Jonathan Mosse examines what’s needed to plan a cruise inland
Fitting out my narrowboat on the river Tamar, seven miles above Plymouth, took me two years to complete –an operation that became somehow protracted by a ‘need’ to run in my new engine, punching big tides and visiting the delights of the entire navigable length of the river!
During this time, it became almost commonplace for partners of my adjacent sea-going boaters to sidle up to me, when their other half was otherwise engaged, explaining that all this navigation, the long passages and stormy seas were becoming altogether too much and how nice it would be to simply ditch crawl from pub to pub.
Boat work finished, I reversed the river journey to be craned back onto a lorry and scuttled north to a more conventional habitat, leaving behind a handful of sailors, their curiosity now piqued into sampling the delights of my world.
Their starting point is a short-term licence, in most cases from the Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk) – supported by the all-important British Waterways key, which gives access to facilities and the mechanisms of lift bridges. This key is readily available on Amazon, ebay and the like. Just as important is a windlass and, in many cases, an anti-vandal key, again available via the internet.
Next, an appropriate inland waterways guide for their intended cruising area such as the Collins Nicholson Waterways Guides or Pearson’s Canal Companions. The digital equivalents, including CanalPlan (canalplan.uk) and River Canal Rescue’s WaterNav app (rivercanalrescue.co.uk) are also helpful.
Choosing your route
Your chosen navigation could be either a ‘narrow canal’, which would be unlikely given its 2m gauge, or a ‘wide canal’ with locks able to accommodate a greater beam. Length to fit in locks will vary from 17m in the north-east to 27m; these lengths are based on the size of sailing keel craft which transported cargo in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Guide books will provide details of the so-called keel size of routes, supported by information on the Canal &River Trust website, which has details about how to plan your route.
If you’re on a sailing yacht, you may need to remove or lower your mast if you can, if your route takes you through tunnels or under bridges.
There are well over a dozen navigation authorities looking after different inland waterways, although the Canal &River Trust dominates. Most guides provide details on the navigation authority, the differing
