Turning out from the K&A at Reading into the Thames is quite a shock - the size of it, even at this distance from London, is surprising, as is the distance you have to travel, across the paths of all the other boats, to get to the correct (far!) side, for going upstream.
The speed that the plastic cruisers manage on the river is also a shock - they are so highly manoeuvrable, as well as indecently fast, not to mention able to kick up a quite improper wake! Not that any of them seem to worry - size seems to give them carte blanche to do whatever they wish. At least most DO seem to recognise that narrowboats need more time and space to manoeuvre, and are nowhere like so predictable in their movements, the vast majority of owners giving a cheery wave to us "odd-uns" in our funny little craft. With virtually no exception, we found them to be friendly and considerate, even if at times it seemed they were waving to us down from the Olympian heights of an ocean liner! Can many of those craft be actually sea-worthy? They certainly looked very top heavy.
There are some very attractive boats of a more traditional style, like this steam launch.
