Want to move my 8 mtr boat with ouboard from Newhaven to join the canal network . Channel - Thames . Any quicker/ safer way . Grateful 1st timer .

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

It's worth pointing out that any boat on the inland waterways needs a "BSS" safety certificate and that can be difficult / expensive to obtain. Plus as Tranona points out a boat like that doesn't really work well on canals - the wrong shape.

The OP is probably better off seeking a sheltered coastal location to learn to handle / sail. e.g. Chichester Harbour

I am afraid that boat is totally unsuitable for the canals. It is a seagoing sailing boat and is far to wide and high for the canal system. If you want to use the canals then buy a canal boat. Pottering on the canals is not a good basis for learning how to sail a boat such as you have bought.

Suggests you take a course on learning to sail yachts before even thinking about going to sea. Your boat is quite capable of coastal passages, but you need to find out what is involved, not least finding somewhere suitable to moor it.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Thanks for comments but will be removing sails and mast and having an outboard plate fitted to use as a cruiser . According to rivers and canal trust data the beam is well within canal limits ??

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

It's worth pointing out that any boat on the inland waterways needs a "BSS" safety certificate and that can be difficult / expensive to obtain. Plus as Tranona points out a boat like that doesn't really work well on canals - the wrong shape.

The OP is probably better off seeking a sheltered coastal location to learn to handle / sail. e.g. Chichester Harbour

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Thanks but rivers and canals trust data begs to differ on size . I have no wish to use it as a sailboat and will be removing masts and converting to a cruiser with outboard .

 

[syvictoria]

The Kent Class generally has a beam (width) of 8ft 6in (2.59m), so quite a lot more than the 6ft 10in that many canals have a maximum. Have you thought about moving the boat to the Norfolk Broads? You could learn to motor or sail here in safety and then have access by water to the sea once you're ready to go.

 

[syvictoria]

Thanks but rivers and canals trust data begs to differ on size . I have no wish to use it as a sailboat and will be removing masts and converting to a cruiser with outboard .

And then you're planning on going on a 'world cruise'?!! With a yacht with no mast and just an outboard? Sorry to rain on your parade, but you may perhaps need a bit of a rethink...

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

And then you're planning on going on a 'world cruise'?!! With a yacht with no mast and just an outboard? Sorry to rain on your parade, but you may perhaps need a bit of a rethink...

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Thanks but think you have misunderstood me . The world cruise was a joke , that,s why it had exclamation marks after it . Intend to use boat as a leisure cruiser on canal network . Thanks for input anyway .

 

[LittleSister]

Kent class cruisers were originally built as motor-sailers for hire on the Broads, I believe. (There are still quite a lot of them around on the Broads.) I would think that as sailing boats go, it would be one of the more suitable (less unsuitable?) for use on canals, once the mast and rigging is removed.

Many (or perhaps all?) of them have triple keels, though, and the side/bilge keels might prevent or make difficult getting close into the bank (which is usually shallower) on occasions. Not a show-stopper factor, though IMHO.

. . .
As said above would make a nice coastal hopper, from Newhaven you've got Brighton, Eastbourne, Shoreham. Not the most interesting coastline but fine for learning.

I agree that, once sorted and checked out a Kent would make a nice coastal cruiser.

The design is perfectly capable of being sailed round to the Thames, canals, or the Broads, and doing so could be a fun adventure, and a great way of getting to know the boat and learn the basics of sailing and navigation.

I would, though, very strongly urge the OP not to do this without -
(a) getting the boat and its systems checked out by someone who knows about boats;
(b) doing some very local shakedown trips, with someone who knows about boats aboard, to check out what works, what doesn't, and what sort of works but needs adjustment etc. before going further afield;
(c) getting an experienced sailor/navigator to accompany you on that delivery trip to 'show you the ropes' of both handling the boat and navigation; and
(d) waiting for spring, and its usually warmer, calmer and less unforgiving weather.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

And then you're planning on going on a 'world cruise'?!! With a yacht with no mast and just an outboard? Sorry to rain on your parade, but you may perhaps need a bit of a rethink...

World cruise was a joke - thus exclamation marks - thanks anyway .

 

[syvictoria]

World cruise was a joke - thus exclamation marks - thanks anyway .

Ah, whoops! Sorry.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Kent class cruisers were originally built as motor-sailers for hire on the Broads, I believe. (There are still quite a lot of them around on the Broads.) I would think that as sailing boats go, it would be one of the more suitable (less unsuitable?) for use on canals, once the mast and rigging is removed.

Many (or perhaps all?) of them have triple keels, though, and the side/bilge keels might prevent or make difficult getting close into the bank (which is usually shallower) on occasions. Not a show-stopper factor, though IMHO.



I agree that, once sorted and checked out a Kent would make a nice coastal cruiser.

The design is perfectly capable of being sailed round to the Thames, canals, or the Broads, and doing so could be a fun adventure, and a great way of getting to know the boat and learn the basics of sailing and navigation.

I would, though, very strongly urge the OP not to do this without -
(a) getting the boat and its systems checked out by someone who knows about boats;
(b) doing some very local shakedown trips, with someone who knows about boats aboard, to check out what works, what doesn't, and what sort of works but needs adjustment etc. before going further afield;
(c) getting an experienced sailor/navigator to accompany you to 'show you the ropes' of both handling the boat and navigation; and
(d) waiting for spring, and its usually warmer, calmer and less unforgiving weather.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Thanks . Most helpful .

