Which First Boat -For River/Canal Cruising

[harvey38]

The factors that I think are going to make hard to find the boat - getting all in one :
1. 20 - 24ft
2. 4 berth
3. Shower
4. Loo

Your limiting factor is length if you need points 2,3&4.

A Freeman 27 could be a possibility, some of the older ones do have quite a lot of wood that could be painted if really a big issue but there are some around with hot water and heating. They may be an older boat but less initial outlay, very well built, a huge following of enthusiastic owners and a very active FB owners group.

More modern boats are available, the Princess 30DS is a lovely boat

 

[ProDave]

30ft All Steel Narrow boat | eBay

5ft over length. Would your marina berth take that? If so it offers all you want well under budget.

 

[stelican]

I tried googling this but got distracted for a few hours....
It's been suggested further up, have you considered a narrow boat? Shaft drive, keel cooling so much less risk of overheating due to blockages and good accommodation for size.

Those things are a pig to helm
If you take you eye of the ball it's away.

 

[ProDave]

Those things are a pig to helm
If you take you eye of the ball it's away.

Some are some are not, they have a lot of mass so good at keeping a steady course and less prone to being pushed off course.

I only mention it as to me it's the obvious choice on an interlinked waterway system. If you are sure the wider canals offer enough cruising ground to you then fine, but check bridge and tunnel air draft before buying.

 

[Dannyc]

Thanks for all your comments.

I’ll keep looking and investigating some of your suggestions and see what else comes up. I’ve looked at a few Vikings and the jury’s still out on those. They tick the boxes but like has been said, there’ll always be compromise somewhere.

Narrow boats aren’t for me at the moment, perhaps once I retire in a few years and I have the time to explore the network.

 

[Seastoke]

What about a Trusty 23

 

[Dannyc]

What about a Trusty 23

Hmmm not too keen on the fishing boat look I’m afraid.

 

[Ferris]

Shetland 4 plus 2 Boat for Sale, "Unnamed" at Jones Boatyard

 

[Dannyc]

Shetland 4 plus 2 Boat for Sale, "Unnamed" at Jones Boatyard

That looks lovely, many thanks. I just wish I wasn’t away at the opposite end of the country this weekend! Fingers crossed it’ll hang around until I’m able to get down to view it.

 

[harvey38]

Shetland 4 plus 2 Boat for Sale, "Unnamed" at Jones Boatyard

What a cracker, I can't believe they can shoe horn all of that spec. in a small vessel

 

[Alicatt]

Shetland 4 plus 2 Boat for Sale, "Unnamed" at Jones Boatyard

That does look very good, a lot in a small boat.
We have a big cockpit on our boat for the size of it, at slightly over 2m long by 1.9m wide, they could have made it slightly smaller and made the beds just that little bit longer.

 

[Ferris]

That looks lovely, many thanks. I just wish I wasn’t away at the opposite end of the country this weekend! Fingers crossed it’ll hang around until I’m able to get down to view it.

Looks like they have several for sale. I am becoming more and more convinced of the merits of an outboard engines for this size of boat for inland work. Note that the fuel tanks are removable type so you can refuel in on a garage forecourt and things like water and dirt in the fuel and leaking fuel tanks are not as much of an issue. Also I'd wager that you can barely hear that engine running which is a major plus for slow speed cruising in my book.

 

[Dannyc]

Looks like they have several for sale. I am becoming more and more convinced of the merits of an outboard engines for this size of boat for inland work. Note that the fuel tanks are removable type so you can refuel in on a garage forecourt and things like water and dirt in the fuel and leaking fuel tanks are not as much of an issue. Also I'd wager that you can barely hear that engine running which is a major plus for slow speed cruising in my book.

I’m hopefully going to pop down there the weekend after next to have a look around a few.

Yes the availability of outboard equipped boats, coupled with tales of eye wateringly expensive repairs to large inboard engines and stern drives have led me to think the same.

 

[Refueler]

If its a 2 str - then noise can be high on outboard .. but a 4str can be just a steady drum in background ..

But its the easier service / use of that convinces me.

 

[snowbird30ds]

For what you're after doing I'd go outboard powered, at least 10hp but preferably 20hp for run between Torksey and Cromwell lock.
The glory hole isn't as tight as it looks, I've been through a few times on an old rlm31 with hardtop and there was plenty of space.
The Shetland looks good.

 

[Seastoke]

If you want a sportier boat , have a look for a Nimbus 26.

 

[ontheplane]

For what you're after doing I'd go outboard powered, at least 10hp but preferably 20hp for run between Torksey and Cromwell lock.
The glory hole isn't as tight as it looks, I've been through a few times on an old rlm31 with hardtop and there was plenty of space.
The Shetland looks good.

For River 10hp might be ok, but for a canal a 20 would be ludicrously overpowered.

We had an 8hp on a Buckingham 20 and that was almost impossible to keep down to the 4 kts no wake speed limit - a 6hp would be plenty. Absolutely 4 stroke too - 2 strokes are awful on canals they don’t like lots of low throttle running - and on a canal you are barely over tickover.

Get a sailpower outboard if you can or at least a sailpower propeller - they give more thrust and less speed so you can run the engine at slightly higher rpm which makes it smoother.

 

[ontheplane]

That Shetland looks ideal for a canal or river though - the motor is a stupid choice though.

A 40 HP is pointless on a boat like that - it will need 150hp to plane (assuming it would plane at all) so won’t ever go over about 6-7knts which a 9.9 would happily achieve!! It’s about 4 x bigger than you need and on a canal I would wager even at tickover would be creating far too much wash and breaking the speed limit!

Someone was sold that engine wrong - OR they picked it up used and it was a good deal (which is fair enough I suppose)

 

[Refueler]

That Shetland looks ideal for a canal or river though - the motor is a stupid choice though.

A 40 HP is pointless on a boat like that - it will need 150hp to plane (assuming it would plane at all) so won’t ever go over about 6-7knts which a 9.9 would happily achieve!! It’s about 4 x bigger than you need and on a canal I would wager even at tickover would be creating far too much wash and breaking the speed limit!

Someone was sold that engine wrong - OR they picked it up used and it was a good deal (which is fair enough I suppose)

Sorry to rain on your post .... but a guy runs a boat here which is literally a copy of the Shetland ... he has a 40hp on back of it ... and believe me - that does not hang about !! I was gently cruising (about 40% throttle) at 14kts with my 170HP VP on the 24' .. when he went past me ... I reckon he was doing about 16+

I do agree though that 40HP on a river / canal is total overkill on it ... with speed limits etc - a small saildrive type motor that gives thrust rather than speed would be better.

 

[Greg2]

Having looked at a Shetland at a Boatshow I would say that they are a very light build so perhaps that explains why a 40hp can push on along at pace.