Shared narrow boat Bittern

Click on any picture to enlarge.

From the stern forward:

REAR DECK: a semi-trad format means that steerage can be either on the rear quarter deck or inside the rear doors. There is access to the engine and weed-hatch; there is no greased stern gland so daily maintenance is restricted to engine oil and water. The bilge pump is automatic. There is a conventional fwd/reverse throttle control and the bow-thruster control on a control pedestal as well as various dials relating to the engine. The engine is equipped with a 230V generator and two alternators, one for start batteries and one for domestic. Thus 230v is available when the engine is running or from a 1800w inverter when not. There is also a shore-line socket. A second set of doors under a sliding roof panel leads to:-

REAR CABIN: With wardrobes either side of steps down to floor level where there is a full-size fixed double bed. Port-hole window.The full-size washer/dryer is in this cabin behind a matching wooden door. All the system isolating switches are here together with the mains selector switch. A small shelf over the bedhead contains reading lights and there is an additional corner cupboard at the foot of the bed. The underbed storage accommodates the mains vacuum cleaner. A skirting board radiator is heated by the diesel fuelled unit that is in the engine compartment. A wall mounted programmer allows timed on-off. A door leads to a side passage and the -

BATHROOM: This contains a water-flushed dual-tank pump-out toilet, a hand basin, a 900 x 760mm shower with domestic thermostatic mixer head and some small storage shelves. A small radiator provides warmth and a heated towel rail. There is a wall mounted mirror and a shaver point. Continuing along the side passage, there are two cupboards before reaching the -

U-SHAPED GALLEY: A one-piece granite worktop covers storage cupboards and it has a set-in stainless steel sink with a domestic mixer tap over. A full-size domestic gas oven/grill is set above the compact dishwasher and some wine bottle storage. To the right are crockery shelves and a microwave cooker. A 4-burner gas hob is fitted in the worktop with a larder fridge below behind a decorative wooden door. Opposite the sink is a pair of steel doors set into the side of the boat and underneath this, at gunwale level, is a small folding table for food preparation. Moving forward to the -

DINETTE: An L-shaped seating arrangement with table converts to double bed. Under the seating is storage and a roll-out 12v chest freezer. The seating has an angled back and seat base for more comfortable seating. Skirting radiator. This area adjoins the -

SALOON: The sofa converts to a double bed and a brass rail supports a dividing curtain with tie-backs for daytime use. Skirting radiator and solid fuel stove. Opposite the sofa is a bookshelf and corner unit housing the CD/radio with a flat-screen TV and DVD player on top. There are two full-height wardrobes at the front either side of storage steps to the double-doors to the -

FRONT DECK: With storage lockers, water filling point and gas bottle locker.

GENERAL: Bittern is carpeted throughout except the galley which is boarded. She is spray-foam lined under ash diagonal internal panelling. Externally there are mooring ropes fore and aft with a centre eye on the roof also with a rope. The roof is covered in cream coloured non-slip paint and there are the usual plank, pole, hook and life-belt here too.

BOOKINGS:

There is a picking order for all shares in the syndicate. You move up one place each year, when at the top you revert to last place. For Bittern, the booking year is May to April. Later, you will be asked to choose your second, low-season week. Depending how high in the picking order you are. This process repeats each year so you do not have to have same weeks each year but if a share has school holiday priority you stand a good chance of getting near your first choice.

Share Holding

Price

Reason for sale

Weeks 2008

Contact

Running costs 2008

The booking system....

The booking scheme is unique. It has been designed for those people who know what time of year that they want to take their main holidays in, but who don't want to, or can't take, the same fixed weeks holidays each and every year. It also allows those dependent upon school holidays to also use their boat when they need to.

It is based upon buying "blocks" of time, either two weeks (1/24th share), four weeks (1/12th share), six weeks (1/8th share) or eight weeks (1/6th share).

Many people want to use their boat during the busy summer months of June, July and August. Others prefer to cruise when it's quieter, April, May, September and October. The scheme allows you to choose if you want to cruise in the busy summer period (the weeks shown "Red" on the calendar below), or the quieter months (the weeks shown "Yellow" on the calendar below) - and then you will continue with this choice throughout your ownership of the boat.

The "Blue" weeks are for winter cruising and maintenance.

If you own a 4 week (1/12th) share, our scheme will allow you to use your boat for 2 weeks together (3 weeks for a 6 week (1/8th) share and 4 weeks for a 8 week (1/6th) share) without having to swap weeks with your co-owners.

The calendar below shows the colour allocated to each week of 2004, with each week starting on a Sunday. The actual week commencing date (or change-over) day may vary depending upon which marina the boat is based at. The number and seasonality of the "Red", "Yellow" and "Blue" weeks will be the same each and every year.

And if you own a 4 week (1/12th) share, you will be able to cruise for THREE WEEKS in the season EVERY YEAR - GUARANTEED!

Name of craft	Bittern
	Click on images to enlarge
Type of scheme	Managed
No of sharers	12
Year of construction	2007
Home mooring (2008)	Near Middlewich on the Trent & Mersey
Change over day each week	Saturday. The practise is that you are contacted before to give you a pick-up time, this can be as early as 1 pm unless some attention is needed then it will be later.
Length	58' semi-trad stern. Base plate is full width. Often a 2m or 6'6" plate is used. Bittern has a 6'10" base plate - gives a little more floor space.
Engine	Beta Greenline 43
Berths	2 on a fixed double bed (4'6" wide) There are 4 more berths, 2 on a L - shaped dinette and 2 on a bespoke fold out futon-type sofa
Pets	Allowed
Smoking	Allowed
Booking arrangements	See below but in a nutshell "Fixed weeks in each "boat-year" but selectable each year"
Special holiday arrangements	See below
E-mail address of one owner	See below
Share for sale via this site?	If a share is available the details will be towards the foot of this page

Share Holding
Price
Reason for sale
Weeks 2008
Contact
Running costs 2008

The booking system....

What weeks are designated "Red", "Yellow" and "Blue"?