Adventure Category : Shows & Events

The Southampton International Boat Show is not an obvious destination for two committed narrowboat enthusiasts.

Its pontoons are filled with sailing yachts, motor cruisers and sea-going craft designed for very different waters from those Priscilla will eventually navigate. Yet, on Saturday 27 September, we attended with our dear friends Ian and Dave—and discovered that looking beyond the inland waterways can be enormously valuable.

This was the fourth and final boat show of our year. We were not there to choose a yacht or study offshore performance. We went in search of ideas that might influence the design of our future home afloat.

As we plan Priscilla, we want to preserve the character and warmth associated with a traditional narrowboat while introducing contemporary design, intelligent technology and a greater sense of space. Southampton offered an opportunity to see how the wider marine industry approaches those same challenges.

Why visit a sea-going boat show?

Narrowboats and yachts operate in very different environments, but they share a fundamental design problem: fitting everything required for comfortable living into a long, constrained space.

Marine designers must accommodate storage, services, machinery, seating, sleeping areas and practical circulation without making the interior feel overcrowded. Equipment must remain secure while underway, materials must tolerate moisture and every available space needs to work hard.

The scale and cost of many boats at Southampton may bear little resemblance to our project, but the underlying design principles remain relevant.

We were particularly interested in:

• Interior layouts and visual continuity
• Compact furniture and convertible spaces
• Concealed storage
• Lighting and material choices
• Workspaces suitable for extended use
• Energy and electrical systems
• Equipment accessibility
• Outdoor social spaces
• The boundary between attractive design and practical operation

The aim was not to reproduce a yacht interior inside a narrowboat. It was to identify ideas that could be adapted intelligently to Priscilla’s dimensions, cruising environment and intended use.

Creating a sense of space

One of the most useful lessons was how strongly an interior can be influenced by sightlines.

Many of the boats used consistent flooring, repeated materials and carefully aligned furniture to make the accommodation appear longer and less fragmented. Pale finishes reflected natural light, while darker timber or coloured panels were used selectively to add warmth and definition.

This reinforced our preference for an interior that feels cohesive rather than divided into a sequence of unrelated rooms.

Priscilla will need distinct areas for cooking, relaxing, working, washing and sleeping, but we do not want every function enclosed behind a solid partition. Carefully positioned openings, changes in lighting and subtle variations in material could distinguish spaces without making the boat feel smaller.

Mirrors and reflective surfaces were also used effectively, although these need restraint. A narrowboat interior filled with glossy finishes could feel artificial and would show fingerprints, marks and imperfections very quickly.

The strongest designs created spaciousness through proportion and simplicity—not decoration alone.

Modern design without losing warmth

Contemporary marine interiors sometimes appear stark, particularly when dominated by white laminates, polished surfaces and cool lighting.

That is not the atmosphere we want aboard Priscilla.

Our aim remains a classic narrowboat with a modern twist: an interior that acknowledges the heritage of the waterways while avoiding an overly traditional or visually heavy appearance.

Southampton demonstrated how this balance might be achieved through:

• Natural or convincingly textured timber finishes
• Simple cabinetry with carefully considered details
• Warm, layered lighting
• Upholstery that introduces colour and personality
• Contrasting materials used sparingly
• Rounded corners and softened edges
• High-quality handles, hinges and fittings
• A limited and consistent interior palette

The lesson was not that luxury requires extravagant materials. It often comes from consistency, proportion, tactile quality and attention to small details.

Priscilla should feel distinctive and full of personality, but the permanent structure must remain sufficiently calm to support changing furnishings, artwork and possessions over many years.

Storage designed into the boat

Yacht designers are particularly accomplished at finding storage in places that might otherwise be wasted.

We saw drawers beneath seating, compartments inside steps, shallow lockers built into wall panels and beds surrounded by carefully planned cupboards. Some solutions were almost invisible until opened.

This is highly relevant to full-time narrowboat living. Storage cannot simply be added after the layout has been designed; it must be considered as part of the structure from the beginning.

