Chris Deuchar's Inland Waterway Page

It has to be said first that the best page to begin any web search for, or follow up any interest in, English inland waterways is the website known as GEORGE'S CANAL PAGES. You will find links there to all known waterway sites, including many personal web pages, boat hire, licensing, routes (and roots!), societies and organisation - not forgetting the annual Great Internet Get-together. In short there is everything you probably need to know. If you find a site which isn't referenced, let George know!

Much waterway material is discussed on the newsgroup uk.rec.waterways which used to be gatewayed to and from the �canals� mailing list but you now must subscribe separately. The other essential uk inland waterways starting point is the INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION, without whose efforts since the 1940's our present extensive system would simply no longer exist. Follow the link to their web site (linked of course from Georges's too!)

This page is a brief resume of my personal interests in, and activities on, the waterways.

 

I have lived afloat on the waterways since 1973. This has been the culmination of an interest which started off with building model boats in my childhood, building a canoe in my 'teens and moving up through a series a ever larger cruisers and narrow boats to the present day where my wife, Jan, and I now own between us a pair of traditional narrow boats. A motor boat Jackal and an unpowered butty Hereford. These are both historic ex-working boats built in 1927 and 1912 respectively and would have worked together carrying all sorts of cargoes across the length and breadth of the country in the same way that regular lorry couriers do today. In 1998, I published a book on the special skills needed to operate this types of boat.   Of course this interest in historic boats developed gradually, and for many years I was heavily involved in the Historic Narrow Boat Owners Club, but I now have a wider ranging site for all UK HISTORIC INLAND WORKING BOATS - not just narrow boats. Please 'Like' the HIWB Facebook page here. Living afloat brings its own problems. Many of these are addressed by the RESIDENTIAL BOAT OWNERS ASSOCIATION which I strongly recommend all boat dwellers to join. The website includes an FAQ, an application form, views of a members boat and links to other waterway sites. Over the years they have developed into a worthwhile body who have established sound procedures for dealing with local authorities and navigation authorities when it comes to council tax, moorings, VAT etc etc ...and of course the social round!   Miscellaneous Old and New, Waterway Pages... See also the 'Walks & Explorations' pages for more. INDIVIDUAL WATERWAY STUFF: River Trent/Erewash Canal: Floods at Trent Lock in November 2000 Caldon Canal at Hazelhurst: Early Changes (2003) Horseboating on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal (1997) Nottingham Canal: the 'unexpurgated' version of the Waterways World articles. Nutbrook Canal: an exploration Oxford Canal: Wolfampcote Loop The Regents Canal Towpath Walk (1975 - 2Mb pdf)   Using Firefox, this PDF doesn't always display correctly - you may need to use a different browser or right-click and download the file. OTHER WATERWAY RELATED STUFF: "BRIDGES" - art study 1976 (~11Mb PDF) "Canal Boat Decoration" - art study 1975 (~12MB PDF) Paddle Spindle Size Changes (1995) WATERWAYS SCIENCE GROUP

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