Motorhoming v Narrowboating ?

[TizzyOnTour]

We lived over eight years on our 59' narrowboat, and loved every minute. We cruised for eight months of the year, and during the winter moored in Trinity Marina, Hinckley. We both feel very fortunate to have been able to do that. We returned to NZ with our motorhome and enjoying that but still hanker for the narrowboat.

Aah! The top half of the Ashby Canal from Trinity marina to the top end, is one of our favourite sections of the network. Happy memories.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

This has been an interesting thread, anyone know if narrowboats are restricted internally for height, would 6ft 4 be too tall for them?

 

[Ivory55]

This has been an interesting thread, anyone know if narrowboats are restricted internally for height, would 6ft 4 be too tall for them?

I bet that would be tight as the boats are not that tall or they would not fit through the tunnels. Wide beams are bigger I think.

 

[TizzyOnTour]

This has been an interesting thread, anyone know if narrowboats are restricted internally for height, would 6ft 4 be too tall for them?

I think there is some variation in internal headroom. Ours was 6’2”, I have seen less on older boats but definitely a trend towards more headroom on newer boats.

 

[Rob Turner]

Funsters, I'll soon be able to offer up a review of the two as we've just bought our first narrowboat.

We had originally settled for a 63-footer but the owner of said boat happened to mess us about quite significantly so in the end we opted for a 57ft NB instead. TBH I think we dodged a bullet with the longer one as it would have been harder to park it outside a beer garden or one of the canal-based pubs

It'll do around 13mpg @ 3mph, locks dependent, so we won't be rushing anywhere - and the red diesel cost is only 69.9p/liter for now until the new white diesel rule kicks-in sometime next year.

Just be sure to keep an eye out for the local newspaper reports in 4-6 weeks from now for an article similiar to the following

"Newbie Narrowboaters Sink Boat on Maiden Voyage".

Can't wait.

You park your MH
You moor your Boat.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[bigtwin]

This has been an interesting thread, anyone know if narrowboats are restricted internally for height, would 6ft 4 be too tall for them?

Most have about 6’ but I’ve seen many advertised at 6’2” and some at 6’4”.

Ian

 

[Drexxer]

Most have about 6’ but I’ve seen many advertised at 6’2” and some at 6’4”.

Ian

Our 1997 Liverpool NB had 6'6", it was one of the first from them with the higher roof

 

[Trackman]

This has been an interesting thread, anyone know if narrowboats are restricted internally for height, would 6ft 4 be too tall for them?

I'm 6ft 1" and our boat is OK for me to stand upright, apart from the traditional back cabin.
In there I have to duck a bit, it's floor being a little higher. The prop shaft goes under it, from the engine 'ole (room) forward of the cabin, to the stern. That necessitates the raised floor. However, I soon got used to this after we got the boat.
Headroom varies from boat to boat though, you just have to check what you're getting!

 

[Trackman]

You park your MH
You moor your Boat.

I often find myself talking about mooring the car, though rarely about parking the boat! Funny how the brain works!

 

[TizzyOnTour]

I often find myself talking about mooring the car, though rarely about parking the boat! Funny how the brain works!

Lol. My wife still asks “where are we mooring tonight?” when away on the motorhome. Old habits .....

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Drexxer]

Our 1997 Liverpool NB had 6'6", it was one of the first from them with the higher roof

Sorry, that should have been 1998 year

 

[bigwood]

We have hired a narrow boat a couple of times. A narrow boat was included in the plans for buying a motorhome. The problem being that I liked narrow boating but wanted to travel more than the canal network would allow.
Both trips had bad times for us. Management slipped and banged here head on the first trip.
The second trip with a narrow boat finished those plans for management. To get the boat back on time meant us having to do twenty seven locks in one day in the midst of a horrendous thunder storm. Wielding a metal windlass when it’s thunder and lightening was very iffy.
The four counties ring in two weeks is possible but not fun when the last six days are torrential rain.

 

[Jamesh]

Just done 3 days up the Leeds Liverpool canal.

First half a day was stressful getting to know the boat and it's handling as was the race to get it back on the last morning, weather and landscape was glorious though.

Cheers y

 

[68c]

In a Moho you can go anywhere, in a boat you go to the other end of the canal.

 

[Eggs]

Just done 3 days up the Leeds Liverpool canal.

First half a day was stressful getting to know the boat and it's handling as was the race to get it back on the last morning, weather and landscape was glorious though.

Cheers y

Hiring a narrowboat for the first time can be hard going, we think watching tuggers fall out when they are trying to get the awning up is funny, it's not a patch on watching newbies going through the first lock on a boat. I'm still tempted by another narrowboat.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Eggs]

In a Moho you can go anywhere, in a boat you go to the other end of the canal.

How's that work, aren't canals linked with each other canals or to rivers anymore? There are over two thousand miles of navigable inland waterways. It's a different pace, but pleasant all the same.

