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FWL_Engineer said:
You are likely to on the Norfolk broads, though it is more likely you will be disconnected from your boat instead, esp if it's a hire boat. A group of drunks occupying two boats were sent home a couple of years ago by the river police (now navigation ranger) for hitting one sailing boat at the weekend, then on the Tuesday they hit a ferry at Norwich, (under influence), they were sent home.
D
david and julie
In all honesty I am not sure of the present situation. There was a time after the Marchioness disaster
http://www.statewatch.org/news/jun00/04march.htm
when certain MP's were clamouring for the same legislation on the inland waterways as the roads. This seems to have died a death(so to speak) and I haven't heard much about it for a while. I know that one consideration was the ammount of foreign tourists who holiday on the inland waterways and the effect an alcohol ban would have on the industry. In all fairness they were talking about sledge hammers and nuts, there are very few alcohol related accidents on the canals.
I am sure though that if you did injure someone whilst driving a narrowboat under the influence you could be done for it. Much like I suppose riding a bike when p****d would be ignored unless you actually ran into someone.
I have never actually met anyone who was actually blotto on a boat, most seem to like to have a 2 or 3 during the day, more so those on holiday rather than private boat owners. Having said that bottles of wine and G&T do seem quite popular.
If any of you ever fancy a break on a narrowboat, you do get cancellations etc offered on Ebay. We got one last year for £340 for a week all in. although that was outside the kids holidays. It is a very nice family holiday which kids actually enjoy, although obviously you have to keep your eye on them.
My experience on the Thames is that people drink whilst driving, but they don't seem to drive whilst (excessively) drunk. I think the distinction makes a difference.
It's not really a problem because a boat is a pretty easy thing to drive, and when you are going 4mph you have plenty of time to react. When it comes to parking, obviously you can't just slam a 42-footer into another boat or the jetty at 4mph, but a certain amount of bumping is tolerated at mooring spots... I've certainly "touch" parked a 40+ footer, and no-one seemed to object
I've only once been scared due to alcohol+boat, and that was on a speedboat driven by a barely-upright drunken 15-year-old who was trying to show off.
Of course, no-one swims in that part of the Thames, and the speedlimit is strictly enforced. I'm sure if there was a risk of swimmers getting injured, or people went fast, this would be seen as more of an issue.
It's not really a problem because a boat is a pretty easy thing to drive, and when you are going 4mph you have plenty of time to react. When it comes to parking, obviously you can't just slam a 42-footer into another boat or the jetty at 4mph, but a certain amount of bumping is tolerated at mooring spots... I've certainly "touch" parked a 40+ footer, and no-one seemed to object
I've only once been scared due to alcohol+boat, and that was on a speedboat driven by a barely-upright drunken 15-year-old who was trying to show off.
Of course, no-one swims in that part of the Thames, and the speedlimit is strictly enforced. I'm sure if there was a risk of swimmers getting injured, or people went fast, this would be seen as more of an issue.
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D
david and julie
Was that this one Freddie?Freddie said:.
A few years ago i saw a programme on a couple who bought a huge Barge that coulkd go in the sea and travel up big rivers like the Thames. When it was done up it was absolutley fantastic.
http://www.barging.co.uk/Elessina/latestphotos.htm
Very interesting site. Our shell was built by the same people but I am doing the fit out inside myself. This is the most common way of doing it because it both keeps costs more reasonable and helps in the future if you have problems. You fitted it out so you tend to know where everything is etc.
I think I've seen such a series, where they built it up week by week. I'm sure it was a much bigger boat than that. Although that is a very nice one!
Sweet, they have bow thrusters:
Mmmmm, big cables.
Dave, if you can fit out your boat as nicely as they have, I can't see you having any problems getting Julie to live on it!
I'm used to seeing caravan-style fittings and chemical loos... not shaker kitchens and full-size showers!
Sweet, they have bow thrusters:
Mmmmm, big cables.
Dave, if you can fit out your boat as nicely as they have, I can't see you having any problems getting Julie to live on it!
I'm used to seeing caravan-style fittings and chemical loos... not shaker kitchens and full-size showers!
D
david and julie
I remember the one you mean now. It was on an old Thames lighter that they had both shortened and lowered.
Yes that boat was large and did indeed end up very nice, if I remember rightly the, extremely pleasant couple, turned down a hefty profit on it too.
The boat in question was actually quite old. Thames lighters,like that one, were loaded with cargo off sea going vessels which were unable to make the Thames due to shallow water or the tides. They transhipped the loads onto smaller boats(lighters) which were able to operate regardless of the tides. I seem to remember reading that most didn't even have engines and were manhandled by poles.
Adam, out of curiosity, would this calculation be correct?
Given that these cables are sized by measuring the circumference would 2x95 be the same as as 190? I have a feeling that 190 is more like 3 times the size of 95 or is the Bud taking an effect.
Yes that boat was large and did indeed end up very nice, if I remember rightly the, extremely pleasant couple, turned down a hefty profit on it too.
