What boat for canal cruising?
 

On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 09:22:10 -0700, "ken" wrote:


My wife and I are trying to decide upon a suitable boat for doing the =
canals and waterways of the northeast.
A canal boat, of course.....(c;

http://www.canals.com/

What a class way to go.....

There were 6 of them docked in Charleston last year on their way to
Florida for the winter. I wheedled my way aboard to have a look. How
beautiful and what a great, laid-back way to see any inland waterway.
A full displacement hull so long and narrow the tiny diesels had no
problem pushing them.....real cheap to keep....as long as, unlike most
idiotic Americans, you aren't in such a hurry to get there.

Nothing's funnier to watch than an overpowered Nordic Tug trying to be
a planing boat plowing up a huge wave in the ICW. How stupid.



Larry W4CSC

3600 planes with transponders are burning 8-10 million
gallons of kerosene per hour over the USA. R-12 car air
conditioners are responsible for the ozone hole, right?

What boat for canal cruising?
 

My wife and I are trying to decide upon a suitable boat for doing the canals and waterways of the northeast. We are experienced great lakes cruisers having owned sail and power boats to 34 feet. Some of the parameters on our wish list include: standing headroom, head with shower, walk around decks, 15 mph cruise when possible, aft cockpit, comfy sleeping for two, glass or steel or aluminum construction. We have considered the Nordic 26 and Albin 27 and Marinette 28 as well as a variety of downeasters under 30 feet.
Smaller is better. Simplicity is important. And, since cost is a factor, it will be used, not new.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Ken

What boat for canal cruising?
 

Drat! I knew I shouldn't have answered this post. Now I'm hooked on
touring the English or Scottish countryside by canal boat, again......

http://www.alvechurch.com/

Let's drop everything next July and just do it....(c;



Larry W4CSC

3600 planes with transponders are burning 8-10 million
gallons of kerosene per hour over the USA. R-12 car air
conditioners are responsible for the ozone hole, right?

What boat for canal cruising?
 

Keep in mind cleats, chocks, fendering, and air draft.

Locks put a premium on large, easy to use cleats, preferably bow,
stern, and midships. I would want ridiculously large cleats -- the 15"
Suncor S3145, for example, as you'll want to use bigger line than
normal. (see www.suncorstainless.com)

Closed chocks are useful, as lines often lead up. Many chocking
arrangements assume that you're running lines forward from the bow and
aft from the stern. It's helpful if you can run lines both forward
and aft, as you often can't choose where the lock tie up will be. All
of this can be retrofit, up to a point.

Think about how you're going to fender the boat. Boats with large
central flattish sections are much easier than those with significant
flare throughout. Where are you going to tie the fenders? Where will
you store four to six much bigger fenders than usual for the boat size
-- remember, you may have to fender both sides if you've got a boat on
one side and the lock wall on the other?

Air draft should not be a problem in boats of the size you mention
unless you go for a fixed fly bridge. One of our parameters in
choosing Fintry was air draft low enough to go from the Hudson to Lake
Erie, 20 feet. The Hudson through Lake Champlain to the Saint Lawrence
allows only 17 feet, too low for us. If you want to use the whole New
York State system you have to stay under 15.5'. (see
http://www.canals.state.ny.us/faq/index.html)

(For those who venture to the web site and see a mast, I should add
that the Fleet Tenders were built with the mast in a tabernacle,
lowering into a pad aft on the stack.)

Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com



"ken" wrote in message ...
My wife and I are trying to decide upon a suitable boat for doing the
canals and waterways of the northeast. We are experienced great lakes
cruisers having owned sail and power boats to 34 feet. Some of the
parameters on our wish list include: standing headroom, head with
shower, walk around decks, 15 mph cruise when possible, aft cockpit,
comfy sleeping for two, glass or steel or aluminum construction. We
have considered the Nordic 26 and Albin 27 and Marinette 28 as well as a
variety of downeasters under 30 feet.
Smaller is better. Simplicity is important. And, since cost is a
factor, it will be used, not new.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Ken
--

What boat for canal cruising? France
 

How big a sailboat can one take down French canals from Med to Atlantic Coast

Barry

What boat for canal cruising? France
 

Via any of several routes through central France:
Beam 17.1 feet absolute (no fenders)
Draft 5.9 feet (possibly more at high water times, but then air draft
is more of a problem)
Air Draft (height above water) 11.5 feet.

The route across southern France is much shorter, but requires a
smaller boat.

Or, you can take the long way around -- Baltic Sea, Moscow, Volga,
Black Sea, in a much larger vessel -- 10 foot draft.

Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com


"Barry Brazier" wrote in message ...
How big a sailboat can one take down French canals from Med to Atlantic
Coast

Barry


--

What boat for canal cruising?
 

Ken,
Have you looked at a Bluewater. Generally meets all your requirements.

What boat for canal cruising?
 

Catch up on Marinette info on marinetteforum.org.


(Jim Woodward) wrote in message . com...
Keep in mind cleats, chocks, fendering, and air draft.

Locks put a premium on large, easy to use cleats, preferably bow,
stern, and midships. I would want ridiculously large cleats -- the 15"
Suncor S3145, for example, as you'll want to use bigger line than
normal. (see www.suncorstainless.com)

Closed chocks are useful, as lines often lead up. Many chocking
arrangements assume that you're running lines forward from the bow and
aft from the stern. It's helpful if you can run lines both forward
and aft, as you often can't choose where the lock tie up will be. All
of this can be retrofit, up to a point.

Think about how you're going to fender the boat. Boats with large
central flattish sections are much easier than those with significant
flare throughout. Where are you going to tie the fenders? Where will
you store four to six much bigger fenders than usual for the boat size
-- remember, you may have to fender both sides if you've got a boat on
one side and the lock wall on the other?

Air draft should not be a problem in boats of the size you mention
unless you go for a fixed fly bridge. One of our parameters in
choosing Fintry was air draft low enough to go from the Hudson to Lake
Erie, 20 feet. The Hudson through Lake Champlain to the Saint Lawrence
allows only 17 feet, too low for us. If you want to use the whole New
York State system you have to stay under 15.5'. (see
http://www.canals.state.ny.us/faq/index.html)

(For those who venture to the web site and see a mast, I should add
that the Fleet Tenders were built with the mast in a tabernacle,
lowering into a pad aft on the stack.)

Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com



"ken" wrote in message ...
My wife and I are trying to decide upon a suitable boat for doing the
canals and waterways of the northeast. We are experienced great lakes
cruisers having owned sail and power boats to 34 feet. Some of the
parameters on our wish list include: standing headroom, head with
shower, walk around decks, 15 mph cruise when possible, aft cockpit,
comfy sleeping for two, glass or steel or aluminum construction. We
have considered the Nordic 26 and Albin 27 and Marinette 28 as well as a
variety of downeasters under 30 feet.
Smaller is better. Simplicity is important. And, since cost is a
factor, it will be used, not new.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Ken
--