Navigation Rules

The waterways that you use can be dangerous places. The safety of our users and people is very important to us and we do our best to make the waterways as safe as possible. Due to their historic character, it is impossible for us to adapt them to make them completely safe without ruining what we seek to conserve. As a result, there are inherent risks for those that use them. For the safety of those who use the waterways and those who work or live on or near them it is essential that you and your crew are aware of the possible dangers and act in a way that minimises the risk of harm to people and property.

As the licence holder, you are responsible for ensuring that the boat, when in use, is always in the care of a responsible skipper. No one should take over responsibility for handling a boat without knowing what's involved. There are many good boat handling courses available and we recommend these to all boat crews.

We publish 'The Boaters' Handbook' and an accompanying DVD/video. It is downloadable from our website at www.waterscape.com/boatershandbook. As a licence holder, you are entitled to a free printed copy which you should keep on board the boat and encourage all crew members to follow it. Please ask for a copy of the Boaters' Handbook if it was not included in your first licence pack. The Boaters' Handbook contains information common to inland waterways generally. More detailed local information is available, particularly for larger river navigations. Local boaters guides can be downloaded from www.waterscape.com/boating/guides

Navigation signs that you will see as you cruise the Waterway are generally self-explanatory. The Association of Inland Navigation Authorities publishes a full set of the symbols and their meaning at www.aina.org.uk/work_programme/documents/
Navigationsignsandsymbols.pdf

1. The Boat Licence does not give you any priority of passage on the Waterway. You must follow the directions of our local people who may decide which boats have priority.
2. You are responsible for assessing whether it is safe to use the Waterway in flood or strong stream conditions. Our Waterway offices may be able to assist. The most recent flood warnings can be obtained from the Environment Agency, either on the internet at www.environment-agency.gov.uk or by telephone on 0845 988 1188 (minicom 0845 602 6340).
3. You must share locks up to their capacity. There is no right to the exclusive use of a lock.
4. Whilst the Boat is on the Waterway, you must not:
   (a) do anything which will cause damage or nuisance to any other person or their property.
   (b) use any electricity generator, including the Boat's engine, at any mooring along the Waterway between 8pm and 8am, unless you are moored in isolation, out of earshot of other people. [We do not intend this Rule to stop you moving the Boat from the mooring.]
   (c) run the Boat's engine in gear when it is moored as this can damage the waterway walls and cause a nuisance to other people.
   (d) discharge anything into the Waterway from the Boat except unpolluted surface water that drains naturally or water from sinks or showers, washing machines and dishwashers provided that only bio-degradable soaps and detergents are used on board the Boat. [We request that only phosphate-free detergents are used on board the Boat, particularly in washing machines and dish washers.]
   (e) obstruct the towpath or use our land for storing items from your Boat.
   (f) take a vehicle on to our towpaths or land or park on them unless we have already given our permission
   (g) Exceed the speed limit. Creating waves causes expensive damage to the Waterway. Regardless of speed, if the Boat is making waves or the wash is hitting the bank, you should slow down. The speed limit is four miles per hour on almost all waterways. There are variations, particularly for rivers, which are locally signed.
5. There is no general restriction on the use of locks by Portable and Unpowered Boats. However, in the interest of safety and to conserve water, specific local restrictions may apply. We encourage users to carry these boats around locks if possible. If it is not possible, we recommend using ropes to pass the Boat through the lock. It is preferable that there is nobody on board the Boat while it is in the lock. Local British Waterways instructions must always be followed.
6. Unpowered Boats may not navigate certain tunnels. Check the list at www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/useful-downloads or contact customer services. Where you are permitted to navigate, we encourage the following precautions:
   (a) navigate in groups of between three and six boats, at least one of which must be navigated by an experienced person.
   (b) everyone should be able to swim, should wear a life jacket, and have a waterproof torch and whistle attached to them.
   (c) the boats must have adequate buoyancy.
   (d) you must display a securely fixed, bright white light showing forward.
7. You must not crane a boat into or out of any of our waterways without our written permission, other than at a boatyard with appropriate facilities. This is to ensure compliance with the relevant lifting regulations and to ensure the safety of other waterway users.