OnTheCut

IWA postpones Bridgewater Rally

12 August 2025 - Waterways World Paid

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IMPROVING ACCESS and inspiring active living along Leeds & Liverpool Canal

12 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

A newly upgraded two-mile stretch between Bridge 187 in Kildwick and Bridge 191A in Silsden, known as the ‘Missing Link,’ ...

Selling us up the Swanee

11 August 2025 - NBTA London

The only way that the waterways could be self-sustaining is by the waterways authority managing its profitable assets properly. However, CRT, which got the government contract in the first place on the proviso that it would eventually be self-sustaining, has been selling off its profitable assets.

CLOSURE for museum

11 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

The Foundation of the River & Rowing Museum, in Henley-on-Thames, has said it will close its doors to the public ...

RCR course date reminder

11 August 2025 - Canal Boat UK

Boaters stuck at Foxton Locks due to low water levels

9 August 2025 - BBC News

Foxton Locks was temporarily closed on 29 July and some boats are now stuck in the bottom lock.

Avoiding lock hang ups and sinkings

9 August 2025 - Canal Junction

Every year, lock cills catch boaters unaware, no matter how experienced they are. Once a vessel’s caught on a cill it can cause the rudder to pop out of the cup, which is easily resolved. However, in many cases it results in damage to the skeg, rudder and bearings, and the boat needs to be towed and dry-docked to have the damage repaired. There’s also a risk of taking on water and the boat sinking. Lock cill in a broad lock , explains what to do if your boat’s caught on a cill: “Cills protrude below the water, close to the top gates of most canal locks. If you’re travelling downhill in the lock chamber and your stern, ie rudder, gets caught on the cill, when the water recedes, only the bow of your boat will lower with the water level, leaving the stern raised up. Sinking or capsizing can happen in seconds.  chief rescue co-ordinator,  River Canal Rescue Pete Barnett If you’re aware the stern’s caught, close the bottom gate paddles to stop the water receding further and slowly open the top gate paddles to refill the lock. Hopefully, there will not be any damage, or at least you will be able to remove it from the lock and get some technical assistance.” But if the boat has suffered serious damage and you can’t remove it from the lock, Pete recommends that you ensure everyone in your crew is safe and then contact the Canal & River Trust, who will send out a team to assess the site, contain pollution and ensure your boat isn’t causing a navigational hazard. If your boat’s on the River Thames or other river navigation, you may need to contact the Environment Agency if the CRT does not have jurisdiction. In either case, the EA and CRT should work in tandem with recovery specialists to get your boat moved as quickly as possible. If you are on a hire boat you must inform the hire firm. If you own the boat you must contact your insurer who will ask for a specialist recovery firm to salvage the craft. It’s likely the RCR Canal Contracting team will appear on the scene as they’re authorised to handle claims for most of the UK’s leading boat insurers. Once the boat is raised, the cause of the sinking will need to be identified by an engineer or surveyor before the claim’s accepted. All contractors have to meet the CRT’s/EA’s risk management requirements, otherwise they’ll not be given permission to raise the vessel. Not all lock sinkings are caused by the boat stern sitting on the cill while descending a lock. A boat going uphill can get its   under a projection on the top gate, leaving the stern to rise with the water level. If this happens, close the top paddles to stop the water level rising and open the bottom gate paddles to allow the water level to fall until the boat can be moved away from the top gate. bow or bow fender stuck Boats can sometimes  , especially if your side fenders have not been lifted before locking. When it happens you should drop all the paddles and assess the situation. Then, if the boat is sitting on top of a projection, slowly let in more water, or drain water if it is caught beneath a projection. jam on a projection from a lock wall  a narrowboat may jam by twisting across the lock, so keep boats roped close to the wall. Two narrowboats sharing a lock canal also become twisted and jam. Drop all the paddles and assess what is happening. Then slowly add or remove water until the boats are free. In broad locks If your   or tied when the boat is descending a lock it can cause a boat to get hung up and possibly jammed by the boat listing over. Let water in slowly to see if it frees the boat. ropes get jammed Boats have also been sunk by boaters   and swamping the foredeck. If a lock has gate paddles always open the ground paddles first and only open the gate paddles when the water from the gate paddle is below the hull level. opening gate paddles too early Don’t try to force a boat free free using boat poles or ropes. Equalise the water level until the boat(s) floats normally. Jammed boats can be under a lot of pressure from the water and their own weight, and this can release violently.  Most people consider the safest position in a lock for a leisure boat is in the middle of the lock, not close to the top or  bottom gates. Many boaters will use a centre rope to help the engines maintain a central position. See our  . Safe Locking advice pages Thanks to   for most of the information on this page. River Canal Rescue

BCN EXPLORER CRUISE: Turning Strangers into Friends While Championing Forgotten Canals

9 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

Towpath Talk follower Wendy Davis provided this report, this society is worth supporting! Between July 6th and 15th, a group ...

