Canal links
Oxford Canal - South
Tooley's Historic Boatyard, Banbury Friendly source of help and information plus a good supply of chandlery and other boat-related items. Some interesting background, and photos in later editions, relating to the boat yard can be found in Rolt's 'Narrow Boat'. Their web site is advertised but was not up and running at August 2005.
Other vessels
Boats within the Ownerships scheme.
Avington, Bronington, Cropredy, Hawksmoor, Kinver, Oasis Too, Pendeford, Rodbaston, Sapphire, Saros, Sojourn, Somerton, Sylph, Swallow, Willoughby
Oasis Too had an interesting time during the July 2007 floods; have a look at the video clip.
Non-Ownerships boats
Boating related charities
Disabled Afloat Riverboats Trust (DART) exists, primarily, to provide boating holidays for people with physical or learning disabilities together with their carers, families and friends.
The Lyneal Trust The Lyneal Trust is a registered charity that provides holidays and canal boat trips for people with disabilities with their families, friends or in groups from its base on the Llangollen Canal
The River Thames Boat Project owns and runs a specially converted and equipped community boat and floating classroom. It offers three programmes tailor made for community groups and schools plus day and residential voyages and on-board classroom facilities with easy access for people with disabilities.
The Sobriety Project describes the 'umbrella' organisation which covers The Yorkshire Waterways Museum, Waterstart Thorne and Surewaters Selby. Its aim is to use the heritage, arts and environment of the Yorkshire waterways as a resource for learning and regeneration and specifically to provide a pathway to worthwhile occupation for disadvantaged people who have mental health issues, drug or alcohol problems, history of offending, learning difficulties and for unemployed people or those in rural isolation.
If you enjoy being on and around canals why not visit their site and volunteer to help one of your local groups?
National Community Boats Association The NCBA is a national waterways charity and inland waterways training provider, supporting community boat projects and encouraging more people to access the inland waterways of the UK. Member organisations operate boats specially designed and built to cater for young people, elderly people, special needs, people with disabilities, children and adults with learning difficulties and disadvantaged groups.
Boating Associations
The Barge Association (ex Dutch Barge Association) The association for everyone owning or interested in barges.
Inland Waterways Association Campaigning for the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the inland waterways.
Narrow Boat Trust Working to preserve and restore narrowboats and canal craft of all descriptions for the benefit of the public, and where possible to promote the use of such boats in commercial canal carrying.
Historical information
A. M. Models Makers of canal boat models but the web site also contains information about ex-working boats.
Five Towns Boat Building This business web site also contains an archive of historic boat information.
National Historic Ships The web site for the Public Body that advises the Government on national historic ship preservation and funding priorities and includes The National Register of Historic Vessels database.
National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, Gloucester Docks and Stoke Bruerne.
Other useful canal links
British Waterways Waterscape - boating Beginners's guides, hiring a boat, info for boat owners, events, news and more.
Canal Junction the comprehensive canal guide and canal leisure directory. Maps, history, culture, engineering, news, museums, folk art, hotel boats, boatyards & marinas, boat brokers, boat hire firms, hints for first timers & much more.
Draught.org.uk A directory of traditional places and things of interest. In addition to canals it also covers rail, air, road, music etc. If you like canals you are sure to find something of interest on this web site.
Jim Shead's waterways info An encyclopedia of the canals and rivers of England and Wales, including historical data, provided by Jim Shead, Waterways Writer and Photographer.
narrowboatworld News from the inland waterways plus other useful information.
Animated Knots by Grog Learn to tie boating and other knots using aninated images.
Nick's canal route planner Plan journeys around the UK's inland waterways, calculate the length (distance, number of locks, time taken etc) of your trip and see gazetteer information on places along the way (pubs, shops and museums). Canalside events you might pass are listed.
River Thames Environment Agency site which includes a comprehensive guide to safe navigation on the non-tidal Thames and other useful publications.
Tradline Fenders, Braunston Fenders, rope, wire, anchors etc.