Knowing how to be a considerate boater and having a basic knowledge of what to do and what not to do on the canal will go a long way to making your time on the canal a happy and pl....

Why are boats named?There are many reasons why boats are named, but they are mainly named for identification and communication purposes. They are also often named for sentimental, ....

Solar Panels People regularly ask us about solar panels, and they often think that they can be quite independent with a just few panels on the roof. This, however, is not as true ....

A question that we are often asked is, “Which Inverter should I get?There are, however, a few questions to ask first.1. What do you want to be able to use while out and about....

LIFE ON CONTENTED - PART TWOOver the years we have made Contented our own home. She is no doubt completely different from when we were handed the keys. We have learnt that where th....

Weedhatch Explained.A weedhatch is a device used to gain access to the propeller and shaft, saving you from having to get in the water whilst on the inland waterways  A n....

Top Tips for getting ready for summer cruising on your canal boatAs the summer time approaches, that long narrow boat cruise will be in your thoughts. It can be a fun filled experi....

Tips on checking your boats safetysystems ready for Spring cruisingVentillationVents can get dusty orgreasy over time and get clogged up so that they work inefficiently and reducet....

Hatches, Vents and Cratch BoardsThere are various ways of getting extra light and ventilation in to your boat, below are just a few…..Houdini HatchesHoudini hatches are fitt....

Stern TypesThere are three stern options on a narrowboat, Traditional, Semi-Traditional and Cruiser Style.  Here we explain the difference between them in order to help y....

What is a Boat Licence?If you want to keep and use any type of  boat (even a Kayak or a canoe) on the Inland Waterways of the UK, including the canals and rivers, you will nee....

A winding hole is a widened area of a canal (usually in the United Kingdom), used for turning a canal boat such as a narrowboat. HistoryWinding holes ....

Basic tips for maintaining your narrowboatOwning a canal boat can be a great experience, but you'll need to know at least the basics for maintaining your boat. If you look after yo....

Considering The Options When It's Time to Replace your Engine CoversThere is a tendency over time for exposed wooden engine boards to deteriorate by getting damp and rotting. Which....

Christmas on a Narrowboat Christmas isjust around the corner! After having an eventful summer the last thing you're thinking about is Christmas. Does anyone else feel it has come a....

Is Your Canal Boat Ready for the Winter?The temperatures are starting to drop and summer cruising is well and truly over. For those of you with boats on Britain’s canals and ....

Stoppages on the UK canal and River systemEngland and Wales has over 2,000 miles of Rivers and man made canals. So it's inevitable that at times the waterways may need to have rest....

The Inland Waterways AssociationThe Inland Waterways Association is a charity that protects and restores Britain's 6,500 miles of canal and river waterways. The IWA organise l....

It's a great time to Realise Your Dream and buy that narrowboat, It's our peak time of year for boat sales and there couldn't be a better time to buy with this fabulous warm w....

Top Tips for Fitting Out A Sailaway NarrowboatYou will need a number of different skills to fit out a narrow boat shell. The key ones are carpentry, plumbing, gas fitting, electric....

New Boaters usually have many questions, but one of the most frequently asked questions is about continuous cruising. In this article we are going to try and explain just what is a....

Sinking Is Every Narrowboaters Worst Nightmare!Every boaters worst nightmare is for their boat to sink, especially if it's due to their mistake. Apparently boat sinkings are on the....

 Why Moor In A Marina?In the process of buying a narrowboat or wide beam?  You need to think about the main factor first, where are you going to keep your shiny new boat?....

Baton down the hatches bad weatheris on its way! The good old British weather is a general topic discussed most days, here in the UK. With most of us saying we would just like....

PreparationStart by preparing your narrowboat for cruising, a great place to start would be to read Venetian Marinas  blog about preparing your narrowboat for the season ahead....

ADVICE FOR ANYONE WANTING TO RENT OR HIRE OUT THEIR BOAT!THE STATIC LETTING LICENCEThe Canal & River Trust is introducing a new letting licence to ensure the safety of the....

