The canal / narrowboat thread
Discussion
Simpo Two said:
Fascinating stuff, and two very hardworking people!
It's an unusual hull shape - unlike Dutch barges I've seen. Where's it based?
As for cats, I must admit I'm always a bit worried when I see cats on boats - if they slip overboard it's probably curtains
Brother & his missus are on a residential narrow boat & have been for 20 odd years. Always had cats & never had a problem, they come & go through an opened window.It's an unusual hull shape - unlike Dutch barges I've seen. Where's it based?
As for cats, I must admit I'm always a bit worried when I see cats on boats - if they slip overboard it's probably curtains
Simpo Two said:
Fascinating stuff, and two very hardworking people!
It's an unusual hull shape - unlike Dutch barges I've seen. Where's it based?
As for cats, I must admit I'm always a bit worried when I see cats on boats - if they slip overboard it's probably curtains
Thanks Simpo. I thrive on doing stuff and am not phased by this at all. If I wasn’t putting in overtime at work (just this side of Christmas) I’d be there every night. I’ll be back tomorrow evening and all weekend. Actually can’t wait to have filthy fingernails for the next twelve months It's an unusual hull shape - unlike Dutch barges I've seen. Where's it based?
As for cats, I must admit I'm always a bit worried when I see cats on boats - if they slip overboard it's probably curtains
We are on the Ouse. In fact if Simon had moved his pint on the 4th August slightly to the left I might’ve waved.
Cats are a huge consideration and a massive part of my life since I’m a CPL volunteer and mostly hand rear. I won’t be moving my cats on to this or any boat until I’m 100% confident that they would be safe. I have mains wired pens and kennels at the house (where my twenty plus years old children live) and a large Catio too. Maybe eventually these would be rebuilt in the garden on the bank with a tunnel in to the boat. We also have a fibreglass dinghy which would be towed with the barge so maybe they’d be able to hop on that? Anyway it’s something we’ve talked about but a little way off yet.
Coincidentally I met a chap in a marina recently walking his Maine Coon on a harness and asked how he was in the boat. He said he’d had up to five cats and only once did one fall in but got out safely.
So back to the project. It so happens I discovered today that I know, by sheer coincidence, a very lovely marine surveyor with a wealth of knowledge and his own 100’ Dutch Barge. Of course I was eager to show him some photos and ask a few questions (if I’m not sharing cat pics it’s cars or boats). The very lovely gentleman informs me our boat is what he likes to call a ‘Westlander’ and most likely built in the 1920s if not earlier! He’s given me some great advice and a contact for which I’m extremely thankful.
I’ll share his website if anyone needs any assistance I thoroughly recommend him http://www.angloeuromarine.com/
bristolbaron said:
Is this the right thread for cabin boats too, or can I be pointed elsewhere?
Gretchen said:
Can I join in?
Good to have you joining in - there won't be enough cruisers or Dutch bargers on here to justify separate threads so best to have everyone together.I should probably have called the thread 'Inland Waterways' but didn't think of that when I started it.
Bailliol from Angloeuropean is a very well known surveyor in the barge world. He's surveyed ours twice and is recognised by Register Holland who were able to use his survey as part of our European certificate (for barges over 20m).
We restored ours (still not quite finished) and have lived on it for over 11 years. Cats are fine, we have some long ropes that hang down into the water for them to use if they fall in (the younger one has twice now...).
our website
We restored ours (still not quite finished) and have lived on it for over 11 years. Cats are fine, we have some long ropes that hang down into the water for them to use if they fall in (the younger one has twice now...).
our website
Well thank you all for the lovely welcome. This is one thing I really like about being on the river, the friendliness of all. It’s definitely me. As you’ll note I’ll talk to anyone and poor Balliol and his wife have been listening to me. It’s quite by accident that I discovered what he does ( I know him in a totally different capacity)! Because I was just chatting away as usual.
I’ve just picked up 8 litres of mineral oil for our engine (because Halfords don’t sell it?) from Tesco. Upon paying I was given a voucher for £5 off toys. Young chap behind me was buying some kids stuff so I gave him the voucher and said it was of no use to me as “my toys were now bigger and more expensive”. He laughed and said “I can imagine”. I’ve walked away wondering if he even saw the oil…
I’ve just picked up 8 litres of mineral oil for our engine (because Halfords don’t sell it?) from Tesco. Upon paying I was given a voucher for £5 off toys. Young chap behind me was buying some kids stuff so I gave him the voucher and said it was of no use to me as “my toys were now bigger and more expensive”. He laughed and said “I can imagine”. I’ve walked away wondering if he even saw the oil…
Bit windy out today
Four new anodes on
Daddy practised his gunnel walking and inspected the wheelhouse
Back on our other boat in front of the wood burner
Another one of the bargain Aldi fan fans. This little Pip Squeak stove emits a great amount of heat. Perfect for the Lifeboat. We aren’t really feeling the breeze onboard and luckily the lakes and marina are free from fallen trees and debris so all is safe and well.
