The Boater’s Handbook Basic Boathandling and Safety for Powered Boats and Unpowered Craft If you have received this book from a hire boat operator, please return it after your holiday so it can be used again. In partnership with Charity no. 1146792 Safety Checklist Avoid slips and trips! Watch out for fire and fumes! ´´Watch out for mooring ropes, ´´The bottled gas used for cookers, bollards, holes and other hazards. fridges and heaters is heavier than air and, if there’s a leak, it will lie ´´Use grab rails. in the bottom of the boat where ´´Wear non-slip shoes. it only takes a spark to ignite. ´´Don’t try to jump from ´´Watch out for fumes from the boat onto the bank. cookers, cabin heaters and water heaters or from engine exhaust ´´Wear a life jacket. building up in the boat. Carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely Don’t get crushed! dangerous – early signs include headaches, tiredness, sickness ´´A moving boat has the force to crush you – keep your and dizziness, and other flu-like body out of the way. symptoms. Anyone affected should get medical help right away. ´´Don’t fend off with your arms, legs or a boat pole – let the ´´Switch off appliances when fender take the impact. you’re not using them. ´´Keep ventilators open and ´´ Don’t have your legs dangling over the side, your hands over the edge free of obstructions. or your head out of the hatch. ´´If you smell exhaust, gas, or petrol fumes, raise the alert right away. ´´Keep off the roof when underway (low bridges could knock you off the boat or worse). Don’t rock the boat! ´´ Think carefully before climbing onto the cabin roof as the boat could become top heavy and unstable. ´´Don’t all stand together on the same side if it risks tipping the boat over. In partnership with First published Spring 2002. This revision Spring 2019. Cover photograph courtesy of the Environment Agency 2 Preface Contents Introduction This booklet is the result of a Who’s in charge? 5 detailed study of safe boating. Before setting off – top tips 6 Boathandling The research was carried out by 1 Setting off 8 the Canal & River Trust and the Under way 9 Environment Agency, with help Steering 10 from British Marine and the Trust’s Going aground, Slowing down Navigation Advisory Group which and stopping 11 is made up of experienced boaters. Mooring 12 As well as introducing the basics of Tying up 14 boathandling, it aims to help people Locks 16 spot risks and avoid accidents. Bridges 30 Winter cruising 32 Feel free to copy it. All we ask is Wide beam boats, Powered that you don’t alter our messages, & Unpowered Craft 33 pictograms or illustrations. Tunnels 34 Unpowered craft in tunnels 35 We’ve tried to make the information 2 Boating Safety in the handbook applicable to Accidents, Falls 36 inland waterways generally, but Fire, explosion and fumes 38 local conditions vary, especially on Collisions 42 tidal waterways. So always seek Crushing 43 local information if you’re planning Capsize, Man overboard 44 to visit an area that’s new to you. Operating injuries 46 Lock safety 47 We want the information in the Fast-flowing water 48 handbook to reach everyone Strong stream conditions 49 who goes boating on the inland Vandalism and aggression, waterways in a powered boat Waterborne diseases 52 or unpowered craft. Training and guidance 53 A pdf version is downloadable Carbon Monoxide 54 Unpowered craft 55 from www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/ Stand up paddle boards (SUPBs) 56 safeboating 3 Rules of the Waterway Channel markers, Weirs, Overtaking, Giving way, Speed limits, 57 Passing dredgers or works, Sound signals, Navigation lights 58 4 Good Boating Behaviour Water sport zones 59 Caring for the environment 60 What makes a good boater? 62 5 Further Information Contacts 64 Useful information, Signs 68 Signs 69 3 Introduction Welcome to The Boater’s Handbook This handbook gives you all the boating basics – the essential knowledge and techniques you need to make sure you enjoy yourselves and stay safe. Reading it before setting off will help you to spot the risks and take simple action to avoid problems. If you do run into difficulties, this understanding should help you get out of trouble quickly and safely. 1 Boathandling The Boater’s Handbook is designed for newcomers to boating, but we Part one takes you through the hope it will also be a handy reminder basic skills for handling your boat. for more experienced boaters. 2 Boating Safety Read this handbook before you set Part two gives important safety rules off, and keep it nearby for reference. to help you keep out of trouble. It’s Of course, you won’t become an vital stuff. So please – for your own expert overnight just by reading a safety – read through carefully. book – and it’s impossible to cover every aspect of boating, every type 3 Rules of the Waterway of boat and every eventuality. You’ll Part three gives you the basic find pointers to sources of local rules of the waterway. waterway information in part five. 4 Good Boating Behaviour Short courses in boat and unpowered craft handling are an excellent investment. Part four is all about respecting There are details on page 53. the environment, the wildlife and other waterways users. If you’re hiring your boat, the operator will give you instructions. 