Priscilla will need accessible homes for:

• Clothing and footwear
• Bedding and towels
• Food and kitchen equipment
• Filming and photographic equipment
• Tools and spare parts
• Cleaning materials
• Outdoor clothing
• Folding furniture
• Mooring equipment
• Documents and personal belongings
• Technology and charging equipment

Capacity alone is not enough. Heavy items must be stored low and securely, frequently used belongings must remain easy to reach, and technical equipment cannot be buried behind possessions.

A locker is only useful if it can be opened without moving half the furniture first.

We also need to avoid filling every concealed void. Some areas will be required for ventilation, pipes, cables, inspection and future maintenance. The design must clearly distinguish usable storage from essential technical space.

A proper place to work

We expect to spend extended periods aboard Priscilla, so the ability to work comfortably will be important.

Several boats demonstrated that a useful desk does not necessarily require a separate office. Compact work surfaces were incorporated into cabins, shelving units and seating areas, sometimes with monitors or equipment concealed when not in use.

For Priscilla, the workspace should provide:

• A comfortable seated position
• Sufficient depth for a laptop and monitor
• Adjustable task lighting
• Accessible power and data connections
• Ventilation around electronic equipment
• Storage for stationery and accessories
• Space for video editing
• A background suitable for calls and filming
• The ability to put work away at the end of the day

A dining table that occasionally accommodates a laptop may not be sufficient for regular work. Equally, a permanent desk that dominates the saloon would use valuable living space.

A carefully designed convertible or partially concealed workspace may provide the best compromise.

Lighting as part of the architecture

Lighting was one of the clearest differences between the strongest and weakest interiors.

The most successful boats did not rely upon a single row of bright ceiling lights. Instead, they combined several layers:

• General background illumination
• Task lighting for cooking and working
• Reading lights
• Low-level evening lighting
• Concealed accent lighting
• Courtesy lighting near steps and floor edges
• Exterior lighting for safe boarding

This approach could help Priscilla change character throughout the day.

Bright, accurate lighting will be needed for cooking, cleaning and working. Softer lighting can create a relaxed atmosphere in the evening, while very low-level illumination could allow movement through the boat at night without disturbing the other person.

The colour temperature and quality of the light matter as much as the fittings themselves. Poorly selected LEDs can make timber, fabrics and skin tones appear unnatural.

Lighting must also remain energy-conscious, independently controllable and repairable. Decorative fittings should not create a dependence upon proprietary components that may become unavailable.

Materials suitable for real life

Boat-show interiors are presented in immaculate condition, usually without wet coats, muddy footwear, shopping bags or the accumulated belongings of everyday life.

Priscilla’s materials must cope with reality.

Surfaces should be:

• Resistant to moisture and temperature changes
• Easy to clean
• Durable around frequently touched areas
• Repairable where possible
• Secure under vibration and movement
• Appropriate for their fire-safety role
• Light enough for the overall weight plan
• Stable in a marine environment
• Comfortable rather than merely photogenic

Highly polished surfaces may look impressive under exhibition lighting but prove less successful after years of use. Similarly, pale upholstery can make a cabin feel spacious but may require removable, washable covers.

The most suitable choices will balance appearance, durability, weight, maintenance and environmental impact.

Energy and electrical ideas

The show also provided an opportunity to examine developments in marine energy systems.

Solar generation, lithium batteries, inverters, intelligent monitoring and hybrid propulsion are increasingly visible across the boating industry. Many sea-going vessels face the same desire to operate quietly and independently without running an engine solely to produce electricity.

For Priscilla, the important lesson is that individual technologies cannot be considered in isolation.

Battery capacity, propulsion, heating, hot water, cooking, laundry, communications and domestic equipment will all compete for the same stored energy. Installing more electrical equipment without modelling how it will be used could create an impressive specification that performs poorly in practice.

We therefore need to consider:

• Realistic daily and seasonal energy consumption
• Solar output during winter as well as summer
• Charging while cruising
• Shore-power limitations
• Battery reserve for propulsion
• Inverter capacity and simultaneous loads
• Redundancy and emergency operation
• Cooling and ventilation for electrical equipment
• Monitoring that occupants can understand
• Safe isolation and maintenance access
• The future replacement of rapidly developing technology

Southampton offered inspiration, but it also reinforced the importance of disciplined system design.

