There's an in between style which has some protection and some room for passenger known as 'semi-trad'. The information and illustrations below are courtesy of Middlewich Narrowboats. Click to see more of Middlewich Narrowboats . The advantage of a trad style narrowboat is that the steerer has a protected position against wet or cold weather and the additional advantage of the heat from the engine or the boatman's cabin stove around their legs. There is also a very real feeling of closeness to the canal traditions.
Friends can stand on the gunwales or sit on the roof.
The main seating area is in the bow. Some private canalboats have an enclosed steering position, but this is not usually a feature on hire boats. The reason is that it is very easy to damage the 'wheelhouse' on the low bridges found on canals. River cruisers don't suffer from as many maneuverability, width and height restrictions and are often made of fibreglass with enclosed front wheel steering. More detailed information about facilities, booking methods and prices can be found in all the online brochures linked to from our Hire Firms page.