Dawn Adventure


Norma and I have cruised on many kinds of rented boats and waters. We particularly enjoy the canals in England

In contrast with the American Federal attitude that navighation works are for cargo carrying, in the United Kingdom canal cargo carring stopped about 1960, yet improvement, and even construction, continues. England, hardly big enough to be a state in the USA, has about 2000 miles of canals. Canal locks typically limit boat size to 65 feet in length, 7 feet in widthy, and a draft of 3 feet. Bridges limit height to about 6 feet. By developing good, safe waterways for cruising, Britain has developed a large recreational boating industry which draws thousands of visitors from overseas each year, in addition to providing recreation for British families. "Canal holidays" on rental boats are an industry employing hundreds of people, in addition to hundreds more jobs in building, maintaing, and supporting private craft.

When we realized we were allowed to participate in West Virginia University's retirement incentive, we decided to buy our own boat in England. Dawn Adventure is our second canal boat. Our first was a 25 foot version of this builder's series with a 10 HP outboard.

We try to spend at least three weeks each year in the spring and another three weeks in the fall living aboard.

Boat Type: English canal cruiser

Owner: Wallace Venable

Home Port: near Nantwich, Cheshire, England

Hull Material: fiberglass

Length: 38 ft.

Beam: 6 feet 10 inches

Draft: about 30 in.

Engine: Single cylinder diesel - 18 HP

Drive: Enfield Zed Drive (I/O)

Built by: Dawncraft c. 1978

Dawn Adventure was sold in March 2006. Click here for details.