Refilling with water

closing a lock on the canal

Refilling your narrowboat with fresh water requires use of the hosepipe, which you will find on board. When your boat leaves Union Wharf Marina, the water tank will be full. Depending on how many people are on board and how much water you use, it is usual for this to need refilling after a couple of days.

You will need to look for the tap symbol on your map in order to identify a standpoint. If you have chosen a route to the south of Foxton Locks, these are quite plentiful but a northern route towards Leicester requires a bit of planning ahead.

Using the water filler key (provided), open the water filler cap. This is usually located at the very front of the boat.

Brass water key on narrowboat

Most of the taps require fitting with a small attachment. This is easier if you remove it from the hosepipe itself, and screw onto the tap first, before fitting the hosepipe on fully.

attach hose attachment

Uncoil the hosepipe until it comfortably reaches the filler cap.

attaching hosepipe to narrowboat

Allow the water to fill right to the brim. If the tank is nearly empty, this can take as long as an hour, so pop the kettle on!

Refilling with water on a narrowboat

 

 

We are delighted that more and more narrowboat novices are enjoying the canals around Market Harborough. We are putting together a series of Beginner Guides to help you prepare for your holiday and find a few solutions to common problems en route.

It is also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the Canal and River Trust’s Boaters’ Handbook before you arrive.

We offer all kinds of narrowboats, from Day Boats to Boutique Narrowboats and boats suitable for families. All our hires involve full training and we welcome complete beginners.