PLEASURE BOATS AND LEISURE BOATING
Now that the Narrow Canal is being restored, pleasure boats
will soon be seen in the Colne Valley.
These are fully self‑contained floating holiday homes.
Usually made out of steel, to withstand the bumps and knocks
they get in the locks, they contain all the home comforts
anyone could need. Batteries, charged by the engine, provide
electricity for lighting, power the water pumps for the kitchen
sink and shower, as well as the TV and radio.
Bottled gas is used for cooking and on many boats it also
supplies a central heating system.
The pleasure boats are propelled along the canal by a diesel
engine located in the stern (rear end) of the boat which drives
a single propeller. Steering is by means of a tiller attached
to the rudder which directs the flow of~water from the propeller
left or right moving the stern accordingly. Maximum speed
on the canal is 4 m.p.h. because the faster a boat goes, the
greater its wash and the more damage it does to the banks.
Waterway holidays are becoming more popular every year. British
Waterways has issued about 1500 hire boat licences for the
canals that they are responsible for, but there are also 3500
private boats licensed within two to three cruising days of
the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. The sizes of the boats vary,
depending on how many berths (beds) are accommodated. The
maximum size of boat is governed by the size of the lock it
is able to use, therefore on the narrow canal, 70ft x 7ft
(21~4m x 2~1m) will be the largest boat ever seen.
The traditional 'roses and castles' decoration found on the
old working boats is still often faithfully reproduced on
many modern holiday boats, and recent trends in boat design
are towards the old‑fashioned style of an upswept rear
cabin with a short stern desk (where the steerer stands).
Present day boating enthusiasts still respect traditional
values, and, as the future of the canal system depends on
them, one could not hope for better guardians of the waterways.
|
