Cruiser Stern - Narrowboat with a stern deck of between 4-8 Feet in length. This gives much more room for several people to stand or sit and take advantage of the journey or mooring whilst outside.
Semi-Traditional - A hybrid of the Traditional and the Cruiser. This boat type offers a good compromise between traditional and more outside space.
Traditional Style - Narrowboat with a shorter stern deck of 2-3 Feet in length, usually a smaller bow section. This layout provides much better usage of the 'carrying' section (originally cargo) of the boat.
Tug - A shorter boat, usually no more than 50 feet. Often the forward part of the cabin has a lower headroom. Tug's would usually tow one or more Butty's filled with cargo.
Butty - A narrowboat without an engine. Towed behind another, commonly from the era of working canal boats.
Reverse Layout - An interior layout with the bedroom at the front and the galley and lounge at the rear.
Narrowboat - Quite literally that, a 'Narrow Boat'. Max-width is 6 feet 10 inches.
Widebeam - A boat that is wider than 6 feet 10 inches.
Aft or Stern - The back end of the boat. Usually housing the engine and of course the tiller.
Amid Ships - Quite literally - the 'Middle' of the boat
Bow - The front end of the boat.
Cockpit - Open area in the bow, lower than the side decks used for storing tools, coal and/or gas also presents nice seating for social activities.
Foredeck - The higher level deck in the bow of a boat, often over the gas or coal locker.
Fore Well - The lower deck at the front of a boat.
Port or Port Side - Left-hand side when standing at the aft facing the front (towards the bow)
Starboard or Starboard Side - right-hand side when standing at the aft facing the front (towards the bow)
Overplate - Plating fitted on top of the hull plate usually for repair purposes.
Bilge - The lowest part of the boat where water collects. This must be pumped out - usually automatic and electrically powered.
Bilge Pump - A pump for emptying the bilge. As mentioned above, usually automatic and electrically powered. Most boats have a manual option in case of power failure.
Bow Thruster - A small propeller or water-jet, mounted in a tunnel 90 degrees to the boat line, at the bow and below the water-line, used to assist turning especially in tight spaces. Also very good for combating side currents.
Calorifier - Hot Water Tank. Water heated by the engine when running is stored here. Also used for heating the boat. Can run in conjunction with back-boilers, diesel or gas powered heaters for all hot-water needs.
Inverter - Used to convert 12v DC to 230v/240v AC. Can be supplied at different 'ah' (amp hours) depending on the demand of electrical devices onboard. It is well to install an inverter that delivers in excess of demand.
Keel Cooled - This is like a car radiator. Hot engine coolant is passed through a closed system which is welded to the inside of the swim. Both the engine and 'Keel Cooled' system can have anti-freeze added to prevent freezing in the winter.
Raw Water Cooled:
Direct - Canal water is drawn in via a mud box (normally a watertight container large enough to allow the incoming water time to settle) before being pumped around the engine to cool it then returned to the canal. Important Note: antifreeze should be added to the engine to prevent frost damage. The mud-box and other parts of the cooling system, not provided with antifreeze, must be fully drained during the winter. Otherwise damage by freezing may occur.
Indirect - Canal water is drawn in via a mud box (normally a watertight container large enough to allow the incoming water time to settle) before being pumped though a heat exchange mounted on the engine it is then returned to the canal. The engines own coolant is also pumped through the heat exchange but is kept separate, enabling the engine to be protected with antifreeze. As with 'Direct System' the mud-box and other parts of the cooling system, not provided with antifreeze, must be fully drained during the winter. Otherwise damage by freezing may occur.
Berth - Sleeping accommodation on a boat.
Boatmans Cabin - Living quarters or cabin on working boats included the bedroom. Not very large so as to not reduce cargo carrying capacity.
Bulkhead - Usually wooden or composite board. Used to separate sections of the boat. Bedroom, Bathroom, Saloon etc.
Bulls Eye - A small circular porthole fitted in the cabin roof, usually convex glass to let more light into the cabin.
Cross Bed - A double, queen or king-sized bed across the width of the boat. The 'gangway end' of the bed folds or slides away when not in use for through access.
Dinette - A table arrangement that comes apart and reassembles as a bed - single or double. Conversion from one to the other is usually minutes
Fiddle - A raised bead or rail on a shelf to keep items from sliding off.
Galley - The boat kitchen - cooker, hob, grill, fridge, sink and the usual items from a kitchen at home. Everything designed to make maximum use of space.
Houdini Hatch - A hatch fitted to the roof of the cabin, usually transparent for more natural light, ideal for ventilation or emergency escape.
Monkey Box - A wooden storage box in a boatman's cabin. Made to slide under or into tight spaces. Can also be found in the Steps down from the stern, utilising all available space.
