Helena Frye
Narrowboats are not permitted to travel at more than four miles per hour. This is a fast walking pace and is the absolute maximum. Most narrow boat cruising will be around three miles an hour, or less. Moored boats, shallow water or congested and narrow sections of canal all mean that narrowboat crews will have to slow down. If you're making waves, you're going too fast. However, some boats can go up to 10 mph on places like rivers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Speed limit on canals | 4 miles per hour |
| Average speed | 3 miles per hour |
| Speed on rivers | 10 miles per hour |
| Speed on Grand Union | 3-4 miles per hour |
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What You'll Learn
Speed limits for narrow boats
The speed limit for narrow boats on canals is four miles per hour. This is a fast walking pace and is the absolute maximum. Most narrow boat cruising will be around three miles per hour, or less. Moored boats, shallow water or congested and narrow sections of canal all mean that narrowboat crews will have to slow down. If you are making waves, you are going too fast.
On rivers, narrow boats can go up to 10 mph. However, powerful your engine is, over-revving will pull more water past the boat and lower the level, increasing the risk of grounding.
It is important to slow down when passing moored boats. If you see a boat approaching in the opposite direction and you predict it will reach the bridge before you, ensure you slow down and give way to them.
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How to calculate travel time
The speed limit for narrow boats on canals is four miles per hour. This is a fast walking pace and is the absolute maximum. Most narrow boat cruising will be around three miles per hour, or less. Moored boats, shallow water or congested and narrow sections of canal all mean that narrowboat crews will have to slow down.
To calculate travel time, you can use the following formula: "Add the number of locks to the number of miles, and divide by four". For example, if you are travelling 10 miles and there are two locks, it will take you 2.5 hours to reach your destination.
It's important to remember that you also have to allow around 15 minutes for passing through each lock. Therefore, if you are travelling a long distance and need to pass through multiple locks, this will significantly increase your travel time.
Additionally, when you encounter either a lock or a bridge, you may need to allow for one boat to enter at a time. If you see a boat approaching in the opposite direction and you predict it will reach the bridge before you, ensure you slow down and give way to them.
Finally, it's worth noting that travelling too fast can cause issues. If you are making waves, you are going too fast and this can drag the boat towards the canal bed, slowing it down.
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The impact of over-revving
The speed limit for narrow boats on canals is four miles per hour, although most boats will cruise at around three miles per hour or less. This is because boats will need to slow down when passing moored boats, shallow water or congested and narrow sections of canal.
Over-revving a narrow boat engine will not make the boat go faster, but will instead pull more water past the boat and lower the water level. This increases the risk of grounding, as the boat is dragged towards the canal bed. This will slow the boat down, and could cause damage to the boat or the canal bed.
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Slowing down past moored boats
The speed limit on canals is four miles per hour, but most narrow boat cruising will be around three miles per hour, or less. It's important to slow down past moored boats, as well as in shallow water or congested and narrow sections of canal. If you're making waves, you're going too fast.
To avoid going too fast past moored boats, you should slow down before you reach them. This means reducing your speed to less than tickover speed. If you leave it too late, you'll still pass by too quickly.
A general rule of thumb is that if you're making waves, you're going too fast. If you check the wash your boat makes, you'll be able to see if you're going too fast.
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How to tell if you're going too fast
The speed limit for narrow boats on canals is four miles per hour. This is a fast walking pace and is the absolute maximum. Most narrow boat cruising will be around three miles per hour, or less. If you are going faster than this, you are going too fast.
You should slow down when passing moored boats, in shallow water, or in congested and narrow sections of canal. If you are making waves, you are going too fast.
If your engine is over-revving, you are likely going too fast. This will pull more water past the boat and lower the level, increasing the risk of grounding.
To calculate travel time on a narrowboat, add the number of locks to the number of miles, and divide by four.
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Frequently asked questions
The speed limit on canals is four miles per hour, but most narrow boats cruise at around three miles per hour or less.
Narrow boats will have to slow down when passing moored boats, shallow water, or congested and narrow sections of canal.
If you're making waves, you're going too fast.
