Boating Talk - Language of The Cut
BACK CABIN A canal narrow boat term describing the cabin at the stern of the boat in which the crew lived, source - MDA 2002).
BALANCE BEAM A heavy beam, often timber that projects from a lock gate. It is used to both balance the gate, and to open and close it allowing a boat to enter or leave the lock.
source - MDA 2002).
BARGE A craft with a boat shaped bow and with flat (transom) rounded or pointed sterns. Almost all 14 feet wide or wider, the length can vary considerably, source MDA 2002.
BARGEE Crewman or owner-skipper of a barge. A lighterman operating a barge.
BARGE POLE Pole used for propelling or fending off a barge by pushing with the pole against a fixed point. Could have a variety of ends. Has a thicker diameter than a boat shaft, source MDA 2002.
BARGE POT/WARE use- Measham Teapot, source MDA 2002.
BILGE PLATE Metal shell plate on a vessel which joins the sides to the bottom, often curved, source - MDA 2002.
BILGE PUMP Pump used to remove water from the bilges of a boat. Usually consisting of a long cylinder with a hand operated plunger, source - MDA 2002.
BILGES The lowest part of the internal spaces of a vessel, usually below the hold ceiling and cabin floor into which all leakage and rain water drains, source MDA 2002.
BIRKENHEAD FLAT Used on the Mersey but not on the Bridgewater Canal as they were too big to go up Runcorn locks, source MDA 2002.
BOATMAN/WOMAN A person who steers or rides in a boat; attends to the mooring and unmooring of vessels. The work of the boatman and boatwoman in the sense of canal work would be more detailed including operating locks; loading and unloading the boat, cooking, maintaining the engine etc.
BOAT SHAFT Shaft used on canal narrow boats for pushing off, hooking on or propelling the vessel. Of smaller diameter than a barge pole, source MDA 2002.
BOSTOCKS Used to support a narrow boat on a slipway. Approximately 9 feet long, placed across the bottoms at the fore end and stern. Have a rounded foot resting on a block, source MDA 2002.
BOW Front portion of a boat.
BOW HAULING To pull the boat by hand at the end of a rope attached to the stud on the boat, usually into a lock. This was the method used to haul the Butty (a boat without an engine towed along by a motor boat) into a narrow lock which could contain only one boat at a time.
BREASTING-UP A method used to bring both boats into a lock together side-by-side. The Butty was secured to the motor boat at the bow and stern by means of straps (short ropes).
BUCKBY CAN A large decorated (Roses & Castles) can traditionally carried on top of the boats cabin and used for the storage of fresh water. Takes it's name from the place Buckby, a common stop-off for boating people.
BUTTY BOAT An unpowered or 'dumb' narrow boat pulled by a motor narrow boat, source MDA 2002.
BUTTY TILLER The curved wooden lever fitted to the rudder of an unpowered narrow boat to provide steering leverage, source MDA 2002.CRATCH Shaped timber and tarpulin covering at the fore end of the boat. Cargo stored was protected from the elements and other things under these covers. Boatpeople prided themselves on the preperation of the sheets producing a tidy effect.
CUT This is the boating term for Canal. Used by all boating families and those connected with the canal.
DECK BOARD The triangular shaped board fitted at the front of the hold of a canal narrow boat to support the running planks and cratch and to prevent water entering the hold. It has 2 metal 'tongues' to locate into the brackets on the deck beam, source - MDA 2002.
DIPPER Bought from ironmongers - catalogue description refers to a corn scoop. Introduced as an alternative to handbowl in 1960s as a painted souvenir. Previously unpainted ones were used as bailers, source - MDA 2002.
DUDLEY CANAL TUNNEL BOAT A short and very narrow boat was used in the limestone quarry tunnels, source - MDA 2002.
FENDER Protective and/or decorative pad or buffer fastened to a boat to prevent either damage to the boat or moorings. Often made of rope, source - MDA 2002.
FLIGHT A series of locks separated by short distances (pounds) of water eg.
FLY BOAT Became a term for boats working flat out aropund the clock, ie. 'working fly'. Usually horse drawn boats.Fly boats often have finer lines which allow them to slip through the water faster. Some loaded as little as 15 tons with a very rounded bilge.
FORE CABIN The (usually) small cabin set into the bow of a boat, source - MDA 2002.
GANSEY A jumper traditionally worn by seamen, fishermen and boatman on the waterways. Usually knitted by mothers, wives or sweethearts. Patterns are often unique to an area and their existance is becoming scarce these days.
JIGGER FLAT A ketch rigged flat two masted with booms and gaffs, source - MDA 2002.
