You have spent many hours researching the right boat for you; you have found the ‘perfect’ one; made the decision and finally purchased your first canal boat or narrowboat; you are now gearing up ready to move on-board as maybe a live-aboard or to simply enjoy many weekends and holidays cruising the network, but do you have all the right equipment for that first cruise? Can you get through your first lock?

Here is a list of essential cruising equipment you will require on your narrow boat. Some boats may come with some of this equipment included as part of the sale, but you are likely to need to purchase some or all yourself from a marine chandlery.

If you are purchasing a new canal boat or a sailaway, consult your narrow boat builder to confirm what equipment is included with your purchase, otherwise you may find yourself with a hefty shopping list!

Keys:

• BWB Handcuff Anti Vandal Key – used on some locks
• BWB Sanitary Key – used at facilities block and also some electric locks
• Pump out toilet key – this may also be used to open the diesel and water filler caps on your canal boat
• Key Floats – essential for those keys accidentally dropped in the canal!
• Windlass (or lock key) – there are plenty to choose from here at a variety of prices; long rotating, short rotating, aluminium, carbon-fibre, engineered with built in gearing, dual purpose

Mooring Equipment:

• Mooring pins – either with eye or without
• Mooring hooks – for use when mooring against cowling/armco, sometimes also known as piling hooks. These can either be a ‘nappy pin’ or a curved pin with a line eye.
• Mooring ropes
• Lump mallet
• Mooring chain – can be used to create a canal boat mooring against a pontoon when no mooring ring is available or for additional boat safety.
• Hi-Vis mooring pin safety covers to alert other canal path users to your perturbing mooring pins
• Fenders and buttons – bow and stern fenders and side fenders to protect the boat from inevitable knocks and bumps. Also fender hooks that can be placed along the cabin sides as and when required when mooring up.
• Gang plank and boarding ladders – whilst not essential for all, depending upon your mooring choices these may prove valuable.
• Poles and Hooks – very useful for pushing, poking and rescuing items!

Safety & Security:

• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms – ensure you have sufficient alarms in the boat and also if they are in working order and the correct type
• Fire extinguishers and fire blankets – these should be included with all canal boats (new and used) as they are required as part of the boat safety scheme, but it is worth checking the age/condition and you are satisfied with the quantity on-board.
• Life Jackets for all crew members
• Life bouys/rings and throw bags
• Anchor & chain
• Padlocks for any external doors without a key operated lock and lockers

Other:

• Shoreline electrical cable
• Hosepipe

There is of course an endless list of other tools, equipment, products that you may need at some point whilst on-board your canal boat or narrowboat.