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Hiring a narrowboat in England: licence, locks and the rules of the cut
Short answer
To hire a narrowboat in England you normally need no licence or qualification;
the hire company trains you before you set off.
You work the locks yourself, and the canals have a low speed limit and clear rules on mooring.
A narrowboat is the classic hire boat on the English canals: long, narrow and built of steel for locks only about seven feet wide. Most canals in England and Wales are looked after by the Canal & River Trust. Hire companies do not normally ask for a licence or qualification; instead they show the crew the engine, steering, locks and mooring before departure and often come along for the first stretch. The boat licence for the waterway is held by the hire company and included in the price, so a visitor from Ireland, the Netherlands or further afield can take the helm on the same day.
The real work is the locks, which on most canals the crew operates: paddles wound up and down with a windlass, heavy gates opened by leaning on the balance beam, the boat kept clear of the cill. Accidents happen when the stern catches on the cill going down or a windlass slips and spins back. Most canals have a speed limit of four miles an hour, and oncoming boats pass on the right. You can moor along the towpath in many places, often for a limited time; signs show what applies.
Take your time over the handover and do the first lock together with the hire company. Keep children and dogs in sight at locks, never walk on wet gates and never leave the windlass on the spindle. Ask in advance about the deposit, what the hire company has insured and what excess remains after damage to the boat. You are personally liable for damage you cause to locks, banks or other boats with the hire boat, so check whether your own skipper liability insurance extends to a hired narrowboat on English canals.
Worth remembering
Licence
normally none, training from the hire company instead
Locks
worked by the crew with windlass and balance beam
On the English canals the lock is the real test: work it without hurry and the holiday stays relaxed.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Do I need a licence to hire a narrowboat in England?
Normally not. The hire company trains the crew before departure and often comes along for the first stretch. After that you take the boat on yourself.
Who works the locks on English canals?
Usually the crew, with a windlass for the paddles and the balance beams for the gates. A few large locks are staffed, and there you follow the lock keeper's instructions.
How fast can a narrowboat go on the canal?
On most canals four miles an hour. More important than the figure is that your wash does not hit the bank or moored boats.
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