Ideal size boat?

[Dr Bob]

4 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

Layout is far more important then length for making a boat suitable or not. 

We have been on some 60 odd ft boats that have less useable space then 59 odd ft boats due to wasted space and poor layout.

Fully agree with you, but our 63ft is well laid out with little less usable space - and for us, we need all 63ft of it. It would be a compromise to have less. As mentioned above, one foot per year of age seems a good guideline especially when you have a bus pass.

[Peter X]

I've sometimes been boating with people over 72 who are probably glad they didn't follow Dr Bob's formula.

[Dr Bob]

6 minutes ago, Peter X said:

I've sometimes been boating with people over 72 who are probably glad they didn't follow Dr Bob's formula.

I think it was Neil who mentioned the age thing so I cant claim ownership of the formula. I think we will buy a wide beam when we get to 70.

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

A seventy foot boat WILL go thro Thorne lock both ways. Going uphill you drive straight in and coming back downhill you spin the boat round at the top of the lock and come down backwards and spin the boat again at the bottom of the lock no need for winding holes. I will clarify one point here in that my boat was a 70 foot steve Hudson sold as 70 foot, now I don't know just how accurate any particular boatbuilder or indeed Steve H was but my boat fitted with absolutely zero tolerance ( well maybe I inch ) so a boat over that length will have no chance. So seventy foot it is subject to that detail. The tiller needs to be able to lie as near straight as possible at the arse end also to clear the gate walkways. we did it no problem. In short that one piece of incorrect information has probably put many many people off for many years. I must reiterate that's a narrowbeam boat, a 70 foot widebeam would have absolutely zero chance.

A 70 foot narrowboat will fit through Thorne Lock, but a 71 ft 6 in narrowboat will not. 

Fulbourne has been into Thorne Lock from both ends, but can't pass through!

[Neil2]

Some might think it a minor consideration but we have met quite a few owners of long boats this year who have had real issues with leaking lock (top) gates, going both ways.  

[Scholar Gypsy]

On 10/18/2017 at 09:25, Neil Smith said:

I had mine built at 58 foot and hopefully when we retire we can do the whole system apart from the ones mentioned in post 2 that I did not know about, and don't forget the width needs to be 6 foot 10" as some locks that used to take full 7 foot wide working boats have now got a bit of a belly.

Neil

Brandon Lock on the Little Ouse will only take a NB up to about 48', but there is only a mile or so of river beforehand. Rather nicer to walk all the way to Thetford and get a train back to Brandon ...

[Neil Smith]

1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Brandon Lock on the Little Ouse will only take a NB up to about 48', but there is only a mile or so of river beforehand. Rather nicer to walk all the way to Thetford and get a train back to Brandon ...

I know it well, I used to have a 32 foot Dawncraft on the ouze.

Neil

[smiler]

22 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

The problem with this is its nowhere near correct and local knowledge is the best method to find out possible lengths. Just as a for instance this abnb publication states probable narrowboat length on stainforth and keadby canal as 67 feet. This is one of the most important mistakes with regard length due to making the difference of having to go round Trent end or come in at Keadby a much easier route to get to the northern rivers/canals. A 70 foot narrowboat can do it and there are lots of boats over 67 feet and up to 70 feet who can be put off by this. Just sayin like.

I was born and brought up in Keadby and have only ever seen narrowboats on the Trent come out the lock, turn around and go back in the canal. I`ve never seen narrowboats actually navigate the Trent there.

The Trent has a very strong tide there and you would have to judge the tides well to navigate - and hope not to breakdown.

[mrsmelly]

12 minutes ago, smiler said:

I was born and brought up in Keadby and have only ever seen narrowboats on the Trent come out the lock, turn around and go back in the canal. I`ve never seen narrowboats actually navigate the Trent there.

The Trent has a very strong tide there and you would have to judge the tides well to navigate - and hope not to breakdown.

mmmmm how long have you been in the flatlands? Many many narrowboats navigate the tidal Trent every year. You are correct in that it needs some forward thinking but is perfectly within most narrowboats and boaters ability

[smiler]

Just now, mrsmelly said:

mmmmm how long have you been in the flatlands? Many many narrowboats navigate the tidal Trent every year. You are correct in that it needs some forward thinking but is perfectly within most narrowboats and boaters ability

I lived there 26 years about 200yards north of the lock alongside the river and have never seen a narrowboat navigate on the river.

