Re:Canal Boats
It's important to know what canals you are interested in cruising. My
wife and I spent a lovely two weeks cruising the Trent & Mersey and
Shropshire Union Canal in England about 4 years ago. The maximum beam to
enter the locks and tunnels was 7 ft. as is the case in many English
canals. On the other hand, European canals are much wider and will
accommodate most any Bolger boat. For the English canals, Tennessee or
Idaho would fit. Tennessee has external chines which might offer some
protection for the inevitable scrapes against the sides of lock,
tunnels, and bridges. On the other hand, some of the lock walls are
rough and the external chines might occasionally hang up. For European
or U.S./Canadian canals, Dakota, Topaz, or Wyoming would not be too
large. People cruise U.S./Canadian canals in conventional cruisers all
the time. Bolger also has an inboard/outdrive version of Topaz called
Explorer which is quite interesting.
Vince Chew
wife and I spent a lovely two weeks cruising the Trent & Mersey and
Shropshire Union Canal in England about 4 years ago. The maximum beam to
enter the locks and tunnels was 7 ft. as is the case in many English
canals. On the other hand, European canals are much wider and will
accommodate most any Bolger boat. For the English canals, Tennessee or
Idaho would fit. Tennessee has external chines which might offer some
protection for the inevitable scrapes against the sides of lock,
tunnels, and bridges. On the other hand, some of the lock walls are
rough and the external chines might occasionally hang up. For European
or U.S./Canadian canals, Dakota, Topaz, or Wyoming would not be too
large. People cruise U.S./Canadian canals in conventional cruisers all
the time. Bolger also has an inboard/outdrive version of Topaz called
Explorer which is quite interesting.
Vince Chew