You don't need any qualifications or
experience to hire a canal boat, all hire firms give some
instruction to new hirers. Some people do prefer to do a short
boat handling course before hiring though and we list some
providers and the usual accreditation below.
We've provided essential advice about boat
handling and about working locks, and even offer a short booklet about
Single handed Boating for
the intrepid!
The
RYA Helmsman's Certificate is designed to equip you with
the practical skills for correct and safe inland waterway's
cruising and so give you that confidence. Beginners will of
course benefit considerably from this training but experienced
boaters will also find it a very interesting and useful
exercise. This certificate also enables you to apply for the
International Certificate of Competence which you will need if
you want to cruise European waterways.
The
Boatmasters Licence is a more advanced qualification for
those who wish to steer boats carrying paying passengers,
leading to the new M.C.A. (Maritime & Coastguard Agency) Grade
III licence which covers Class V passenger vessels on cat. A
waters.
Boat Handling Course Providers
The Pirate Castle
on the Regent’s Canal in London has been training people to
enjoy themselves safely on the water for 40 years.
Qualifications from British Canoe Union, RYA & National
Community Boats Association.
If
you are planning to live on a narrowboat Scott Marine
Services offer boat handling & maintenance training and narrowboat
design & purchase consultancy specifically for 'liveaboards'.
Top
Lock Training
offers one/two day RYA Inland Waters Helmsman Courses, ICC
CEVNI test and MCA Boatmaster Licence Grade 3, all on
Macclesfield/Peak Forest canals. Choice of dedicated training
boats.
Willow Wren
offer the RYA Inland Helmsman's certificate plus the Boatmaster's
Licence Course plus the R.Y.A. Diesel Engine Maintenance Course. All
courses based at their RYA recognised training school at Rugby
Wharf, Oxford Canal
Wildcat Enterprises - 1 or 2 day training courses for the RYA
Inland Waters Helmsman Certificate, ICC/CEVNI, plus RYA Diesel
Engine Course. On Oxford Canal or your boat anywhere.
Your training business
could be prominently listed here.
Listings in
Canal Junction are free for basic
contact info to £150pa for this enhanced
listing.
On
a canal boating holiday, what do you need to be able to do?
If you are going on a canal
boating holiday on a hire boat you will need to be able to
cruise the boat, moor safely and probably operate locks. But you
don’t need any formal qualification or even boating experience.
If you are going on a
Hotelboat cruise you just need the ability
to sit back and be pampered!
We've
advice and information here, plus remember that instruction is
always given by canal boating holiday firms, and some offer
short training courses. See our
Canal Training Course
Providers page, and the listings above, for more details.
Steering a heavy boat up to 70
feet long through an opening only a few inches wider than the
boat, standing at the back using a tiller on a fairly narrow
canal does take a bit of getting used to, but most people adjust
quickly!
Most boats have diesel engines controlled through a single lever
which alters engine speed and selects forward, neutral and
reverse gears, very simple to use. Steering is usually from the
back of the boat, which makes it easy to see where the boat is,
as well as where it's going! Most boats have tiller steering,
push the tiller to the right and the boat swings left. It can
take a little while for a heavy boat to respond, and it may keep
on swinging due to its momentum even after you have pulled the
tiller back. Unlike a car, due to water movements and canal bed
shapes, a boat will not keep going straight even when the tiller
is central, you need to keep on steering! River boats may have
wheel steering from a front or central position.
There is a speed limit of 4 miles per hour on most canals and
many rivers, about an average walking speed, boats don't have
speedometers. You must observe that limit, wash destroys canal
banks and bumps other boat around and other canal users may get
angry with you. Running the boat engine too fast won't make you
go much faster, just make more noise and wash and use more fuel.
On shallow canals you may notice a breaking wave building up
from the stern even at 4 mph, if so slow down more.
You pass other boats on the right hand side, just like on roads
in most of the world. However you should keep towards the centre
of the canal if there are no other boats coming. Leave plenty of
space and slow down when you pass moored boats, the wash from a
boat can bump the moored boat up and down and even pull out
mooring pins.
There are special turning places every few miles, known as
'winding holes' ( - pronounced like the 'wind' that blows!).
The canal is usually deepest in the centre of straight sections
and on the outer side of bends, try to avoid cutting across the
shallow corners of bends. Your boat will steer more easily and
travel more quietly in the deeper water. You may occasionally
meet deeper traditional boats who want the deeper water,
steerers will usually communicate via hand signals and shouting,
though there is a system of horn blasts few people know it and
fewer use!
If another boat is behind you it is polite to see if they want
to come past. If so, when there is a clear stretch of canal,
move over to the side and slow right down to let them past.
How
to moor a canal boat
You can moor almost anywhere on
the towpath side of canals, free of charge.
Boats come with mooring ropes for and aft and steel 'mooring
pins' and hammer. Don't block the towpath by putting your pins
in too far from the canalside. Tie the boat up fairly tightly so
that it doesn't move about too much when other boats pass. Many
people put something light coloured on top of their pins so
walkers can see them in the dark. Some regular moorings have
steel rings or bollards to tie to.
Mooring on the opposite side of the canal is not usually allowed
since the land is often privately owned.
Any
towpath area where mooring is not allowed will usually be
signed. However don’t moor on tight bends, by turning places or
close to locks where you will get in the way of other boats
using the locks.
Some people like to moor as far out in the country as they can,
others prefer to moor outside pubs, or in the visitor moorings
that British Waterways are providing in many villages and towns,
but it's really up to you, that's one of the beauties of a canal
holiday!
River moorings are usually much more restricted and you normally
should only moor on public moorings, which may be charged for.
How
to work canal locks
Locks are probably
the most difficult thing to get the hang of, and they take the
most physical effort! We've provided a page of detailed advice
about working canal locks.
Canal boating
holiday skills
We've
advice and information here, plus remember that instruction is
always given by canal boating holiday firms, and some offer
short training courses. See our
You pass other boats on the right hand side, just like on roads
in most of the world. However you should keep towards the centre
of the canal if there are no other boats coming. Leave plenty of
space and slow down when you pass moored boats, the wash from a
boat can bump the moored boat up and down and even pull out
mooring pins. 
Any
towpath area where mooring is not allowed will usually be
signed. However don’t moor on tight bends, by turning places or
close to locks where you will get in the way of other boats
using the locks.
