River Canal Rescue

  • WIN A YEAR’S RCR GOLD MEMBERSHIP

    WIN A YEAR’S RCR GOLD MEMBERSHIP

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    To celebrate River Canal Rescue’s 25th anniversary, managing director, Stephanie Horton, is giving away prizes every month, throughout the year. In this month, Towpath Talk readers can win a gold membership worth £320. The breakdown assistance & recovery package includes: vessel covered for any user or member covered on any vessel, unlimited call-outs, recovery to…

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  • RIVER CANAL RESCUE: maintenance course dates

    RIVER CANAL RESCUE: maintenance course dates

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    River Canal Rescue is now taking bookings for its two-day maintenance courses, running at its Stafford HQ on: 18/19 February, 4/5 and 26/27 March, 10/11 and 23/24 April, 7/8 and 21/22 May and 11/12 and 25/26 June. The boat and engine maintenance course covers how to maintain diesel engines and the systems within a narrowboat,…

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  • TOP 10 PARTS that cause boaters grief

    TOP 10 PARTS that cause boaters grief

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    River Canal Rescue (RCR) responded to 3335 callouts last year to help with issues such as electrical, fuel and engine problems, flat batteries, overheating and gearbox failures. Despite RCR’s best endeavours, parts do break down. So what are the top 10 parts that cause boaters the most grief, and how much do they cost to…

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  • SNAP UP a waterways calendar for charity

    SNAP UP a waterways calendar for charity

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    Thirteen images have been chosen to appear in River Canal Rescue’s 2025 calendar (front cover and one for every month), which goes on sale later this year to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. THE competition attracted more than 375 entries, which the judges – RCR managing director Stephanie Horton, Canal Boat editor Charlie Waters…

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  • River Canal Rescue releases engine alignment training ‘how to’ video

    River Canal Rescue releases engine alignment training ‘how to’ video

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    RCR ‘how to…’ videos River Canal Rescue has released its second ‘how to…’ video on YouTube, giving engine alignment training. Fronted by RCR standards and ethics executive, Kerry Horton, he explains how to see if an engine is out of alignment, where adjustments can be made, the difference between radial and angular alignment and how…

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  • RCR posts ‘how to…’ videos

    RCR posts ‘how to…’ videos

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    With longer and lighter days prompting more boaters to cruise the inland waterways, River Canal Rescue is posting ‘how to’ videos on YouTube, sharing practical tips on how to keep engines and components running smoothly. The first video covers stern glands, discussing adjustment and packing replacement (the latter when no alignment is needed).   Fronted…

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  • Three-month recovery high and YouTube rescue videos

    Three-month recovery high and YouTube rescue videos

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    Unprecedented rainfall levels, water surges and numerous flood warnings resulted in River Canal Rescue (RCR) responding to more major incidents in the first three months of this year, than it did for the whole of 2023. Between January and March, its teams responded to 155 major incidents (emergency situations either involving submerged, partially sunken or…

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  • RCR breaks the mould

    RCR breaks the mould

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    RIVER Canal Rescue has won the Leading Innovation category at this year’s Breaking the Mould Awards, run by Keele University.  Tutors nominated RCR director Jay Forman for the award, recognising his research and development work into hydrogen boat systems, the environmental bilge filter, Bilgeaway, and mapping, route-planning and membership app WaterNav. They were also impressed…

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  • Tech advice: Keeping your boat safely afloat

    Tech advice: Keeping your boat safely afloat

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    AS WE experience the wetter months, it’s important to give your boat a thorough safety check and familiarise yourself with all its workings, writes Stephanie Horton of River Canal Rescue. This may sound obvious, but do you really know how your boat has been built, where important items of equipment and machinery are located and…

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  • Essential read: Managing lock cills  

    Essential read: Managing lock cills  

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    Every year, lock cills catch boaters unaware, no matter how experienced they are. Once a vessel’s caught on a cill, it causes the rudder to pop out of the cup, which is quickly resolved. However, in many cases, it results in damage to the skeg, rudder and bearings, and the boat needs to be towed…

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  • River Canal Rescue 2022 call-out figures  

    River Canal Rescue 2022 call-out figures  

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    River Canal Rescue reports it responded to 130 major incidents in 2022; emergency situations either involving submerged, partially sunken or grounded craft, plus salvage work.  The figure is 24% lower than the 171 incidents RCR reported in 2021, in line with the previous year’s 25% reduction, primarily due to clement weather and fewer floods.  In contrast,…

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  • Sandford sinkings: Boaters lose homes in Thames weir incident

    Sandford sinkings: Boaters lose homes in Thames weir incident

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    A COUPLE have been left homeless after an incident on the River Thames in which a weir was emptied, causing their boat to sink. Two other boats on residential moorings also sank after the weir gate was opened at the Sandford weir structure, causing the water level to plummet rapidly. The incident happened near the…

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  • Servicing reminder!

    Servicing reminder!

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     River Canal Rescue is reminding boat owners to book a service so they’re cruising-ready for next year.  RCR engineers are available up until mid-March, at set times, to undertake engine servicing and inspections, and prices start at £150. By ensuring everything is in working order now, the breakdown and assistance firm says it will reduce…

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