Tub boats were a type of unpowered cargo boat used on a number of the early English[1] and German[2] canals. The English boats were typically 6 metres (20 feet) long and 2.0 metres (6 feet) wide and generally carried 3 to 5 tons of cargo, though some extra deep ones could carry up to 8 tons.[3] They are also called compartment boats or container boats.
The main virtue of tub boats was their flexibility. They could be drawn in trains of 3-10 or more boats using horse power, or later steam tugs, where the number of boats was varied according to the type of cargo. They could be lifted more easily than large boats and tub boat lifts and inclined planes were developed as an alternative to locking systems, particularly in or near a colliery or similar industrial works. At a lock or lift the train could easily be broken up and reassembled afterwards. Sometimes they used fitting non-waterproof containers which could be more easily lifted out. Because of their small size, the canals that were built for them could also be smaller, saving considerable cost in days when there were no mechanical excavators.
