Description

Jabulani – 58′ Semi Trad 2007 Midland Canal Centre

Jabulani is a lovely semi-traditional narrowboat, built and fitted out by the Midland Canal Centre in 2007 – they built good boats. At just under 58’ she is a go-anywhere size, suitable for around 99% of the connected canal and river network.
She is in nice condition and has been well looked after by the current owners who continuously cruised during spring and summer each year (COVID permitting). They re-blacked and stored the boat on our hard-standing the rest of the time.
Jabulani was re-blacked last year and the foredeck, cratch front and after-deck were repainted in the autumn by the owners. The upper hull sides and roof were repainted by the previous owner in 2018.
The gas locker contains two 14kg cylinders with changeover valve and a manual pump out kit – not used by the current owners and nice and clean.
The well deck is 4’ long with lockers each side and a large Danforth anchor with chain and rope in excellent condition. The table folds down, giving forward visibility; it’s a nice social place to relax with drinks or a meal. The cratch has side windows for light and views and there’s a large integral water tank under.
Stepping down into the saloon, the boat is lined with light oak faced ply and light oak trim. There’s has light and airy feel with good headroom, glazed front doors and lots of large windows.
Unusually the bus style windows have a sliding lower half as well as opening top hoppers. Together with a side- and roof- hatch by the kitchen, these give excellent ventilation very good for the heatwaves last year.
The light blue roof paint also helps keep the boat cool and is non-slip, an essential safety feature if you need to get on the roof in a lock.
There is storage in the step, and the step and attached panel pull out to access the water pump and more storage. It’s a good place to keep beer and wine cool.
To keep you cosy in cooler weather the boat is insulated with spray foam, there’s a very effective Aarow solid fuel stove and central heating.
Opposite the stove is a triangular cupboard with a 12v TV/DVD player, and a radio CD player with two built in speakers. There is a satellite dish for the TV but the current owners never connected it and don’t know if it works. They only used the TV for DVDs. They did buy a brand new set top box, still in the box.
The L shaped couch has a demountable table seating four, and storage lockers underneath. It can be used as a single bed or quickly converted to a double bed.
The raised Pullman dinette comfortably seats 4 with good views out, and deep storage lockers underneath. In here you’ll find two folding bicycles, buoyancy aids etc. The previous owners left almost all the equipment, and this boat has masses of storage for it, as you’ll see.
The ceiling lights in the boat are ‘Warm white’ LEDs.
The good sized galley has plenty of laminated work-top and a stainless steel sink with drainer, well-lit and ventilated by two large windows and the side-hatch. The side hatch has a roof hatch for more light and fresh air, and a glazed infill window if you just want light. The floor here and in the bathroom and shower areas is easy-to-keep-clean wood-look laminate. 240v mains sockets are here and under the dinette table and next to the TV.
The Spinflo Caprice has a 4-burner gas hob, oven and grill with storage under. The 12v Shoreline fridge has a small freezer compartment. There are four cupboards, three drawers and a wine-rack in the kitchen, and as you can see, she’s well equipped. Top drawer has cutlery, bottom drawer has pans, both with a child lock on the left, to stop drawers opening when the boat heels. Crockery is in cupboard next to cooker and wok etc in easily overlooked locker under oven (push front to open).
In the corridor is full-height shelving, and a full-height wardrobe converted to yet more shelves. It would be easy to convert back if you wished.
The off-corridor bathroom has a ceramic washbasin with cupboard under, a Tecma pumpout loo and yet more shelves.
Carrying on aft, we find an unusual and very practical feature. The shower is off the corridor; the wardrobe and bedroom doors swing out to convert the corridor into a private shower room, complete with cupboard, heated towel rail and frosted glass in the porthole. This clever design keeps the loo available to the rest of the crew.
The bedroom has a 4’ wide double bed with lockers accessible from the side and another very large one under the mattress, useful for infrequently used gear like the emergency porta-potty. There’s a shelf with two reading lights above the head of the bed and here’s a nice touch – a little shelf that folds down from the wall for a nightcap and the morning cup of tea.
There’s a wardrobe at the foot of the bed, currently holding the vacuum cleaner, and a cubbyhole under the steps where the Victron Phoenix 1600 Watt inverter and the fuse board are installed.
The top of the triangular step comes off with useful space under for spares and bits and bobs. At the top of the steps are the engine instrument panel, main switchboard, shoreline switches, and the programmable timer for the Eberspacher. This diesel fuelled boiler heats the hot water tank, the 3 radiators and the towel rail. The engine also heats the hot water when running.
The back doors take us on to the semi-trad deck, with a gear locker to port that doubles as a passenger seat (there are many more brasses for the doors stored on board, taken down while re-varnishing). When up, the pram hood makes this a warm dry storage space; it takes down in minutes for cruising, or the roof can be left up as an umbrella or sunshade if bridge heights allow. If an approaching bridge looks lower than expected, the roof can be dropped in seconds.
The hinged extra-long tiller brings the helmsman out of the weather too. The last surveyor and experienced canal users all say how well she handles. Right in the stern is the integral diesel tank for engine and heating, which was left full.
Under the deck-boards is a Barras Shire 45 HP, last serviced in September and giving a good amount of power for rivers. Soundproofing is fitted under the deck boards. Like the deck, and the locker floor, the engine room floor was repainted last year. There’s a bank of 4 110 amp-hour domestic batteries, new last year and charged by a 110 Amp alternator or landline. The separate starter battery is charged by a 90 Amp alternator.
So there you have Jabulani. A lovely well-designed, well-equipped and well-cared-for boat, ready for extended cruising over the whole network. Ideal for 2, good for 4 and passible for 6 people.

