SOPHIE is a much-loved and well-maintained traditional narrowboat. In 2017, I moved on as a first-time boater and, after seven years of a beautifully simple life on the water, I’m now moving back onto land to live with my partner.
SOPHIE is a full steel 33ft traditional narrowboat (1980) with a new engine, stunning Roses & Castles paintwork and a unique lay-out.
Engine
As is common in traditional narrowboats, the engine is in the middle of the boat. This means that the engine room stays dry and the engine can be easily accessed for maintenance. In 2018, I had a new Beta Marine B-30 engine fitted. Since then, the engine has been fully serviced each year, most recently in March 2024.
Kitchen
The kitchen, in the front of the boat, is forward-facing and has three big windows: one in the front and two on either side. It is a serene light space that offers great views of the water while cooking. It comes fully equipped with a Flavel Vanessa cooker (2 rings, grill, oven), Armitage Shanks butler sink, copper tap, and House of Hackney curtains.
Bedroom / Living Room
At the back of the boat, there’s the cosy bedroom / living room with a wood burner. With the bed folded up, the living room has a long bench on one side and a traditionally painted fold-out table on the other side. Additionally, there is a Pioneer car radio connected to speakers in the benches which is perfect for watching films and listening to music. There is plenty of storage space in the cupboards, in the benches, and underneath the steps.
Bathroom
Lastly, between the engine and the kitchen, is the bathroom with a new Simploo Nano compost loo. There is a shower and the possibility of installing a gas boiler behind the engine: all the water- and gas pipes are in place, and there is a mushroom vent on the roof that can be replaced with a proper flue.
Entrance / exit
The boat has two spacious sets of doors decorated with traditional Roses & Castles paintwork: one at the side, and one at the back. For easy entry and exit, both sets of doors had new steel hatches welded in 2023 (side) and 2017 (back).
Electricity
The boat is powered by 12v electricity and has one starter battery and two leisure batteries. A small solar panel on the roof powers the boat from late March through to October, meaning that I only run the engine to charge the batteries in autumn and winter. There is also an inverter that can be used to charge laptops.
Exterior
The boat has a well-maintained full steel exterior. The hull is freshly blacked (2nd-4th April 2024) and has a good thickness throughout. The anodes were checked during the recent blacking: they are in good condition and won’t need replacing for another five years.
Safety
BSS: BSS Certificate 2022, valid until 2026
Maintenance
The boat was built in 1980 but all the essentials for cruising and living-on-board have been newly fitted in the past seven years:
2024: hull blacked, new Simploo Nano compost toilet
2023: hatch side doors newly welded, roof painted
2022: batteries checked and rewired, stern gland repacked, exterior painted
2021: interior painted
2020: solar panel installed, two new leisure batteries installed
2019: hull blacked
2018: new Beta Marine B-30 engine installed
2017: new water pump installed, hatch backdoor newly welded, new starter battery installed
Navigation
A small boat, she is easy to maneuver and to moor up in busy London. She is ready for immediate on-board living and would be well-suited to new and seasoned boaters alike.
Viewings
SOPHIE is currently moored on the River Lee Navigation in north east London. For viewings and questions, please get in touch.
Vessel type: | Narrowboat |
Builder: | Colliery Narrowboats |
Make: | Colliery Narrowboats |
Model: | 33 Traditional |
Constructed: | 1980 |
Berths: | 1 |
No. of engines: | 1 |
Engine model: | Beta Marine B-30 |
Engine hours: | 500 |
Fuel type: | Diesel |
Length over all: | 33' |
Beam: | 6' 9" |
Hull material: | Steel |
Hull colour: | Black |
Beta Marine B-30, newly fitted in 2018.
Power: 30 hp @ 3,600 rpm
Aspiration: Natural
Cylinders: 3
Displacement: 1123 cc
Weight: 139 kg
Propeller: 15” x 9”
Beta Marine engines are renowned for their durability, longevity, and reliability. Furthermore, the B-30 has a low carbon footprint as the engine meets all current and projected RCD 2 (Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU) exhaust emission regulations.
The engine was installed in 2018 and has since been fully serviced each year, most recently in March 2024.
Note: Indicated location is approximate general area only.