Buying a narrow boat can be avery exciting experience, but it’s also a very big investment and not somethingthat should be rushed into. A bit of planning and research will go....

Owning a narrow boat as a rule brings mainly, enjoymentand a lot of fun. But it also can have its down side. Things can, and do sometimes do go wrong just from time to time, but ar....

Narrowboat Problem... the engine won't startOwning a narrow boat as a rule brings mainly, enjoymentand a lot of fun. But it also has its down side. Things can, and do go wrong from....

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!IT MAY BE THE SHORTEST MONTH OF THE YEAR BUT, THERE'S STILL PLENTY TO DO.....So we survived January and we are heading into the month of February, also known as ....

1Will you like it?It's a good idea for “boating newbies” to hire before they buy. This gives them a real feel of what it's like to spend time on a narrowboat. Spending ....

Winter CruisingThere aremany advantages and plenty of fun to have during the winter months on the canalnetwork, so if you fancy staying aboard this winter follow our top tips tosta....

Boo Hoo It’s That Time of Year Again!Yesunfortunately it's that time of year when some boaters are thinking aboutclosing their boats up for the winter season. Many people onl....

How often do we hearabout curb appeal and how we all need to make our land homes as appealing aspossible when we decide to sell? Well, when it comes to selling your narrowboat the ....

How to get the most out of your stay on the towpathIf you are a boat owner or someone who is either hiringor borrowing a narrow boat, you will at some point need to moor along the ....

How Deep is Your Love?February is known as the month of love and romance, so why not spread that love and give your narrow boat a bit of TLC. Lets look at how to deep clean your bo....

At Whilton Marina wefrequently get asked questions about steel narrowboat hulls. So in this articlewe will share these popular questions and give you the answers.How Do I Know What....

Narrow Boat Surveys There are threedifferent types of surveys that a narrowboat can undergo. In this article wewill look at each type of survey and why it is important and necessar....

Nappy Pinsalso known as piling hooks, iron hooks or mooring hooks. They are commonlyknown as nappy pins due to their shape.What Is It…A nappy pin is basically a mooring aid ....

A Simple Explanation To A Much Asked Question:The BoatSafety Scheme or BSS, is owned by the Canal & River Trust and theEnvironment Agency. It was set up to reduce the risk of b....

Narrow Boat SecurityIf you own anarrow boat or are in the process of buying a narrow boat, you are going toneed to know how to keep your boat secure and safe from potential burglar....

Viewing a narrowboat at Whilton marina is a simple andpleasurable experience. Our sales office and marina is modern, clean and easyto get around. Everything has been designed to ma....

If you areconsidering buying a narrow boat then now is a great time to take the plunge. But before you start looking atyour local marina consider what purpose the boat is going to ....

This articleis designed to explain the different options of sanitation available for yournarrowboat and should help you decide which system is right for you.Due to thenature of boa....

Britain Faces Artic Conditions ThisWinter Are You and Your Narrow Boat Ready?!It seems weare heading towards a cold snap.It has beenreported that we are in for a very cold period s....

It has to besaid that everyone has different views on this topic, and a lot of theadvantages and disadvantages of living on a narrowboat will differ from personto person. What one ....

Fitting Out A Narrow Boat Have you ever wondered how much it would cost to fit out a narrowboat? Well we have put a pricing example together to give you a rough guideline of w....

We are asked this question at least once a day at the marina -"How much do we need to spend to get a good quality liveaboard?"Buyers are keen to know what sort of finances they nee....

Here is your don't forget list!We love collating a list, so we decided to share the essentials that every boater should have on board. You will save yourself a lot of anguish ....

Get Narrow Boat Insurance It's ImportantYour narrow boat is a large investment and just like any other investment you should protect it with an insurance policy.  Accidents an....

Storage Solutions For Small SpacesFor anyone who owns a narrow boat or is thinking of purchasing a boat will recognise straight away the limitation of space. So clever storage idea....

Advice on Keeping Cool On A NarrowboatThere's been a distinct lack of blogs recently because we have been so very busy buying and selling narrow boats.  It's our peak time of ....