Sunken Narrowboat Refloated and Recovered in London

Going, Going, Gone

The call came in concerning a narrowboat in a busy North London canal section that was dangerously listing. The owner was rightly worried, having observed the vessel settle deeper by the hour. We dispatched a preliminary assessment team, but mobilising our heavy salvage tug proved immediately challenging. Critically low water levels and necessary restrictions on lock opening times severely complicated the logistics. Forcing frustrating delays as the boat continued its inevitable descent.

By the time we finally managed to navigate a shallow-drafted work boat close to the troubled mooring, our worst fears were realised. The old narrowboat had almost completely vanished beneath the surface. What started as a listing tow job had instantly become a full-scale underwater salvage operation. We had no choice but to engage a specialised sub-contractor, deploying powerful, high-capacity pumps to begin the slow, arduous process of re-floating the waterlogged hull.

Temporary Buoyancy

The pumps fought the canal, steadily winning the battle against the ingress. Slowly, painstakingly, the narrowboat’s cabin roof broke the surface, and moments later, she was floating again—heavy, dripping, but once more buoyant. Knowing the temporary nature of this buoyancy, our waiting tug crew acted with necessary speed and precision. They secured the tow lines and quickly began the controlled extraction, navigating the sodden vessel away from the navigation path.

The final act was lifting the narrowboat entirely out of the water at our yard, a dramatic confirmation that the job was done. This vessel will not sail again; its journey is complete. The Boatbreakers team will now commence its next phase: environmentally responsible recycling, ensuring that all usable components are salvaged and that its final chapter is handled cleanly and efficiently.