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Decisions Narrow or Wide beam


dmtarry

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Hi All

We are at the point of decided whether time is right to now move onto a boat, and then the next decision to buy a narrow boat or a wide beam boat with a view to living aboard, We expect initialy to be marina based around the greater Warrington, Cheshire area but with a view to continuouse cruising for a number of years. I am or have recentley been made redundant though fortunatley with two properties, one large 4 bed detached and one small two bed terrace which will have to fund our potential escape and retirement? We owned a 57 ft David Piper narrow boat for 4/5 years a long time ago when our children were to young and as they do the kids found it boring and we sold it assuming we would return once ready to retire. As you would expect it would be great to keep the house or houses and own a narrow boat for extended cruising as and when we wished, but an ideal world this is not. So we will propably sell one rent the other out or sell both and have to live of the capital until my small private pension kicks in (anytime i want in reality) and eventually our state pensions (Currently 56 years old).

 

I am sure there is a great debate about narrow boats v wide beams for this purpose and would be grateful for any advise and views regarding the restrictions of available travel and cost differences between the two?

Would be great to make contact with people who are doing this now!

 

David and Doreen

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Hi All

We are at the point of decided whether time is right to now move onto a boat, and then the next decision to buy a narrow boat or a wide beam boat with a view to living aboard, We expect initialy to be marina based around the greater Warrington, Cheshire area but with a view to continuouse cruising for a number of years. I am or have recentley been made redundant though fortunatley with two properties, one large 4 bed detached and one small two bed terrace which will have to fund our potential escape and retirement? We owned a 57 ft David Piper narrow boat for 4/5 years a long time ago when our children were to young and as they do the kids found it boring and we sold it assuming we would return once ready to retire. As you would expect it would be great to keep the house or houses and own a narrow boat for extended cruising as and when we wished, but an ideal world this is not. So we will propably sell one rent the other out or sell both and have to live of the capital until my small private pension kicks in (anytime i want in reality) and eventually our state pensions (Currently 56 years old).

 

I am sure there is a great debate about narrow boats v wide beams for this purpose and would be grateful for any advise and views regarding the restrictions of available travel and cost differences between the two?

Would be great to make contact with people who are doing this now!

 

David and Doreen

 

It all really hinges on how much you wish to travel as of course parts of the system are no go to a wide beam and you can't get from the northern parts of the system to southern parts via. the inland waterways.

 

This map gives an overview but that is all is it really as it shows some parts of the the system as readily accessible by widebeams (such as the Erewash) where yes a widebeam can fit the locks BUT some of the bridge holes would be very tight. Some parts of the 'wide' bits of the Trent and Mersey are similarly tight too even though the locks will take a widebeam boat. The Midlands around Brum (arguably some of the most interesting bits of the system) would be a no go areas. All that said if living aboard you may appreciate the extra space and feel this easily offsets the travel restrictions.

 

ed to add - forgot my manners - welcome to the forum!!

 

CanalMap.gif

Edited by The Dog House
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Hi All

We are at the point of decided whether time is right to now move onto a boat, and then the next decision to buy a narrow boat or a wide beam boat with a view to living aboard, We expect initialy to be marina based around the greater Warrington, Cheshire area but with a view to continuouse cruising for a number of years. I am or have recentley been made redundant though fortunatley with two properties, one large 4 bed detached and one small two bed terrace which will have to fund our potential escape and retirement? We owned a 57 ft David Piper narrow boat for 4/5 years a long time ago when our children were to young and as they do the kids found it boring and we sold it assuming we would return once ready to retire. As you would expect it would be great to keep the house or houses and own a narrow boat for extended cruising as and when we wished, but an ideal world this is not. So we will propably sell one rent the other out or sell both and have to live of the capital until my small private pension kicks in (anytime i want in reality) and eventually our state pensions (Currently 56 years old).

 

I am sure there is a great debate about narrow boats v wide beams for this purpose and would be grateful for any advise and views regarding the restrictions of available travel and cost differences between the two?

Would be great to make contact with people who are doing this now!

 

David and Doreen

 

Hi

 

Its a very quick simple answer. For continuous cruising countrywide it must be a narrowboat. For comfort it has to be widebeam. :cheers:

 

Tim

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If you like a bit more space then for living aboard widebeams make better homes, but for cruising the UK system narrowboats are better boats.

 

So it really depends on how extensive your cruising range is. I live on a widebeam and I rarely have enough time to go very far from base, but if you're retired then there's nothing to stop you cruising the entire system so you might be better off with a narrowboat.