Technology should remain serviceable

Large yachts often contain sophisticated integrated systems controlling lighting, climate, entertainment, navigation and security.

Priscilla may eventually use similar automation on a smaller scale. However, integration creates potential dependencies.

We do not want a failed central screen, network controller or proprietary application to prevent us from switching on a light, operating a pump or adjusting the heating.

The design should combine intelligent monitoring with straightforward local control. Essential systems must remain understandable, manually operable and capable of functioning when internet access or central automation is unavailable.

Cables, sensors and communications equipment will also need planned routes and accessible replacement points. Technology ages more quickly than a boat’s structure, so equipment should be capable of being upgraded without dismantling the interior.

Learning from outdoor spaces

The exterior living areas of the boats also gave us ideas.

Yachts frequently treat the cockpit or aft deck as another room, with sociable seating, practical tables, integrated lighting and protection from the weather. Although a narrowboat stern is much smaller and subject to different constraints, it should still be designed as a purposeful social space.

Priscilla’s stern will need to balance:

• Safe control of the boat
• Clear access for the steerer
• Comfortable seating
• Secure boarding
• Mooring operations
• Storage
• Protection from rain and sun
• Visibility
• Access to technical equipment
• Space for conversation while cruising

It must work first as an operational area. Social features should support rather than obstruct navigation and safe movement.

Ideas that do not translate directly

Not everything seen at Southampton belongs on a narrowboat.

Sea-going craft may have greater beam, deeper storage spaces, different weight distribution and considerably more powerful generating systems. Equipment designed for a large yacht may be too heavy, power-hungry, complicated or expensive for Priscilla.

Large areas of glazing can create beautiful interiors but may increase heat loss, solar gain and condensation. Expansive entertainment systems consume space and energy. Bespoke mechanisms can become maintenance liabilities, while pale luxury finishes may not withstand towpath life gracefully.

Every appealing idea must therefore be tested against:

• Narrowboat dimensions
• Inland-waterway restrictions
• Available headroom
• Weight and stability
• Energy consumption
• Ventilation
• Condensation risk
• Maintenance access
• Replacement cost
• Durability
• Safety
• How we will genuinely live aboard

Inspiration is valuable only when translated into an appropriate and coherent design.

Four shows and a clearer direction

Southampton brought our boat-show season to a fitting close.

Each of the four shows offered something different. Inland-waterway events helped us understand the narrowboat market, builders, layouts and equipment already familiar within the canal community. Southampton encouraged us to look beyond that community and question whether solutions developed elsewhere in the marine world could improve our plans.

We returned home with photographs, notes and a growing list of ideas—but also with a clearer understanding of the discipline required.

Priscilla should not become a collection of clever features gathered from different exhibitions. Every decision must contribute to a single design that supports full-time living, continuous cruising, energy independence and long-term maintenance.

The boat must remain practical enough for muddy towpaths, wet clothing and daily cruising, yet comfortable enough to feel unquestionably like home. It should acknowledge narrowboat heritage without being constrained by convention.

That is the different perspective Southampton gave us.

The yachts may never fit through a canal lock, but some of their best ideas could still find a home aboard Priscilla.

Electric propulsion is no longer merely an interesting alternative at the edge of the narrowboat market. It is becoming a serious consideration for boaters seeking quieter cruising, lower local emissions and greater independence from fossil fuels.

On 12 July 2025, we attended the second Electrika Boat Show—an event dedicated entirely to electric boating.

Electrika is considerably smaller than major events such as Crick or the Southampton International Boat Show, but that is also its strength. Rather than treating electric propulsion as one subject among hundreds, the entire show focuses upon the technologies, design decisions and practical realities involved.

For us, planning a future all-electric narrowboat for full-time living and continuous cruising, it offered an unusually concentrated opportunity to learn.

