Guides
What the rules actually say, what the Trust actually does, and what it means if you live afloat.
Free tools
Can the Trust take my boat? Section 8 explained
What Section 8 of the British Waterways Act 1983 allows, the process that has to be followed, and what to do if you receive a notice.
Your licence renewal has been refused. What now?
What a refusal means, the options open to you, and what evidence is worth putting together.
Narrowboat insurance: what you actually need
Why third-party cover is a licence condition, what the different levels mean, and what changes if you live aboard.
Hull blacking: how often, and what it costs
Why steel hulls get blacked, how often it is worth doing, and what happens if you leave it too long.
Bridge hopping: why moving a few hundred yards does not work
Why shuffling along the same stretch does not satisfy the continuous cruising requirement, and what does.
Can you live on a narrowboat without a home mooring?
What continuous cruising actually involves, what it costs, and the obligations that come with having no fixed base.
How the Canal & River Trust tracks where your boat has been
Sightings, patrol officers, and what the Trust's record of your movement actually consists of.
How to prove you have been cruising
What evidence the Canal & River Trust accepts, and what makes a cruising record credible rather than merely present.
Winter stoppages and the 14-day rule
What happens to your cruising obligations when the Trust closes the route you were going to take.
What is a home mooring, and do you need one?
The difference between a licence with and without a home mooring, and what each obliges you to do.
You've had a letter from CRT about your cruising. What happens next?
What a Canal & River Trust compliance letter means, what evidence they accept, and what to do in the first week.
How far does a continuous cruiser actually have to move?
There is no statutory minimum distance. What the Canal & River Trust does say, and what its guidance means in practice.
Narrowboat licence cost in 2026/27: what you'll actually pay
Canal & River Trust licence fees from April 2026, including the surcharges for boats without a home mooring and wide beams.
The Boat Safety Scheme, explained
What a BSS examination covers, how often you need one, and why it is tied to your licence.
The 14-day rule: what counts as staying in one place?
How the 14-day limit works, when it resets, and why moving a short distance may not restart the clock.