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How much does your boat draw?


DeanS

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Just realised this is something I dont know, so I better find out. Does "how much does your boat draw" , mean..."how deep it sits in the water"? If so...where is the right place/method to know the answer? and then....if my boat has a bigger draw than most (which it probably does), where would no go areas possibly be...or is that a silly question, as it's probably changing all the time. Apparently however, there's a drought....so would it be silly for me to take a trip up the Ashby for example?

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Just realised this is something I dont know, so I better find out. Does "how much does your boat draw" , mean..."how deep it sits in the water"? If so...where is the right place/method to know the answer? and then....if my boat has a bigger draw than most (which it probably does), where would no go areas possibly be...or is that a silly question, as it's probably changing all the time. Apparently however, there's a drought....so would it be silly for me to take a trip up the Ashby for example?

Dean

It does mean the depth it sits in the water. The deepest point will be right at the back. The easiest way to work it out is to measure the distance from the base plate under the engine to the water line which you can gauge from looking down the weed hatch. Then add on say 4 cm for the base plate and the skeg.

The max draft for a canal varies a lot but some struggle to carry a 3ft plus particularly id water is in short supply. If you have doubts about the state of the HNC you could call Bob Gough of the Huddersfield Canal Society who will have an up to date view. Its shallower than when it first reopened and even our 22 inches scrapes a channel in places.

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Just realised this is something I dont know, so I better find out. Does "how much does your boat draw" , mean..."how deep it sits in the water"? If so...where is the right place/method to know the answer? and then....if my boat has a bigger draw than most (which it probably does), where would no go areas possibly be...or is that a silly question, as it's probably changing all the time. Apparently however, there's a drought....so would it be silly for me to take a trip up the Ashby for example?

Why do you assume the boat has a bigger "draw" (or draft) as you put it than most?

 

Measure as suggested above.

 

Our boat is about 28 ins going along at canal speed and about 26 ins at rest.

 

By the way the ex-working boats don't seem to have mujch trouble getting up the Ashby for various festivals and shows at Shackerstone so I don't see why you couldn't get up there. They have also completed some dredging in the last year or two.

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Just realised this is something I dont know, so I better find out. Does "how much does your boat draw" , mean..."how deep it sits in the water"? If so...where is the right place/method to know the answer? and then....if my boat has a bigger draw than most (which it probably does), where would no go areas possibly be...or is that a silly question, as it's probably changing all the time. Apparently however, there's a drought....so would it be silly for me to take a trip up the Ashby for example?

You will be fine up the Ashby, every September there is a rally of working boats and I doubt you are that deep. The top of the Llangollen can cause problems for deep boats. Another place would be going into the Middle Level through Standground Lock. I can't think of any others, who built your hull?

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Why do you assume the boat has a bigger "draw" (or draft) as you put it than most?

 

 

 

1. 6 people aboard.

2. extra 200litres of water aboard.

3. 4 bikes, a kayak, 2 topboxes on the roof.

 

I must admit....the idea of sticking my head down the weed hatch to measure the draft is a little confusing. but I'll give it a go :) (isn't there an easier way..like a measuring tape/stick over the side :)

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Dean

It does mean the depth it sits in the water. The deepest point will be right at the back. The easiest way to work it out is to measure the distance from the base plate under the engine to the water line which you can gauge from looking down the weed hatch. Then add on say 4 cm for the base plate and the skeg.

 

<snip>

 

You can also hook a tape measure under the hull towards the back of the boat and measure to the surface of the water. This will give you a rough idea. Make sure you are ahead of the swim or you'll get a very shallow reading...

 

Richard

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1. 6 people aboard.

2. extra 200litres of water aboard.

3. 4 bikes, a kayak, 2 topboxes on the roof.

 

I must admit....the idea of sticking my head down the weed hatch to measure the draft is a little confusing. but I'll give it a go :) (isn't there an easier way..like a measuring tape/stick over the side :)

The people and the bikes will make next to no difference. A rough rule of thumb is 1 inch for each ton loaded. The water will be heavy (@ about 10lb per gallon) but it depends where you have put it. If it is mostly at the front then it won't make a significant impact on the deepest draft which will be at the counter or stern.

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OP, to measure draft at skeg use a tape measure in the weedhatch, hook it under the bottom of skeg and read off depth at water level, when boat is level and moored up hook tape measure under the bottom plate near the front and near the back. Our modern nb draws 21" near the front and 23" near the back and 28" at the skeg, these measurements vary depending on amount of water in the bow tank and fuel in the stern tank. Our boat rides more level than most.

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You can also hook a tape measure under the hull towards the back of the boat and measure to the surface of the water. This will give you a rough idea. Make sure you are ahead of the swim or you'll get a very shallow reading...

 

Richard

true but you will still need to add at least 2-3 inches for the skeg on most boats.

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You can also hook a tape measure under the hull towards the back of the boat and measure to the surface of the water. This will give you a rough idea. Make sure you are ahead of the swim or you'll get a very shallow reading...

 

Richard

 

I've done it!

 

52cm, which is 20.4 inches.