Drought conditions: navigation update from Canal & River Trust

8 August 2025 - Canal Boat UK

Drained canal blamed on vandals looking for likes

8 August 2025 - BBC News

The Canal and River Trust says a bid for social media approval is behind careless opening of locks.

RCR course date reminder

8 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

River Canal Rescue has spaces on its two-day maintenance courses, running 17/18 September; 1/2,   15/16 and 29/30 October, 12/13 and ...

Lottery grant for Marple Wharf

8 August 2025 - Waterways World Paid

A community interest company has received a £864,000 grant from the National Lottery to convert the historic Marple Wharf warehouse into a heritage centre and community hub The …

Historic railway lift-bridge restored through AIA grant

8 August 2025 - Waterways World Paid

A railway restoration society is close to restoring a pioneering lift-bridge that once crossed the GU navigation at West Bridge in Leicester. In 1834, Robert Stephenson designed the bridge &…

Decision time nears on Thames & Severn restoration

7 August 2025 - Waterways World Paid

As the Cotswold Canals Trust works to complete the Stroudwater length of the 36-mile restoration, it is close to making a controversial decison on the future of the Thames &…

Councils agree to put in extra £4m to see Stroudwater restoration completed

7 August 2025 - Waterways World Paid

The councils and other parties involved in the Stroudwater Canal restoration have agreed to inject a further £4m in the project, provided they can persuade the National Lottery Heritage …

Man in his 70s dies on canal boat

7 August 2025 - BBC News

A man in his 70s was pronounced dead on board the canal boat in Atherstone on Monday.

SURVEY of energy usage

7 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

The NABO (National Association of Boat Owners) has been talking to the Department for Transport (DfT) and their consultant Ricardo. They ...

Aquavista initiatives disrupt marina industry

6 August 2025 - Waterways World Paid

Two recent initiatives of the big Aquavista marina chain seem to be affecting the mooring industry – Explore 100 and Marina Swap.  Explore 100 lets yearly berth-holders at …

BOATERS BENEFIT from docks dredging programme

6 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

THE Canal & River Trust has carried out dredging at Gloucester Docks as part of its vital work to manage ...

MAJOR REPAIRS complete and bridge reopens

5 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

The Canal & River Trust, working in partnership with Sandwell Council, has reopened the 129-year-old Wrights Bridge after extensive repairs. ...

£80K BILL after latest historic canal bridge vehicle strike

4 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

DRIVERS have been urged to take care after the bridge located on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal between Dimmingsdale Lock ...

CANAL TEMPORARILY CLOSED to boaters for swing bridge repairs

2 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

Engineers are working to repair a unique sliding swing bridge which takes trains over a canal in North Lincolnshire after ...

PLEA for volunteers

2 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

VOLUNTEER lock keepers are needed to help keep a stretch of the UK’s longest canal open this year.  People are ...

NO PROSECUTION NEWS as canal reopens

1 August 2025 - Towpath Talk

BOATERS are finally using the closed section of the Walsall Canal, 11 months after it was poisoned with deadly chemicals ...

WIN A YEAR’S RCR SILVER MEMBERSHIP

1 August 2025 - Canal Boat UK

National Boat Count 2025

1 August 2025 - Canal Boat UK

OVERLY COMPLEX PROCESSES could halt future restoration work

31 July 2025 - Towpath Talk

CANAL restoration charities have slammed the Canal & River Trust after it revealed a new way of working with organisations ...

LOVE THIS PLACE? Leave no trace!

30 July 2025 - Towpath Talk

LEAVE No Trace Ireland has launched its annual Love This Place campaign, calling on the public to come together to ...

FREE GUIDED TOURS generate interest

29 July 2025 - Towpath Talk

AS PART of the Shannon hydro-electric scheme, the Ardnacrusha Generation Station has played a critical role in enhancing Irish life ...

'Cathedral of the canals' celebrates 150 years

28 July 2025 - BBC News

Built in 1875, the structure lifts boats by about 50ft and attracts about 100,000 visitors annually.