Mushroom Vent - A mushroom-shaped vent in the roof provides ventilation to the cabin. Vital if gas appliance are used.
Pigeon Box - A raised rectangular vent with side-hinged vents either side. Provides excellent ventilation even in bad weather.
Pram Canopy - Canopy fitted on purpose made folding frame. Quick to put up and down, fitted over a narrowboats or widebeam stern. Allows for cruising in the rain. Caution at low bridges, it's well to check ahead of your journey for low headroom.
Saloon - The lounge or seating area on a boat. Generally open plan to the galley
Scuppers - Holes in the boat sides for draining decks, lockers and similar.
Tumblehome - Sloping cabin sides for bridge clearance.
Cassette Toilet - Chemical toilet with a removable storage cassette, can be electrically operated. Multiple cassettes can be held on board.
Composting Toilet - Liquid and solid waste are separated. Solid's are deposited into a container semi-filled with compost. This is 'stirred' after use. Can be electrically operated. If operated correctly, very cost efficient and no smells.
Elsan Disposal - Facility for emptying the contents of a cassette toilet 'cassettes'.
Incinerator Toilet - 'Waste' is burned to ashes using gas or electricity.
Pumpout Toilet - Normal toilets on board, flush to a holding tank. This is pumped out at a 'Pumpout Facility' (often found at marinas and wharf's).
Macerator Toilet - Pump out toilet where the waste is macerated into slurry.
Anode - or sacrificial anodes. A large piece of magnesium often welded or bolted below the waterline at the bow and stern of a metal narrowboat hull. This protects the hull from corrosion due to electrolysis. When ever the boat is out of the water for repairs or blacking, it's a good idea to check and replace if required.
Anti-Cavitation Plate - A metal plate fitted tightly to the Uxter plate to cover the Weedhatch access point.
Air Draft - The height of the boat. Measured from the waterline to the highest fixed-point on the boat. Essential to know what this is when cruising so as to avoid damage at low bridges and the like.
Batteries - Leisure: For powering all aspects of the boat except the engine. Usually 4 batteries, each with an 'ah' (amp hour) rating. 4 Batteries, each with 150 'ah' will give a total of 600 amp hours when fully charged. An electrical item will display how many amps it takes to run. An item using 5 amps will deplete your leisure batteries total of 600 ah by 5 in one hours of use. The older batteries are, the less likely you are to get the specified 'ah'.
Battery - Propulsion: For starting the engine. Also powers external lights, horn and bilge pump when the engine is not running.
Beam - The overall width of the boat.
Blacking - The term used for the application of protective coats of bitumen paints applied to steel hulls to prevent rusting and damage. Requires replacement every 2 to 5 years depending on boat use and damage.
Cant - A raised outer section of a deck normally to the bow and stern decks.
Chine - Depending upon the design, a narrowboat often has a single chine where the hull wall and bottom plate meet. Some designs may have more than one chine.
Counter - Flat area below the water line above the swim. The propeller is found below the Counter Plate.
Counter Plate - Stern section hull plating, above the waterline, that wraps around the stern.
Cratch - Combined well deck and triangular section, often with a hatch used for storage.
Cratch Board - A triangular board or frame supporting the forward end of cratch covers.
Cratch Cover - A canvas covering over the bow well deck.
Draft - Quite literally, the amount of the boat below the waterline. This can vary slightly depending on the cargo or other loads and capacities on board.
Dolly - A round mooring bollard.
Freeboard - The distance between the waterline and the lowest deck level where water could possibly enter the boat.
Galvanic Isolator - A fitting to a boats electrical system intended to prevent corrosion to the hull.
Generator - Used to charge Leisure Batteries to power everything electrical not associated with the engine. Can also be used for heavier use electrical items such as welding equipment. When using a generator, be considerate of other boaters moored nearby. Generators can be noisy.
Gunwale - The top edge of the hull were it joins the cabin side, laterally gun wall but pronounced gunnel as tunnel.
Hull - The main part of the boat that sits in the water and gives a boat its buoyancy.
Holding Tank - An on board storage tank used for toilet waste, emptied at pumpout stations.
Solar Panels - Used to charge Leisure Batteries to power everything electrical not associated with the engine.
Shoreline - A lead from the shore side connected to a 240v electricity supply.
Skeg - A steel horizontal bar welded to the base plate (normally in channel form) protruding from the stern to carry the lower end of the rudder post and bearing, it also gives some protection to the propeller.
Skin Tank - A steel tank welded to the interior face of the hull. The skin tank forms part of the engine cooling system; coolant passes through the tank and is cooled by contact with exterior hull plating.
