We have bought a narrowboat!

At long last, and after a worrying last minute delay (more on this later), we are now the very proud owners of a new (to us) narrowboat. We have decided to rename it Jubilee.


The boat is in such good condition that to say that we are pleased would be a gross understatement. When I managed to transfer the last of the monies to the vendor in the very early hours of this morning, I was so excited that I woke Jan up. I just wanted to tell someone!

Even now, nearly 24 hours later, and after four hours of cruising in pouring rain, it almost doesn't seem possible that we've landed up with such a good boat.

We bought it in Kegworth and are now tied up in Shardlow, heading towards Fazeley. Give us a shout if you see us - but you won't see a name on the boat yet.

I'll give some details of the boat in a later post, but this will do for now.

Yippee!

Survey received

Very quick post to say that we received the surveyor's report this evening. Have read through a couple of times, and have e-mailed list of questions back to the surveyor.

That's all for now...

Playing the waiting game

Hmm. We were expecting to hear from the boat surveyor today. Nothing. I'll give him another day...

I have spoken to three insurance companies today, though. It was much better actually talking to them compared with filling in web pages to get quotes. I was able to explain about Ally and Ben needing to live aboard in July, but us using the boat before then.

The three companies in the frame at the moment are Euromarine (EIS); Collidge & partners; and Towergate (or is it Towergate Mardon?). The quote from the latter has come down to a much more sensible figure - not the nearly £600 it originally appeared.

In the meantime we're aboard Shadow with David, Penny and Fergus. We've been down the GU to Stoke Bruerne, and are now tied up just north of Gayton Junction.

It was frustrating bashing away on the computer while David was steering south from Bugbrooke in the sunshine. I emerged just as we entered Blisworth Tunnel.

No photo again, sorry. There never seems to be any spare time!

Narrowboat insurance

Wow! What a minefield! This is really complicated. Here's the situation: I need to insure the boat I'm buying so I can get a BW licence for it. But in three months I won't be using the boat, Ally and Ben will. And they'll be living aboard in a marina. One insurance company I looked at quoted for either "marina" or "living aboard", implying that the two were mutually exclusive.

And do I get third party, fire and theft or comprehensive cover? And what about contents?

I wonder if Ally and Ben should arrange the insurance, or do I have to be the policy holder in order to get the licence?

And if the boat's going to be in a marina for a couple of years does it need a BW licence at all?

I'm going to have to make some phone calls.

Oh, and we're going boating - on Shadow with David and co. That's bound to create extra complexity if, as we hope, we're to take over the "new" boat straight from Shadow.

If you have experience in this area I'd really appreciate your comments. Thanks.

Making a list

First ... HAPPY EASTER!

If our boat buying goes ahead next week, and I'm confident it will, we will have to take lots of things for the galley with us. The current owners are not leaving anything in that department as they've been living aboard and need all their items for their house. There won't even be a kettle!

So tomorrow, after church, we'll be packing some boxes with plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery, etc. etc. We're used to this sort of thing having camped a fair amount in the past. We'll even need sleeping bags as we're staying one night at my uncle's house in Wiltshire for his 80th birthday bash.

The slight complication with kitting out the boat with our stuff is that Ally and Ben will be wanting their own things on board from July. Still, we'll cross that accommodation bridge when we get to it.

Speaking of Ally and Ben, they're really looking forward to seeing their new home! And I'm looking forward to being able to reveal details of the boat very soon.

I wonder what we're going to forget to take.

There's going to be a lot to do when taking the boat over: BW licence and insurance are two which come to mind. Is there anything else? (Apart from paying for the thing, of course.)

Never having applied for a BW licence before (the boat's licence has just expired) I don't know what the procedure is. When I've posted this I'll have a look at waterscape.com.


As I don't like publishing posts without a photo, here's one of the Shakespeare boats all lined up ready for the holidays at Mercia Marina four weeks ago.

Now for Waterscape ...

Snow delays survey

I found I'd missed an e-mail from the surveyor yesterday. He said that he'd put back the second part of the survey by a day on account of the snow. (No snow here in Norfolk, just lots of rain today).

I told him that if it would be better to finish off the survey with the boat in water (it would, wouldn't it?) then we wouldn't mind waiting.


Meanwhile ... here is the photo the surveyor took of the rudder. Before re-blacking, of course. This is the first photo I've published of the boat - I'm not giving much away, am I?

I see the boat has a propeller. That's handy.

(pause for Ray to comment...)

Rudder balance and galvanic isolation

Part one of the boat survey has been completed. On Saturday the hull was inspected and tested for thickness. Some pitting was found to a depth of 1.5mm in the hull sides (nominally 6mm). The surveyor thinks this is galvanic corrosion caused by being hooked up to mains electricity for long periods. The boat's current owner (no pun intended) was there welding on new anodes, so he filled some of the pits with weld (so the surveyor reports). I hope this is an acceptable treatment!

