New Boat, New Challenge

[rotrax]

Having made the joint decision to pack up ocean sailing after First Mates frightening medical incident 11 months ago we sold our wonderful 12.5 Metre Motorsailer and purchased a 57 foot high quality Canal Narrowboat.

We started boating on inland waterways 55 years ago and have lots of canal experience.

Our new boat, named "Duchess of Atholl" is now at Enslow Wharf after a six day cold, wet and muddy delivery trip.

We love her! Proper engine room, furnished with a 35HP low reving three cylinder Beta Tug engine. A proper Boatmans cabin with the traditional range, cupboard bed and folding table, proper shower and heads with a huge holding tank. Morso 'Squirrel' woodburner in the lounge area with a dinette and galley. Dinette and sofa bed give two double beds for guests. We slept in the boatmans cabin during the delivery, that was fine.

Oak ceiling and walls, T&G, thick, well engineered oak, full length. Only iffy bit is the galley, but we were REALLY spoiled with the Island Packet in that respect. No doubt we will get used to it.

Sorting a few things, adding 400W of Solar and changing the internal lamps to LED's.

Pic shows her at Stowe Hill Wharf the day we collected her.

Click the pic if you are interested enough to enlarge it.

 

[Bouba]

Congrats !.....she looks great !

 

[SimonX]

Congratulations!
We did a couple of narrow boat holidays a few years ago, one in that area, and really enjoyed it.

 

[billskip]

"Duchess of Atholl"

Curious, did you name her?
Brings back memories of over 70 years ago I had a Hornby trainset and the loco was named Dutchess of Athol.

 

[SimonX]

Curious, did you name her?
Brings back memories of over 70 years ago I had a Hornby trainset and the loco was named Dutchess of Athol.

I knew I was familiar with the name - my brother had that engine! He also had the Princess Elizabeth in the same livery ( LMS) and I remember it fascinating me because it actually made smoke courtesy of oil drops in the funnel

 

[rotrax]

Curious, did you name her?
Brings back memories of over 70 years ago I had a Hornby trainset and the loco was named Dutchess of Athol.

No, she was named that at launch in 2006.

According to Bernard Cornwall's 'Utred' chronicles, you have to get a Virgin to piss in the bilge if you are to re-name a boat.

Virgins are very hard to find round 'ere.................

 

[Bouba]

No, she was named that at launch in 2006.

According to Bernard Cornwall's 'Utred' chronicles, you have to get a Virgin to piss in the bilge if you are to re-name a boat.

Virgins are very hard to find round 'ere.................

I think Fr Hackett might be one.....

 

[kingsebi]

No, she was named that at launch in 2006.

According to Bernard Cornwall's 'Utred' chronicles, you have to get a Virgin to piss in the bilge if you are to re-name a boat.

Virgins are very hard to find round 'ere.................

I like that one. In France they told me a boat has to cross its own wake three times after being renamed.