How to Detox your Narrow Boat

January is the time of year that many of us decide to do a detox after the Christmas period when we have overindulged. But why stop there, why not consider detoxing your narrowboat at the same time.

Now is a great time to get your boat ship shape for the year ahead, ready for all that lovely cruising you are planning on doing.

Minimalize

Less really is more when you are on a canal boat. Space is at a premium when you are on board, so how much stuff you lug around with you should be kept to a minimum to make the most of the space you have available. Keep on board only the things you really need, go through the boat and ask yourself “do I use this” and “is it really necessary” if the answer is No then let it go.

A few knickknacks are nice, but by de-cluttering all the unnecessary items you have, you will gain so much more space and appreciate the simpler things in life like the view from your stern and windows!

Address Your Storage

Storage is always a top topic discussed in the boating world! To kick start this detox we need to have a clear out. Be ruthless, it’s amazing how many things we hang on to that we never really use. Once you have rid your cupboards and shelves of unused, out of date and pointless items you can either enjoy the additional uncluttered space or refill these areas with your new Christmas gifts.

Look at the ways you can improve the storage on board there are some great ideas for making more room from; roof boxes, under bed draws to clever shelving in your kitchen cupboards.

Do A Deep Clean

Don’t wait until the Spring, get a head start and give your narrowboat a good going over. Carrying out a deep clean means cleaning out unexpected places as well as the obvious making sure that all areas are totally spotless and sanitized when the job is done.

So be prepared, this may take a few days to do especially if you do a good job! Whilst cleaning through your boat you may uncover repairs and improvements you need to make, we will look at these next.

Repairs

Make a list of all the things you know need your attention but you failed to address last year. Then sort the list by jobs you can do yourself and ones that will need a professional to handle. For all the projects that need assistance obtain at least 3 quotes for carrying out the work, talk to other boaters for recommendations if you are unsure of who to contact. Once you have decided on who you want to offer the job to, get the work booked in straight away, so you can tick the job off your “to do list”.

For all the other repairs you intend to do yourself make a realistic schedule to organise getting the work done. If you work full time then it might be advisable to plan doing the work over the weekends when you have daylight and a full day ahead of you. However if the jobs are inside the boat then you could do some of these tasks after work, but be realistic after a long day at work will you really want to start working on the boat? Planning these jobs properly is key to making sure the job is done in a timely manner.

You may also need to set aside a budget for each repair and for the more expense repairs you may need to dip into your savings or apply for a boat loan. Free helpful information about boat loan comparisons can be found here.

Make Some Improvements.

Once all the repairs are taken care of and assuming you still have some pennies leftover, think about any improvements you would like to make to your boat. A bit like when you addressed the repairs that needed doing, make a list and obtain some quotes for the work you cannot deal with yourself.

Some boat improvements like blacking the hull or getting your engine serviced should take priority over re-decorating or buying some new accessories.Cosmetic improvements should be done, but be sensible and sort out the bigger more important jobs that keep your boat safe and maintain it's value first.

Paperwork

Make sure all paper work relating to your boat is up to date. File all the papers in one place making finding your documents quick and easy. If your insurance is due to run out this year take advantage of using this time to shop around to see what deals are on offer.

Make a Complete Change

And for all of you that feel a new year deserves a new boat, then take a look at all the wonderful boats we have at our marina! Not only can we sell you a new narrow boat, but we can also take the hassle out of selling your current boat.

And if you decide to use our part exchange offer, you could be cruising away in a new narrowboat in no time at all.     

For more help and guidance please refer to our other blogs, or give us a call we are here to help!

Happy New Year from The Venetian Team.