{"id":529,"date":"2016-01-24T06:27:11","date_gmt":"2016-01-24T06:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=529"},"modified":"2017-12-06T20:10:20","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T20:10:20","slug":"life-on-board","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/life-on-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Life on board"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Shadow<\/a><\/h1>\n

L<\/span>ast night you moored just when dusk was falling. You ate dinner at a pub, a 17th-century building you learned was in a scene from The Remains of the Day<\/span>. In the next booth a pleasant obviously retired couple from Kidderminster had their border collie curled up at their feet, but that\u2019s allowed because you\u2019re eating at the bar.<\/p>\n

You discovered it\u2019s the couple\u2019s first time on a canal, even though they\u2019ve lived most of their lives a few miles from the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal<\/span><\/a>. You asked why they\u2019re on this canal instead and they said they\u2019d moved to be closer to the grandkids. Your meal was excellent and the service was excellent, even though you were in the bar because the restaurant was full and you had to give your order to the barman after looking at the menu chalked on a board.<\/p>\n

You stumbled back in the dark to the boat, using your smartphone as a light because you stupidly forgot to bring a flashlight. The smartphone\u2019s battery gave out halfway (because there were too many devices to charge and two few plugs on the boat), which was unfortunate because the pub is a short walk from the towpath along a one-lane road where cars whiz by at 40 miles per hour.<\/p>\n

\"Nightime<\/a>
The 17th-century Hop Pole Inn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back on the boat, you opened another bottle of wine and everyone got a little tipsy and you talked politics because everyone on the boat is of the same political persuasion. You actually had to talk because there\u2019s nothing else to do: no television or cellular reception. Everyone was a little hazy what day it was and no one knew the latest headlines. After thirty minutes, it was obvious everyone except you was tired, even though it was only half past eight. Someone\u2019s sleeping on the dinette double, however, so you couldn\u2019t linger and had to help put up the bed.<\/p>\n

Most of the lights were soon extinguished because you worried about running down the batteries. Once in bed, your spouse was asleep before you. The only thing you could do was read, but long before 10 o\u2019clock, you switched off your light.<\/p>\n

The next morning you wake up an hour after sunrise, primarily because you went to sleep so early and secondarily because of the annoying duck outside your window. You have to stay in bed until you hear sounds of movement from the rest of the crew, however. Once the others are awake, you go into the kitchen to light the cooker, trying to remember the sequence to light a burner.<\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  1. You have to turn the burner knob to the light position and then press and hold it in<\/li>\n
  2. Press the igniter switch (or apply a match or lighter) until the flame catches<\/li>\n
  3. Release the igniter switch but keep pressing the burner for the required amount of time (which varies). You\u2019re heating a flame safety device (a thermocouple or thermoelectric valve) that only permits gas to flow while the burner is lit. Once the flame goes out, the valve will close, preventing the buildup of gas in the cabin.<\/li>\n
  4. After a few seconds (again, the time varies depending on cooker model), you release the burner knob and can now adjust the flame intensity<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n

    \"Photograph<\/a>
    The restored working narrowboat Saturn with the historic Ellesmere boat yard in the background. The family would have lived in the cabin to the left where it says Shropshire Union R&C Co. (Railways and Canal Company). Most working narrowboats were crewed by family members to meet statutory requirements of three workers per boat, but without having to pay outside employees.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    It would be easy to figure this out if you were already caffeinated. Eventually you put the kettle on, but it takes forever for the water to boil (you may need to switch propane tanks) and you really wish the boat hire had provided an electric kettle. (Electric kettles and hair dryers can draw 2,000 watts, well beyond the capacity of the electrical system of most hire boats.)<\/p>\n

    After instant coffee (you\u2019ll discover on the last day the boat has a French press), you begin the daily engine checks and perhaps the checks you should have done the night before. After the dipstick, radiator and weed hatch have been inspected, you start the engine and cast off. Once underway, you remember to turn on the inverter to charge your cell phones and cameras and then realize it had been left on all night.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re fortunate, your first lock of the day is in a small town with a nearby bakery so someone can run out for scones and rolls. You hope to tour a stately home now owned by the National Trust by one o\u2019clock, but there are five locks and two swing bridges before then. You decide to walk ahead on the towpath to stretch your legs and because two of the locks are in quick succession. Walking on the towpath you discover a boat that sells ice cream moored just before one of the busier and more picturesque locks. Luckily you have plenty of time to eat your ice cream because you walked so much faster than the boat can drive.<\/p>\n