JOSHER Name for narrowboats owned and built by Fellows, Morton and Clayton at their Saltley dock in Birmingham. The name is derived form that of the founder, Joshua Fellows, source - MDA 2002.
LANCASTER CANAL BOAT Boats 72ft x 14ft 6 inches, carrying up to 42 tons on the Lancaster Canal. Related to Leeds and Liverpool Canal long boats but different in design, source - MDA 2002.
LARGE NORTHWICH This type of narrow boat is one of 38 steel motor narrow boats built by W.J. Yarwood of Northwich in 1936/7. They were part of the Town class series of boats built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company, source - MDA 2002.
LARGE RICKY This type of narrow boat was one of 62 wooden butty boats built by Walkers of Rickmansworth between 1936-8. They formed part of the Town Class series of boats built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company,source - MDA 2002.
LARGE WOOLWICH This type of narrowboat is one of either 24 steel pairs of boats of 24 steel motor narrow boats built by Harland and Wolff of Woolwich in 1936/7. They are part of the Town Class series of boats built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company, source - MDA 2002.
LEEDS and LIVERPOOL FLY BOAT For 'express' use along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Size 62ft x 14ft 3 inches but with finer lines than usual craft for extra speed, source - MDA 2002.
LEEDS and LIVERPOOL LONG BOAT Craft designed for use on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, size 72ft x 14ft 3 inches for use between Liverpool and Wigan where the locks are only 62ft long. Draws on original use of the canal by River Douglas flats, source - MDA 2002.
LEEDS and LIVERPOOL SHORT BOAT Craft designed for use on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, size 62ft x 14ft 3 inches in order to fit the locks between Wigan and Leeds. Draws on original keel and flat influences, source - MDA 2002.
LIGHTER Generally a boat for transferring cargo from a large boat to another craft or the bank, source - MDA 2002.
LEEDS and LIVERPOOL SIDER Use - Leeds and Liverpool Long Boat, source - MDA 2002.
LEGGING A method used to get a boat through a tunnel where no tow path existed. The boatmen lay on their backs on protruding boards and basically walked along the wall of the tunnel to propel the boat along. Gradually faded out with the introduction of motor boats.
LENGTHMAN Employee of Waterways, responsible for maintaining a 'length' of canal.
LUBY A forged metal pin fitted to the top of a narrow boat top mast, fitted with rearward pivotting pin and return spring to act as a safety device to prevent the horse being pulled into the canal should the boat overtake the horse, source - MDA 2002.
LUFF BARGE Squat, round-fronted or bowed barge in use during the early nineteenth century on the Thames and the Medway, source - MDA 2002.
LOCK WHEELING Cycling ahead of the boats to prepare the lock to enable a swifter passage through the lock by the crew. Time was money!
MANCHESTER FLAT Adaptation of the Mersey flat. Manchester flats sailed along the Bridgewater Canal, source - MDA 2002.
MEASHAM TEAPOT Distinctive eathernware design with dark brown glaze and cream/red flowers in relief, often with a small plaque bearing a greetings message. Larger teapots sometimes have small teapot incorporated into the lid. Sold at Measham to boaters, but not produced by Masons of Swadlincote. Often given to other boaters as gifts. Other items of Measham ware include tobacco jars, jugs etc. 'Bargeware' and 'barge pots' are often used to describe Measham ware by land based people, source - MDA 2002.
MERSEY BARGE Motor craft and earlier steam powered craft used in and around the Mersey Estuary- the first on the Weaver in 1911. Larger craft replaced steam powered boats in the 1940s, carrying up to 285 tons, source - MDA 2002.
MERSEY FLAT The family of craft of the Mersey estuary and local rivers. They included sailing flats, unpowered flats, canal flats and coastal flats, source - MDA 2002.
MERSEY SAILING FLAT They went up the St Helens Canal, the Weaver, the Mersey and Irwell Navigation and the Runcorn and Latchford Canal. Up to mid C18 they were doubled ended and square sailed. From mid C18 to mid C19 they developed a transom stern and fore and aft rig. From mid C19 returned to a double ended shape but with a fore and aft rig. All around 72ft x 14ft,
source - MDA 2002.
MIDDLE NORTHWICH This type of narrow boat is one of 8 steel pairs built by W.J. Yarwood of Northwich in 1935/6. They are part of the Star Class series of boats built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company, source - MDA 2002.
MOORING PIN Metal pin to tie mooring ropes to. It is either fixed to the boat or hammered into the bank, source - MDA 2002.
MOTOR BOAT TILLER Removable metal tube fitted to the rudder stock to provide steering leverage, source - MDA 2002.
