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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Oct 2016 : 12:04:24
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As I am now getting on in years,I feel it is time to move on from many years of my other passions.[Motorcycles and lttle aeroplanes].
I have looked at many boats,in pictures and in the flesh,and haunted the towpath and locks near to me,and talked to many boaters trying to learn as much as possible about canal boating before I commit myself to buying a boat.
I don't like the look of the steel narrowboats,they seem to me to lack grace and eye appeal,and some are just bloody ugly!I am sure they are very practical,but they are not for me.Fibreglass cruisers for me have more poise and charm,and as I only want a small boat,I narrowed my search down to two types.The Shetland family four and the Norman 20 rear cockpit.The Norman I think will suit me better because they have a little more space than the Shetland.A Shetland 570 owner very kindly let me look around his boat,and although I was impressed with its "racy" looks,I found the cabin a bit small.
The Norman 20 I think is the one for me,to me they are a good looking boat and I am keeping a lookout for a really nice well equipped one.I have looked around one locally,but was put off by the fact that it was covered in green mange,everything inside was painted brown,and a spirit stove was installed in the cockpit.It did however have some good points;Honda 15 four stroke,a rudder extension,and a mounting for a "get you home outboard"priced at £1500 I think that is OK for someone prepared to do a bit of work.
I missed one on E bay because it was a bit far away,but in the ad it sounded ideal.Four stroke out board,solar panels,bilge pump,fridge telly,cooker,and new canopy,It went for £2150,I could have kicked myself!
I hope shortly that I will be posting pictures of my boat and asking questions that I am sure you have all heard before. |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2016 : 15:52:12
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Keep looking and savour this bit. Sometimes the looking and exploring is the best bit. There are good Norman 20's around, you will evenutally find yours!
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cliveshep
Thailand
1324 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2016 : 02:31:33
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And when you do find one remember, a boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money!
But you'll get loads of shared experiences on this forum to terrify or exilarate you and a lot of hard-and-painfully-won experience to share.
After your 4th or 5th supermarket trolley or fertiliser sack you'll get quite blase about canals and might want to venture onto somewhere that has water over the filth, like a river!
Above all, keep your sense of humour, just as you do when the Cessna engine fails at 3000 feet and your glide-path might just make the M6 as the airfeild is too far away!
The Norman 20 is quite a pretty boat, I've had 3 over the years in between much larger boats and they can perform very well at sea too.
I wrote this for another newbie to boating some years back - it might give you some useful pointers.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/5wwjnkoxhee/Boat+Basics.pdf
Good luck!
Finally living the dream!
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Edited by - cliveshep on 21 Nov 2016 05:27:48 |
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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2016 : 15:03:00
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Many thanks to the good people who added their thoughts to my post.
Still havn't got a boat yet,not because there is a shortage of Normans for sale,but there is definately a shortage of suitable moorings around here.I have contacted the three nearest marinas to me and was told no,and although one did have space,they really wanted big narrowboats.[they can charge more]
A towpath mooring is available fairly close,but I think security will be a problem because it's on a fairly remote stretch of the Calder and Hebble and there doesn't seem to be any other boats moored there.
I have put my name on the waiting list at my prefered location,and hope a mooring becomes available.
I could I suppose become a "continuous cruiser" cursed like the Flying Dutchman to chug along the cut for eternity,but I don't want to live on a boat for any length of time. |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2016 : 17:58:44
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| What is your preferred area? I had the mooring size problem with CRT and complained that they were not serving the interests of smaller boat holders. Eventually they split a couple of long berths into 4 smaller ones. Contact the local moorings manager and pester them. |
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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2016 : 16:22:52
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Received an e-mail from the local mooring co-ordinator stating the only mooring available was for a 52ft boat at £1618 p.a.I did say initially that I only needed 20ft.This is at my preferred location,[Brighouse Basin] but I am reluctant to take it because it is a waste of space and also the other cruisers there are paying half of this.
Continuous cruising is not an option for me,neither is keeping the boat at home,because of lack of space the bow and towing arm would be over the footpath.
I will have to wait untill a mooring comes up at either Brighouse or Salterhebble basin and keep reading the posts on this truly excellent site which will keep my enthusiasm alive. |
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stratford4528
United Kingdom
414 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2016 : 22:43:40
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| Is it possible to share the mooring with another boat. |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2016 : 00:15:35
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| Which is what I was suggesting. Don't settle for that, keep pestering them to cater for smaller boats as well and split some of the big moorings. Two smaller boats often pay more than a latge one. Makes economic sense to CRT as well if you remind them! |
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stratford4528
United Kingdom
414 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2016 : 20:53:40
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| The CRT live in a world of their own. You should see the lies they said to me when I complained about the lack of depth on the brec and mon canal |
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trevork
3949 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2016 : 00:06:39
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| If you can find the local moorings manager you can usually talk to them. I generally found them helpful. |
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Margaret
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2016 : 10:05:26
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Hi.
If you are still looking for a boat try Bridgehouse Marinas website. They sell decent boats at what seem to be fair prices. They are based at Garstang on the Lancaster canal, they can also arrange boat transport to wherever you want.
We are now based there with a Norman 23 bought from them
I looked at a lot of private sales thinking I could do better than buying from a broker, but found a lot of overpriced boats in poor condition. The boat I bought had been serviced and antifouled by them prior to the sale and was in excellent condition.
J.L mee |
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Mad Harold
United Kingdom
228 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2016 : 15:56:51
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Have now got a mooring at Aspley Wharf in Huddersfield.Have also stated the name of the as yet unaquired boat.
The management at Aspley couldn't have been more helpful,so I can now look for a boat in earnest,without being labeled a fender kicking timewaster.
As I have paid for the mooring.there is no panic to buy a boat immediately.
My thanks for all the helpful posts. |
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philihun
United Kingdom
283 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2016 : 18:52:13
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Glad you have sorted a mooring out mate. If you have some free time same as me , i can meet you at SYBC in Heck. It's not far from you and you can go for a spin in a 27' Norman through a diy lock, Pollington or Whitley- 2 miles either way from the marina and get the feel of things. Bring a friend. Reply mail or ring 07894792016 if you fancy it.
pr hunt |
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New [boatless as yet] member.