Sterngear - The propeller, propeller shaft, sterntube, sterntube bearing and stuffing box or packing gland. This requires servicing at least once a year.
Stern Gland - Greased arrangement around where the propeller shaft passes through the hull. It is used to prevent water ingress to the boat.
Stern Tube - The tube through the hull, protected by the Stern Gland, through which the propeller shaft passes.
Superstructure - The cabin structures on the boat above the deck.
Swans Neck - The S-shaped steel bar welded to the rudder post to which the tiller bar is fitted on a boat.
Swim - The underwater part of the hull that goes to a point to allow less turbulent flow of water over the propeller, maximising power efficiency.
Tiller Bar - Tiller extension that fits on the swans neck to assist in leverage. Often decorative part of the tiller assembly.
Transom - The normally rounded stern of the boat where the steers-person stands.
Uxter Plate - The steel bottom plate of a narrowboat's counter deck, found just over the propeller and rudder.
Waterline - Quite literally the point on the boat where it meets the water.
Weedhatch - Found above the propeller and usually set between the engine and propeller. A watertight hatch allows access to the propeller. Very useful to remove fouling of the propeller (ropes, weed, plastic bags etc. This is a more recent boaters facility. Older boats did not have such a luxury and either had to get into the water or lift the boat out to clean the prop.
Well Deck - The floor of a well or the cockpit.
Windlass or Lock-Key - A cranking handle, usually with two square sockets for different lock gate sluice gear. Turning the Windlass opens or closes sluice paddles..
Remote Greaser - A metal cylinder fitted to the stern tube as a grease reservoir for the stern gland.
Rubbing Strake - A moulding welded to the outside of the hull, usually at deck level to protect the hull plating, particularly in locks, narrow bridge gaps or when mooring.
Rudder Nib - The part of the rudder just above the waterline.
Rudderstock - The post or bar that connects the rudder blade to the steering assembly.
Rudderstock Tube - A tube for the above to allow the rudderstock to pass through.
Boat Safety Certificate - An MOT for narrowboats, Widebeams and Cruisers, required every four years.
BSC Safety Scheme - All boats require a safety inspection every four years by a qualified Boat Safety surveyor, covers all aspects of boat safety.
Canal & River Trust Licence - Boat Licence to use the canals and rivers owned by the CRT.
RCD - Recreational Craft Directive. EEC Mandatory standards for the construction of brand new boats. The RCD certificate lasts four years, after which boats must have a Boat Safety Certificate.
If you're new, take the time to learn some essentials: How to work locks safely, How to tie up your boat, Cruise and pass on the right.
Daily checks before cruising: Check Oil Level when engine is cold or has been off for several minutes. Check coollant levels. Check the weed-hatch for obstruction or fouling. Be aware of your fuel and water levels. Clear any water in the bilge. Check your mooring area for any litter before leaving.
Before you set off, disconnect your stern mooring rope and stow away. Many a boat has tangled this rope around the propeller. It's a massive job to remove and you'll almost certainly have to cut the rope away.
Understand the different types of mooring. Rings, Bollards, Mooring Spikes and Arncote. Rings and Bollards are quite obvious. Mooring Spikes seem that way too but take care to drive your spikes in well and possibly use two at both the Bow and Stern, crossing each pair of spikes to give a stronger hold.
Arncote, known affectionately as 'Nappy Pins', are a purpose made metal frame that passes through metal reinforcement sections of the bank. Connect a rope and moor up.
When using spikes to moor up, fix a bright coloured flag or plastic bag so that they can be seen better in the dark.
May boaters live aboard all year round whilst others just on their holidays or short breaks. Whatever your reason, it's good to be respectful of others:
Keep your speed down and don't allow your wake or wash to damage the banks or disturb nesting sites.
Drop to tick-over when passing moored boats. You'd be surprised just how easy it is to pull boats from their moorings or just to cause disturbance.
Note: if cruising in strong crosswind, be ready to increase speed, or the crosswind could cause you to collide with the boats you are passing.
Slow down when approaching: Bridges, Locks, Bends, Boats coming the other way, any obstruction. Remember, it takes a while to stop a boat and the bigger they are the longer it takes.
If you experience a loss of propulsion and yet the engines seems fine, you have probably got leaves, weed, mud or other fouling your propeller. Best practice is: Select reverse and give high throttle for a few seconds. Switch to forward and do the same. Alternate between forward and reverse raising the engine speed each time you change. If this fails, stop the engine and inspect via the weed hatch. NEVER open the weed hatch while the engine is running.
Don't drop or throw litter. Keep it for the bins.
If you don't know, just ask. Most boaters will be happy to help.
Narrowboats are the thin ones and Barges are anything wider than 6 feet 10 inches.