    Today is the pleasantest day so far on the canal. If you\u2019re a beginner, maybe it\u2019s the third day of your midweek break. Everyone\u2019s really starting to relax. Everyone\u2019s taken a turn at the tiller and all of you have some idea how to steer. Turning a lock is getting easier, although you dropped a windlass key somewhere and can\u2019t find it. Because it\u2019s fall, you\u2019ve eaten your fill of the blackberries along the towpath. The leaves are just starting to turn but it\u2019s still warm during the day. You had rain the first day but now the sun is shining on this green and pleasant land.<\/p>\n

    Tomorrow is the day when you really have to put on the miles to make your return to the boat hire, and you realize a mid-week break is far too short. Already you\u2019re planning another canal trip, maybe even a ring route the next time.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    <\/a>What\u2019s provided, what\u2019s not<\/h2>\n

    Narrowboat hire companies supply an impressive amount of what you\u2019ll need. Almost all boats will come with a full kitchen, including refrigerator, cook top (and probably an oven\/grill) and sink. There\u2019s often a microwave oven and a full range of pots and pans, dishes, cups and silverware, plus the necessary washing up liquid, sponges and drying\/tea towel. You\u2019ll even have toast racks (but no toaster) and eggcups, something most Americans will find amusing. We used the eggcups as shot glasses.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Things almost every boat will have<\/h2>\n

    Diesel engine<\/p>\n

    DC-to-AC inverter<\/p>\n

    Windlasses<\/p>\n

    Mooring spikes and mallet<\/p>\n

    Mooring clamps<\/p>\n

    Pole and boat hook<\/p>\n

    Boarding ramp<\/p>\n

    Life ring (life preserver)<\/p>\n

    Water tank (at least a hundred gallons)<\/p>\n

    Hot water tank or calorifier, uses waste heat from the engine<\/p>\n

    Liquid propane gas tanks<\/p>\n

    Gas furnace, probably a boiler that heats water that is then piped to registers throughout the boat, may be tied into the hot water system<\/p>\n

    Fire extinguisher, fire blanket<\/p>\n

    Appliances, conveniences<\/h3>\n

    TV, CD player, radio and probably a (Region 2) DVD player<\/p>\n

    Refrigerator<\/p>\n

    Kitchen sink<\/p>\n

    Cooker with oven and grill<\/p>\n

    Bathroom(s) with toilet, sink, shower and\/or tub (with switch operated pump)<\/p>\n

    Kitchen<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Plates (several sizes), bowls, coffee\/tea cups, water glasses, wine glasses<\/p>\n

    Forks, knives, spoons<\/p>\n

    Fry pan<\/p>\n

    Fish slice (we\u2019d call it a spatula or turner)<\/p>\n

    Several sauce pans<\/p>\n

    Colander<\/p>\n

    Bread box<\/p>\n

    Serving and cooking forks, spoons<\/p>\n

    Whisk<\/p>\n

    Carving knife, cutting board<\/p>\n

    Kettle<\/p>\n

    Tea pot<\/p>\n

    Tin and bottle opener, corkscrew<\/p>\n

    Tea towel, dish towel, sponge, scouring pad, washing up liquid<\/p>\n

    Paper towels<\/p>\n

    Sufficient cups, plates, cutlery, etc., are provided for the maximum number of passengers the boat can accommodate. You\u2019ll also probably have a potato peeler, masher, oven gloves, egg cups, casserole dish, toast rack, butter dishes, sugar bowl, etc.<\/p>\n

    Waste bin (small)<\/p>\n

    Bucket, broom, mop, dust pan<\/p>\n

    Bed and bath<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    You\u2019ll have towels and bedding for how many people you told the boat hire will be aboard<\/p>\n

    12V hair dryer<\/p>\n

    Precious little toilet paper<\/p>\n

    Small waste bin<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    What may be provided (especially if you ask)<\/h2>\n

    Buoyancy aid (life vest)<\/p>\n

    First-aid kit<\/p>\n

    Waterproofs (rain gear)<\/p>\n

    Umbrella<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s probably not provided<\/h2>\n

