Prepare your narrowboat for the cold weather

narrowboats riverboats on canal in winter

With the winter season just around the corner, you should start preparing your narrowboat for cold and sub-zero temperatures. Making all required arrangements for your narrowboat ahead of the winter season will avoid costly repair bills, unsafe trips and an uncomfortable stay.

Canal Online Magazine published a checklist with items that all narrowboat owners should bear in mind with these low temperatures in the coming months. The winter season may punish your boat with extreme temperatures.

These are some of the key points every narrowboat owner should check before the cold weather hits:

  • Water and heating | Essential for a greater comfort
  • Keep a stock of fuel
  • Diesel treatment | This includes remove excessive water levels and keep checking levels of both water and diesel amongst the other.
  • Freezing weather and ice | Winter does sometimes bring freezing weather, plummeting temperatures through to minus-zero degrees. Your narrowboat should be fully prepared for these tough weather conditions.
  • De-winterising process | Once the cold weather is over, it is important to de-winterise the boat (revert the boat to conditions settled before winter).
  • General checks | This includes generators and control cooling systems.

There are other aspects you should also consider before boarding on your narrowboat in winter:

  • Think about where to moor | Be familiar with the area you are planning to moor. It is also very important that this location has places where to buy provisions nearby.
  • Choose a comfy outlook | Being above deck can be a tough experience when strong winds and humid weather hit. Consider wearing waterproof clothes, warm shocks and gloves to protect your hands.
  • Stock up provisions | Whether there is a bad weather forecast or not, it will always be smart to have enough food, drink and clothing provisions for the unexpected events that could come about.

For more information read through the full article published by Canals Online website. It is imperative to keep everything secured and arranged before winter knocks on the door. This will potentially reduce or avoid expensive repair bills, and allow yourself to feel comfortable inside and of course, will let you enjoy the narrowboat experience during winter time.