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Many people are now turning towards the Internet to view and either sell or purchase their Boat, resulting in people being introduced to the waterway system for the very first time..
people who wish to learn about our canals, rivers and narrowboating, and perhaps either hire or own a narrowboat for the first time, are advised to read on.
British waterways Canal System
IN BRITAIN there are now well over 2,000 miles of navigable canals and rivers, which boats can cruise.
These canals and rivers cover most of the country, both England, Wales and Scotland, with virtually all of those in England interconnected.
The canals make up most of this, and built some 200 years ago are either narrow or broad.
The narrow canals can only take boats up to 6' 10" wide in their locks, hence the name narrowboat, and these canals make up the majority of the waterways, particularly in the midlands.
The bridges too have restricted width on the narrow canals.
TWICE THE WIDTH
The broad canals have locks of twice the width, or over, allowing either wider boats or two narrowboats to pass though side by side.
The navigable rivers too have locks, which serve the purpose of giving depth for navigation.
Major rivers, such as the Thames, Severn and Trent however, have much wider locks than canals, allowing even larger boats.
Locks
IT IS the locks that restrict the width of boats that can use the canals.
A lock is basically a chamber that holds water and accommodates the boats to either lower on raise them to a lower or higher level. A lock is therefore needed to follow the level of the ground.
SIMPLE THINGS
Locks are quite simple things, with boats going into the lock then the crew shutting the gate(s) behind the boat.
If the lock is lowering the level of the canal, it is simply a matter of letting the water out of the other end until the same level is reached, then opening the gate(s) to proceed on the lower level.
the level is up, it is just a matter of letting water in the lock from the higher level, until again, the water in the lock is level with that above, then proceeding on the higher level.
The water is regulated by sluices which are operated by simple handles, known as windlasses or lock handles, carried in the boat.
The locks on the canal system are many and varied, but all work on the same principle.
Staircase locks are when a number of locks are connected, but with these there is usually a lockeeper at hand to guide you through them.
Types of Boats
THERE are two distinct types of boats on the waterways, the narrowboat, constructed nowadays of steel, and measuring up to 70 feet long and cruisers, of varying widths and lengths constructed of plastic.
On the canals it is more usual to find narrowboats with a sprinkling of narrow cruisers, whilst on the rivers, particularly the major ones, cruisers are more prominent.
Narrowboats, though all 6' 10" wide, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Mostly though these steer from the rear with a tiller, but even these have a variety of designs.
WELL EQUIPPED
Narrowboats are very well equipped, with normally full cooking facilities, refrigerator, hot and cold water and heating.
They are designed with all manner of sleeping facilities, very often now with fixed double beds.
Power is provided by batteries, which are charged by the engine's alternator, with the better engines having two alternators, allowing a high capacity one for the services.
This power is used for driving things like water pumps, lighting and sometimes refrigerators and diesel heaters.
Narrowboats are nearly all powered by diesel engines, and use 'red' diesel which does not attract fuel tax.
Unlike the smaller cruisers, narrowboats usually have around 6' 3" headroom.
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