Community Forums

frankdamp · 06-12-2011, 10:39 PM

Some British friends recently got a very nice RV, but it's a bit different than we're used to here.

It's 65 feet long and 6 feet wide, weighs around 25 tons, is powered by a 30 hp diesel engine which gives it a top speed of about 6 mph. The driver's station is outside right at the back!

They bought a converted canal barge. Apparently, the conversion companies are well acquanted with the features our RV's have, and have incorporated many of them. In the UK, you don't really need air conditioning.

We're giving some thought to having a month over there and renting one. At 5 knots or so, you'r not going to go very far, but it's mainly rural England with canalside pubs, little country villages, farms, etc. Where the canal is wide enough you can moor to the bank and go for a pint, go to the village shops or get fresh farm produce. There are marinas (called "boat basins") where you can stay.

There are quite a number of rental agencies and most of them will let you go one way and leave the boat at another site.

There's one canal feature I'd love to visit. On the Llangollen canal, in the border country between England and Wales, there's an aqueduct that carries the canal over a river gorge.

The aqueduct waas built in the early 1800's and is all masonry except for the channel containing the water, which is cast iron. At the deepest part of the gorge, it's 420 feet from the canal to the river.

In the heyday of the canals, the barges were dragged by horses and there's a towpath for the horses to plod along. The Llangollen aqueduct is single width, with the towpath being a cast-in extension to one side of the channel containing the water. There's just the vertical side of the channel on the other side. With the typical deck overhang, you can't see the channel edge, so from the deck of the barge, there's nothing between you and the gorge.

Don't know if any brave parachutist has ever base-jumped, but it would be something to say you'd done a jump off a canal barge!

If you're interested do a Bing or Google search on "UK canal barge rentals".

historyljc · 06-12-2011, 10:53 PM

Sounds like it would make a wonderful vacation to me.

Larry & Rita · 06-12-2011, 10:55 PM

That would be an amazing adventure, I think!
Rita is not so keen.
If you and Eileen go PLEASE take all kinds of pictures.

Larry and Rita

cliff841 · 06-13-2011, 10:06 PM

Some of those canal boats are just beautiful as well. If you go we will need pictures.

frankdamp · 06-13-2011, 10:20 PM

Unfortunately, when we visit the UK, it's to do the round of family and friends. The chances of going there for a regular vacation are slim. I'd never get DW on the Llangollen aqueduct, she'd take a taxi and meet the barge on the other side!

There was an interesting event during the restoration of about a 15-mile stretch of the Preston to Lancaster canal in our old neighborhood. It was a volunteer effort, and over many weekends, they had pulled hundreds of bikes, washing machines, stoves, old motorcycles - you name it - out of the water.

One day they snagged a big wrought iron chain. No amount of pulling could break it loose. A volunteer who had access to some heavy lifting gear came over the next weekend. After rigging a big beam across the canal, he hooked a hydarulic lift crane to the chain and started pulling.

All at once, there was a gurgling noise and the chain came up with a big (like 3-foot diameter) concrete disc with tapered sides that looked like a big bath plug. As they were all trying to figure out what it was, all the water in a 15-mile length of canal went down the plughole and out into the surrounding fields.

Larry & Rita · 06-14-2011, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

Unfortunately, when we visit the UK, it's to do the round of family and friends. The chances of going there for a regular vacation are slim. I'd never get DW on the Llangollen aqueduct, she'd take a taxi and meet the barge on the other side!

There was an interesting event during the restoration of about a 15-mile stretch of the Preston to Lancaster canal in our old neighborhood. It was a volunteer effort, and over many weekends, they had pulled hundreds of bikes, washing machines, stoves, old motorcycles - you name it - out of the water.

One day they snagged a big wrought iron chain. No amount of pulling could break it loose. A volunteer who had access to some heavy lifting gear came over the next weekend. After rigging a big beam across the canal, he hooked a hydarulic lift crane to the chain and started pulling.

All at once, there was a gurgling noise and the chain came up with a big (like 3-foot diameter) concrete disc with tapered sides that looked like a big bath plug. As they were all trying to figure out what it was, all the water in a 15-mile length of canal went down the plughole and out into the surrounding fields.

Frank
I will never question you again about what ever you say, BUT I am wondering
about this one.

Larry

ahicks · 06-14-2011, 07:25 AM

My first thought is maybe associated to how close I live to a public boat launch and how entertaining that can be. As I'm not at all familiar with a barge like this, I can't help but wonder how easy they might be to maneuver in a congested area? The largest class A might seem easy compared to something like this? Rules of the road/best practices would likely also have to be considered? Or do the rental agencies provide a "Captain" of sorts to handle this for you?

JOMARFL (FMCA 401058) · 06-14-2011, 07:54 AM

Frank that was a good story

Enjoyed it and had me eagerly reading and waiting for the big punch!

Dadeaux · 06-14-2011, 08:50 AM

My daughter and her family rented a barge/RV a couple of years ago and spent about two weeks on the England waterway, they had a grand time.

doc · 06-14-2011, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry & Rita

Frank
I will never question you again about what ever you say, BUT I am wondering
about this one.

Larry

Love it!! LMAO!!

Stogie · 06-14-2011, 10:59 AM

Frank you went from yanking a chain to pulling our legs pretty quick there.

WheelingIt · 06-14-2011, 03:11 PM

Had some good friends that did the barge thing fulltime in the UK for 3 years. My brother also rented one some years back w a bunch of friends. Excellent way to spend time seeing the country.

4Knights · 06-14-2011, 04:41 PM

Navigating a canal in a 65 foot barge that most likely takes twice it's length to turn much less stop sounds like fun to me! But we have a 24 pontoon boat so kind of used to it slow and go. Wonder how much the insurance rates are? Probably higher than renting a car in Italy.