WHAT'S THE MAXIMUM LENGTH OF BOAT TO CRUISE A GIVEN CANAL?

Navigations listed below have lock dimensions of less than 72 ft long.

Unless you know otherwise!!!
INFORMATION BASED ON BRADSHAW'S CANALS AND NAVIGABLE RIVERS OF ENGLAND & WALES (1904)

Probable
max narrowboat
length

Lock
Length

Lock
Width

Canal

71ft 6in

71ft 6in

7ft
7ft
11ft

BCN (incl Birmingham & Fazely)
Worcs & Birmingham Canal
Middle Level Navigations (boats over 60ft can only pass through Salters Lode on to the tidal Ouse at level water).

70ft

70ft


70ft


69ft
68ft 6in

7ft
7ft
7ft14ft
9ft
16ft 6in
16ft
16ft

Huddersfield Narrow
Macclesfield Canal
Peak Forest Canal
Sleaford Navigation
Witham Navigable Drains
Union Canal - Scotland***
River Ancholme above Harlam Hill Lock (8miles)
Forth & Clyde Canal - Scotland***
67ft 65ft 17ft Stainforth & Keadby Canal

62ft

62ft
62ft
61ft 6in

14ft 3in
14ft 3in
15ft 3in

Leeds & Liverpool Canal - Wigan to Leeds
Leeds & Liverpool Canal - Rufford branch
Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigations

61ft

60ft
60ft

16ft
15ft 4in

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation**
Yorkshire Ouse (above City of York to Swale Nab)

58ft 6in

57ft 6in
58ft
58ft
58ft

14ft 1in
14ft 2in
14ft 6in
14ft 3in

Calder & Hebble Navigation
Huddersfield Broad Canal
River Ure Navigation (incl Ripon Canal)
Pocklington Canal (not all locks restored)

55ft

54ft

13ft

Bridgewater & Taunton Canal **

55ft

64ft 9in

55ft

9ft 2in

14ft

Monmouthshire & Brecon canal (length restricted by alteration of original line of canal)**
River Derwent

40ft

40ft

Little Ouse River - last lock near Brandon
** These canals are not linked to the main system
*** Scottish canals are not linked to the main system and are not listed in Bradshaw's

Errors & Omissions Excepted