    Facial tissues<\/p>\n

    Facecloths<\/p>\n

    Hand soap<\/p>\n

    What you might want to bring<\/h2>\n

    Coat hangers<\/p>\n

    Boat shoes (Crocs slip when wet)<\/p>\n

    Toilet paper<\/p>\n

    Facecloths<\/p>\n

    2-way radio<\/p>\n

    Ear plugs<\/p>\n

    Extension cord (to charge multiple devices)<\/p>\n

    UK-to-US plug adapter<\/p>\n

    Paper towels<\/p>\n

    Facial tissues<\/p>\n

    Hand soap<\/p>\n

    Plastic storage bags<\/p>\n

    Garbage bags<\/p>\n

    Cooking oil (for the fry pan)<\/p>\n

    Butter<\/p>\n

    Sugar<\/p>\n

    Coffee<\/p>\n

    Tea<\/p>\n

    Soft drinks<\/p>\n

    Spirits<\/p>\n

    Spices<\/p>\n

    Breakfast food: cereal, rolls, scones<\/p>\n

    Fruit: bananas, apples, grapes<\/p>\n

    Jams, honey<\/p>\n

    Condiments<\/p>\n

    Cheese<\/p>\n

    Crackers<\/p>\n

    Cold remedies<\/p>\n

    First-aid kit<\/p>\n

    Clothesline<\/p>\n

    Storage hooks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n

    <\/a>Groceries<\/h3>\n

    You could bake a casserole, grill a steak or make a full English breakfast in a narrowboat galley. It might be difficult to bake a cake with only a whisk for mixing, but it can be done.<\/p>\n

    I suspect, however, that most people only get enough groceries for breakfast and lunch, because you\u2019ll want to eat at pubs along the way. On our trips, however, there were one or two nights when we were moored miles from the nearest hot meal.<\/p>\n

    \"cautionIt might seem anal, but create a shopping list of what you\u2019ll need before you pick up the boat. Agree on common items like sugar, bread, milk and butter (and agree on what you mean by those generic terms) and then agree on individual items so that you don\u2019t end up with a mysterious can of ox-tail soup no one can remember buying.<\/p>\n

    Fortunately there\u2019s almost always a grocery store either close to your boat hire or at a wharf along the canal. Long time boaters understandably might grumble at Tesco or Sainsbury\u2019s replacing an historic building, but you\u2019ll be glad of the convenience. Use Google maps or similar service to find the grocery stores along the canal.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Bed and bath<\/h3>\n

    There may be a first-aid kit on board but don\u2019t count on it. You may want to stock up on cold remedies.<\/p>\n

    \"tipI recommend bringing your favorite cold medicines from home. Trying to divine the UK equivalent of Nyquil can be maddening.<\/p>\n

    Duvets and bottom sheets are provided for all the beds along with towels for all the listed passengers, but you probably won\u2019t have washcloths\/facecloths. They\u2019re considered too personal an item and most UK travelers bring their own.<\/p>\n

    \"Line<\/a>A narrowboat bathroom is understandably tiny and the toilet is usually perched uncomfortably high because of the sewage tank underneath. The flush lever is located at the base of the toilet. You pull up to let water into the bowl and push down to flush. There\u2019s usually a tiny sink and a tiny shower (one boat we booked had a tiny tub). There\u2019s a separate pump switch that drains the shower or tub. Gray water is dumped into the canal.<\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t expect the soaps and little bottles of shampoo and hand lotion that a hotel would provide. You can\u2019t use the hair dryer you brought, but instead have to be content with the provided anemic 12V device.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>\"noteIf you\u2019ve not traveled outside the US, you may be unfamiliar with duvets, which replace the top or flat sheet most Americans use. The duvet has a removable cover that is washable. The duvet is not tucked under the bed. It\u2019s essentially a comforter. They are evil.<\/p>\n

    You\u2019ll probably have to get toilet paper at the first opportunity and paper towels to supplement the one provided hand towel.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    <\/a>Hacks and bodges<\/h2>\n

    There are usually laundries convenient to the towpath (again, search online), but you still probably will have to wash clothes out in the sink (use the larger kitchen sink). Unless your boat has an airing cupboard (a small closet above the hot water tank or heating boiler), there\u2019s probably no place to hang wet clothes. I\u2019ve finagled a clothesline with two suction cups to string across the shower or tub.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s never enough storage space on a narrowboat, especially on a hire boat. Closets are small and few with never enough hangers. There are usually drawers underneath the bed or the dinette, but they\u2019re probably quite short because they pull out into the narrow hallway. You\u2019ll often find that if you lift up a mattress or cushion, however, that there\u2019s a plywood board underneath that can be lifted up for additional storage space. Be careful how you use this space, however, because you\u2019ll see the boat\u2019s wiring and plumbing and you don\u2019t want to damage what\u2019s there. There may be some water down there as well. Don\u2019t put anything there you\u2019ll forget. We\u2019ve used it to store our empty luggage because we\u2019re unlikely to forget that when we leave the boat.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Shelf space is also at a premium. It\u2019s unlikely you\u2019ll stop at a DIY center to buy shelves, but you could probably find something like the adhesive hooks that can be removed without damaging paint or paneling. Even a small bag hung from a hook to give you a place to keep your glasses or cellphone would be a great convenience. I had everyone tearing up the boat for my camera because I didn\u2019t have a good place to store it.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s never enough space in the tiny bathroom to hang up towels, but you\u2019ll notice there\u2019s usually a bar underneath each window to hold back the curtains (because the walls lean in), which is a perfect place to hang towels because there\u2019s usually a heat register there.<\/p>\n

