moving my boat

[anniepuss]

hi im looking to move my boat from stonebridge wharf guildford to raynesway marina in leicester.can anyone give me some advice on things i will need to know.im trying to find out which routes and stoppages will be in place.ive never done this before so any help will be taken onboard/...

 

[ProDave]

What length and beam is the boat?

 

[TrueBlue]

What length and beam is the boat?

As above if your boat is wider than a nominal 7ft and or longer than 70ft, the n the most practical way is to move it by road.
If it's 6 ft 9ins wide and less than 70 ft then you can go either:-
via the Thames to Brentford,
Grand Union canal to Leicester ( GU and GU Leicester Arm).

Or
Thames to Oxford,
Oxford Canal to Braunston
GU to Leicester.

Stoppages are announced on the EA site for the Thames
and CaRT for the canal system.

The Brentford - Leicester route is quicker but less pleasant (IMHO). This route is broad beam (14ft) for most of the way - but the locks at Watford gap and Foxton are narrow. It might be possible to lift the boat out for that short distance.

Let us have the size of the boat first, then folks may be more helpful
Alternatively post your enquiry on the canal World forum


http://www.canalworld.net/forums

 

[anniepuss]

hi the boat is a narrowbeam cruiser 20 foot in length and beam is 6.10 the routes sound good to me...so will look into moving on own bottom or try to find a trailer hire to get her moved...

 

[ProDave]

The point of asking, was I can't see a wide beam route to take all the way so part of the journey may have to be made by road whichever way you go.

 

[anniepuss]

hi its 20 foot in length and beam is 6.10 its a norman 20

 

[anniepuss]

how long will it take ? how many safe stops should i do? i will carry extra fuel on board as ihavent a clue who holds petrol at the marinas.so will go along the routes to find garages etc....

 

[TrueBlue]

how long will it take ? how many safe stops should i do? i will carry extra fuel on board as ihavent a clue who holds petrol at the marinas.so will go along the routes to find garages etc....

Canal Plan (the popular planner) says:-

This is a trip of 198 miles, 1 furlong and 128 locks from Guildford Town Bridge to Leicester.
This will take 99 hours and 48 minutes which is 11 days, 48 minutes at 9 hours per day.

It was confused by Stonebridge wharf and Raynesway Marina, so I made a best guess.
The web address is -
http://canalplan.org.uk/

Very few marinas (and there aren't many on your route) do not stock petrol, so yoy would have to rely on garages en route - I don't think CanalPlan caters for that.

Looks like quite an adventure - especially if you are going to do it in the winter months...

 

[ProDave]

I would take 2 weeks to do it at a more leisurely pace and treat it as a decent holiday.

Buy a couple of the relevant inland waterways guides and you will have all the information including pubs, fuel, shops, and advice on where not to moor for the night, though on that route I don't think there are any bad places to avoid.

 

[anniepuss]

hi i think i may stick her on a low laoder and move by road....two weeks on a 20 foot boat will be claustrophobic.....so will look at getting quotes...but thanks for the canal planner im looking at where i can go in the future.

 

[prof pat pending]

Try this guy

http://www.tonytugboats.com