5 Further Information Pay close attention – and don’t Part five provides contact details for cast off until you feel confident! the navigation authorities and lists Learn from the advice of local other sources of useful information. navigation staff, volunteers and other boaters you may meet along the way. 4 Introduction Who’s in charge? One of the great things about boating navigation and so on. As well as is that everyone can muck in together. knowing the procedures, your crew But at least one person needs to should be aware of the safety risks in know the boathandling basics, to each situation and how to avoid them. understand the safety guidelines and Someone should be competent to to know what to do in an emergency. take over if the skipper becomes ill. So, once you’ve chosen a ‘skipper’, Think very carefully before it’ll be their job to make sure your going afloat alone as the risks crew and passengers have all the are very much greater for you information they need to stay and other waterway users. safe. It’s a good idea to be clear Passengers who aren’t going to on each crew member’s duties. be helping with any of the work Good boating takes teamwork. So still need to read and understand you need competent crew who know the basic safety rules – so please how to handle the boat and how to show them the safety checklist stop the engine, and who can help at the front of this handbook. with mooring, moving through locks, 5 Before setting off Follow these simple tips for trouble-free boating. ´´ Check that your boat, engine to the number of miles and divide and fuel system are in good by 3 to get a rough idea of the condition and meet Boat Safety minimum number of hours that Introduction Scheme requirements. a journey will take – it could take See contact details on page 53 longer if there isn’t much depth or you need to wait to use locks ´´ Make sure you and your crew know how to handle the boat ´´ It’s not a good idea to cruise in – and have the skills for the the dark or when visibility’s bad waterway you’re using – if you have to, take extra care ´´ Get information on possible ´´Make sure you’ve got enough water stoppages, stream conditions and and fuel on board for your trip tides and if you’re planning to go ´´Make sure you have a mobile on unfamiliar waterways check phone handy and charged in that your boat will fit through case you need to use it in an bridges and locks and that the emergency. Being able to make waterway will be deep enough. an emergency call could make See contacts list on page 64. all the difference if you get into ´´ Plan your cruise and allow enough difficulty, especially if tackling time to complete it without something with increased risk such rushing. Add the number of locks as locking or river navigations. Warning Stay safe on the water – don’t why drinking and boating at the drink and drown. – Every year same time are the wrong people die from drowning in the UK ingredients for a cocktail of fun. and alcohol is often a contributory Enjoy your boating, just remember factor. About a quarter of all to save your favourite tipple for drowning victims have alcohol in after you’ve moored up for the day. their bloodstream. Accidents do Boats come in different sizes, happen whilst boating and shapes and materials – and they all unfortunately the chances of things behave differently. Before you set going wrong increase significantly off, spend some time getting to the more you’ve had to drink. This is know your boat. 6 Boat jargon Right: Starboard Front: Bow Back: Stern Introduction Left: Port Special safety tips Equipment checklist – Make sure you know where to find these things: ´´Lifebuoy, lifeline (if supplied), ´´Emergency torch lifejackets or buoyancy aids ´´ Mooring ropes – long enough ´´ Anchor – for rivers and tidal to stretch from your boat to waters, lochs and lakes – the the bollard and back, even rope and chain together should when you’re in a deep lock be at least six times as long as ´´Mooring stakes and hammer the deepest part ´´Horn ´´Fire extinguisher(s) and fire blanket ´´First aid kit ´´Emergency shut-offs for ´´Boat pole or hook battery, gas and fuel ´´Gangplank ´´Bilge pump ´´Windlass – see page 22 Boat pole Boat hook Lifebuoy Tiller Fender Fender Mooring rope Fenders Mooring rope Special safety tips 7 Setting off Start the engine, keep it in neutral Because the boat steers from the and allow some time for it to warm back, you can’t drive away from the up before you move off.