plan_route

Plan a boat journey between two points on the inland waterways of Great Britain (canals and navigable rivers). The route follows the water itself, not roads. It counts every lock and estimates cruising time from realistic boat speed plus time per lock. Live closures and stoppages from every GB navigation authority (Canal & River Trust, Environment Agency, Scottish Canals, Broads Authority and others) are routed around automatically, and when a dated closure blocks the natural line the result compares waiting for it to reopen against taking the detour. Give boat dimensions to get per-waterway fit warnings (too long, too wide, too deep, too tall for a waterway on the route). Routes that cross tidal water carry a tidal safety warning. Places can be names (resolved on the waterway network) or "lat,lon" coordinates. If a name matches several distinct locations the tool returns the candidates instead of guessing; call again with the chosen one.

Parameters9

from	string	required	Start point: a place name on the waterways (e.g. "Braunston Marina") or "lat,lon" coordinates.
to	string	required	Destination: a place name or "lat,lon" coordinates.
boat_length	number \| string	optional	Boat length. Metres by default (e.g. 17.4), or a feet/inches string (e.g. "57ft").
boat_beam	number \| string	optional	Boat beam (width). Metres by default (e.g. 2.08), or feet/inches (e.g. "6'10\"").
boat_draught	number \| string	optional	Boat draught (depth below the waterline). Metres or feet/inches.
boat_air_draught	number \| string	optional	Boat air draught (height above the waterline, for bridges and tunnels). Metres or feet/inches.
lock_minutes	number	optional	Minutes to work through one lock. Default 15. Experienced crews may use 10, single-handers 20 or more.
cruising_hours_per_day	number	optional	Cruising hours per day, used to split the journey into days with suggested overnight moorings. Default 6.
date	string	optional	Departure date (YYYY-MM-DD) for closure checking. Defaults to today.

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "from": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Start point: a place name on the waterways (e.g. \"Braunston Marina\") or \"lat,lon\" coordinates."
    },
    "to": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Destination: a place name or \"lat,lon\" coordinates."
    },
    "boat_length": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat length. Metres by default (e.g. 17.4), or a feet/inches string (e.g. \"57ft\")."
    },
    "boat_beam": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat beam (width). Metres by default (e.g. 2.08), or feet/inches (e.g. \"6'10\\\"\")."
    },
    "boat_draught": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat draught (depth below the waterline). Metres or feet/inches."
    },
    "boat_air_draught": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat air draught (height above the waterline, for bridges and tunnels). Metres or feet/inches."
    },
    "lock_minutes": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 90,
      "description": "Minutes to work through one lock. Default 15. Experienced crews may use 10, single-handers 20 or more."
    },
    "cruising_hours_per_day": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 16,
      "description": "Cruising hours per day, used to split the journey into days with suggested overnight moorings. Default 6."
    },
    "date": {
      "type": "string",
      "pattern": "^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$",
      "description": "Departure date (YYYY-MM-DD) for closure checking. Defaults to today."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "from",
    "to"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

plan_round_trip

Plan return-to-start cruises from a point on the inland waterways of Great Britain, sized to fit a number of days. Returns several options: circular loops where the canal network offers one (canal "rings"), plus out-and-back and fewest-locks alternatives, each with distance, lock count, day-by-day plan and suggested overnight moorings. Timing is lock-aware and closures from every GB navigation authority are flagged on each option. Give boat dimensions to get fit warnings, and routes touching tidal water carry a tidal safety warning. The start can be a place name or "lat,lon" coordinates.

Parameters9

start	string	required	Start (and finish) point: a place name on the waterways or "lat,lon" coordinates.
days	integer	required	Number of days the round trip should fit in.
boat_length	number \| string	optional	Boat length. Metres by default (e.g. 17.4), or a feet/inches string (e.g. "57ft").
boat_beam	number \| string	optional	Boat beam (width). Metres by default (e.g. 2.08), or feet/inches (e.g. "6'10\"").
boat_draught	number \| string	optional	Boat draught (depth below the waterline). Metres or feet/inches.
boat_air_draught	number \| string	optional	Boat air draught (height above the waterline, for bridges and tunnels). Metres or feet/inches.
lock_minutes	number	optional	Minutes to work through one lock. Default 15.
cruising_hours_per_day	number	optional	Cruising hours per day. Default 6.
date	string	optional	Start date (YYYY-MM-DD) for closure checking. Defaults to today.