I had been particularly concerned to get the surveyor's opinion of the rudder. When we road tested the boat I found the steering heavy, and I wondered if the rudder balance was out, i.e. whether there was not enough of the rudder forward of the pivot point. The surveyor took a photo of the rudder for me, from which I estimate that the ratio is about 15% forward and 85% aft of the pivot point. This seems to be close to what is usually the case, and the surveyor suggested that experimentation with a longer tiller arm should be done before thinking about adding more steel to the leading edge of the rudder.

So that's reassuring!

As far as the corrosion is concerned, I'll make sure that galvanic isolation is in place before the boat is installed in the marina for Ally and Ben.

I've been investigating so-called galvanic isolation. This is the means of interrupting the mains earth as it tries to come on the boat via the shore line. Obviously an earth path is still required for mains fault conditions, but a continuous earth bond between boat and land can set up an earth loop, and small but corrosive currents can flow in the water, eating away at exposed metal. Sacrificial anodes are there to take this corrosion current on the chin, as it were, and prevent the rest of the boat corroding.

There are two common ways of providing this break in the earth line and still keeping things safe. One is by using an isolation transformer where mains current is allowed through, but the earth link is broken. The other is by using a "galvanic isolator", which is, I believe, the more common method on narrowboats. A galvanic isolator is a very simple piece of electronics. It usually comprises two diodes in series, in parallel with two more diodes in series but "facing" the other direction. The forward voltage drop across a conducting silicon diode is about 0.7V, so two in series gives about 1.4V. If a fault condition occurs, if, say, the live wire on board touches the metalwork of the boat, the conducting diodes will provide little resistance and the mains earth will be restored. But at voltages below about 1.4V the diodes will present a very high resistance. And the damaging "galvanic" currents are, I'm told, a result of voltages below this figure.

Now, these diodes have to be able to handle the maximum current which the shore line can supply. If they blew (went open circuit) then no earth protection would remain - obviously dangerous. So commercially available galvanic isolators are rated at 70A and above. Hence the heatsink, but I think £70 is a lot for four diodes!

An isolation transformer will provide complete earth isolation, but I need to do more thinking about the earth protection side of things. I've just spent an hour searching for isolation transformers on the internet. The best I could find was a 1kVA transformer from CPC at £150. But this wouldn't be big enough. No wonder the diode devices are more popular!

Baits Bite Lock

Two days ago, on my little cycle ride along the River Cam, I reached Baits Bite Lock. There's a wide turning area above the lock and weir for rowers to spin their boats round (I think that's the terminology the sign used).


nb Water Lily was coming up the lock.


Not Nev's Waterlily.

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By this time tomorrow I'm hoping that we might know whether or not it's all systems go for buying our boat. I wonder how long I'll be able to hold back before phoning the surveyor? Perhaps I should wait for his full report ... yes, I think that's probably sensible. But that might take another week!

Survey booked

I got quotes from three boat surveyors yesterday. Two of them wouldn't have been able to get to the boat until next Tuesday, but one said he could inspect the hull on Saturday afternoon, freshly dry docked but before blacking, and return later in the week for the rest of the inspection. So I booked him - he also happened to be the cheapest. I must remember to ask him about the heavy steering.

Now I need to get a mooring booked in Milton Keynes. It'll need to be residential, with electric hook-up, so I'm thinking along the lines of MK Marina - unless anyone knows of an alternative. MK Marina is a convenient location for Ben's job but is pricey.

Doubts dispelled

Had a brief wobble there. But it's back to Plan A. In other words, I have decided not to go to view another boat today (yes, I really was going to do another nine hours' driving).

I have e-mails in to three boat surveyors asking for quotes. If I have heard nothing back from them soon I'll phone them so we can get moving.

55 foot boat-with-no-name*, we're buying you!

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As I'm now not going anywhere, and I have a day off, I'd better plant the potatoes.

*It has a name on the licence which I will reveal when it's finally ours.

Is it normal to have second thoughts?

Aargh!

Despite many encouraging comments all I can think of are the things I don't like about the boat we're buying.

My ideal boat would have a reasonably large foredeck with side lockers and space for a small folding table, as we enjoyed on Lee Swallow. The boat we're buying has a small foredeck.

My ideal boat would have a traditional back cabin with range and drop-down bed, and an engine room with a vintage engine. The boat we're buying has a modern engine at the back.

My ideal boat would have a low electrical power need. The boat we're buying has a 240V fridge and halogen lights. And five leisure batteries.

