Canal Boats

Canal Boats. Delaware Canal Lock 21. , Boatbuilding , American canal boats met standards as unique as their canals. Here, the preferred boat met Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company’s specifications of 87 ½ feet long, 10.5 feet wide and 7 ½ feet tall. The wooden “hinge” boats carried up to 100 tons of cargo.

Private boatyards built and repaired boats along the Delaware Canal at Uhlerstown, Erwinna, Upper Back Eddy, Point Pleasant, New Hope and Bristol. The major Company owned boatyards operated in Weissport and Laury’s Station on the Leigh Navigation.

Hinge Boats , Boat captains liked the flexibility of the “hinge boat” boat. They separated the two sections easily by removing center connecting pins. This boat effortlessly turned in the narrow Delaware Canal and handily hauled two types of freight. The two sections traveled on the inclined planes of New Jersey’s Morris Canal eliminating the need for load transfers.

Passing Rules , In 1833, rules established by the Canal Commissioners allowed the “light” (unloaded) boat the right of way when two boats met. The loaded boat steered to the side opposite the towpath and stopped their mules. The tow line sank to the canal bottom. The lighter boat, traveling higher in the water, passed over the line. Both then continued on their way. When boats approached each other, difficulties sometimes arose. Fights often began when a faster boat could not pass a slower boat. After all, they made money by the load…and time was money.