October 2024 issue
On the cover of the October issue… True Blue, a bespoke 60ft narrowboat from Bluewater Boats, reviewed in this issue
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True Blue
Boat Review
Showcased by Bluewater Boats at this year’s Crick, True Blue is a bespoke 60ft narrowboat with hybrid propulsion and sleek, modern styling. Mark Langley paid it a visit on the south Oxford Canal
Where the Waterways were Saved
Looking Back
James Francis Fox explores the locations at the centre of the mid-20th-century movement to revive the inland waterways
Keep your Mental Health Afloat
Liveaboard Life
Michelle Ewen offers well-being tips for life on the water
WW Guide to the Warwickshire Ring
Cruising Guide
For sheer variety, this circular cruise through the heart of England has plenty to offer – as Steve Elliot discovers…
Getting My Share
Hiring and Shared-Ownership
Solo boater Lynne Crook recently made the leap from hiring craft to investing in a shared-ownership narrowboat
Pathways to Peace and Pleasure
Looking Back
Fifty years ago England’s canals were the focus of an issue of National Geographic magazine. Roger Butler recounts the hire-boat trip that inspired the coverage
Gas Safety: the need for servicing
Boat-Ownership
Don’t rely solely on your BSS exam for onboard gas safety. Research by Tom Keeling – a registered gas engineer and Chartered Marine Engineer – shows why it’s no substitute for regular servicing
Communal Life in the Capital
Liveaboard Life
Boater and author Frankie Paz tells Amelia Saxena how, after spending five years in the jungle, she found a new home on London’s canals
Boat-related FAQs
Your Questions
Mark Langley answers common questions relating to boat batteries and general maintenance
River Cruising East of Stratford
Explore: The River Avon
This summer Fiona Burt took her narrowboat to the navigable limit of the River Avon
Our Brand New Boat
Reader's Boat
After a two-year trial on a basic boat, Fran and Rich Pike committed to liveaboard life by upgrading to a new narrowboat – and they’ve not looked back
Great Haywood Junction
Waterways Hotspot
The meeting point of the T&M and S&W canals is celebrated for its historical significance and scenery. David Cheetham finds out more
The Future of the Waterways
Last Word
WW publisher Peter Johns explores a key change in boat usage and how this may impact canals and rivers over the next 80 years
