> We know the width restrictions at Birmingham and we're happy with
> narrowboats, but how long can we go before we're seriously limiting
> ourselves?
A question often asked, here and elsewhere, and never completely satisfactorily answered.
The official view from British Waterways is at <http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/images/Craft_Dimensions_tcm6-71620.pdf> but even they admit that they don't really know, and that these figures have been published for comment on their accuracy.
I think the general view is that the BW figures are a bit pessimistic. Narrowboats of up to 60ft have navigated the shorter waterways such as the Calder and Hebble by lifting up fenders and going diagonally in wide locks. Boats on the limit may have to go backwards through Salterhebble middle lock.
On width most modern narrowboats are around 6ft 10in and will fit anywhere. Ex-working boats can be over 7ft (the big GU boats were built to 7ft 0.5in), and can go pretty much anywhere, but with some increased risk of getting stuck in narrow locks. BW will not allow boats over 6ft 10in to go through Standedge Tunnel or the lock flights either side.
David Mack
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