Rowing a boat on a canal?

[anonymous-user]

I'm planning on buying a small rowing boat to row myself and maybe a passenger or two along the Grand Union Canal. I know I need a license and I have a suitable mooring available etc.

My aim is to give myself some upper body exercise whilst maybe developing a new interest.

Question: The GUC is quite busy so is what I plan to do actually viable? I am assuming that as the slowest boat I will have to pull over to let others past or get mown down by those canal boats speeding along at 4mph as they do.

Anyone else do this? Any issues? Is there any etiquette that I should be aware of? If I sink do I need to go down with my boat as the honourable thing to do?

Many tia.

[UpTheIron]

Not done it for years but as a kid I rowed everything from small dinghy's to canoes to racing skiffs on canals without any problems. Often tempted to give it another go (now late 40's).

[JeffreyD]

We aren't on the Grand Union but we are on a moderately busy stretch of Canal.

We regularly see rowing boats, canoes and recently a few paddle boards.

Not quite sure what you'd do at a lock but I'm sure you'll be fine if you don't fall in.

(My wife had a very funny fall off her bike into the canal and although she didn't get sick she did have an eye infection and few skin issues for a couple of weeks, but that was nearer the town.)

[dudleybloke]

I kayak on the canals around here and have never had problems with boats, it's easy enough to move out of the way and and I'm considerably faster over short distances.

[towser44]

We have a few canals around here and lots of rowing boats, paddleboards, kayaks etc on them over the last 12 months or so. Where there are locks (which aren't many) they just get out, walk along past them and back in

[anonymous-user]

Thanks all for your comments.

I was thinking at locks to just follow a "proper" boat through, but maybe with the water flow it may move the canal boat to crush my little row boat (it will be too heavy to carry around the lock).

Is this a real risk, should I really just go through the lock on my own?

[JeffreyD]

MikeStroud said:

Thanks all for your comments.

I was thinking at locks to just follow a "proper" boat through, but maybe with the water flow it may move the canal boat to crush my little row boat (it will be too heavy to carry around the lock).

Is this a real risk, should I really just go through the lock on my own?

You'd have to carry it.

The locks on our canal only take one boat and to my mind it would be dangerous to do it in a rowing boat.

Hopefully someone will be along to tell me I'm a wimp and you'll be fine.

[Simpo Two]

'Power gives way to sail' or somesuch - though you will be much more manoeuvrable than a narrowboat so in reality it will be up to you to dodge. You may be faster than a narrowboat for a short while but they have more stamina

Re locks, if the boat is too heavy to portage, you won't be in it - you'll be on the bank working the lock. Whether you can keep the boat away from the ends if working it solo will be interesting, as you can't tie it on if descending. It's probably doable with care. A passenger could be on board and hang on to the chain or ladder. Just don't open the paddles too fast and stay alert.

Other than that, enjoy

[dudleybloke]

Pull it through the locks with a rope to save you climbing in and out too much.

[anonymous-user]

Good points, many thanks.

[Badda]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

But he wants a rowing boat. I'd wager he's heard of SUPs before.

[Simpo Two]

SUPs are for people who can't get in a canoe and can't surf



Rowing boat, Jerome K Jerome and all that, hurrah I say!