 

Is that good or bad :)

 

sorry..edited to add, this is the measure from bottom of boat to surface of water, leaning out the side hatch/engine room. So will read other threads and add on extra for skeg etc?

 

edited to add...and will get into the weed hatch next time I go down to that gloomy area.

Edited by DeanS
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I've done it!

 

52cm, which is 20.4 inches.

 

Is that good or bad :)

 

sorry..edited to add, this is the measure from bottom of boat to surface of water, leaning out the side hatch/engine room. So will read other threads and add on extra for skeg etc?

 

edited to add...and will get into the weed hatch next time I go down to that gloomy area.

Deep is 39" like lots in Braunston at the moment.

Edit to say

I meant to say 3ft 9in not 39 in. metric/imperial mix up

Edited by ditchcrawler
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Checked today and its 3'9" with empty 700 gal+ rear water tank and partial fit out !

Chris

 

 

Show off!

 

 

 

Is that good or bad :)

 

 

 

You'll be a wee bit deeper at the stern but nowt to worry about; just like the majority of us clonecraft owners you'll occasionally get stemmed up when you get your line wrong but other than that I wouldn't worry.

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I've done it!

 

52cm, which is 20.4 inches.

 

Is that good or bad :)

 

sorry..edited to add, this is the measure from bottom of boat to surface of water, leaning out the side hatch/engine room. So will read other threads and add on extra for skeg etc?

 

edited to add...and will get into the weed hatch next time I go down to that gloomy area.

 

About the same as Tawny Owl then, which is pretty shallow

 

It's true that your proper draw will include the extra couple of inches for the skeg, but we generally run aground at the sides long before we do in the middle of the stern

 

Richard

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cor... sounds great to have a shallow draught boat... mine seems to be best part of 3 ft!!!

 

Dont worry. We have NC fully loaded ready for our holiday to the Broads. Measured the fully loaded draft at 3'7" at the stern drive. :wacko::blink::wacko:

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Dont worry. We have NC fully loaded ready for our holiday to the Broads. Measured the fully loaded draft at 3'7" at the stern drive. :wacko::blink::wacko:

 

What sort of depth (draught) will get around the Broads without a lot of trouble?

 

Tim

Edited by Timleech
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What sort of depth (draught) will get around the Broads without a lot of trouble?

 

Tim

 

Not sure, we will have to find out. When we get to the Broads, the dinghy and outboard will be towed behind NC which will take some weight off the back end and hopefully lift her somewhat, plus we will be drinking some of the beer we have loaded which will help some more :cheers:

 

Sealine are a little crafty with their draft measurements. They use a dry boat with empty tanks and nothing onboard with none of the optional extras fitted to measure the draft which is 3ft. By the time you have filled the 50 gallon fuel tank, 25 gallon water tank, 16 gallon black water tank, loaded up with beer, loaded all of your general boating crap onboard, hung the dinghy and outboard off the stern, put the 25 litre dinghy fuel tank in the anchor locker and all the other various items you soon start adding to the draft then add on the factory fitted extras (holding tank, heating, trim tabs and motors, cockpit shower, stainless transom gate, etc).

 

We might need a bigger boat :lol:

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You will be fine up the Ashby, every September there is a rally of working boats and I doubt you are that deep. The top of the Llangollen can cause problems for deep boats. Another place would be going into the Middle Level through Standground Lock. I can't think of any others, who built your hull?

 

Fulbourne (drawing around 3 ft) has been up the Ashby, to Llangollen (although to go along the feeder beyond the basin you need to draw a foot or less) and through Stanground (backwards, as the lock extension is deeper than the original structure).

 

Dean's boat should have no trouble.

 

David

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I've done it!

 

52cm, which is 20.4 inches.

 

Is that good or bad :)

 

sorry..edited to add, this is the measure from bottom of boat to surface of water, leaning out the side hatch/engine room. So will read other threads and add on extra for skeg etc?

 

edited to add...and will get into the weed hatch next time I go down to that gloomy area.

That is fairly shallow. We are 31" at skeg and did Ashby earlier this year. There are a few shallow sections where we had to be careful to stay in channel and went temporarily aground when passing boats, but much of it is now a normal depth thanks to dredging.

 

Nick

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Not sure, we will have to find out. When we get to the Broads, the dinghy and outboard will be towed behind NC which will take some weight off the back end and hopefully lift her somewhat, plus we will be drinking some of the beer we have loaded which will help some more :cheers:

 

Sealine are a little crafty with their draft measurements. They use a dry boat with empty tanks and nothing onboard with none of the optional extras fitted to measure the draft which is 3ft. By the time you have filled the 50 gallon fuel tank, 25 gallon water tank, 16 gallon black water tank, loaded up with beer, loaded all of your general boating crap onboard, hung the dinghy and outboard off the stern, put the 25 litre dinghy fuel tank in the anchor locker and all the other various items you soon start adding to the draft then add on the factory fitted extras (holding tank, heating, trim tabs and motors, cockpit shower, stainless transom gate, etc).

 

We might need a bigger boat :lol:

The were dredging the New Cut today when we were at St Olaves, only from the bank, but it looked well over 3ft

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