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Kent class cruisers were originally built as motor-sailers for hire on the Broads, I believe. (There are still quite a lot of them around on the Broads.) I would think that as sailing boats go, it would be one of the more suitable (less unsuitable?) for use on canals, once the mast and rigging is removed.

Many (or perhaps all?) of them have triple keels, though, and the side/bilge keels might prevent or make difficult getting close into the bank (which is usually shallower) on occasions. Not a show-stopper factor, though IMHO.



I agree that, once sorted and checked out a Kent would make a nice coastal cruiser.

The design is perfectly capable of being sailed round to the Thames, canals, or the Broads, and doing so could be a fun adventure, and a great way of getting to know the boat and learn the basics of sailing and navigation.

I would, though, very strongly urge the OP not to do this without -
(a) getting the boat and its systems checked out by someone who knows about boats;
(b) doing some very local shakedown trips, with someone who knows about boats aboard, to check out what works, what doesn't, and what sort of works but needs adjustment etc. before going further afield;
(c) getting an experienced sailor/navigator to accompany you to 'show you the ropes' of both handling the boat and navigation; and
(d) waiting for spring, and its usually warmer, calmer and less unforgiving weather.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Kent class cruisers were originally built as motor-sailers for hire on the Broads, I believe. (There are still quite a lot of them around on the Broads.) I would think that as sailing boats go, it would be one of the more suitable (less unsuitable?) for use on canals, once the mast and rigging is removed.

Many (or perhaps all?) of them have triple keels, though, and the side/bilge keels might prevent or make difficult getting close into the bank (which is usually shallower) on occasions. Not a show-stopper factor, though IMHO.



I agree that, once sorted and checked out a Kent would make a nice coastal cruiser.

The design is perfectly capable of being sailed round to the Thames, canals, or the Broads, and doing so could be a fun adventure, and a great way of getting to know the boat and learn the basics of sailing and navigation.

I would, though, very strongly urge the OP not to do this without -
(a) getting the boat and its systems checked out by someone who knows about boats;
(b) doing some very local shakedown trips, with someone who knows about boats aboard, to check out what works, what doesn't, and what sort of works but needs adjustment etc. before going further afield;
(c) getting an experienced sailor/navigator to accompany you to 'show you the ropes' of both handling the boat and navigation; and
(d) waiting for spring, and its usually warmer, calmer and less unforgiving weather.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Thanks . Most helpful . Xx

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

Kent class cruisers were originally built as motor-sailers for hire on the Broads, I believe. (There are still quite a lot of them around on the Broads.) I would think that as sailing boats go, it would be one of the more suitable (less unsuitable?) for use on canals, once the mast and rigging is removed.

Many (or perhaps all?) of them have triple keels, though, and the side/bilge keels might prevent or make difficult getting close into the bank (which is usually shallower) on occasions. Not a show-stopper factor, though IMHO.



I agree that, once sorted and checked out a Kent would make a nice coastal cruiser.

The design is perfectly capable of being sailed round to the Thames, canals, or the Broads, and doing so could be a fun adventure, and a great way of getting to know the boat and learn the basics of sailing and navigation.

I would, though, very strongly urge the OP not to do this without -
(a) getting the boat and its systems checked out by someone who knows about boats;
(b) doing some very local shakedown trips, with someone who knows about boats aboard, to check out what works, what doesn't, and what sort of works but needs adjustment etc. before going further afield;
(c) getting an experienced sailor/navigator to accompany you to 'show you the ropes' of both handling the boat and navigation; and
(d) waiting for spring, and its usually warmer, calmer and less unforgiving weather.

Thanks

 

[Tranona]

Thanks but rivers and canals trust data begs to differ on size . I have no wish to use it as a sailboat and will be removing masts and converting to a cruiser with outboard .

That is insane. You really have not grasped what you are being advised. The beam on the canals is limited to 7' by the locks. Your boat is far wider than this.

As I said earlier if you want to cruise on the canals buy a canal boat - they are totally different from the boat you have bought. You have a seagoing motor sailer and just removing the rig and adding an outboard - which in itself is totally impractical does not make it a canal boat.

Either learn to use the boat for the purpose for which it was designed or sell it to somebody who has some understanding of boats.

 

[Bru]

Thanks but its draught is only 0.97 Nearly all canals have a draught limit of 2 metres or more according to the rivers and canals trust .?

Aha ha ha!

You'll be very lucky to find 2 metres of water anywhere on the Southern canals linked to the Thames.

The Grand Junction canal (Brentford to Braunston) was only *designed* with a depth of 5'6", the Oxford even less (variable between 4' and 5')

And those depths were in the middle of the canal. Canals are saucer shaped and significantly shallower at the bank than in the middle

Add to that the dire state of the canals which are suffering from a severe lack of dredging. An old friend of mine has just spent over a week moving a 4'6" draft Bantam tug from London to Milton Keynes and it's been dragging bottom most of the way

A coastal sailing boat is totally and utterly unsuitable for canal cruising.

 

[bradleyscott596@yahoo.co.]

That is insane. You really have not grasped what you are being advised. The beam on the canals is limited to 7' by the locks. Your boat is far wider than this.

As I said earlier if you want to cruise on the canals buy a canal boat - they are totally different from the boat you have bought. You have a seagoing motor sailer and just removing the rig and adding an outboard - which in itself is totally impractical does not make it a canal boat.

Either learn to use the boat for the purpose for which it was designed or sell it to somebody who has some understanding of boats.