Navigating the Waterways: Newcomers to Canal Boating Guide

Life on a narrowboat can be joyful and relaxing. Escaping the daily chores of house maintenance, to avoiding that intrusive neighbour who won’t leave you alone. Canal boating can be the ideal way to please introverts and extroverts looking for adventure, but in a quieter fashion. 

Is this your first time pondering what canal boat to buy to give you the ultimate life of peace and escapism? 

Look no further!

Collingwood Boat Builders showcase all the important considerations to prepare for before you buy your canal boat. Starting with the basics!

The Basics of Navigation for Newcomers

It can seem quite intimidating for newcomers to canal boating, but you can quickly learn all the terminology and concepts through guides such as this. 

Let’s begin with what the different sections of the canal boat are called:

• The front of the boat is called the Bow. 
• The back of the canal boat is called the Stern. 
• Port is the left-hand side of the boat when pointing forward. 
• The right-hand side of the boat, when pointing forward, is called Starboard. 
• The lever to steer the narrowboat is called the Tiller. 
• The throttle is what you use to reverse and accelerate the canal boat. 
• The hatch you access to clean and maintain the propellers is called the Weed Hatch. 
• The kitchen within the narrowboat is referred to as the Galley. 
• Saloon is what the boat’s living room is labelled as.
• The pump removing water that collects in the bilges is appropriately called the Bilge Pump. 

It may seem like a lot to remember, however, it’s not massively more than all the features we learn when first driving a car. 

Now we understand the different aspects of a narrowboat, let’s look at some terminology regarding the canal itself:

• The Pound refers to a stretch of water between two locks. 
• A Weir is utilised to regulate water levels. Often, these can appear like dams. 
• The Overflow is what’s used to drain a canal of excessive water.  
• A wide area of the canal allowing narrowboats to turn around is called the Winding Hole. 
• The section of canals with gates to lower and raise canal boats is referred to as a Lock.
• A path that runs along a canal’s bank is called the Towpath. These have been used throughout history for horses to pull canal boats. 

Here are some other useful terms we at Collingwood Boat Builders believe all first-time buyers of canal boats must know:

• Under the bottom of the steel plate on the narrowboat’s stern counter is called the Uxter Plate. 
• On narrowboats, the inner slope of a boat’s side is called the Tumblehome. 
• Lock paddles are opened and closed using an L-shaped handle called the Windlass.
• Port to Port is the way boats pass by one another, side-by-side on the left (port) side.  
• The berthing space along the towpath is called On-Line Mooring. 
• The section of water adjacent to the canal is referred to as the Off-Line. These are usually lakes. 

Next Steps in Your Canal Boating Journey

For further reading on canal boating, make sure you’ve read the Boater’s Handbook, as it’s a critical read for any boaters, both newcomers and masters. 

Throughout the UK, many organisations offer training courses for first-time buyers of canal boats. For further information, visit the Canal & River Trust’s page on boat handling courses.  

If you’re a newcomer to canal boating and have any questions regarding life on the waterways, call our expert team today at 0151 541 8460.