The name says it all: ‘Jabulani’ is Zulu for ‘that which brings happiness’ and jubilation. To South Africans it also means ‘party time’.

Specifications

Accommodation

INTERIOR
Insulation: Spray Foam
Fit Out: Hull and cabin lined with light oak veneered ply, with light oak trim
Flooring: Plywood, covered by carpet in living areas and hard wood ( wood look laminate) in kitchen, bathroom and shower areas
Seating: Pullman style dinette seats 4-6 seats
L-shaped dinette/couch seats x4 plus space for x2 folding chairs in saloon
Cooking: Spinflo Caprice Mk 2 gas cooker with x4 hobs, separate grill and oven
Fridge/Freezer: Shoreline 12v fridge with small freezer compartment
Washing Machine: No
Galley Worktops: Blue laminate worktops
Toilet: Off corridor Tecma pump out with electric flush & 200 Litres holding tank. Tank full warning light
Shower: Square tray with blue laminate sides and glass door opening into – walk-through changing area with heated towel rail

Construction

GENERAL
Year: 2007
Style: Semi-Trad
Hull Builder: Midland Canal Centre
Fit Out: Midland Canal Centre
Length: 58ft
Draught: 23-27”
Berths: 6 Berth 2+2+2
Original Steel Thicknesses: 10.6.5.4
R.C.D: Yes
Boat Safety: 25.04.2026

Equipment

EXTERNAL
Paintwork: Dark Blue Gloss with Cream Lines on the Cabin, Light Blue Non-Slip on Roof
Side Doors: x1 Pair Port Side
Lockers: x1 Bow, x2 Cratch, x1 Semi-trad; Many Lockers and Cupboards, in Cabin
Windows: x6 Bus Style Brass Anodised & 4 Porthole Brass AnodisedGold style windows

Engine(s)

ENGINE & MAINTENANCE
Engine: Barrus Shire (Yanmar) 45hp
Engine Hrs: 2320
Engine Servicing: September 2022
Gearbox: PRM 150 Hydraulic
Fuel Tank: Integral @ 40-45 gallons
Last Blacked: April 2022 ( x2 coasts ), October 2022 x1 Coat
Bowthruster: No

Electrics

HEATING & WATER
Water Tank: Steel - @ 600Litres
Stove: Becton Aarrow
Central Heating: Diesel fired Eberspacher – radiators in saloon , dinette and bedroom
Hot Water: Twin coil calorifier – supplied by the engine and central heating

Electronics

ELECTRICAL & GAS
Alternators: 50A Starter 110A Domestic
Batteries: x1 110Ahr 12v starter – tested April 2022, x4 110Ahr domestic – NEW April 2022
Galvanic Isolator: Yes
Inverter/Charger: Victron Phoenix 1600w Inverter/Charger
Solar:No
230v: Yes
Lighting: Internal lighting replaced with LED 2022
Gas: x2 13kg Propane bottles

Safety Equipment

Pole and boat-hook, ropes, good level of mooring equipment, fenders & windlasses, freshwater
hose, magnet, etc.
Life-ring, buoyancy aids and lifejackets. lvlanual pump-out k& doubles as eme4ency bilge pump,
clean and unused by us.
Large Danforth anchor, with chain and nylon rope in excellent condition.
2 folding bicycles in storage bags
Tiiler is extra-long and hinged.
Coal scuttle and brass fire tools.
Crockery cutlery, pots, pans etc.
Sundry beddinq, lowels, vacuum cleaner etc.
Porta Potty for backup toilet.
Sundry spares, paint etc.

Certification

Members of...

British Marine - The Boat Retails & Brokers Association
The Yacht Harbour Association - 5 Gold Anchors Accredited Marina
South Cheshire Chamber Of Commerce


And Winners of...

5 Gold Anchors - Inland Marina Of the Year - 2017, 2018 & 2019

Disclaimer

Any information relating to the history or condition of the Boat supplied by the Company is only as supplied to the Company by the Seller and the Company cannot be held responsible and shall not be liable in any way if such information proves to be inaccurate. It is the responsibility of the Buyer to ensure that all particulars given in the course of the purchase of the Boat are accurate. Such particulars are intended only as a guide and do not constitute a term of any contract.

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