Skip to content Skip to navigation

Welcome to the HNBC

 Random boat image

Welcome to the HNBC

The Historic Narrow Boat Club was formed in 1966 and is a not-for-profit club dedicated to preserving the working heritage of UK canals, from the boats themselves to details of the waterways on which they travel.  We are passionate about working boats, traditional skills, the built heritage, and the practices and courtesies of the working boat people.

We are an active pressure group for navigational and waterway heritage interests and we welcome all who support our aims, whether boat owners or not.  By supporting the Club, you are helping to ensure that the UK’s canals retain their unique heritage value.

We hope you enjoy exploring this website.

Please read the information about the consultation on Red Diesel - it's really important.

It's a numbers game, the more boaters who write in, the better.

PLEASE HELP!

 

Six good reasons to join us

  • Our quarterly newsletter, full of interesting articles.
  • Discount offers on boating equipment and services.
  • Access to the ever increasing wealth of information in our narrow boat register and archive.
  • Help and advice on historic craft maintenance through our members' forum
  • Small, sociable rallies.
  • Twice yearly members’ meetings – the AGM in March and the winter social in November, both with interesting speakers.

How to join

You can join us as an individual, joint or associate member.

Read more about how to join

 Newsletter

The Club's Newsletter is published quarterly. This is a high quality and lavishly illustrated colour publication with many fascinating features of interest to enthusiasts of historic boats.

Read "taster" Newsletter articles here. Back issues are available in limited quantities from the Club shop.

Why not join the club and get your copy hot off the press every quarter?

 Cover of newsletter 2019/2

Find historic boats...

Events   view all

Sat 21 September
Huddlesford Heritage Gathering, Lichfield

Contact - huddlesford@lhcrt.org.uk

Further details on their website.

Fri 27 September
Working Boat Gathering, BCLM, Dudley

Contact Steve Bingham to book in - contact details in HNBC Newsletter 2019/1 p42.

Black Country Living Museum

Sat 28 September
HNBC Committee

Venue - The Samuel Barlow, Alvecote.

Sat 19 October
Stourbridge Open Weekend

Based around the Bonded Warehouse, Stourbridge. Further details on their website.

Club shop

Christmas cards for 2019

Christmas Card 2018   

Here is the Whitby on a crisp winter's day on the Trent & Mersey canal.

Single design, pack of 10 cards with envelopes

£3.00 per pack plus p&p

The greeting inside all cards is:
With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year

 

Buy your supplies through our Shop.

 

Our Club Shop always has an range of interesting products available. As well as running a stall at various events through the year, we offer a mail order service. Please browse the various categories using the links below

Blank Cards  -  Christmas Cards  -  Clothing  -  Club plaques  -  Maps and books

Navigation issues

It is so important to tell C&RT, and us, if you get stuck on the waterways.

Click here for a map.

C&RT's contact phone number is 03030 40 40 40 or you can use their Contact Form.

Please let us know too so that we can chase it up. 

Here is our pinchpoints form, or you can email navigation@hnbc.org.uk

DON'T JUST SORT IT, REPORT IT

Thank you!

Latest stories   view all

Rag Mop

If you've wondered how to make a really good looking Rag Mop for your boat, have a read of this article from 2002 in our club newsletter, penned by Beryl McDowall.

Red Diesel consultation - closing date 9 September 2019

There's an important consultation that individual boaters need to respond to, closing date 9 September 2019. How the directive is implemented will affect all of us - from how much we pay for fuel for our boats to whether (and how) we are obliged to flush our existing fuel tanks. PLEASE, PLEASE COMPLETE THE CONSULTATION - this is a numbers game, we ALL need to respond.

CO alarms on boats - BSS seeks your views - closing date 9 November 2018

The Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) has launched a public consultation proposing BSS requirements for carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on boats. The proposals promote checks to be introduced for suitable CO alarms in good condition and in suitable locations on all classes of boat with accommodation spaces. The proposed mandatory new BSS Requirements are intended to come into effect from January 2019 and be implemented as BSS Checks on 1 April 2019. 

Using Paddle Gear Safely

Here's a great little video showing the safe way to use lock paddles - only just over 6 minutes long but well worth a watch.

Click here, sit back and enjoy!

Recent updates   view all