Continuous cruising

For most boaters, the convenience and security of a home mooring are essential. But if you move your boat around the country so much that you have no use for one, continuous cruising may be right for you.

A woman and her dog cruising along the canal

Continuous cruising can be an incredibly rewarding lifestyle, and boaters moving around the system bring a sense of vibrancy to our canals and rivers, as well as more tangible things, such as improved towpath security and spotting maintenance issues.

But the lifestyle can be tough, and online influencers don’t always give the full picture. Continuous cruisers pay an extra charge on top of the licence fee. It is not suitable for anyone who works in a particular area, has children in school or has other reasons that tie them to a single location. In these cases, you should seek a home mooring in the area you want to be in before purchasing your boat.

What rules do I have to follow as a continuous cruiser?
The British Waterways Act 1995 states that if you don't have a home mooring, you must be undertaking 'bona fide navigation'. Bona fide is a legal term meaning 'good faith', and 'bona fide navigation' means that you are genuinely cruising a fair range of the network. The law does not stipulate how far you must cruise or how often you must move, but you should be on a continuous journey, not just moving backwards and forwards along one stretch of water.
Full guidance as to what will be expected of you can be found here, and if you are not sure which type of licence would suit you, then you are welcome to talk through the options with one of our licencing, compliance and enforcement team.
As with all our licences, you must not overstay anywhere. This generally means no longer than 14 days on most of the network or less where signs indicate. Visitor moorings in popular locations are frequently limited to 1, 2 or 5 days to enable everyone to enjoy the facilities.
What happens if I don't follow the rules?
We monitor the whole of our network regularly. If you don't move your boat far enough, or you stay in one place for too long, then we take the following steps to either get you back on the move or (as a very last resort) remove your boat from the water:
1. First, we'll restrict your licence to a trial of six months to give you a chance to improve;
2. If you continue to break the rules, we might refuse a future licence without a home mooring, but we'll always contact you beforehand to discuss our reasons and concerns and to give you as much time as possible to remedy the situation and put a supportive plan in place; and
3. Ultimately, it's important to understand that, while we don't like doing it, if you consistently break the rules, we might have to remove your boat from the water. We don't ever do this lightly, and it's our last resort after sending you clear written warnings. So, if you're struggling to follow the rules or you know a boater who needs more support, call our team.

If you do decide to join our growing community of continuous cruisers, then your licence entitles you to explore over 2,000 miles of beautiful canals and rivers. Depending on the constraints of your boat, you could visit historic centres like Stoke Bruerne, traverse the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, get away from the crowds on remote stretches of the Leeds & Liverpool or travel slowly through the heart of London. The IWA Silver Propeller Challenge encourages boaters to visit the less frequented corners of the network, and we would love to see your photos, too.