My ideal boat would have no TV. The boat we're buying has an integral telescopic TV aerial!

My ideal boat would have a pullman dinette. The boat we're buying has a longitudinal bench seat and a table: any more than two people would have to sit on stools.

My ideal boat wouldn't be compared with a railway carriage.

What am I doing? Is it too late to back out (I've sent off a deposit)? Am I being paranoid?

I'll list some good things: nice floor; nice woodwork; well maintained; cassette loo; ready for Ally and Ben to move onto.

Oh no! The red outweighs the green. Help!

We did look at a boat with a lovely two cylinder Lister engine and trad. back cabin. The boat itself had hardly been used, indeed, the bed had never even been slept on. It needed a fair amount of finishing off, the galley was tiny, and the exterior needed painting. And it had a pumpout loo. But the shell was good, with portholes throughout and a large foredeck; the galley could have been extended and a dinette constructed.

Do I go through with our purchase, knowing that it will suit Ally and Ben, sell it in two years' time when they've finished living on it, and buy the boat of my dreams (if it exists) then?

Or do I pull out and carry on looking?

Or do I buy the "project boat" with the nice engine and engage someone to finish it off before July?

Big news: the boat search is over!

Subject to survey, and the handing over of a certain quantity of dosh, we will shortly be the proud owners of a narrowboat. It was a tough decision. We knew what we wanted; we also knew that we'd be unlikely to find the perfect boat. This one has many good features, but doesn't tick every box.

Rather than list its possible failings I'll run through some of its good points.

First, it is in very good condition. The floor throughout is oak strips laid on marine ply. The lining-out is light ash, with mirror graining (if that's what you call it). The galley has a beautiful solid wood (beech?) worktop. The bathroom has a quadrant shower cubicle, a decent-size sink and a cassette loo. In the bedroom there is a wardrobe, a shelf unit and a bed. There's a utility room with a washing machine, and an engine "room" with more cupboards.

There's a mix of portholes at the back and rectangular windows at the front.

And, yes, it has a traditional stern.

I'd love to be able to provide some photos, but that will have to wait until it's properly ours. Its name will have to wait, too.

Now we'll have to arrange a survey. I expect there's a list of boat surveyors somewhere. I'll have to find that "buying your first boat" pamphlet which is kicking around somewhere...

If anyone knows a good surveyor in the Erewash Canal area I'm open to suggestions.

A stern talking to

I have been overwhelmed by all your comments on my last post. Who would have thought that a post entitled "The collywobbles" would have got 29 comments (and counting)? It must be a record for me. Thank you all who took the trouble to add your views. And I think the "tradders" might have won the day.

Negotiations on a boat we looked at are continuing, and I won't be betraying any confidences if I say that it has, indeed, a traditional stern.

If it comes off ... well, I'd better not get ahead of myself. But watch this space!

The photo shows two trad sterns: modern-looking motor Truro with butty Ditton above Claydon Top Lock on the Oxford Canal in October 2011

The collywobbles

Three at the back on Shadow

Jan has admitted to me that she has the collywobbles over getting a boat with a trad stern. Now, I appeal to all you lovely blog readers, please help me to convince her (and me!) that a trad stern is a Good Thing.

The trouble is, you see, that we are used to boats with cruiser or semitrad sterns. Shadow is a semitrad; Willow, Lee Swallow and other boats we have used in the past have been cruiser sterned.

The concern is that a trad stern is less sociable.

The thinking is that there will be room for only one person at any time in the hatch, and that's the steerer. It is possible to sit on the cabin top, with legs dangling in the hatch, but I don't think Jan would want to do that. Nor would she be at all happy about standing on the gunwale, clinging on to the hand rail. When she's steering, of course, there wouldn't be so much of a problem, but I tend to do the lion's share of steering, except in locks.

And the "problem" would be exacerbated when we have guests. On a warm and sunny day we have enjoyed being able to congregate at the business end, watching the world go by and partaking of tea, or even the occasional beer.

Go on. Convince us.

Boat search - a development

We've made an offer on a boat! I'm not saying which one yet, I'll give more details later. But this is exciting!

Heavy steering - can anyone help?

We have recently looked at a boat. We liked it, but it has steering which is much heavier than we are used to with Shadow. Can anything be done about this? Would it be possible to modify the rudder such that more of it extends forward of the pivot point? Is there anything else which might be affecting the feel of the steering? As far as I can tell, the tiller moves freely enough when the boat is at rest. The tiller arm is a little on the short side, perhaps, but if it were much longer it wouldn't be easy to stand in the hatch to steer. How much difference could an extra three inches, say, on the tiller arm make?