Why Electrika matters to us

Priscilla is intended to become much more than a holiday boat. She will be our home, our means of travelling and the foundation for much larger journeys around Britain—and potentially beyond.

We want her propulsion system to be:

• Quiet and responsive
• Suitable for prolonged continuous cruising
• Efficient at ordinary canal speeds
• Capable of coping with rivers and stronger currents
• Supported by substantial solar generation
• Reliable and repairable
• Properly integrated with the domestic electrical system
• Resilient when charging opportunities are limited
• Adaptable as technology develops

Electric propulsion appears capable of meeting many of those ambitions, but only if the complete boat is designed around it.

It is not enough to replace a diesel engine with an electric motor and add some batteries. Motor output, propeller design, hull characteristics, battery capacity, charging sources and cruising patterns must work together as one system.

Electrika gave us the opportunity to explore those relationships directly with the people designing, installing and using the technology.

More focused than a conventional boat show

At a general inland-waterways festival, electric systems may occupy only a small part of a much larger exhibition. Conversations compete with boats, engines, interiors, accessories, entertainment and countless other attractions.

Electrika felt different.

The specialist nature of the event meant that nearly every conversation related directly to questions we are already considering for Priscilla:

• How large should the propulsion motor be?
• How much battery capacity is genuinely useful?
• What range might be achievable in different conditions?
• How much energy can realistically be replaced by solar power?
• What happens during several overcast days?
• How should propulsion and domestic energy reserves interact?
• What provision is needed for rivers and emergency manoeuvring?
• How easily can individual components be repaired or replaced?
• How should the system be monitored without overwhelming the user?

The show was compact, but the concentration of relevant knowledge made it exceptionally worthwhile.

Learning from the seminars

The seminar programme was one of the strongest parts of the day.

Technical information about electric boats is readily available online, but specifications do not always explain how components behave as part of a complete installation. The seminars helped connect individual figures—kilowatts, torque, battery capacity and propeller dimensions—to the realities of moving a heavy narrowboat through the water.

Three subjects were particularly valuable.

Selecting the right motor

Motor sizing is more complicated than choosing the largest unit the budget and engine bay will accommodate.

An oversized motor may add cost, weight and electrical demand without providing a corresponding improvement during normal cruising. An undersized system could leave insufficient reserve for stopping, turning, flowing rivers, strong winds or emergency manoeuvres.

The correct specification should reflect:

• Boat length, displacement and underwater profile
• Propeller characteristics
• Ordinary cruising speed
• Canal, river and tidal-water use
• Expected current and wind conditions
• Desired manoeuvring reserve
• Battery voltage and discharge limits
• Controller capacity
• Cooling arrangements
• Maximum continuous and short-duration output
• Redundancy and emergency operation

The distinction between peak and continuous output is especially important. A system may advertise an impressive maximum figure but be unable to sustain it for prolonged periods without reaching thermal or battery limitations.

For Priscilla, normal canal cruising may require comparatively modest power. Our concern is ensuring that the system also retains sufficient capability for the more demanding waters we hope to explore.

That does not automatically mean selecting the largest available motor. It means designing and testing the complete propulsion system against realistic operating scenarios.

Understanding torque

Electric motors produce torque differently from conventional diesel engines.

The immediate response can provide excellent low-speed control, while the absence of idling and gear changes can make cruising remarkably smooth. However, torque figures considered alone can be misleading.

The useful force ultimately delivered depends upon:

• Motor speed
• Reduction ratio, where fitted
• Propeller diameter and pitch
• Controller settings
• Battery voltage under load
• Current limits
• Motor and controller temperature
• Shaft-line efficiency
• Hull resistance
• Water depth and conditions

A high quoted torque figure does not guarantee that a boat will perform well if the propeller and drivetrain are poorly matched.

The seminars reinforced that propulsion must be considered from battery to propeller—not as a series of unrelated purchases.

Why propeller sizing matters

Propeller design emerged as one of the most technically interesting subjects of the day.

