Living in a winter Narrowboat

If you have ever considered living in a houseboat, you've probably guessed quiet lazy days cruise gently flows under a cloudless blue sky at night on the towpath with wine and fresh food cooked on the barbecue and quiet nights lulled by the sweet sound of rural areas through open windows. The lifetime barge can be like this summer, but as we all know very well by painful experience, a British summer can be very short and very unpredictable.

So what do you really live in a houseboat when the weather is not so good? What is the winter when there is ice and snow and winds from the Arctic to the fight against?

Last year (2010) ended with one of the coldest spells history. In the last week of November until the first week of January, The canal system was stopped. With up to six inches of ice on many rivers, many sailors have been blocked for over a month. I was one of the lucky ones, but life was not very comfortable.

The intense cold of the water and did not get along. The water freezes in a boat, when it does there are all sorts of problems. Unfortunately, due to streams that use barges do not have running water, they freeze quite easily. If you are in your boat when a channel is blocked, you can …

Coping with winter weather in Marina Calcutt Boats

In a So, I'm very lucky. My boat is beautiful in summer and winter can be beautiful. The photo at left was taken one morning after a night of freezing fog. Day high was well below zero, so the frozen grass, reeds and trees transformed the place into a winter landscape.

I am also lucky because, regardless level as the temperature drops, you still have access to piped water. Even if the pontoons taps are turned off to avoid freezing pipes in the streets, all the Boatmen have access to any of the half-dozen taps basement protection. This year I read reports of many people in other navies had to take a heavy water containers for their ships when all the taps of nearly frozen. Reports have indicated that they "managed well."

Personally, I do not want "Manage well." I have enough to do without having to find and fill many (clean) container ship its hind leg and gently deposit to pay water. I myself have seen. I do not consider that use excessive amounts of water. I shower every day, but each shower lasts less than two minutes to cook and clean every day. Even well, I go through a tank full of water every ten days. My tank has 20-25 minutes to fill with a hose to the faucet at full power. For me, the choice of faucet and hose when he wins.

Because I live on a boat, I have access to the main road and garage 20m from my boat. We had a great amount of snow here, but in Warwickshire 6.5 inches was enough to stop boaters mooring with access to roads. There are many houseboats moored in the canals near near the canal bridges. These bridges are often on small secondary roads that are very difficult to use in bad weather. Boaters of these moorings struggling to restock.

Winter fuel supplies Narrowboat

Many navigators tell me your boat is as warm as toast inside, no matter the weather. This is not my case. I cold in December. James is an old boat. Built in 1975 with a compound of higher than has seen better days. When I moved aboard in April, which was empty and unloved for a number of years. She was very wet and dripping through the ceiling of Heavy rain, side doors were a bad fit and isolation has been virtually no current. Little has changed. I have to work hard to keep warm.

I Coldwatcher two 500w and 700w heater oil cooler. They are always at this time of year and are enough to keep the boat from freezing, but do not provide much in the way of heat. I'm also a dehumidifier in the aft cabin (my room) to keep moisture at bay.

Real heat is provided by my solid fuel stove. It is approximately four feet of the double doors on the front axle and the radiator in the back of the boat in the second living area or study, bathroom and back bedroom. Because the boiler from the stove must supply hot water for radiators, stove does not produce an enormous amount heat. However, at least three outside, but very comfortable, near the stove. It is not so hot on the back of the boat where I work. So I have wear a veil and an extra hat while sitting at work. No problem.

There are many solid fuels available. They all have characteristics slightly different. I use Pureheat. It is a fuel made smoke-free is the best I've tried. Is maintained for more than other fuels (useful when I'm away the boat for the night), burning more and creates less mess. The cost of a 25kg bag of hardware my marina is £ 13.50. It's just my £ 9.50 local coal ship.

The coal ship through the port every four weeks. I could not frozen when the channel if the owners hired a van to keep their customers supplied. Bless them!