To be honest, thinking about it after my last post, most NBs would be turning right out the lock and heading south??

[Scholar Gypsy]

6 minutes ago, smiler said:

I lived there 26 years about 200yards north of the lock alongside the river and have never seen a narrowboat navigate on the river.

To be honest, thinking about it after my last post, most NBs would be turning right out the lock and heading south??

Here's someone who turned left ...  http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_02/Tour02_4.html

[smiler]

12 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Here's someone who turned left ...  http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/Tour_02/Tour02_4.html

Nice story(and photos)

Why did I never see a NB go north in 26 years? - must have had my eyes shut!

Seen hundreds of GRPs doing it.

You must have faith in your NB and own abilities to do that. We`ve seen coasters get in difficulties before at Keadby.

I wouldn`t like to meet this side-on...........might be interesting surfing it though..........

 

[Naughty Cal]

14 hours ago, smiler said:

Nice story(and photos)

Why did I never see a NB go north in 26 years? - must have had my eyes shut!

Seen hundreds of GRPs doing it.

You must have faith in your NB and own abilities to do that. We`ve seen coasters get in difficulties before at Keadby.

I wouldn`t like to meet this side-on...........might be interesting surfing it though..........

 

But why would you need to meet it side on?

[Alan de Enfield]

44 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

But why would you need to meet it side on?

Because it would be more exciting and make a 'better story' ?

[DimitriOrlov]

Where can a 70' boat not go exactly?

[matty40s]

51 minutes ago, DimitriOrlov said:

Where can a 70' boat not go exactly?

Into a 71 foot mooring spot.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, DimitriOrlov said:

Where can a 70' boat not go exactly?

 

16 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Into a 71 foot mooring spot.

Why not?

But, it may have a problem getting into a 69 foot mooring, or even a 69 foot lock.

 

 

Edit:

Re-read and come to the conclusion that it may be that the word "exactly" is key, in which case the answer is anywhere that is not exactly 70 feet long.

Well interpreted Matty

Edited October 24, 2017 by Alan de Enfield

[mrsmelly]

9 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Into a 71 foot mooring spot.

oops

[matty40s]

36 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

oops

The beauty is the detail and wording.

Edited October 24, 2017 by matty40s

[mrsmelly]

5 minutes ago, matty40s said:

The beauty is the detail and wording.

Are you coming for a snoop round with the flotilla next year?

[matty40s]

19 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Are you coming for a snoop round with the flotilla next year?

Now Paul has got a decent length boat, we may be able to come along occasionally.

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Now Paul has got a decent length boat, we may be able to come along occasionally.

[Peter-Bullfinch]

Other considerations are the times of the year you plan to use the boat. Living all year round and continously cruising is quite different to setting off in March  and returning in October. Our 57 foot trad with a back cabin and engine room is perfect for the two of us for the warmer eight months. When the family descends to stop for a few days it's quite a conundrum .  Seating everyone for a meal together isn't easy with our layout. 

We could use ours all year round but then I'd like maybe a washing machine or a dinette or maybe room for a big old comfy chair for the long winter evenings. Where could I put my woodturning lathe, bandsaw etc?  Its all a compromise!

[DimitriOrlov]

What about height?

 

i see some boat with perma to things sticking up a lot higher than others, are they OK to go under most bridges?

Are there many places this boat could not go to?

[magpie patrick]

"Most locks" 57/58 feet (personally if I was going to make a habit of the shorter locks on the Yorkshire waterways I wouldn't push the limits and would stuck at 56/57 feet)

"All locks" about 40 feet, there is one in east Anglia that is very short but it only gives access to a mile or so of river

When I bought Juno  (23 feet) someone advised that the best boat is the smallest and simplest that meets your needs.  The only thing I really miss with Lutine (45 feet) is the sense of grandeur that a longer boat provides, after longer boats it feels like steering a toy  (my first boat was 62 feet)