See the Video

Here is Tin Can coming into berth after a re-paint. More videos to come soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4T1UVcPu78&feature=feedu

It's a dream!

Having lived on a narrowboat for a couple of years it always puts a smile on my face when people tell me it's their dream to do the same. I instantly image how I would design their boat, full of creature comforts, no bathroom where your elbows hit the wall, pumps that run silently, inverters that don't trip when you try to run a washing machine, microwave and hairdryer at the same time and space to put the kid's hamsters where the cat can't lick his lips at them! I learned a lot about designing boats from living on them and each desirable design feature is encorporated into our hire boats. We avoid setting them up to squeeze as many people on as possible but create them like mini holiday cottages. The cosiness of a boat never fails to win me over. Whether it be the warm wood, plump bed or telly right next to the radiator.
The ideas charging round my head at the moment for the new boat won't let me sleep. I know that I have to plan it correctly right from the beginning. At least with this boat we have put the windows and side hatch where we want them. With Tin Can, the windows and hatches were already created so we had to design the boat around them. Doesn't sound like much of a problem until you realise the shower will be built over a window (great if your 20 - but i'm a bit past that!)
So planning it is at the moment. With Tin Can we put masking tape on the floor to indicate where bulkheads and appliances would go - but the dog was a puppy then and she chewed them up so who knows what Tin Can was originally supposed to be designed like inside.
My mind is going towards a Scandinavian look for the new boat. Clean lines, bright white interior, spacious and simple. What do you think?

Bits and Bobs

Have been organising the last few items for the new boat this week, namely fitting the engine, prop shaft and creating dimensions for the stainless steel water tank. We are again fitting a Shires 2.2 engine into this boat as we have had no reliability issues with the one currently in Tin Can and they are powerful enough to do river cruising should any of our customers wish to travel that far.
Can't get my hat on with the price of stainless steel though. Just this alone - excluding the cost to fabricate the tank - is over half a grand! Time for a bit of haggling I reckon.
Finally found a transporter to bring her down to the Midlands as this time we have decided not to cruise down and build on the water as we did with Tin Can but to build her on dry land. Just finalising the crane at this end to lift her off the transporter. If its ok with the transport people I will publish their contact info on here at a later date as these kinds of services can be difficult and expensive to come by.

Tin Can Narrowboat Hire's photostream

Tin Can Narrowboat Hire's photostream on Flickr.

Enjoy these photographs of Tin Can out and about on the Trent and Mersey canal. Available for hire 365 days of the year!

First Post Ever!

Hope you enjoy looking at some of the pictures of our current holiday hire boat operating from nearby the cathedral city of Lichfield in the Midlands. We are soon expecting our new hire boat to be delivered from Liverpool ready for fit out so it can join Tin Can at the beginning of the new season, April 2012. Over the course of its build we'll be sharing our progress and eventually asking all our Facebook fans and past customers to name the new boat, with the chosen name winning its author a weekend break on board. If you are tempted to begin a narrowboat build project, whether from sailaway or just a little cosmetic titivation, feel free to ask questions and post feedback.