Product Description

There are more than 4000 miles of navigable waterways in Great Britain, with more in Ireland and Europe. Peaceful canals, bustling rivers, glorious lakes - there is something for everyone. This book will tell the reader all they need to know about how to get afloat - which boat to choose, whether to hire or buy, how much it will cost, and where they can go. Boat handling and manoeuvring are covered in detail, along with maintenance and repair. And there is a section on trailer boating for those who want to keep their boat at home, advice on living aboard for long periods, night-time navigation and training. This is the only book novices will need to take their first steps afloat, and it is the one they will keep by them throughout their boating years. 'This is the book to read from cover to cover' Cruising 'The perfect introductory guide to those new to the waterways' Maritime Journal

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #158791 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
"...your perfect introduction to cruising." Boat Mart Magazine (2006) 'It... really makes a good reference book for anybody to have on board their boat.' Boat Mart (April 2007) 'The book boasts that it is 'The complete guide to boating on rivers, lakes and canals'. And it makes good that boast. So if you are thinking of barging or boating on the UK's waterways, I don't believe you'll find a better guide.' Sailing Magazine (March 2007)

About the Author
Emrhys Barrell has spent a lifetime afloat, for pleasure and for work. He has managed boatyards, designed boats, and edited boating magazines. But his greatest passion is for the inland waterways of Great Britain and Europe.

Customer Reviews

Not bad, could be better
My initial reaction after a quick flick through the pages was disappointment at the photos being black and white. In this day and age there's no excuse for dull b&w photos.
Having now read the book, I think I got my money's worth. I'm thinking of buying a narrowboat and this book was a good starting point, and I'm sure I'll return to it to refresh my memory if I take things further.
Being interested in narrowboats only, I did tire of the references to the smaller types of craft. Maybe there's scope to split this book into two, one for each type of boat.
An annoying feature of this book is that it often introduces new boating terminology without explanation. There's no glossary to help out either. This is silly considering the book is clearly aimed at complete novices. I would recommend that the author/publisher give the book to a non-boating person to proof-read it and point out the undefined terminology. Such proofreading may also catch references such as "due to be reopened in 1992" when this edition is dated 2001.

As a potential buyer of a narrowboat the advice in this book is useful to me. I now have a much better idea for what to look out for. More information about each of the various waterways would have been appreciated, instead of the paragraph or two alloted to each.

Good but could never be a "Complete Guide"
Boating, even only inland, is such a vast subject that any book entitled The Complete Guide to Boating on Rivers, Lakes and Canals can only be an exaggeration as there is bound to be something it doesn't cover. That said this is a useful guide and i have certainly learnt a useful thing or two from it, despite having hired holiday (cruisers) boats on the Broads and rivers for several years prior to now owning a small cruiser.
The book i am reviewing here is the 2006 edition and all the photos are in colour. However, the book was first published in 1993 and whilst there have been three updated editions since, things have moved on a bit in the boating world and it does seem that the text reads a bit dated if not out of date in places on some specifics. But this is only a minor point as all the basics and essentials are here (if not always clearly explained), whether you're considering buying a narrowboat or cruiser. In addition to the author's sound advice i would recommend the following to those considering buying a boat for the first time:
Hire a holiday boat first to see if boating really is for you before buying your own - whether cruiser or narrow boat.
Do your research, look over as many boats as you can before you buy - visit marinas, boat yards etc., boat owners are generally a good bunch and happy to share their experience, ask questions!
Don't worry about narrow beam or wide beam hulls if you're going to use the boat solely on a river - check the lowest headroom (lowest road or foot bridge, pipe, obstacle) on the river you're going to do most of your boating on and make sure your boat's will pass under it!
Locks - make sure you've got the right key from the right river authority - treat them with respect and never let a member of the general public "assist" you.
Cost - think of a price you are willing to pay for a boat and be prepared to add another thousand! Transportation costs, insurance, moorings, surveys all cost extra.
Get a professional survey before you buy.
Don't panic, chill, relax, enjoy!

5star service
well done team, book arrived prompt and represented first class value for money, many thanks.