A propeller converts the motor’s rotational output into thrust. Its diameter, pitch, blade area and operating speed influence acceleration, stopping performance, efficiency, noise and energy consumption.

A poorly matched propeller could:

• Prevent the motor reaching its intended operating range
• Draw excessive current
• Waste stored energy
• Reduce cruising range
• Produce inadequate thrust
• Overload components
• Increase vibration or noise
• Cause cavitation
• Provide disappointing stopping performance

Electric propulsion can allow a larger, slower-turning propeller to operate efficiently, but a narrowboat’s stern shape, draught, aperture and rudder arrangement impose physical limits.

Propeller selection should therefore be undertaken using the characteristics of the completed hull, drivetrain and motor. It should not be treated as a standard component chosen solely from the boat’s length.

Priscilla’s builder, propulsion supplier and naval or marine designer will need to agree the relevant calculations rather than leaving each party responsible only for its own component.

Batteries are only part of the answer

Much attention in electric boating naturally falls upon battery capacity.

A larger battery bank can provide greater endurance, but it also introduces:

• Additional cost
• Greater weight
• More occupied space
• Longer charging times
• Cooling or temperature-management requirements
• Higher fault energy
• Structural and fire-safety considerations
• Eventual replacement costs

Capacity should be expressed as more than a headline kilowatt-hour figure. We need to understand how much energy is safely usable, what reserve must be retained and how performance changes with temperature, age and high electrical loads.

The battery also needs to support more than propulsion. Priscilla’s energy system may need to supply:

• Cooking
• Hot water
• Refrigeration
• Heating and ventilation
• Lighting
• Laundry
• Pumps
• Communications equipment
• Computing and video editing
• Safety and monitoring systems
• Battery and technical-space conditioning

The challenge is not simply to install enough storage for an average summer day. The design must remain workable during cold weather, heavy domestic consumption, limited solar generation and more demanding cruising.

Charging must match the way we cruise

Electric propulsion is often discussed in terms of range, but the rate and reliability of energy replacement may be more important.

Potential charging sources could include:

• Roof-mounted solar panels
• Shore power
• Dedicated charging points
• Propulsion regeneration, where conditions make it useful
• A portable or installed emergency charging arrangement
• Future charging infrastructure
• A range extender, if the final resilience assessment requires one

Solar generation is central to our ambition, but expectations must remain realistic.

A narrowboat roof offers a useful but finite area. Panels may be affected by shade, bridges, trees, roof equipment, orientation, dirt and seasonal changes. Summer output may support considerable cruising, while several grey winter days could produce only a fraction of the same energy.

Energy modelling must therefore examine complete journeys rather than a single optimistic day. We need to understand how far we can travel, how much power we can recover and what choices become necessary when generation is poor.

Designing for full-time living

A demonstration boat at a show and a full-time home have very different demands.

Continuous cruising requires a system that remains dependable across changing seasons, waterways and moorings. We may be away from shore power for extended periods and unable to choose an ideal charging location every evening.

The design must consider:

• Several consecutive cruising days
• Long stationary periods
• Shaded moorings
• Winter solar performance
• River passages requiring sustained power
• Unplanned delays
• High domestic energy use
• Battery degradation over time
• Failure of a charger, controller or solar circuit
• Access to technical support away from the builder
• Safe operation if monitoring or automation fails

Comfort should not depend upon ideal weather or a permanent electrical connection.

For that reason, Priscilla’s energy system will require clear operating priorities. Propulsion, steering-related equipment, pumps, lighting, communications and essential safety systems must be protected from less important domestic loads.

Monitoring without unnecessary complexity

Electric boats can generate an enormous amount of operational information.

Useful monitoring may include:

• Battery state of charge
• Voltage and current
• Individual charging sources
• Solar generation
• Propulsion power
• Domestic consumption
• Motor and controller temperatures
• Battery temperature
• Remaining energy reserve
• Estimated endurance
• Shore-power limits
• System warnings and faults

Good monitoring should help us make informed decisions. It should not create false confidence through an overly precise range prediction or require specialist knowledge to interpret every journey.