The boat in question was actually quite old. Thames lighters,like that one, were loaded with cargo off sea going vessels which were unable to make the Thames due to shallow water or the tides. They transhipped the loads onto smaller boats(lighters) which were able to operate regardless of the tides. I seem to remember reading that most didn't even have engines and were manhandled by poles.
Adam, out of curiosity, would this calculation be correct?
Given that these cables are sized by measuring the circumference would 2x95 be the same as as 190? I have a feeling that 190 is more like 3 times the size of 95 or is the Bud taking an effect.
J
JulieL
AdamW said:
Ooooh....... don't be too sure of that Adam!!
Also, what will Dave do without this bl**dy general chat forum!!
JulieL said:Also, what will Dave do without this bl**dy general chat forum!!
satellite 'surfing'
To be honest, one of my dream holidays on the list still to do is a two week narrow boating. Never done it, read some books about the history of it and would surely love it. Just need the time to do it
I'm getting together some information to try and convince 10 or so of my friends that they would enjoy a weekend on the Broads in a 12-berth, 48-foot cruiser. Would be about £800 between us (plus fuel), which means we would realistically get it in for about £100 each including fuel, plus whatever we spend whilst there... what red-blooded male could resist having a go at driving something with a 13-foot beam and 48-foot length?
Does anyone know if there is much to do there other than visit pubs, cruise about and drink? Perhaps some ancient buildings to moore up next to and visit.
My sister spent a summer driving a big pleasure boat on the Thames, can't remember the size but when she gets back off holiday I'll find out which one and see if there is a picture on the net. All I remember is that it was so long they had to moore the bow in order to turn, and could only turn at certain places (it was very long!)
Does anyone know if there is much to do there other than visit pubs, cruise about and drink? Perhaps some ancient buildings to moore up next to and visit.
My sister spent a summer driving a big pleasure boat on the Thames, can't remember the size but when she gets back off holiday I'll find out which one and see if there is a picture on the net. All I remember is that it was so long they had to moore the bow in order to turn, and could only turn at certain places (it was very long!)
http://www.doubledutch.me.uk/4556.html
A neatish diary of moving off land onto boat, 'DoubleDutch', and the gradual slide back to landbase. I think the husband became bored after a couple of years with the reality of living on board... perhaps having to travel, slowly over the same ground (water) so often?
I wonder if tis at its best in a constant wander mode? .. During summer anyway.
What about a 'double ended' boat... save all that 'winding' or turning around !!
Electric motors I wonder how good? An electric powered narrow boat -'Elektra'
Control panel.
Blimey, just thought .... what about applying the compressed air engine we have discussed elsewhere?
Some boys have a pit in the garage ... others ..
A neatish diary of moving off land onto boat, 'DoubleDutch', and the gradual slide back to landbase. I think the husband became bored after a couple of years with the reality of living on board... perhaps having to travel, slowly over the same ground (water) so often?
I wonder if tis at its best in a constant wander mode? .. During summer anyway.
What about a 'double ended' boat... save all that 'winding' or turning around !!
Electric motors I wonder how good? An electric powered narrow boat -'Elektra'
Control panel.
Blimey, just thought .... what about applying the compressed air engine we have discussed elsewhere?
Some boys have a pit in the garage ... others ..
You can buy electric boats quite readily, they aren't uncommon on the Thames as occasional-use launches, generally very very small.
Also my parents spent a long weekend on the Norfolk Broads and the boat they hired was electric.
Don't fishing boats have small electric outboards, so they can move about quietly on the lake?
Not seen an electric narrowboat though!
All the talk of living on well-appointed boats reminded me of a British ex-pat's project down in Oz. The Weird Off-Road Truck. It is a pretty interesting site about how this guy built their own motorhome to tour oz. Pip, it's for sale at just $175K, Australian!
Also my parents spent a long weekend on the Norfolk Broads and the boat they hired was electric.
Don't fishing boats have small electric outboards, so they can move about quietly on the lake?
Not seen an electric narrowboat though!
All the talk of living on well-appointed boats reminded me of a British ex-pat's project down in Oz. The Weird Off-Road Truck. It is a pretty interesting site about how this guy built their own motorhome to tour oz. Pip, it's for sale at just $175K, Australian!
J
JulieL
I've booked 2 weeks holiday from work in mid September - I hope that Dave will have the toilet and bed in situ by then so we can go out for a few days......maybe we'll go into Wales which would be lovely as long as the weathers ok
We've just been talking about Christmas and whether to go to Thailand again............Dave would prefer his Christmas dinner on the boat with the old wood burning stove going this year though!
I'll try and have a go at uploading (or is it downloading) some of the pictures we took when we got the boat to the moorings at the end of May.
We've just been talking about Christmas and whether to go to Thailand again............Dave would prefer his Christmas dinner on the boat with the old wood burning stove going this year though!
I'll try and have a go at uploading (or is it downloading) some of the pictures we took when we got the boat to the moorings at the end of May.
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FWL_Engineer said:
We'll have none of that talk here, thank you Jim, lad!!
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