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "start": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Start (and finish) point: a place name on the waterways or \"lat,lon\" coordinates."
    },
    "days": {
      "type": "integer",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 28,
      "description": "Number of days the round trip should fit in."
    },
    "boat_length": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat length. Metres by default (e.g. 17.4), or a feet/inches string (e.g. \"57ft\")."
    },
    "boat_beam": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat beam (width). Metres by default (e.g. 2.08), or feet/inches (e.g. \"6'10\\\"\")."
    },
    "boat_draught": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat draught (depth below the waterline). Metres or feet/inches."
    },
    "boat_air_draught": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat air draught (height above the waterline, for bridges and tunnels). Metres or feet/inches."
    },
    "lock_minutes": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 90,
      "description": "Minutes to work through one lock. Default 15."
    },
    "cruising_hours_per_day": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 16,
      "description": "Cruising hours per day. Default 6."
    },
    "date": {
      "type": "string",
      "pattern": "^\\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}$",
      "description": "Start date (YYYY-MM-DD) for closure checking. Defaults to today."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "start",
    "days"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

get_closures

Live closure, stoppage and restriction notices for the inland waterways of Great Britain, covering every GB navigation authority: Canal & River Trust, Environment Agency, Scottish Canals, Broads Authority, Bridgewater, Middle Level, River Wey, Basingstoke and more, not just CRT. Search near a place (name or "lat,lon", with an optional radius) or by waterway name (e.g. "Oxford Canal"). Returns active and upcoming notices with dates, the responsible authority, whether each one blocks navigation, and links for detail. Data refreshes from the authorities' published notices, so reopen dates reflect the latest updates.

Parameters3

place	string	optional	A place name or "lat,lon" coordinates to search around. Give this or waterway.
waterway	string	optional	A waterway name to match notices against (e.g. "Grand Union Canal"). Give this or place.
radius_km	number	optional	Search radius around the place in km. Default 25.

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "place": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "A place name or \"lat,lon\" coordinates to search around. Give this or waterway."
    },
    "waterway": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "A waterway name to match notices against (e.g. \"Grand Union Canal\"). Give this or place."
    },
    "radius_km": {
      "type": "number",
      "minimum": 1,
      "maximum": 150,
      "description": "Search radius around the place in km. Default 25."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

will_my_boat_fit

Check boat dimensions against the published maximum craft dimensions for a named British waterway (length, beam, draught and air draught, from Canal & River Trust published figures covering the full CRT network). Returns a per-dimension verdict quoting the limit. Draught and headroom vary with water level and silting, so treat the answer as advisory. For a whole journey, use plan_route with boat dimensions instead: it checks every waterway along the route.

Parameters5

waterway	string	required	Waterway name, e.g. "Ashby Canal" or "Llangollen Canal".
boat_length	number \| string	optional	Boat length. Metres by default (e.g. 17.4), or a feet/inches string (e.g. "57ft").
boat_beam	number \| string	optional	Boat beam (width). Metres by default (e.g. 2.08), or feet/inches (e.g. "6'10\"").
boat_draught	number \| string	optional	Boat draught (depth below the waterline). Metres or feet/inches.
boat_air_draught	number \| string	optional	Boat air draught (height above the waterline, for bridges and tunnels). Metres or feet/inches.

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "waterway": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Waterway name, e.g. \"Ashby Canal\" or \"Llangollen Canal\"."
    },
    "boat_length": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat length. Metres by default (e.g. 17.4), or a feet/inches string (e.g. \"57ft\")."
    },
    "boat_beam": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat beam (width). Metres by default (e.g. 2.08), or feet/inches (e.g. \"6'10\\\"\")."
    },
    "boat_draught": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat draught (depth below the waterline). Metres or feet/inches."
    },
    "boat_air_draught": {
      "type": [
        "number",
        "string"
      ],
      "description": "Boat air draught (height above the waterline, for bridges and tunnels). Metres or feet/inches."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "waterway"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

find_place

Look up a place name on the British inland waterway network and return matching locations with coordinates (marinas, moorings, water points and other waterside facilities). Use it to disambiguate a place before calling plan_route or plan_round_trip, or to get coordinates for a known spot. Results are waterway locations only; it is not a general geocoder.

Parameters1

name

string

required

Place or facility name to search for, e.g. "Braunston" or "Aston Marina".

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "name": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 2,
      "description": "Place or facility name to search for, e.g. \"Braunston\" or \"Aston Marina\"."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "name"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

search_directory

Search Canal Nav's directory of waterside businesses on the British inland waterways: marinas, chandleries, boat hire, boatyards, pump-out and services, fuel, moorings, surveyors, brokerage, and canalside food and pubs. Filter by free text, category, or proximity to a place. Listings marked unclaimed can be claimed for free by the business owner at https://canalnav.com/.

Parameters3

query	string	optional	Free-text search over business names and descriptions.
category	string	optional	Directory category to filter by.
near	string	optional	A place name or "lat,lon" to search around (approx. 15 km).

Raw schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "query": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Free-text search over business names and descriptions."
    },
    "category": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "marina",
        "chandlery",
        "hire",
        "boatyard",
        "services",
        "fuel",
        "moorings",
        "surveyor",
        "brokerage",
        "food",
        "trade",
        "other"
      ],
      "description": "Directory category to filter by."
    },
    "near": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "A place name or \"lat,lon\" to search around (approx. 15 km)."
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"
}

Canal Nav

🛠️ Key Features

🚀 Use Cases

⚡ Developer Benefits

⚠️ Limitations

plan_route

plan_round_trip

get_closures

will_my_boat_fit

find_place

search_directory

Install

Remote endpoint