Prevent frost damage

Water can be very destructive. When freeze damage pumps and pipes and tanks. When the ice melts flooding. There is more than a handful of owners of this boat Winter sports in our ports now only face costly repair bills because they "winterise" their boats. If you live on board all Over time, you do not have to. If you leave your boat for long periods and have heating on board connected to a reliable power supply is not necessary to disturb anyone. But if you leave your boat in very cold without heating, which is really in trouble.

Winter is a fast boat and easy (and common sense). The purpose of this exercise is to prevent water from freezing and burst whatever in. This means you empty the main tank water, turning the main power shut-off valve, then open the taps and shower fittings for water pipes collapse. If you have a "low demand "water heater that needs to drain well. It is also necessary to drain the water into the engine as well (can not help. I'm a little dummy when it comes to engines).

Be careful on slippery

The ships can be dangerous places in the best of times. There are chains that make you stumble, narrow staircases and narrow down the stairs, railing with a slide and fall. Add some ice and have a recipe for disaster. Be careful.

Ship returned to his ship in port yesterday. I took Stuart, a member of our younger staff, for the ride. As we approach the dock, jumped nimbly from the deck before the ship in the dock … made a dramatic turn around and landed on his head. Fortunately for Stuart, I had a thick head that caused no damage (just kidding Stuart). However, his slip on the ice could have a very different result.

Stuart was not injured (except pride). We had a very different two years ago on a sunny summer day. A tenant slipped on the back of one of our boats. Ship surfaces were dry and free of ice – is unusual for an English summer – but it still slipped. She slipped and fell into the channel as the boat was backing up. The fan took his leg, cutting a main artery. Thanks for a first aid our employees and an air ambulance, which makes a full recovery. But it was a year before they can start walking properly. Ships can be dangerous at any time of year. In the winter of Ice, snow and rain, must be very careful.

Cold weather Toilet Problems

Unfortunately, when you live in a house floating has to pay a little more attention to the management of waste from the man that you might like. Not so much a problem most of the year if you have a bomb bathroom but can be caught in very cold weather. Your toilet or the tank contents of your portfolio is not likely to freeze but the water around the boat.

If the boat is frozen, you can not get a vacuum pump station holding bin. If you have no alternative, is stuck with no toilets on board until the ice melts. If you live in a marina, not the practice, as it may be, you can use the facilities. If you are tied at the top, you have a problem. narrowboaters Many full-time also a toilet on board tape and the main bathroom of the pump.

Cruise During the winter months

Many owners of cruise ships during the winter. In fact, some prefer out of the boating season. There are fewer boats around (no queues at the locks) and landscape can be beautiful. There are two problems with the winter cruise as well. There is ice and the other trials. The sentences were closing the canal sections essential for winter maintenance. You can find a full list here.

A heavy frost the night alone has little impact on the water in the canal. Continuing heavy frost and below zero days, but can cause a buildup of ice inches thick. Towards the end of December 2010 we had over four inches of ice in the channel Calcutt locks up. Anything more than a half inch engine and is going to work overtime. An inch or more and you run the risk of causing a hole in your boat. (One of the vessels of the Union coal Grand Canal is currently out of service for more vigorous to break the ice.) More than two inches in the channel and hit until Mother Nature decides to let go.

The key to safe winter

In my previous life to its owner Corporate said, I attended training days can. Which introduced the concept of six P … Good preparation Prevents P *** poor performance. This applies to all areas of your life, including narrowboating. Although the period of six weeks from late November 2010 to early January 2011 was particularly cold, which can expected every winter cold enough to freeze water.

Make sure you are prepared. If you're cruising, make sure you know where are the stops and be careful weather short-term and medium term. Full of food for winter. Take a little more coal, reload your tanks diesel, developing a stock of canned food and invest in a bath of cassette and when all else fails, buy a box of wine and some good books for cozy nights for your fireplace.

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About the Author

Paul Smith’s web site is an essential resource for new and experienced narrowboat owners alike. As well as articles covering all aspects of boating on the canal network, every narrowboat friendly marina in England and Wales is listed, complete with facilities and reviews. http://www.livingonanarrowboat.co.uk

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