.....they should ask you guys who actualy cruise these networks. Your info is invaluable thank you very much guys.

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3 hours ago, cuthound said:

Except for a few locks from the junction with the River Trent, to Stenson lock near Burton-on-Trent, and the big lock at Middlewich,  all of the locks on the Trent & Mersey are narrow (around 7 foot 6 inches).

This will severely limit your cruising.

And on the other end of the T&M you can come from the Bridgwater almost to Middlewich and down on the Weaver with a sort of widebeam, not 14ft

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2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

And on the other end of the T&M you can come from the Bridgwater almost to Middlewich and down on the Weaver with a sort of widebeam, not 14ft

Yes, IIRC Dutton Stop Lock and Croxton Aqueduct limit the practical width to not more than 10 feet. Been a few years since I was last up there.

Edited by cuthound
To unmangle the effects of autocorrect.
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42 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Yes, IIRC Dutton Stop Lock and Croxton Aqueduct limit the practical width to not more than 10 feet. Been a few years since I was last updated there.

Croxton is narrow and was a cheap replacement for the original that fell down, so its now narrowboats only into Middlewhich. There is a company that specialises in building widebeams that fit this bit of canal so that they can do the Northern system and also get right down to the Anderton lift and Weaver. They are tight in the tunnels, we followed one through last year and there was a lot of crashing and banging and a little damage but they made it. The previous year a brand new one was making the journey and the boatbuilder himself came down to navigate it through the tunnels. If I wanted a widebeam up North I would go for a bigger one and use the Manchester ship canal to get to the Weaver.

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

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Give Wigrams Turn Marina a call has everything you are looking for 01926 817175 

Directions M3 A34 M40 off at banbury A423 to Sourham then A425 towards Napton on the hill Marina on left just past the Kings Head.

Edited by Chalky White
missed something out
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