We would like Priscilla’s system to present simple answers to practical questions:

• Is there enough energy for the planned cruise?
• How much reserve will remain?
• Is solar generation meeting today’s consumption?
• Which domestic loads are consuming the most power?
• Is any component approaching a temperature or current limit?
• What should we do if part of the system fails?

Detailed engineering data should remain available for diagnosis, but everyday operation must be clear and intuitive.

Safety and installation quality

Electric propulsion removes some familiar risks associated with diesel engines, but it introduces others that require equally careful management.

A substantial battery bank and high-power electrical system demand:

• Correctly rated cabling and connections
• Suitable fuses and protective devices
• Safe isolation
• Appropriate battery management
• Temperature monitoring
• Ventilation or cooling where required
• Physical protection from water and impact
• Clearly documented emergency procedures
• Appropriate fire detection and response
• Accessible components
• Competent installation and commissioning
• Compliance with the applicable marine standards and regulations

The location of equipment will also influence weight distribution, cable length, cooling and maintenance access.

No major component should become unreachable once the interior has been completed. Priscilla must be designed so that batteries, inverters, controllers and other equipment can eventually be removed and replaced without dismantling the boat around them.

Quiet cruising

Technical efficiency is only part of the appeal.

An electric narrowboat can move with very little mechanical noise, allowing the sounds of water, wildlife and the surrounding landscape to become more noticeable. Conversation at the stern becomes easier, and there is no need to run a diesel engine simply to keep the boat moving.

That quieter experience aligns strongly with what we want Priscilla to represent: a slower, more attentive and less intrusive way of travelling.

Electric propulsion will not make the boat silent. The propeller, water flow, pumps, cooling systems and drivetrain can all create noise. Poor installation could also transmit vibration through the steel structure.

Motor mounts, shaft alignment, propeller selection, cooling equipment and acoustic treatment must therefore form part of the design if we are to achieve the quiet cruising experience we imagine.

Questions we still need to answer

Electrika gave us greater clarity, but it also helped identify the questions requiring further work.

Before committing to Priscilla’s propulsion system, we will need to establish:

• The completed boat’s expected displacement
• Required continuous and peak propulsion power
• Performance on canals, rivers and stronger currents
• Propeller and reduction-gear specification
• Battery chemistry, capacity and usable reserve
• Realistic summer and winter energy budgets
• Available solar-panel area and expected output
• Shore-charging requirements
• Domestic and propulsion load priorities
• Cooling arrangements
• Fire detection and emergency isolation
• Redundancy for essential functions
• Replacement access
• Component warranties and technical support
• Expected service life and future replacement cost
• The implications of battery degradation
• Compliance and certification responsibilities
• Performance following the failure of a major component

These decisions must be supported by calculations, not simply by attractive equipment specifications or claims based upon a different type of boat.

Small show, significant value

Electrika may not offer the scale, spectacle or variety of the larger events in the waterways calendar. That was never its purpose.

Its value comes from concentration.

In a single day, we were able to listen to specialist discussions, examine electric-propulsion technology and speak with people who understand the practical interaction between motors, batteries, propellers, charging systems and hull design.

We left with:

• A clearer understanding of propulsion-system sizing
• Greater appreciation of the importance of propeller matching
• More realistic expectations of battery capacity and charging
• New questions about resilience and component replacement
• A stronger sense of how the electrical and mechanical systems must be integrated
• Greater confidence that electric propulsion can support our ambitions when properly designed

Another step towards Priscilla

Electrika did not provide us with a ready-made specification—and that is probably its most useful contribution.

The show demonstrated that there is no single electric-propulsion package suitable for every narrowboat. The right system depends upon the hull, cruising pattern, domestic energy demand, available charging and the conditions in which the boat must operate.

For Priscilla, the objective is not merely to claim that she is electric. It is to create a genuinely capable cruising boat: quiet on the canal, confident on rivers, comfortable as a home and resilient when conditions are less than ideal.

Electrika 2025 brought us another step closer to understanding what that will require.

It may have been a small show, but for the future of Priscilla, it delivered some very big insights.