what you'll need
Now you've chosen your boat, you just need to take care of a few formalities before you're ready to go cruising.
licences and registrations
Before you launch your boat, you need to buy a licence (or registration). This allows you to cruise around and to keep your boat on the waterways.
Almost all of Britain's waterways are run by three main organisations, each of which issues its own licences and registrations.
- British Waterways runs almost all the canals, and rivers such as the Severn, Trent and Yorkshire Ouse.
- The Environment Agency runs the River Thames, the River Medway, and the rivers of East Anglia.
- The Broads Authority runs the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.
Just like a road tax disc, you will need to provide evidence that your boat meets safety standards (the Boat Safety Scheme) and has third-party insurance before being issued with a licence. We explain the requirements below.
moorings
You'll need a permanent place to keep your boat - whether it's a fully serviced marina or simply a spot on the towpath.
There are hundreds of marinas and mooring sites across Britain. Finding one should be an immediate priority once you've decided to buy a boat, because until you have agreed a mooring, your new boat will have to remain on dry land!
Many moorings are provided by private companies, typically in marinas. The navigation authorities also have bankside moorings on offer. The Environment Agency, for example, often has moorings available by its river locks (River Thames, other Environment Agency waterways), while British Waterways has a wide range of towpath moorings on canals. You can also consider joining, and mooring with, a boat club (Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs). These offer a strong sense of community and can often provide cheaper moorings because club members share maintenance tasks between them.
Be prepared to look around. Moorings are usually priced according to boat length and market demand, and there are waiting lists in some popular locations - particularly London, the south of England and the southern Midlands. For secondhand boat buyers, existing mooring rights do not usually come with the boat.
You will not usually be issued with a licence unless you have a permanent mooring. However, if you have no ties (such as jobs or children at school), you can opt to cruise the canals non-stop, never staying at the same place for more than a fortnight. British Waterways has a special set of guidelines for such boaters.
When you are on the move and looking for overnight stopping places, you may moor up on canal towpaths free of charge. There may be a small fee on some rivers, such as the Thames.
insurance
You also need to arrange third party insurance for at least £1,000,000. This will safeguard the owner or person in charge of the boat from claims made against you for injury or damage. You may choose to take out a comprehensive policy to cover your own boat and crew.
Boat insurance is often cheaper than car insurance, but will vary according to the age and type of boat. You can find specialist marine insurers using the directory at Waterscape.com, adverts in the waterway press, or from your chosen marina or broker.
boat safety scheme (BSS)
The Boat Safety Scheme is like a boating version of the MOT. It sets standards for boats, their installations and components, which you must meet before obtaining a cruising licence. The scheme is designed to minimise the risks of fires or explosions on boats.
The standards combine essential safety requirements and best safety practice advice. They include criteria for boat systems such as electrical installations, inboard/outboard engines, appliances, ventilation and fuels.
The full set of BSS requirements applies to every boat based on British Waterways and Environment Agency waterways. All new boats should already comply with the requirements. From then on, examinations are required once every four years. Boats with no gas, electrical or fuel systems are exempt.
safer cruising
The British Waterways Waterways Code leaflet contains essential information for all towpath and waterway users, encouraging you to stay safe, consider others and look after the waterway environment.
British Waterways and the Environment Agency have together issued a Boater's Handbook, explaining basic boat-handling and safety advice for experienced as well as novice boaters. The Useful Downloads page of Waterscape.com contains the full Boater's Safety Toolkit, explaining everything you need to know about safe cruising.
Remember - children should stay SAFE (Stay Away From the Edge). You can find educational resources for children at the WOW (Wild Over Waterways) website.
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