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If you are going to "continuously" cruise, it has to be a narrowboat IMHO. Having been out since April this year we've done about 600 miles and 400 locks, the vast majority of which were narrow.

 

If you really want to see the best of our inland waterways you have to be able to do the Huddersfield Narrow, Shroppy, Llangollen, Southern Oxford, Trent & Mersey and Staff and Worcs, to name but a few of the most beautiful canals in the country.

 

At the same time you can also enjoy the Thames, Leeds and Liverpool, Yorkshire Ouse and Aire and Calder. Although for the northern canals and rivers you'll find it easier if you keep to 58ft maximum length.

 

Of course you could always sell both houses and have a widebeam and a narrowboat!! ;)

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It all really hinges on how much you wish to travel as of course parts of the system are no go to a wide beam and you can't get from the northern parts of the system to southern parts via. the inland waterways.

 

This map gives an overview but that is all is it really as it shows some parts of the the system as readily accessible by widebeams (such as the Erewash) where yes a widebeam can fit the locks BUT some of the bridge holes would be very tight. Some parts of the 'wide' bits of the Trent and Mersey are similarly tight too even though the locks will take a widebeam boat. The Midlands around Brum (arguably some of the most interesting bits of the system) would be a no go areas. All that said if living aboard you may appreciate the extra space and feel this easily offsets the travel restrictions.

 

ed to add - forgot my manners - welcome to the forum!!

 

CanalMap.gif

 

 

Great map, where can I get a copy of this that shows all coastal inlets outlets?

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I am meeting up later with a couple of a similar age who have been cc for the last six or seven years on a nb so that will be interesting? Many thanks for the replies and I know that there is no simple answer to this question as a lot will simply depend on us as a couple, but I would love the chance to speak with people who are living aboard to gain as much info and views as I can?

 

David

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I would find the internal space of a narrow boat really restrictive.

 

 

I'm a convicted (convinced...) narrowboater - EVEN SO, is a huge cruising range really necessary or usable?

Yes, we can go from Godalming in the south to Ripon in the North - but it's not practicable (not liveaboards). My Management gets claustrophobic after three weeks - thus restricts where we choose to go.

 

The boat behind me is a Sagar Dutch Barge, 3/4 my length but so much, much more spacious. Even a waterproof wheelhouse for cruising wheb it's tissing down. Because it's centre steering, the wheelhouse is a usable room - the back deck of a narrow - or stretcted nb - is wasted space for living.

 

A true DB converted - or even a Humber Keel is soooo much better.

 

I'm sorry Blackrose; over stretched nbs don't quite cut it for me; but then I'm on the outside looking in.

 

 

DO consider the possibilities of cruising at sea - not as the Spall's did it in an upgraded NB (not one of Peter Nicholl's finer creations, though fine for inland use). It's perfectly possible to go over to the Continental canals for a season or two, or three, or.... lots of others have done it and do. Even some nutters in nbs as well...

 

 

 

Think on't.

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For sure widebeams are great for space but cruising the system in a wide beam would be a pain even in the little areas you can go.

 

I would say it its what you want to do then dont limit yourself 58ft narrowboat with a well thought out fit out will provide plenty of space

  • Greenie 1
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Hi David and Doreen

 

I've lived on a narrowboat for 12`years. There's now four of us on board (two kids) so it's a personal choice how much living space you think you'd need. My own choice for continuous cruising would be a narrowboat because of the freedom to go anywhere. But my husband's first choice would be a widebeam because he loves the idea of a bigger living space. It really depends if extensive travelling is your main reason for moving to a boat, or if just the adventure of moving onto a boat and travelling wide canals would make you perfectly happy? :-)

 

Peggy

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Thanks for the messages all

Had a long chat with our friends re their experiences to date and thoughts regarding continuos cruising etc in a narrow boat, which was very useful and helped to paint a picture. We have a lot of thinking to do to arrive at the right decision and it seems more about a mindset and determining a way of life if you go in that direction. The broad-beam option seems more of an alternative to living in a house in the same way a park home may work for some? ideally a dutch barge on broad canals that can also be taken across the channel would be the dogs doins but afordability raises its ugly head. This is about being able to afford to opt out early if necessary and with limited resources the nb option seems tried and tested (As we will be if we do it). Met a few other live a boards on the canal while with our friends, who all seemed quite happy with their lot? is there anyone out there continuos cruising with a wide beam that can shed some light? We would love to chat with a couple if possible?

