Where Can I Cruise With A Broad Beam?

There are many concerns that owning a wide beam barge will offer a very restrictive cruising range in the UK (compared to narrowboating). Without doubt the biggest draw back of a wide beam craft is the 'present' restriction of UK cruising. However, when analysing the current UK waterways plans, the biggest 'present' restriction, is the missing link between the North and South wide beam canal network, until recently there were a number of plans in the pipeline which would have rectified this by around 2010. Then with a 20m barge the UK inland cruising range (including rivers) would be very significant, indeed not much different to that of a narrowboat unable to navigate lower tidal rivers (eg R.Thames between London and the R.Medway). However many of these plans have been shelved, and those still active have been delayed by lack of funds. Hopefully, at least one of the schemes will be brought to fruition within the next 10 years but even without the North - South link, there is the possibility to cross the Channel, to the continental canals and rivers. With this possibility the general cruising scope of a wide beam far exceeds that of a narrowboat, providing a 'new' broad beam boat is designed and built to RCD category 'C' requirements, which many are (narrowboats are cat 'D').

But where can I currently cruise in the UK with a wide beam craft?. This is a very good question and one that is difficult to fully ascertain, and varies depending on the size of wide beam craft, especially beam and air draft under arched bridges (the wider the boat the less air draft available) and drafts which can vary after a river has been in flood.

There is a wide beam network in the North of England, and one in the South, plus the North East Fenland waterways (and Norfolk Broads) but they are not connected yet (only by 6’-10” narrow canals). If you include rivers (like the Thames ) then probably around three quarters of all the navigable UK waterways are suitable for broad beam boats (a broad beam boat is generally designated as a boat wider then 7 feet).

Details of current wide beam canals and rivers in the UK have been collated and listed below. Because wide beam data is not of major significance to most canal users, (who happen to be narrowboat owners) many data sources differ slightly from each other. I do not think anybody has a 100% up to date wide beam data list, but I think the data below is probably better than most available. If you know of any errors or omissions please let me know and I will update the data on the web site. Using the data I have put together a map, making it easier to visibly see where you can cruise wide beam, without having to be an expert on river and canal geography. This map follows the data list.
 

A total of around 1,500 miles, plus numerous other rivers and small canals, fairly equally split between north and south. Note; River dimensions given often refer to upstream sections, downstream locks & bridges are often larger, so even if you have a larger boat than the sizes given above, you may be able to navigate part way.

However, if you wish to cruise all of these canals, you are limited to a barge 57'-6" long by 10'-6" wide with an air draft of 5'-9". But if you analyse all of the data you will likely conclude that a barge 60ft x 12'-6" x 6'-6" air draft will be able to cover most of the canals.

Greater than 60ft (18m) and you will not be able to transverse from East to West on the Northern section (Liverpool & Liverpool Canal), which would mean that when the North &#