New to narrowboating
A beginners guide to operating a narrowboat
A beginners guide to operating a narrowboat
You’re on your way on your canal boat! Here’s a few top tips on handling the narrow boat when you’re on the waterways.
Every skipper goes aground at some point – it’s not a disaster. Don’t try to force your way over the obstacle or you’ll find yourself even more stuck. Instead, use reverse gear to back away into deeper water.
If you’re firmly stuck, ask some or all of the crew to move to the side of the boat that’s still floating (but not to the extent that you’d risk capsizing!). Now use the pole to push off against a solid object or the bed of the waterway – if you put the pole straight down and try to use it as a lever, it’ll either break or you’ll fall in. And keep the top of the pole away from your face and body, in case it slips suddenly.
Don’t forget you can read the full Boating Handbook here
Top tip from Black Prince customers: “Don’t stress! I was on my first (hope to be many) canal holidays this summer. And unfortunately I saw a lot of holidayboaters stress away their holiday.”
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