Canal & River Trust

Rufford Branch

7.1 miles of navigable water, 8 locks, 2 named marinas and moorings. Passes Burscough.

Will your boat fit?

Boat	Size	Fits?
Narrowboat	57ft × 6ft 10in	Fits
Long narrowboat	70ft × 6ft 10in	Too big
Widebeam	60ft × 10ft	Fits
Widebeam	60ft × 12ft	Fits
Dutch barge	70ft × 14ft 6in	Too big

Length and beam against Canal & River Trust. “Some sections” means your boat is too big for at least one section or lock. Draught and headroom aren't checked here: see the table below.

Published size limits

Maximum boat sizes in metres, from the Canal & River Trust's waterway dimensions (page last edited 26 Mar 2026). “–” means the Trust doesn't give a figure.

Section	Length	Beam	Draught	Headroom
Rufford Branch	18.89	4.34	1.1	2.51

Marinas and moorings

Each opens its Check a Mooring page: what's nearby on the water and ashore.

Fettler's Wharf Marina marina
St Mary's Marina marina

Services on the water

Mapped within 150 m of the Rufford Branch in OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map these, so there are gaps.

Water points 0

None mapped.

Elsan disposal 0

None mapped.

Pump-out 0

None mapped.

Boat fuel 0

None mapped.

Rubbish disposal 0

None mapped.

Winding holes 0

None mapped.

Questions

Can a widebeam go on the Rufford Branch?

Yes. A 60ft × 10ft widebeam is within every published limit on the Rufford Branch.

Will a 57ft narrowboat fit on the Rufford Branch?

Yes. A 57ft × 6ft 10in narrowboat is within every published limit on the Rufford Branch.

How long is the Rufford Branch, and how many locks does it have?

About 7.1 miles of navigable water on our map, with 8 locks mapped in OpenStreetMap.