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Preparation for your narrowboat trip

  • Day Boat course
  • Holiday Boat course
  • Boat hire
  • Contact us
  • Boat hire
  • Contact us
  • Boat hire
  • Contact us
Union Wharf courses

Union Wharf courses

Preparation for your narrowboat trip

  • Day Boat course
  • Holiday Boat course
  • Boat hire
  • Contact us
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Holiday Boat Preparation Course

Curriculum

  • 7 Sections
  • 24 Lessons
  • Lifetime
Expand all sectionsCollapse all sections
  • The skipper's responsibilities
    2
    • 1.1
      All about the skipper
    • 1.2
      Arrival
  • Boat handling
    This section explains how to control your narrowboat.
    7
    • 2.1
      The throttle gearbox and setting off
    • 2.2
      Steering, speed limits and driving on the right hand side
    • 2.3
      Getting stuck on shallow ground
    • 2.4
      How to clear the propeller from debris
    • 2.5
      Turning round
    • 2.6
      Mooring up the easy way
    • 2.7
      Tying up
  • Safety
    5
    • 3.1
      Drinking and cruising
    • 3.2
      Avoiding fire risks
    • 3.3
      People on deck
    • 3.4
      Falling into the canal
    • 3.5
      Daily checks and diesel
  • Internal tour
    Each boat has a different layout but they all have some things in common. Here's what you need to know...
    4
    • 4.1
      Gas and electricity
    • 4.2
      Toilets
    • 4.3
      Water supply
    • 4.4
      Beds and bedding
  • Waterways features
    We have lots more information, photographs and videos of the canal features around Market Harborough, on our main website www.unionwharfharborough.co.uk. This section covers the most important features.
    5
    • 5.1
      Operating the Road Swing Bridge between Market Harborough and Foxton
    • 5.2
      Operating the Foot Swing Bridge just before Foxton Basin
    • 5.3
      Locks
    • 5.4
      Foxton Locks
    • 5.5
      Tunnels
  • Boat return and timing
    1
    • 6.1
      Returning to the marina
  • Quiz
    1
    • 7.1
      Holiday Boat Preparation Quiz
      6 Questions

Mooring up the easy way

1. Approach the bank very slowly at a shallow angle of 30 degrees and aim to bring the boat to a complete stop as the bow touches the bank. You can use a burst of reverse gear to stop the boat if you need to and then return to neutral.

2. To bring the back in, move the tiller arm towards the bank and give a 3 second burst of forward gear before returning again to neutral. You can repeat this stage if necessary.

3. A crew member can then step off, holding the centre line to help bring the boat in.

4. If the boat is still moving under its own momentum, a short burst of reverse gear with the tiller arm out towards the canal will bring the boat to a halt.

 

Other things to know about mooring up

Always step off the boat from the back.

Do not use the centre line for mooring, this is just to hold the boat e.g. when waiting for another crew member to moor up correctly

You can moor anywhere along the towpath (not the other side.)

 

Please don’t moor…

• Blocking taps and other services
• Under fixed bridges
• Near sharp bends
• On the outside of bends
• By blind spots
• In stretches marked out for an angling match

Turning round
Prev
Tying up
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