Berths (Beds)

It is unlikely the boat you buy will have more than one fixed berth. Boats below 40 foot rarely even have one! There isn’t much really to say about berths other than if you want to entertain regularly then consider buying an ex hire boat.

Narrowboats have always been firmly rooted in tradition, the concept of having more than one bedroom has never really been thought of for the mainstream market because, like caravans, the priority is to conserve space.

If you plan to spend more than the odd weekend aboard then a fixed bed is a necessity rather than a luxury. Having to make up your bed when you are cold and wet after trudging up a winter towpath is less than desirable. Anticipating guests, however, is not something that boatbuilders are all too concerned about.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel if you are considering buying a boat larger than 50-55 foot. A common sleeping configuration for the larger boats is a fixed double for one couple and somewhere to sit and eat (in the form of a dinette) that drops down into a double bed for your guests. This is more likely to feature in newer boats and a lot of older boats are what are known as ‘owner fitout’ and the interior may have been taylored to the original owner.

Ex hire boats, as previously mentionned, are a good place to start looking if you are looking for a boat which is made for holidays. Depending on the size you buy, they generally have a number of fixed doubles, bunks and configurable living room furnature. Their original purpose was to cater for larger numbers of people for up to three weeks at a time so if you are planning on using it for a similar purpose then an ex hire boat might be the choice for you.

If you are planning on living aboard then an ex hire boat might not be the best option for you unless you don’t mind a bit of woodword. Boats that were originally designed for sleeping larger numbers of people are unlikely to have the long term potential for two people to use. One or more bedrooms and toilets may need to be removed and things like storage space and dining areas may need to be constructed. Additionally when buying an ex hire boat you will undoubtedly have to spend between 2 and 5 thousand pounds getting it repainted because not only do you want to spend your summers in a boat that looks like it came from a hire fleet but it is usually a requirement of purchase.