Four new anodes on
Daddy practised his gunnel walking and inspected the wheelhouse
Back on our other boat in front of the wood burner
Another one of the bargain Aldi fan fans. This little Pip Squeak stove emits a great amount of heat. Perfect for the Lifeboat. We aren’t really feeling the breeze onboard and luckily the lakes and marina are free from fallen trees and debris so all is safe and well.
Edited by Gretchen on Saturday 27th November 17:46
Gretchen said:
Daddy practised his gunnel walking
Ahem, gunwale!SimonTheSailor said:
Do you honestly believe the fans doing anything ?!
Bought one but I don't believe it does anything - it might even create a draft !!
It doesn't seem sensible to me to have a point heat source in a narrowboat. Ducted hot air or even proper CH would be my choice.Bought one but I don't believe it does anything - it might even create a draft !!
Simpo Two said:
SimonTheSailor said:
Do you honestly believe the fans doing anything ?!
Bought one but I don't believe it does anything - it might even create a draft !!
It doesn't seem sensible to me to have a point heat source in a narrowboat. Ducted hot air or even proper CH would be my choice.Bought one but I don't believe it does anything - it might even create a draft !!
We have a pair of rads up forward in the bow, and one aft in the back cabin, run via thermosiphon from the Squirrel just fwd of center, and it works well especially as often we only use the back cabin if the boats in steam which adds the adjoining engine room as a significant heat source. However without the rads the, as occasionally happens if the fluid needs topping up, it's bloody cold in the front cabin! Bathroom between the two is without rad but never too bad, especially as we don't live on so it's only odd days at the end of the season.
I have been in a friends boat on the coldest day of the year (that winter around 8yeara ago it's was very cold) and had to decamp from my bunk at the end to share the floor space (and body heat) of the other guests on the living room floor. The middle of the boat was warm but my end had ice on the inside of the windows!
Daniel
Simpo Two said:
Gretchen said:
Daddy practised his gunnel walking
Ahem, gunwale!SimonTheSailor said:
Do you honestly believe the fans doing anything ?!
Bought one but I don't believe it does anything - it might even create a draft !!
It doesn't seem sensible to me to have a point heat source in a narrowboat. Ducted hot air or even proper CH would be my choice.Bought one but I don't believe it does anything - it might even create a draft !!
as it’s been there since the stove was installed. To be fair this is on the lifeboat which is under 30’. I find it too hot at night, even with the burner pretty much shut down, and sleep without covers and often open a porthole. That’s included this weekend and there was a frost this morning and some of the lake frozen. john2443 said:
I should probably have called the thread 'Inland Waterways' but didn't think of that when I started it.
Think we should get the title changed to include others ? Always a wealth of knowledge out there so don't want to miss out on this valuable resource.Can we ask PH to change the title ?
'Inland Waterways Boats & Live Aboards' or something ?
SimonTheSailor said:
john2443 said:
I should probably have called the thread 'Inland Waterways' but didn't think of that when I started it.
Think we should get the title changed to include others ? Always a wealth of knowledge out there so don't want to miss out on this valuable resource.Can we ask PH to change the title ?
'Inland Waterways Boats & Live Aboards' or something ?
SimonTheSailor said:
Wild night last night !! Didn't realise the winds were going to get like that.
Couldn't get any sleep due to the noise until 5 am.
Hoping for a quieter night tonight !!
Couldn't get any sleep due to the noise until 5 am.
Hoping for a quieter night tonight !!
Love a good storm on a boat!I was on the Broads in August some years ago. One moment we were in blazing sunshine and there were boats everywhere; the next we were in the middle of a thunderstorm and all other boats had disappeared - leaving us as a floating lightning conductor...
Simpo Two said:
SimonTheSailor said:
Wild night last night !! Didn't realise the winds were going to get like that.
Couldn't get any sleep due to the noise until 5 am.
Hoping for a quieter night tonight !!
Couldn't get any sleep due to the noise until 5 am.
Hoping for a quieter night tonight !!
Love a good storm on a boat!I was on the Broads in August some years ago. One moment we were in blazing sunshine and there were boats everywhere; the next we were in the middle of a thunderstorm and all other boats had disappeared - leaving us as a floating lightning conductor...
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