Charles Colbourn | Site / Narrowboats

One of my key interests is in narrowboats. These are canal/river barges a maximum of 7' wide, and up to 70' long.

This is my narrowboat, 'Borderline' moored at the famous Bingley '5 rise' locks in West Yorkshire. You can see the wind turbine (a Rutland 913) generating power in the foreground. I've also got a small 20w solar panel in one of the windows. 'NB Borderline' was built in 2003 by Border Boats Ltd, sadly now defunct. She's a 52' semi trad (for the uninitiated, this means that she looks like a traditional narrowboat from the side, with doors close to the stern, but has an exposed well deck. I used to favour 'Trad' style boats (with a tiny stern deck) but the semi trad has the advantage of being more secure when cruising alone). I bought her in May 2007, following on from my previous boat ('NB Chandler Bing' - the previous owners were 'Friends' fans). 'Chandler Bing' is still up for sale if you're interested in a nice little holiday boat. Contact Harral Brokerage at Wincham Wharf, Northwich, Cheshire.

The UK has over 2000 miles of interconnected waterways, some of which can only be traversed by a boat less than 7' wide. I've covered a few hundred miles over the years, but there's still lots to do! There's a map of the network here.

FAQ

Isn't it cold in winter?

No, I've got propane fired central heating, and a cast iron multifuel stove. If anything it gets a little too warm!

Can I rent/borrow it for a holiday?

No. Sorry, but my insurance doesn't cover rentals or anything like that, and besides, I'm rather protective of her.

What do you do about, well, you know?

There's a Thetford C200 cassette toilet on board. I periodically empty the cassettes. It's really perfectly civilised.

NB Borderline iced into the Leeds Liverpool canal in Winter 2007-8.