floating, boating, narrowboats, canals, contacts, services & resources (UK)
On-line waterways databases
The official British Waterways website Waterscape.com has a very good national database that you can search by area, for example London. You will find almost anything to do with waterways, canals and floating, from fishing to punting to narrow boats, although I could find nothing about submarines.
lock13.co.uk/boats:internet boaters database
Jim Shead's Waterways Information is a truly amazing encyclopedia of the canals and rivers of England and Wales, including historical data, all in a searchable database.
Also check out the 'floating contacts' listing on this blog (right side bar) which includes other floating blogs, links to important boating organisations, useful boat, canal or waterways related websites, and any useful or interesting relevant links we come across, or get recommended.
London Listings
London Boat chandlery and shops
Uxbridge Boat Centre, Uxbridge Wharf, Waterloo Road, Uxbridge, London, UB8 2QX. Tel: 01895 252019. Closed mondays. Huge range.
Arthur Beale, 194 Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 8JP. Tel: 0207 836 9034. Long established, very central.
Boat Hire - Waterscape have a good list.
Moorings - a thorny subject. Waterscape has a long list of London moorings, there is also a mooring listing by the River Thames Guide.
Bottled Gas Delivery: Flowgas: 0207 476 9091.
Coal Boat delivery services: Coalboat (Liz): 07930347558. Coalboat (Barney): 07973915146. They deliver diesel fuel, coal of various types, and wood. List of Boats Selling Coal and Diesel on the Canal System.
Batteries delivery: Woodgrange Batteries Ltd, 67 Ranelagh Road, Tottenham, London, N17 6XZ. Tel: 020 88087707. Very nice people who deliver batteries of all types, reasonable prices.
London Dry Docks:
St Pancras Dry Dock offers a wide range of services including engine servicing, boat painting, electrics, welding. Tel: 0207 278 2858.
Bulls Bridge Wet & Dry Docks have a historic dry dock for hull painting and wet dock for covered painting and other work including building boats, steel work and fabrication, welding, boat painting, plumbing installation & electrical work. Some DIY possible. 0208 569 2995 or 07815 931697. Email bullsbridgedocks AT aol.com.
Uxbridge Boat Center Dry Dock: dry dock plus crane into covered painting area. DIY painting or they also offer painting service, welding etc. Tel: 01895 252019. Nice article. Hadar Blog photographs.
Boat Engineers:
MotorHen - mobile (with vehicle) diesel mechanic, more than 15 years narrowboat experience, based in central London, reasonable charges: 07973416622.
J.P. Marine - mobile (on narrowboat) Marine Surveyors & Engineers. Servicing, Refits, Repairs. Engines, Heating, Gas, Electrical, Toilets, Water Systems, Designed, Supplied, Installed. Also surveys, B.S.S examinations, Breakdown service. All on a boat. Tel: 01895 235757. Mobile: 07552 127409.
Narrowboat sign painting
Julian: 07957705526.
• This blog is based on a narrowboat floating somewhere in London UK, but is always happy to publish or link to useful listings and information about floating in any city or town or urban sprawl in the universe. Tel or text: 07869125620. email details here
