Canal boat hire and Narrowboat Timeshare Rentals in the U.K.

Types of Narrowboat
 

Narrowboats come in a range of different styles, but in terms of of the craft you are likely to find available as hire boats you are likely to be restricted to: Trads ( traditional ) , Semi Trads, Modern Trads and Cruiser Stern . The major difference between them being the style of the stern and the position of the engine.

The defining feature they have in common is their external width, which must be less than 7 foot to get them through the smaller locks and is typically 6 foot 10 inches, leaving an interior width of maybe 5 foot 10 inches or less. Anything wider than this is a "Barge" or a "Widebeam"  and restricted to the wider locks of the larger canals and rivers, which are usually 14 foot wide. An  un-powered craft towed behind a Narrowboat to provide a workshop , storage space or extra accommodation is known as a "Butty"

Narrowboat lengths can be up to about 72 foot, though if you were to go to that length you might find yourself restricted to certain waterways as not all locks can safely accommodate a 72 foot boat. Though of course fine as a live-aboard, if you accept those limitations.

The word Narrowboat is typically used to describe modern boats which have developed from the old working boats, which are properly described as Narrow Boats, a space between the two words.

With a few exceptions Narrowboats are steered by a tiller from the stern leaving the tillerman standing on the stern deck and exposed to the weather.

Trads

Trads have the smallest stern deck, large enough to accommodate only the person steering, so not a good design for the sociable. Forward of this is the boatman's cabin, a small cabin designed to accommodate a working boatman and then forward of this the engine room, which is typically about eight foot long taking up the space of a double bedroom on another craft.. This gives easy access to the engine, which is preferably a vintage display piece with lots of brass plates and impressive fittings. This is a design for the traditionalist wanting to get back to something of  the aura of the traditional working craft. It does not make the best use of space and you have to live with the engine in a very prominent position.

Modern Trads

Similar in layout to the Trads but the smaller modern engine is accommodated below the deck of the Boatman's cabin, this can make it a little awkward to get at, but it reclaims the engine room for other accommodation, giving much more living space.

Semi-Trad

The semi-trad externally looks like the trad, but the boatman's cabin has been developed into an open topped cockpit which provides accommodation and a degree of shelter for the Tillerman and can accommodate several people, so more sociable.

Cruiser Stern

The cruiser stern essentially uses opens the space that might have been formally the boatman's cabin to allow for an extended stern deck, which will accommodate several people and may even be used as a small dining area, when the boat is not moving. The small modern engine is accommodated below the deck, making it more accessible than that of a modern trad.

The cruiser stern is the design most likely to be offered by hire or timeshare companies, though others are available.

Internal designs of boats can vary quite widely. Two points that ought to be considered are whether you want a front or rear saloon and whether you want access to the bows from the front of the boat or from a side entrance that requires walking along the gunwales.

Rear saloons are generally more sociable for the Tillerman  who can otherwise find himself a little isolated.
Front saloons allow the crew to see ahead of the boat, which can have it's advantages.

Other styles

Tug

This is a Trad or modern trad with a large forward hold covered in taurpaulins, often has portholes instead of windows and usually lower in the water.

Narrow-beam Dutch Barge

This is a slimmed down version of a Dutch Barge. The main difference from other narrowboats being the wheelhouse and wheel steering, with the engine under the wheelhouse. The wheelhouse cover dismantles to go under low bridges.

Based on the barges found in abundance in Holland, this is a slimmed down version (widthways only) to allow it to pass through the standard 7 ft wide locks. The hull and cabin sides tend to be vertical, with wider than normal side decks and a wheelhouse at the rear with wheel steering. The wheelhouse is normally collapsible to allow passage under low bridges and tunnels. There is no forward cockpit. The engine is situated under the wheelhouse deck.

 

There are also many variations and hybrids between the various basic styles according to the whims of owner or boat builder.