    \"cautionIf you fall into the canal, it\u2019s possible you might ingest enough water to be infected with leptospirosis bacteria (introduced into the water by rat urine) and develop Weil\u2019s disease. It\u2019s even possible to be infected by a cut, so it\u2019s a good idea to wash your hands after handling a line and to take a shower if you fall into the canal. If you develop flu-like symptoms, seek medical help and mention that you were recently on a canal.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    <\/a>Dangers of the towpath<\/h2>\n

    OK, really there are no dangers on the towpath apart from the occasional wobbly cyclist. If you are a cyclist, slow down when approaching people on the towpath and get off your bike if necessary. Boaters should not stretch lines across the towpath and pay attention when getting off the boat so you don\u2019t step in front of a bike.<\/p>\n

    \"Humorous<\/a>There are no dangerous animals in the UK apart from the venomous adder (apparently a shy, timid snake), a bull in a field and loose dogs. Dogs are everywhere in the UK and so welcome in most places that it\u2019s a surprise to see a \u201cNo Dogs\u201d sign. As a consequence, you\u2019ll also see lots of \u201cNo Dog Fouling\u201d signs that seem to be widely ignored, leading to the most common danger on the towpath, stepping into a pile of dog poop.<\/p>\n

    \"Old<\/a>The only real danger you\u2019ll regularly encounter is brushing up against stinging nettles. I\u2019ve done so frequently, but luckily I don\u2019t have much more reaction than a little redness and a little itchiness. The only proven remedies are antihistamines, either in a cream or as a pill or tablet (remember those cold remedies I suggested you bring?). Wash with soap and cold water (not urine!) to rinse off venom.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Services<\/h2>\n

    You\u2019ll learn to keep an eye out for services as you travel, just as you would along a motorway, because it\u2019s even harder to turn a narrowboat around than your car. If you look carefully at a Pearson\u2019s Canal Companion<\/span>, a Nicholson\u2019s Guide<\/span> or a canal guide you download from the CRT or other waterways-related website, you can get a pretty good idea of what\u2019s along your canal.<\/p>\n

    The most important services are restrooms, water points, showers, groceries, laundries, electricity and waste disposal.<\/p>\n

    \"notePay toilets are very common in the UK. They\u2019re extremely clean and are serviced regularly. You can probably find one near a market square. It costs about 20-40p.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Restrooms<\/h3>\n

    If you\u2019re lucky, there may be CRT restrooms and showers along your canal. You\u2019ll need a CRT key to access these. It\u2019s probably one of the keys hanging from the cork floater you were handed at the boat hire. (The other two keys are probably for the boat\u2019s ignition switch and the padlock on the rear hatch.)<\/p>\n

    These keys can be bought from the CRT store <\/span><\/a>for \u00a37 and I think they make a great Christmas gift. It can be a pain to share the key that\u2019s attached to the cork floater. A spare key can be a great convenience.<\/p>\n

    You might also find showers and even laundries at some CRT services. The showers are usually on a timer, providing water for a set time, and are free.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Water, electricity, waste<\/h3>\n

    \"Line<\/a>The key is also used to access the water points to fill the tank on your boat. You\u2019ll find posts like this along the canal, often near a lock or intersection. Never waste an opportunity to top up.<\/p>\n

    After unlocking the water point, you can drop down a hatch that will expose knobs or a lever to control the spouts on either side of the post. You\u2019ll connect to the outlets with the hose that you\u2019ll probably find in the gas locker in the front of the boat.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s unlikely you\u2019ll be given a cable to connect the boat to an electric outlet on the towpath, but if you are, you can buy pre-paid cards from the CRT store in various denominations. Your boat manual will show you how to switch to mains power.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s also unlikely that your boat hire will show you how to pump out waste, but you can ask. The canal trust also sells pump out cards, but it\u2019s really best if you stop at a marina and pay someone to do it for you. If your boat hire has multiple locations, they will probably pump you out for free at those locations. The pump out port on your boat is probably on the same side as the toilet.<\/p>\n

    \"noteMost narrowboats (and certainly most hired boats) have separate batteries to start the engine and to power the lights and kitchen appliances, so leaving the lights on and your device chargers plugged in all night won\u2019t prevent the engine from starting the next day. That said, draining the secondary batteries completely isn\u2019t a good idea and I\u2019m sure is frowned on by your boat hire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Last night you moored just when dusk was falling. You ate dinner at a pub, a 17th-century building you learned<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-529","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-narrowboating-for-beginners"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P74kO9-8x","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=529"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2133,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/529\/revisions\/2133"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/narrowboatingforbeginners.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}