 

[PhilMary]

I spend a lot of my down time riding along the Leeds Liverpool and the best time is Saturday morning near Skipton when the new holiday makers take over their boats for s few days. Sometimes it's hilarious to watch them navigate their first lock.

 

[Eggs]

I spend a lot of my down time riding along the Leeds Liverpool and the best time is Saturday morning near Skipton when the new holiday makers take over their boats for s few days. Sometimes it's hilarious to watch them navigate their first lock.

It is hilarious, even experienced narrowboaters would prefer to go through wide locks with another boat. Once anyone knows how to work their ropes going through a lock is fairly easy, swing bridges on the other hand can be an head scratcher if you are single handed.

 

[Clive Mott]

Love both. But eventually put our money into the variant with wheels so we can go to where it is not raining. Plus parking costs!

 

[MisterB]

We had a motor cruiser on the Norfolk Broads, nice if you like bushes, trees etc had it two years, used it 3 times .... Not for me even though I have always fancied narrowboating, the Broads put me off ..

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Blue Knight]

We had a motor cruiser on the Norfolk Broads, nice if you like bushes, trees etc had it two years, used it 3 times .... Not for me even though I have always fancied narrowboating, the Broads put me off ..

Not done the Broads myself but I've certainly heard the same from my boating pals.

 

[PhilMary]

Love both. But eventually put our money into the variant with wheels so we can go to where it is not raining. Plus parking costs!

Just out of interest.
It cost me, on average, £20 a night for my motorhome for a recognised site stay.
How much does it cost to "park" a boat for the night? Do you have to pay if you just stop anywhere?

 

[Eggs]

Just out of interest.
It cost me, on average, £20 a night for my motorhome for a recognised site stay.
How much does it cost to "park" a boat for the night? Do you have to pay if you just stop anywhere?

You pay a annual license fee depending on length of the boat, you can then stop pretty much anywhere on the towpath side. In the more sought after spots there may be restrictions on how long you can stay. If you have a permanent mooring in a marina you pay for that separately.

 

[Ivory55]

We had a motor cruiser on the Norfolk Broads, nice if you like bushes, trees etc had it two years, used it 3 times .... Not for me even though I have always fancied narrowboating, the Broads put me off ..

Tried the broads years ago. The parking up put me off. Others would Park along side you then go to the pub at night and bang all over your roof on their return, then you cannot move in the morning till they do. Did not enjoy the broads.

 

[Kiwi Brit]

Just out of interest.
It cost me, on average, £20 a night for my motorhome for a recognised site stay.
How much does it cost to "park" a boat for the night? Do you have to pay if you just stop anywhere?

Yes you have a license to pay each year. If you go on rivers you pay more. On the Thames you pay usually to moor up over night. But you can moor in Little Venice in London for two weeks at no charge. We paid for a mooring all year but we were only there 5 months a year.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[nickw22000]

Funsters, I'll soon be able to offer up a review of the two as we've just bought our first narrowboat.

We had originally settled for a 63-footer but the owner of said boat happened to mess us about quite significantly so in the end we opted for a 57ft NB instead. TBH I think we dodged a bullet with the longer one as it would have been harder to park it outside a beer garden or one of the canal-based pubs

It'll do around 13mpg @ 3mph, locks dependent, so we won't be rushing anywhere - and the red diesel cost is only 69.9p/liter for now until the new white diesel rule kicks-in sometime next year.

Just be sure to keep an eye out for the local newspaper reports in 4-6 weeks from now for an article similiar to the following

"Newbie Narrowboaters Sink Boat on Maiden Voyage".

Can't wait.

I went the other way. Have been playing with boats for all of my life, but my wife doesn't like sailing, so now we have a motorhome. Not sure how I'd cope with a narrowboat, Locks are the same whether you're on a canal or entering a coastal marina, but how do you manage without waves? Or bucketfuls of water flying over the bow and into your face?

 

[Eggs]

I went the other way. Have been playing with boats for all of my life, but my wife doesn't like sailing, so now we have a motorhome. Not sure how I'd cope with a narrowboat, Locks are the same whether you're on a canal or entering a coastal marina, but how do you manage without waves? Or bucketfuls of water flying over the bow and into your face?

You make up for it by getting frozen in at winter time.

 

[MaidinDevon]

Very exciting news. I have rented a narrowboat for the winter and spring. Kind of try before you buy really. I reckon if we can survive and enjoy the winter, summer will be easy peasy

I would usually head south, but 90 day limit plus Covid restrictions have put me off, for this year.

Roll on September

Recommendations welcome......

 

[Eggs]

Where are you hiring from?

 

[pelican]

Joy's of watching the antics
Port Solent portsmouth has a very large lock.
It's hilarious watching MARINA MAN and wife attempting to enter the lock tie up and depart.
All the gear and no idea.
Worked there 20 yrs so amusing.
The sheer panic in faces.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}