Choosing The Boat That's Right For You

Part 1 - The Exterior

Buying your dream boat is a big step, and a big investment. Whether you're buying for leisure, pleasure, living or long-term cruising, it's important you know what to ask.

All narrowboats are 6 feet 10 inches wide.Generally they are made entirely of steel, although some older boats have wooden, and sometimes even glass reinforced plastic (GRP) cabins.

There are also widebeams which can range from 7 feet to 13 feet 6 inches wide. These are almost always made out of all steel.

Your main priority should be finding the right boat for your needs. This depends on the number of people who will be aboard, and the time you will spend on the boat. Generally speaking, a 30-40ft boat is ample as a holiday boat, whilst 50+ feet is ideal for extended cruising or a liveaboard.

Once you have decided on the length of your boat the next decision is to choose what type of stern you want. There are three main stern types on narrowboats - traditional, cruiser and semi-traditional.

Traditional stern - These have the smallest stern area offering the least external space, and stem from traditional working boats. 

Cruiser stern - A large external space, ideal for recreational cruising, popular with families.

Semi-traditional stern - A good compromise between traditional and cruiser. These have the look of a traditional stern, but with more space, similar to a cruiser.

The final decision to be made is the type of window you are looking for on your boat. The two most common types of window you will find on a boat, are the porthole and the hopper window.

Portholes - Offers great security and comes in many sizes, but can also restrict the amount of light that comes into the boat. A lot of boats have these in the bedroom area.

Hopper windows - Offer great light into the boat and, again, come in various sizes. These windows are normally found in the saloon and galley areas.

There are so many boats out there, all different and unique. We at Venetian Marina advise getting onboard as many as you can, to get a better idea of what kind of boat you want. 

Join us for part 2 of this blog, in which we will be looking at what's onboard, and the difference in engines.In the meantime, for more information on what we have talked about, or to see if we have the perfect boat for you, visit our website or call us on 01270 528251.