Narrowboat Holidays - Rules and Etiquette for the Inland Waterways
- Children, Ropes and Tunnels
Supervision of Dogs and Children
Small children especially on a boat need constant supervision, so give someone that role and take it in turns, so you all get a chance of a holiday. Boyancy aids should be worn on the deck or at the waterside and discourage them from running along the water's edge. Please keep everyone including children off the roof when cruising.
Dogs need to be kept under control as well for both their own safety and 5he safety of others, especially at locks etc.
Running engines and generators.
Most boats will have to run their engines for about 4 hours a day, just to charge the batteries; whether cruising or not. Please be aware of the noise and nuisance this can cause in terms of smoke and fumes. B.W. Byelaws state that engines or generators should not be run before 8am or after 8pm.
Ropes
Keeping ropes tidy and probably coiled is a matter of safety and good practice. Leaving them in a heap on the deck invites tripping accidents. the rope may also get tangled causing delays when needed, which can also cause problems. Do practice knots and rope throwing, these are skills you are going to need during mooring.
When using a bollard keep hands sufficiently far enough down the rope so finger cannot get drawn into the bollard and trapped. Also keep and eye out for ropes getting looped around hands of feet, which could tighten and drag you unexpectedly into the water.
Watch out for ropes trailing in the water, there is a danger they might catch around the propeller. Should this happen turn off the engine and take the keys out. Lift the weed hatch and remove the rope. Do not attempt to restart the engine again until you are sure all hands and feet are clear of the weed hatch and the hatch is secured properly. A poorly secured hatch could result in the boat flooding so take a little care here.
The Rule of the road
The general rule is that boats should pass "Port" to "Port" ( right hand side), though there are always situations where this may not be practical or even possible , such as when one boat is very out of position. Two blasts on the horn is the usual signal that you are about to pass on the "wrong" side, which many experienced boaters would not recognise, so proceed slowly and carefully making your intentions obvious any way you can. Overtaking at need is usually done on the left.
Make allowances for larger boats, which may need more time and space to manoeuvre than you do.
Tunnels
Tunnels can present a daunting challenge in the minds of novices, especially for those inclined to claustrophobia.!
The first thing to do when approaching a tunnel is to discover whether it takes two way or single way traffic. The guidebooks can be helpful here, though there are usually instructions to help you at the tunnel entrance. Approaching lights will give a good clue as to whether you need to wait for an on-coming boat in a single way tunnel, some tunnels even have traffic lights to help.
The biggest challenge is the disorientating experience of trying to steer in the dark, which takes a bit of getting used too.
Some have suggested that playing Wagner at full volume whilst storming through at speed helps overcome the problem, but the approach is to be discouraged, regardless of musical taste, for safety reasons.
Put on your tunnel light so you can see and be seen ( cabin lights as well help) and proceed at a slow to moderate pace. In event of meeting a boat coming the other way slow right down and give the oncoming boat as much clearance as possible.
Tunnel lights should pitch and slightly right, not straight ahead, or they will dazzle oncoming traffic.