Boat search update

We have been poring over details of dozens of narrowboats in the last few weeks, stepping up our hunt for the right boat. Jan and I still have slightly(!) differing views on the ideal boat, but I might be coming round to her way of thinking. I have always fancied a boat with a traditional back cabin and separate engine room with a nice slow-revving engine. But I'm prepared to concede that this might not be the way to go (yet).

I have also been persuaded that diesel central heating isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Here is the story so far: At Christmas we looked at a boat with a lovely old Lister engine, but the boat was a little on the short and grotty side. Jan didn't get on with the speed wheel and push/pull gearbox control. And where the back cabin should have been was the galley with limited headroom.

A few weeks later we thought we might have found the one. A boat which had been on Apollo Duck for a while grew on us more and more, and our daughter and her husband went to see it for us. The report back was very favourable, and we had been getting quite excited, but, while they had been looking round it, they were told that it was already "under offer". So that was that. The broker told us that the seller had accepted an offer, and I wasn't interested in gazumping.

More ad browsing threw up another interesting boat: back cabin, engine room, fine engine, good length, virtually unused ... but unfinished. This would probably make someone an excellent boat - but not us. We do not want a "project boat". It would be all right, I suppose, if you live nearby and have lots of time and money/expertise.

Now here's the latest: I've just arranged to view a boat on my next day off, Wednesday. It's a conventionally laid out trad which looks good from the photos. Unfortunately I'll have to go on my own, but if I like it, I'll fix up to return with Jan. And I'm going to see if I can view another boat on my way back.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Whatever happens, we won't be saying goodbye to Shadow (photo above) just yet. The plan is still that Ally and Ben will live on the boat in MK for a couple of years.

Oak canker

Some of the oak trees at Kimberley Park are rather ancient. One is supposed to date back to 1373, which, I think you'll agree, is pretty old. Edward III was on the throne then (I looked it up).

I don't know if this is the fourteenth century tree, but it certainly has a large amount of canker. That's my rucksack to give an idea of scale.


The canker has a pleasing pattern.


Some of it looks like a sort of solid fungus.


A ladybird gives a splash of colour.

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Boat search update: Nothing much to report, really. Except that I've noticed that there are a few more boats appearing on the market now. Still looking!

A boat slipped through my fingers ...

We recently came close to finding a boat which would have been very good for us. Last weekend Ally and Ben looked at two boats for us, both in the north west of England. One of the two was very good, but the broker phoned just after they'd looked at it to say that an offer from someone else had been accepted. I don't seem to be doing this boat buying thing very well. The other boat turned out to be more of a "project" boat, something I'm not interested in.

I have now been persuaded that diesel heating isn't necessarily such a bad thing after all, which opens up the field rather.

The boat we'd had our eye on had diesel heating and a rear galley. My work makes it difficult to get out and look at boats - I think it might be worth taking a week's leave and devoting it to the search.

Oh, another thing is that Ally and Ben might not now be quite so keen to live on any boat we might buy. There's a possibility that they might have fixed a route to alternative accommodation in Milton Keynes. We'll see. If that is the case, it takes the pressure off slightly. Which is a shame, because I'm really looking forward to buying my own boat!


So it's still Shadow for now. (Rare pic of me steering.)

The boat search continues

A few days ago we drove for hours to look at a boat.

I had high hopes. It had a lovely old slow-revving Lister engine. As far as I could tell the engine was absolutely fine, starting easily from cold (OK, the weather was mild, but the owner played me a video of it starting for the first time after three months - again, it started well).

It sounded great, throbbing in its own little room. One slight problem was the fact that, as hard as she pushed or pulled on the lever, Jan couldn't actually get it to engage gear. There is obviously a knack to it, i.e. shove it as hard as you can. It was the first time I'd controlled a boat with a speed wheel and separate gear lever, and I enjoyed it.

Unfortunately there has to be more to a boat than the engine, and we felt that the rest had too many drawbacks. So we're still looking.

Jan threw another spanner into the works this afternoon when she convinced me (at the time) that we should really be looking for a semitrad rather than the trad I'd been anticipating. My carefully drawn up shortlist (of 23 trad-sterned boats) looked like it was no more than fire lighting material.

The argument is that a semitrad is more sociable than a trad, and we want to be able to invite people along when we're on board. So bang! goes my dream of a "traditional" back cabin with separate engine room.

For now, anyway.

Later this evening Jan backtracked slightly. We might yet get a trad!

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This morning I went for an excellent 16 mile cycle ride with Adrian. At Barford Mill there seemed to be a small group of anglers set up with their fishing umbrellas in the middle of the River Tiffey.


The water level was low, and there was a gravel bank. Looked pretty wet to me, though.

Happy New Year, everybody.