MOTOR NARROW BOAT The first English trials of motor narrow boats took place just before the 1st World War, 1914-1918, and mostly involved conversion of horse boats. From the 1920s new motor boats were built with a counter stern and an underwater shape designed to maximize the efficiency of the propeller, source - MDA 2002.
MUD HOPPER A craft designed to carry the waste products of inland waterway maintenance work primarily dredgings, source - MDA 2002.
NARROW BOAT Craft designed for use on narrow canals. Boat shaped and carrying between 14 and 40 tons. The principal dimensions are 70ft x 7ft wide though over length and narrow and broad versions exist, source - MDA 2002.
NUMBER ONE A boatman who owns his own pair of boats and works as a sub-contractor. He earns more money than the boatman employee. Known as a 'Captain' and was generally well-respected on the 'cut'.
PADDLE (LOCK) The wooden or steel doors found on a lock which are raised to admit, or lowered to release or retain, water in a lock.
PRESTON FLAT Adaptation of the Mersey flat, Preston flats sailed up the canal to Preston Brook where cargoes were transferred to narrow craft, source - MDA 2002.
POUND The stretch of canal between locks.
ROAD The route of the canal from one pound to the next.
ROCHDALE FLAT Flat designed to fit the locks of the Rochdale canal, source - MDA 2002.
ROPEWORK Decorative and/or functional rope features found on inland waterways craft, source- MDA 2002.
RUDDER A blade of metal or wood, hung on hinges at the stern of the vessel to control its direction of travel, source - MDA 2002.
RUNCORN SIX PLANKER Carrying up to 30 tons of coal operated by Jonah Horsefield and Jo Southern. Many built by Simpson Davies of Runcorn. Their 'six plank' construction gave them a deeper hold than most narrow boats to take advantage of the deeper waters on the Bridgewater Canal, source - MDA 2002.
RUNNING PLANKS A series of portable planks approx 11 inches by 2 inches, set end to end to form a walkway from the cabin to the bow of a canal narrow boat, source - MDA 2002.
SHROPSHIRE UNION FLAT An adaptation of the Mersey flat, used by the Shropshire Union. They had their own white and blue colour scheme, source - MDA 2002.
SIDECLOTHS Strips of waterproofed canvas or other material fastened to the gunwhales of a canal narrow boat to prevent water entering the cargo space of the boat, source - MDA 2002.
SIDECLOTH STRINGS The ropes used to pull the sidecloths up and into place on a narrow boat, source - MDA 2002.
SNATCHER A short length of thick manilla tow-rope. Usually about 12ft long, often used in tunnels or over short distances.
SNUBBER A long length of thick manilla tow-rope about 70ft long. Used to tow the butty boat in long pounds.
STEAM NARROW BOAT From the 1860s there were various experiments with steam power. The Grand Junction Canal Company developed a fleet which was taken on and perfected by Fellows Morton and Clayton. Several early steamers were converted horse boats made of wood, later most steamers were iron sided and wooden bottomed (composite construction) with counter sterns rounded off. The steam plant boiler and engine plus coal supply cut carrying down to 19 tons but allowed the steamer plenty of power to pull a butty or unpowered craft, source - MDA 2002.
STAIRCASE A series of locks in which the top gate of one lock is the bottom gate of another. These locks are continious and each one is not seperated by a pound, eg - Bingley 5 rise locks
TOP CLOTHS Tarpaulin cloths used to cover the hold. Arranged neatly over the cratch to cover and protect the cargo being carried.
WATERCAN Large drinking water container with hinged lid, spout and cross handle; usually kept on narrowboat roof in front of chimney, often decorated. Sometimes called 'Buckby cans' as they could be bought at a shop at Buckby locks on the Grand Junction Canal, source - MDA 2002.
WEAVER FLAT Adaptation of the Mersey flat used on the River Weaver and in the Mersey estuary, source - MDA 2002.
WEAVER SAILING FLAT Used on the Weaver from the mid Eighteenth to mid Nineteenth Century, originally bow hauled and later horse towed. The sailing flats were put out of business in the 1870s by steam packets towing dumb barges, many of which were ex- sailing flats, source - MDA 2002.
WIND, To To turn the narrow boat around.
WINDING PLACE or HOLE A wide area where a narrow boat can be turned around, eg: The bridge area at Top Lock on the Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Lathom.
WINDLASS Removable crank handle fitted to the end of a shaft to provide manual leverage to rotate the shaft against a load for operating sluice and paddle gear, source - MDA 2002.
Thanks to MDA for the use of some terms from their glossary.
Site can be found at: http://www.mda.org.uk/waterw/index.htm
Copyright 2007.
Canal Boat 'Gifford' restored and tied up at The Boat Museum, Elesmere Port
bravenet.com