Its in The Times.......

Not sure I agree with all that, after all there are some fairly naff names on all boats. But I think the most disappointing thing about the proliferation of narrowboats is the lack of style and imagination shown by the builders and owners, they just all look the same and spoil the view, you just can't beat the fine lines of a classic cruiser.
 
>>>
they just all look the same
>>>

No fair, I have seen some superb murals on narrowboats over the years, and names as clever and witty as those on cruisers. Having said that, some of the hire firm's liveries are pretty basic and dull.

I ignore most of what mainstream hacks write about the waterways, its a mixture of ignorance, prejudice and axe grinding just a little too often.
 
Newspaper Hacks sometimes show a remarkable ignorance of the subject they are writing about. I recall a few years back when an 'eating out' writer was doing a piece on the Beetle & Wedge. He spent more time ranting about the river being in flood and blaming the restaurant for the bits of wood floating down river than he did the food. Then rucking about two Turbo 36s that were moored there with the owners sitting on the back without life jackets.
Having said that I have to agree NBs to me are both characterless and boring whereas every real boat seems to have an a soul.
 
I'd agree with Chris, seeing a cruiser coming from the other end of the reach I can normally recgnise it, SWMBO is amazed that I can name it form the shape. But a NB from head on just looks like all the others, only the stack of tree branches or set of flower beds separate them from the rest.
 
I think any boat can 'earn' its soul.

Having driven to the ends of the earth finding water pump, pulleys, belts, hoses, tiny screws from the diesel pump. Then being up to myknees in diesel getting an engine running I felt a certain pride when this NB I was on battled against a turning tide to finallly pull into Teddington.

When you get to know the nuances of any boat and do a little more than polish the decks, that's when the character comes out.
 
Exactly, I think you can have round windows or square, cruiser stern or boatmans cabin and a choice of paintwork /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Hardly compares to the pleasing sites of Slipper launches, Brooms, Princess's, Starcraft, Ramparts, Nelsons, Fairlines, Seamaster, Stevens, Aquanaut, Birchwood et all.... how on earth would you recognise an individual narrowboat manufacturer when they all use the the same plan.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Birchwood et all....

[/ QUOTE ]

Fame at last /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I hate NB's, not because of the usual stigmas, nor the usually fine people who own them, but they are (With a few exceptions) just ugly, like huge floating coffins.

They are only any good at crawling along in a straight line, they take up far too much space and are horrible inside, whoever did the 'carving'
 
Whoa, hang on a minute. I'm not comparing NBs with slipper launches or anything else for that matter. I was bored as sin at the Crick boat show and while my mate ran around like a dog with two tails sniffing anything long n black I was permanently ensconced in the beer tent watching flippin Morris dancing!

It is all to do with what you want from a boat. NB's don't rock mine, but that's not to say they haven't earned their character to their owners.

Oh give me a Dunkirk Little Ship any day. I was a gnat's whisker from buying one until reality kicked in.
 
Re: Barge names, I always smile at R G Bargee near Old Windsor /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Have to toatally disagree. Narrow boats are full of style, and are you going to tell me you couldn't recognise the difference between a Springer and a Malcolm Braine. or a Josher and a Town. Come on they are as different as a Broom and well, say, a Sunseeker. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The way they move through the water is majestic, as Tom Rolt described it 'Motion Asleep'.

Right that's put the cat amongst the pidgeons /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Geoff you been reading Canal Boat monthly and Waterways World then, my parents use to get these, I used to enjoy the boat reviews and the sentence on performance was particuarly riviting /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Yes they have character I suppose. But what about those bloomin Wide beam NB's (Sounds odd but no other way to put it) you see on the Thames too!
Where did the inspiration for them come from?
2001's monolith maybe! Vogon constructor fleet!
Absolutely no character at all from any angle.
 
Well I used to have an NB built by Malcolm Braine, most elegant, Springers on the other hand are inside out water tanks. And I have every issue of Waterways World from issue 1 for about the first 4 years, how's that /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I've grown up now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Just get MBM on subscription /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I do have to agree about the wide beam things, not sure what they're about. Hmm, Vogon Constructor fleet, better not let their 'Captains' read you any poetry. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
We call them FB's (fat boats)! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Inspiration I think comes from making decent living
space for nice people that don't want to be thrown around when a plastic tub comes racing past. But that's a different story!!!
Talk about cat amongst the pigeons
 
Well maybe to keep the status quo, as its a boating forum we should just embrace all sorts of boating with a passion.
Next time you see a NB, don't just wave two fingers at them! Wave all the fingers on that hand in a friendly boaty gesture.
Hug the owners of widebeams too.
If you're in a lock and you get rammed from behind by a NB smashing your transom in. Just smile and do as we British do. Shrug it off, smile and say "Its just a scratch"

Blimey!! What was in that lunchtime drink I had?

Somebody stop me typing all this %^&* /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
Did somebody mention Slipper launches?

Hmmm....often found with the most arrogant forms of mankind at the helm.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Did somebody mention Slipper launches?

Hmmm....often found with the most arrogant forms of mankind at the helm.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Every time I have owned one and I have owned quite a few over the years. I confess to a feeling of superiority as I drive them. They never let you forget that they are thoroughbreds and you are privileged to be the owner.
 
One slipper launch was next to me in Cookham lock at the start of the 2007 season. Either arrogance or forgetfulness took hold as he didn't have a licence for the boat.

Had to wait while there was an exchange of words with the lockkeeper
 
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