This boat was used on the local canals to break ice in winter. It is made of riveted iron and was referred to as a modern lightweight ice breaker. It was built in the late 1800s. Earlier ice boats were made of wood with iron plates nail on the outside.
It would be pulled along the canal by up to 20 horses, whilst a crew of up to 10 rocked the boat.
It was the wave caused by the rocking that did most of the work. Every 10 minutes or so the man in charge of the horses blew a whistle, signalling a rest for the horses. They kept the canal open every winter as long as the ice did not exceed an inch in thickness. This was a dangerous job, the boat could tip over and the crew could be trapped. If the ice got too thick they had to stop trying to break it, but the canal was the only transport that could carry goods in bulk in the winter.
The Boat was rescued and restored by the Old Union Canals Society.
