Welcome to the Destinynarrowboat website, the purpose of which is to describe our amateur fit-out of our narrowboat.

First Encounter

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"Destiny" is our 57ft. narrowboat as fitted out by ourselves in 2004.   When we bought her, she was a bare metal shell as per photo and built by Brian Coleman at Widnes.  She was taken to "sailaway" spec. by Jim Gibson of Sterling Narrowboats of Ellesmere Port.  She was supplied with windows and doors fitted, a Vetus 415 engine and sterngear, steering gear, roof vents and polyurethane foam insulation with wooden battening.  We were able to sail her home from Wincham Wharf to near Wigan where we live.  We had to have a couple of welds attended to on the roof, but other than that the shell is excellent.

Delivery Day 14/06/04

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Delivered as a sailaway, having travelled at 56 mph astern on the motorway.

Launch 

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The launch was uneventful, if a bit scary.  According to the crane computer, she weighed a little under 14 tons with ballast in place, and the materials with which we would fit her out. She motored home without problem.

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The interior at delivery.  Clearly much work ahead!

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Motoring shell back through Appley Lock, near Wigan, on Leeds and Liverpool canal.  A coat of blue "holding primer" had been applied to the topsides, and the hull had been "blacked" with Rylard Rytex.