Canal Boat Holiday Lingo Made Simple
New to narrowboating? Welcome aboard! If you’re planning your first canal boat holiday, you may hear a few terms that leave you scratching your head. Don’t worry — canal folk are friendly, and you’ll be talking like a boater in no time.
To help you get started, here’s a handy Beginner’s Glossary of Canal Terms so you can cruise with confidence.
⚓ Basic Boating Terms
Bow – The front of the boat
Stern – The back of the boat
Port – The left side when facing the front
Starboard – The right side when facing the front
Narrowboat – A long, narrow canal boat (usually 6’10” wide), designed to fit UK locks
🔄 Navigation & Control
Till or Tiller – The handle used to steer the boat
Throttle – Controls the engine speed (forwards or reverse)
Tickover – The lowest engine speed – used when cruising past moored boats
Windlass – A crank handle used to open and close lock paddles
Winding Hole (pronounced “win-ding”) – A wider section of canal where boats can turn around
⚙️ Locks & Canal Structures
Lock – A chamber that raises or lowers boats between stretches of water at different levels
Paddles – Mechanisms that open or close to fill or empty a lock
Gate – Wooden or metal doors at each end of a lock
Pound – The stretch of canal between two locks
Flight – A series of locks close together (e.g. Wigan Flight)
Tunnel – Long underground sections of canal – often require lights and sound signals
🛑 Mooring & Facilities
Mooring – The act of tying up your boat along the canal
Mooring Pins – Metal stakes used to secure the boat when there’s no fixed bollard
Ropes/Lines – Used to tie the boat securely at the front and back
Bollard – A fixed post on the towpath or lock side used to tie your ropes
Elsan Point – A disposal point for chemical toilet waste
Water Point – A tap along the towpath to refill your boat’s water tank
🧭 Boating Life Terms
Towpath – The path beside the canal originally used by horses towing boats
Cut – Another word for canal (e.g. “cruising along the cut”)
Liveaboard – Someone who lives permanently on a canal boat
Breasted Up – When two boats are moored side-by-side
Swing Bridge or Lift Bridge – A movable bridge that opens to allow boats to pass
😄 Fun Boating Slang
Gongoozler – A curious onlooker who enjoys watching canal boats and locks in action
Barge Pole – A long pole used to push the boat off if it gets stuck (not for steering!)
Fenders – Rubber or rope bumpers that protect the boat from knocks
🚤 Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a canal expert to enjoy a canal boat holiday, but knowing a few key terms can help make your journey smoother (and more fun). Plus, you’ll impress your crew the next time someone says “Pass the windlass!”
Got a canal term you’d like explained? Drop it in the comments and we’ll add it to the list!