 

Many thanks Peggy where about's are you at the moment? it must be a work of art with 4 of you on the boat! although Arthur and Anne our friends also have two very large dogs on the boat with them which makes it interesting.

 

 

 

David and Doreen

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I'm a convicted (convinced...) narrowboater - EVEN SO, is a huge cruising range really necessary or usable?

Yes, we can go from Godalming in the south to Ripon in the North - but it's not practicable (not liveaboards). My Management gets claustrophobic after three weeks - thus restricts where we choose to go.

 

The boat behind me is a Sagar Dutch Barge, 3/4 my length but so much, much more spacious. Even a waterproof wheelhouse for cruising wheb it's tissing down. Because it's centre steering, the wheelhouse is a usable room - the back deck of a narrow - or stretcted nb - is wasted space for living.

 

A true DB converted - or even a Humber Keel is soooo much better.

 

I'm sorry Blackrose; over stretched nbs don't quite cut it for me; but then I'm on the outside looking in.

 

You don't have to be sorry, we all like different things and narrow boats don't cut it for me at all. I like Dutch barges too, but a Sagar or other new build barge can cost anything between 2-3 times the price of a widebeam. I like Ferraris, but I can't afford one of them either.

 

You say a Dutch barge of Humber Keel is soooo much better, but it really depends on what you want to do with it. If we're talking about cruising range, then the UK cruising range of a NB-style widebeam is generally much more extensive than that of a Dutch barge because of the reduced draught and air draught of the widebeam. Because of this you don't see that many Dutch barges even on some of the broadbeam canals (at least compared to how many you see on the Thames). Of course you can take a Dutch barge across the channel and then you have a massive cruising range, but there are people who've shipped widebeams and even narrowboats to France so anything is possible.

 

Also there are plenty of NB style widebeams with wheelhouses.

 

For sure widebeams are great for space but cruising the system in a wide beam would be a pain even in the little areas you can go.

 

Are you speaking from experience? Because that's not my experience.

 

Thanks for the messages all

Had a long chat with our friends re their experiences to date and thoughts regarding continuos cruising etc in a narrow boat, which was very useful and helped to paint a picture. We have a lot of thinking to do to arrive at the right decision and it seems more about a mindset and determining a way of life if you go in that direction. The broad-beam option seems more of an alternative to living in a house in the same way a park home may work for some? ideally a dutch barge on broad canals that can also be taken across the channel would be the dogs doins but afordability raises its ugly head. This is about being able to afford to opt out early if necessary and with limited resources the nb option seems tried and tested (As we will be if we do it). Met a few other live a boards on the canal while with our friends, who all seemed quite happy with their lot? is there anyone out there continuos cruising with a wide beam that can shed some light? We would love to chat with a couple if possible?

 

Many thanks Peggy where about's are you at the moment? it must be a work of art with 4 of you on the boat! although Arthur and Anne our friends also have two very large dogs on the boat with them which makes it interesting.

 

 

 

David and Doreen

 

Talk to Jenyln, he continually cruises and I often see him and his Mrs out and about on their widebeam.

Edited by blackrose
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With some notable exceptions most wide beams as opposed to Dutch barges that I've seen over the last few months just look a mess, doesnt seem much of the good life, and i havent noticed a lot of movement, would have been cheaper to buy a caravan and park it on a layby. They are certainly becoming popular more .Appreciate this is negative view but it's what I've noticed.

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With some notable exceptions most wide beams as opposed to Dutch barges that I've seen over the last few months just look a mess, doesnt seem much of the good life, and i havent noticed a lot of movement, would have been cheaper to buy a caravan and park it on a layby. They are certainly becoming popular more .Appreciate this is negative view but it's what I've noticed.

 

I lived on narrowboats for 22 years. I now live on a fat narrowboat, it restricts my cruising range ( been there done that ) it greatly enhances my comfort levels and I will not be going narrowbeam again anytime soon !! As for ( Sueb ) keeping a house I completely disagree, I know epeople in their eighties still aboard. I got rid of my house five years ago and havnt missed it one jot. Houses bore me to death. I have just inherited a fab old stone cottage but will I ever live in it...........will in nelly, it aint going to happen. :cheers:

 

Tim

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Are you speaking from experience? Because that's not my experience.

 

 

 

 

Im speaking from experience of owning a narrowboat and navagating the system.

 

I have followed a few widebeam boats around and it looks hard work to me.

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