Video

Description

Boston Belle is a traditional narrowboat which has been a liveaboard for at least the last 10 years.

HULL BLACKED JUNE 2026 with Ritex — bottom and sides, multiple coats. Hull condition survey by Elliott Berry was carried out at the same time and found the hull to be in good order (see details below).

* Three solar panels 350w
* 150Ah Lithium leisure battery
* 12V, USB-C and 240V sockets throughout
* Water tank 500l
* Diesel tank 200l (lasts forever)
* Comfortable for continuous cruising

LIVING AREA & KITCHEN

The boat has an open-plan space with a kitchen and lounge/sleeping area. There is very little built-in furniture in the living area, which contributes to the light and airy open-plan feel.

* Light and spacious interior
* Four large windows plus portholes in the living area
* Headroom of 6ft 3” (I'm 6"2, personally tested for tall people)
* Side / swan hatch by the shower room/bedroom with a custom-made breakfast table
* Glass doors leading onto the foredeck
* New high-quality water-resistant vinyl flooring throughout

BEDROOM

The bedroom is at the stern and has:

* Double bed
* Storage space underneath
* Wardrobe

BATHROOM

The bathroom was fully renovated in 2026 with a new floor, fresh paintwork and tiles.

* Spacious shower
* Vanity unit with washbasin
* Simploo separator/compost toilet

ENGINE

Marinised Isuzu 3KR1

It has been very reliable for me and has never failed to start in winter. It was last serviced in July 2025 and every year before then, by Keith Duffy and Darren Crouch.

ELECTRICS & SOLAR

* Three new 350W solar panels, so a little over 1kW total
* New Victron MPPT solar controller
* 150Ah lithium leisure battery with Bluetooth app monitoring
* Separate starter battery
* 12V, 240V and USB-C sockets throughout
* 2kW Mastervolt inverter — quiet, reliable, good for your hairdryer and PS5
* Caravan-style 240V exterior socket at the stern

KITCHEN

* Gas cooker with hob, grill and oven
* New Shoreline SL-NR281 12V 80L fridge with freezer, purchased in May 2026 — very energy-efficient, quite, perfect for off-grid living

HEATING AND WATER

Multifuel stove at the front of the boat, which burns well
Webasto boiler with three radiators:

* Bedroom
* Corridor
* Living room

Water is heated by a calorifier with an immersion heater, or by the Webasto boiler at the press of a button.

Boat Safety Certificate (BSS)

The Boat Safety certificate was renewed in 2024 and will not be due again until October 2028.

Hull Survey Details

The welded mild-steel hull was found to be sound. The hull was extensively hammer- and scrape-tested, the plating rang true, and the testing confirmed the presence of approximately 75mm of poured concrete ballast over the bottom. Ultrasonic thickness measurements across a representative grid to both sides, the swim and the transom returned readings at or close to the nominal thicknesses of:

* **5.0mm** at the side shell
* **8.0mm** at the base and swim

The change against the February 2022 baseline was within the tolerance of the gauge and indicated a general corrosion rate of **below 0.05mm per annum**.

KNOWN ISSUES

- Roof needs a paint job, it's back to red oxide with slight rusting in some places.
- Sides need a paint job in some places

Specifications

Engine(s)

Marinised Isuzu 3KR1.
Very reliable for me, never failed to start in winter.
Last serviced in September 2025 and every year before then (by Keith Duffy and Darren Crouch).

Very reliable, never not started for me in 5 year

Location Map