entering Shipton Weir Lock - photo taken two minutes after previously published photo
I am now looking for a boat. Yes, we still have the share in Shadow, and we will keep that for the medium term, but I'm looking for a whole boat as well. I'll explain in a future post.
In the meantime, I'll say how difficult this search is proving to be. My heart tells me I'd like a boat with a traditional back cabin and separate engine room, and one which looks good as well, such as a tug. My head, on the other hand (if that makes sense), tells me to go for a trad or semitrad with rear galley, fixed double bed etc. And so does Jan (at the moment).
One thing I don't think I'd like is diesel central heating. So far, I've been skipping over ads as soon as I spot the dreaded D-word. But am I missing out on a lot of potentially good boats for no good reason? Is diesel heating really all right?
Here's a bit of a wish-list:
trad back cabin
separate engine room
fixed double
Elsan loo
gas cooker
gas heating
pullman dinette
forward saloon
solid fuel stove
no bow thruster
Or, if back cabin etc. idea doesn't work out:
trad or semitrad stern
rear galley
Elsan etc. as before.
Second-hand, of course.
Edited to add: I should have said that it has to be narrow beam, and no more than 58 feet in length.
12 comments:
A couple of questions to clarify.
1: Narrow or Broad?
2:How long?
If you could make do with a broad beam that meets the second hand criteria and doesn't seem to have diesel heating there is this on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/yacht-192ft-/220884663054?pt=UK_Power_Boats&hash=item336dc07b0e#ht_786wt_1033
Or more tug like there is this one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/narrowboat-canal-boat-/200675997554?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2eb938b772#ht_998wt_1033
Diesel heating is absolutely fine. We had a Webasto on Debdale and have an Eberspacher on Briar Rose. In truth, we hardly use it, because there's usually hot water from the engine, and heat from the stove. You'd be mad to rule out boats because of such a minor aspect -- partly because the majority of boats these days have a diesel boiler of some sort. Plus, I can almost guarantee that when you find a boat that feels right for you, your wish list will go out the window!
Hear, hear, well said Adam. The difference in running cost between diesel and gas makes that a no brainer for us; we've got the Hurricane on a programmed 'stat all the time now we're in the marina, and we'd have had to change a gas bottle at least once by now; the diesel in the fuel tank's barely gone down.
Good luck with your search
Bruce
Roger, Adam and Bruce, thank you for your comments. I should have made it clear that I am looking for a narrowboat on which I can navigate the majority of the connected system, so no more than 58 feet long.
That's very interesting about the diesel heating. Don't diesel heaters make a lot of noise, though?
They are all noisier than an Alde, that's true. It depends on the heater and the quality of the installation. Some Ebers don't have a silencer fitted and are very noisy. I also find them noisy to listen to inside the boat. Better installed Ebers are better, as are all Webastos as far as I can see.
You're unlikely to come across a Hurri in the second hand market yet, but they are much quieter.
Best thing to do is ask to hear the heater start up if you're serious about a boat.
ATB
Bruce
On the size issue, don't forget that you can go virtually everywhere in a 60ft boat (it's really only some locks on the Calder and Hebble that you might have to lift fenders or do a couple of locks backwards -- and how often are you going to be up there?)
Thanks Bruce. Adam, I want to maximise my boating opportunities. The Calder and Hebble is one waterway I was aware of with a length restriction, and I don't want to rule it out! Is there anywhere else which is a "yes" to 58' but a "no" to 60'?
Indigo Dream has a webasto - it's very efficient and heats the boat very quickly. I prefer it to gas because the diesel tank is huge and I don't worry about running out of fuel! We have a timer on ours so we can keep the boat frost-free when we're not there - useful.
It has broken down once but that's sorted now!
Good luck with the search - it's not easy - we struggled to find a 2nd hand boat before going for a new build.
Sue, nb Indigo Dream
Tranquility has a Webasto and is well silenced,although there is a tapping sound which is emitted from the fuel pump.It can barely be heard in the saloon and we have no worries about annoying the neighbours with it. I had to replace it earlier this year as there wasn't enough antifreeze in the system last Winter. Details here:-
http://travelsontranquility.blogspot.com/2011/09/work-to-be-done.html
There are some new things to learn with diesel heating.
Ours used to very occasionally flood with fuel and emit white smoke on start up and I would overcome this by starting up with the fuel cock shut and waiting 'till the smoke turns a thin blue colour before turning the fuel cock back on. This would cure the problem for the rest of our holiday, and I think it may have been caused by an engineer doing the turnaround checks, switching it on and then off too soon. This can induce flooding. But it's better than gas.
Kevin
Halfie
We have a Hurricane C/H unit on Caxton and the new boat Yarwood will also have a Hurricane - it is efficient and quiet.
Gas heating is really a no, no, very, very expensive to run.
A shame about your length restriction because Caxton will be up for sale in Jan, ah well.
Happy boat hunting!!!
Lesley
As well as the Calder and hebble you might have a problem on the Huddersfield wide and the Rippon canal with a 60 foot boat, especially with leaky locks. We have not had a problem with diesel central heating, although we have not used it much since we became live aboards.
Thank you, Sue, Kevin, Lesley and Alan. I think perhaps the deciding factor will be that we probably won't use CH much, so it won't make much difference which we go for!
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