Widebeam Liveaboard Location

[Rob Graham]

Hi. We're considering buying a widebeam barge as a permanent liveaboard with access to river and canal cruising and with a residential mooring in a nice area that allows us to carry on working. Our work covers the Wrexham, Chester and Shrewsbury areas so the most we would want to commute by car is an hour (ish). 

Any helpful suggestings would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Rob Graham said:

Hi. We're considering buying a widebeam barge as a permanent liveaboard with access to river and canal cruising and with a residential mooring in a nice area that allows us to carry on working. Our work covers the Wrexham, Chester and Shrewsbury areas so the most we would want to commute by car is an hour (ish). 

Any helpful suggestings would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Hi welcome to the forum. CRT have a guide, which will help to get you started - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/mooring/mooring-faqs , also ask at any local marinas to you for advice. 

[peterboat]

I think that area is mostly narrow canals, had a quick look at the guides and was looking at 7 foot beam a lot

[tizzy]

Hi 

We moor near Chester and in this area  on a widebeam you will be able to cruise from Ellesmere Port to Nantwich and that's about it all the locks round here are narrow apart from on that section of the Shropshire Union. Having said that there is a widebeam near here on a canalside mooring but I presume it never goes far !

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

From Elsmere Port you could go out onto the Manchester ship canal and across the Mersey but not very easily. Look at mooring on the Bridgewater, which will allow you to access the L&L and the Rochdale. and if your boat is under 57ft down the Calder and Hebble. Preston Brook Marina would serve your needs. 

[tizzy]

True you could access the Bridgewater but the marina at Preston Brook is very near the motorway and not very picturesque and it's more than 1 hour from Wrexham and Shrewsbury. Realistically if you want to be in this area and cruise you need a narrow beam boat. There are plenty of marinas in your preferred area but not sure if they all do residential moorings

[dor]

There are a few widebeams on the Shroppie between Chester and Ellesmere Port.  Not everyone would consider this to be a "nice area".

The Weaver is a possibility; plenty of wide beams moored in Northwich, or further west near Acton Bridge.

The northwest is going to give you very limited cruising options in a widebeam.

[Ray T]

22 hours ago, Rob Graham said:

Hi. We're considering buying a widebeam barge as a permanent liveaboard with access to river and canal cruising and with a residential mooring in a nice area that allows us to carry on working. Our work covers the Wrexham, Chester and Shrewsbury areas so the most we would want to commute by car is an hour (ish). 

Any helpful suggestings would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

How about an unhelpful suggestion?

The Grand Canal in China is ideal for wide boats. 

http://blogs.umb.edu/buildingtheworld/waterworks/the-grand-canal-china/

Lots of canal to cruise on.

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Ray T

[Señor Chris]

3 hours ago, The Bagdad Boatman (waits) said:

From Elsmere Port you could go out onto the Manchester ship canal and across the Mersey but not very easily. Look at mooring on the Bridgewater, which will allow you to access the L&L and the Rochdale.

You can of course also access the Bridgewater and the Weaver from the MSC so quite a lot of cruising is available from Chester but none of it is in the direction of Wrexham/Shrewsbury.

 

[dmr]

7 hours ago, The Bagdad Boatman (waits) said:

From Elsmere Port you could go out onto the Manchester ship canal and across the Mersey but not very easily. Look at mooring on the Bridgewater, which will allow you to access the L&L and the Rochdale. and if your boat is under 57ft down the Calder and Hebble. Preston Brook Marina would serve your needs. 

I thought that there was a motorway bridge just outside Ellesmere port that prevents widebeams from getting as far as Ellesmere port and hence onto the MSC.

Can't remember exactly how wide it is so maybe some narrower widebeams can still pass.

......Dave

4 hours ago, Ray T said:

How about an unhelpful suggestion?

The Grand Canal in China is ideal for wide boats. 

http://blogs.umb.edu/buildingtheworld/waterworks/the-grand-canal-china/

Lots of canal to cruise on.

 

I read somewhere that quite a bit of this canal has fallen into disrepair and is unnavigable. Anyway I suspect the beer is not good and much of the food still alive when eaten.

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

[Taslim]

I read somewhere that quite a bit of this canal has fallen into disrepair and is unnavigable. Anyway I suspect the beer is not good and much of the food still alive when eaten.

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

 

The beer in Jiaxing is good.

Not much of a comfort for the OP I s'pose.

[Señor Chris]

3 hours ago, dmr said:

I thought that there was a motorway bridge just outside Ellesmere port that prevents widebeams from getting as far as Ellesmere port and hence onto the MSC.

Can't remember exactly how wide it is so maybe some narrower widebeams can still pass.

I believe the limit is 9ft.

[cuthound]

16 hours ago, dmr said:

I read somewhere that quite a bit of this canal has fallen into disrepair and is unnavigable.

Probably caused by lack of maintence by CRT (Chinese River Trust)