How deep are england's narrowboat canals?

Question

How deep are england's narrowboat canals?

Answer 1

Originally in the region of 10 to 12 feet, but with silting most navigable canals are in the region of 5 or 6 feet deep. Although I have retrieved shopping trolleys, that have been visible above water on some stretches and once scraped the bottom on a submerged transit van.

Answer 2

Anywhere from 6 inches, where they are silted up, to about 10 feet. However the standard draught for a narrow boat is about 2 and a half feet. The canals, therefore, probably have an average depth of 4-6 feet, though some may be deeper.

Answer 3

If you fall off your boat into the main channel water, you can usually wade to the bank.

The standard draught boat, especially fully-laden, has problems on some waterways, like the Llangollen because it is so shallow.

Answer 4

They are very shallow nowadays. They have silted up a good deal from the days when fully laden horse-drawn vessels navigated them. (So don't think about trying that - fully laden).

I have 'been aground' in midstream (on the Lea, into London) in only about three feet of water. Both outside the city and in. Not to mention many other places. The "Mon & Brec" in particular!

It is amazing to think of the difference nowadays, as compared with the deep-draft vessels originally intended.

Answer 5

Oxford canal is 11 feet deep, and I've been told it's the shallowest.

Answer 6

some locks........20metersdown....canals........

Answer 7

The UK`s oldest navigable canal is the Fossdyke canal in Lincolnshire built in 120AD by the Romans is generally 4 feet deep,,Most of the UK canals were constructed with a clay lining with a 4 ft deep channel of water although this differed with the terrain,,all narrow boats built during the industrial revolution would have a full load displacement of a 2 foot draught leaving 2 feet spare,,