Also you should never be making a breaking wave behind the boat. Even this speed is too fast when passing moored boats, you should slow right down to avoid pulling out their mooring lines. Don't plan to do more than 20 miles in a day unless there are very few locks around or you don't mind long hours. You should not plan to travel after dark and some locks on some canals may be closed after 4 or 5pm until 8 am to save water supplies. Second hand boats are also available.
New boats are built to order, see our list of boatbuilders .
We also list Boat Brokers and boatyards who sell used boats. You are strongly advised to use a marine surveyor when looking for a boat. You can buy a part share in a boat which entitles you to a certain number of cruising weeks and shares maintenance costs. Some boatbuilders and boatyards do special arrangements for overseas clients where they look after the boat when it is not being used. Boats must be inspected every 4 years to ensure that they are safe and regularly dry-docked to check and repaint the hull etc.