See our 70ft crane boat in action loading stone for the emergency bank stabilisation works at Marbury. The workboat has the ability to self load into purpose built storage tanks (suitable for loose material such as dredgings too), before powering itself along the canal to accurately place the stone rip rap on the bank. The crane's reach is unprecedented and with the remote control function, makes it an extremely safe and effective piece of kit. With a different attachment, this same crane barge will then be used to install piles using a piling hammer.

Pushing power! The Rothen Group complete piling works for the Environment Agency & JN Bentleys ahead of schedule & on budget, with excellent feedback from the client. Our powerful tug Uranus makes light work of moving our wide beam digger pontoon & 2 hoppers upstream on River Ouse to the demob site.

So, you need to hire a workboat vessel but you are not quite sure where to start. With an array of large and small work boats available ranging from pontoons to commercial work boats, it can be hard to know exactly what you’re looking for. Here at The Rothen Group , we provide a high quality, work boat rental service and rest assured, we have got you covered. Take a look at this guide to help steer you through the world of workboats. So, what exactly is a workboat? They can come in all designs and builds but essentially, it is any piece of construction plant/equipment that can float. Why would I need a workboat? If you are trying to carry out works on inland waterways, such as bank protection or dredging off the water, you are going to need a workboat. Workboats vessels are also required at construction sites with poor land-based access which run alongside the waterways. In these situations, construction companies will turn to work boat manufacturers and work boat hire companies such as The Rothen Group to get materials and plant solutions, like diggers and cranes, to the site. How many types of workboat are there? In short, there are many types of workboat . However, we try to categorise them as follows: Crane boats – an ideal vessel for piling, dredging, bank stabilisation works and getting materials to awkward access sites, a crane boat is a workboat with a mounted crane. Available from The Rothen Group in 40ft , 50ft and 70ft varieties. These can be narrow beam or wide beam to fit the different inland waterways throughout the country. Pontoons – the Swiss army knife of boats! A pontoon is effectively a floating platform on which a range of plant solutions can sit. The Rothen Group offer a variety of pontoons depending on the solution in question, including narrow and wide beam digger pontoons , narrow and wide beam crane pontoons, and survey pontoons. · Digger boats – a specialist machine transporter and/or operating platform, generally powered. This vessel is capable of transporting machines to awkward access sites or the machine can operate from the boat itself. Available from The Rothen Group to cater for lighter or heavier machinery. There is also the option to hire a powered pontoon . Pusher tugs - a highly powerful and manoeuvrable boat , and the ideal workhorse for moving boats up and down the waterways. Can be paired with material hoppers or pontoons to assist with dredging, piling or transporting materials to site. There are specially-designed pusher tugs for working in very shallow waters where you still need the power to push. Powered carrying boats – a really versatile powered boat which removes the need for a pusher tug. Can be used for vegetation clearance, piling, dredging, soft bank protection and storage. Ramps enable you to track the machinery off onto the towpath/bank but you can also work on machinery from the front as well as the sides, which is useful when dredging or piling. This boat is available in lengths from 35ft to 55ft. Hoppers – designed to carry large amounts of material, but cannot move around by itself. The Rothen Group offer different sizes to suit your needs, including shallow drafted and wide beam . Punts – shallow drafted boats suitable for laying brickwork on top of piling and inspection works weighing approximately 1.5 tonnes. Reed harvesters – a self-propelled reed and weed harvester that not only cuts and self-loads, but can also store reeds until they can be discharged onto another boat or onto the bank for disposal. Reed cutters – these remove reeds from canals, river and lakes. Reed cutting boats are available from The Rothen Group complete with a cutting head attachment on the side arm to cut vegetation from along banks, and a trailer for easy offloading. What attachments can be fitted onto different types of workboat, and why would you fit these attachments? Workboats can be adjusted to suit your particular needs. Sometimes this addition is necessary, such as when adding a pusher tug to move non-powered boats, or it can be used to optimise overall vessel effectiveness. Here are a few possible attachments that you may need to consider: Ramps – can be attached onto a powered or pontoon work boat to enable diggers/plant to be tracked on and off the bank. Floating tanks – Adding these can create further ‘deck’ space on the pontoon or more buoyancy if carrying a larger plant. Pusher tugs – depending upon what type of boat/hopper you need to push, there are different sized pusher tugs to help manoeuvre your workboat. Cranes/diggers – a whole range of specific attachments can be added to your crane/digger depending on your needs, ranging from clamshell grabs to piling hammers and post drivers. Can some workboats be used for the same job? Yes. Most workboats can be used for multiple applications, although there are some that just cater to one specific job, like a reed harvester. A pontoon, however, can be used for piling, bank protection or dredging either as a crane pontoon (narrow or wide) or as a digger pontoon (narrow and wide). Powered carrying workboats are also really versatile and can be used for a range of water-based jobs. Ultimately, most workboat restrictions are governed by the size of the vessel and the waterway. With this in mind, we have a range of different options available and additions that can be made in order to make sure you are more than prepared for your job. How do you operate a workboat and does this differ from boat to boat? Each workboat is slightly different to the next, but we have made them as easy to use as possible. At a basic level, there is a forward and reverse lever, and a tiller with a wooden swan’s neck to steer. In terms of maintenance, daily checks, such as oil, diesel, bilge pumps need to be carried out. You only really need one person to operate the workboats. It can be helpful to have two when moving the hydraulic jack legs up and down, but it is not essential. For your safety, it is essential that the hirer has a RYA Helmsman qualification and experience of operating boats. We then provide a full day of induction and awareness training on how to operate our workboats. Do any workboats require other specific qualifications in order to operate them? As mentioned before, the RYA Helmsman qualification is essential. From there, it depends on what the workboat is carrying and what machinery is being used. For example, a digger boat would require a digger ticket, and a crane boat would require a crane ticket. If you have any further questions about workboats or would like to hire a vessel with The Rothen Group, contact us on 01827 215715, or email info@therothengroup.co.uk.

Floating plant may offer a unique solution for contractors struggling to transport material to waterside construction sites in crowded city centres and urban spaces, according to a prominent UK waterway maintenance company. Space in London and many other UK cities is increasingly at a premium, yet the appeal of waterfront living, shopping, and dining is as strong as ever. This presents significant challenges to construction companies who are increasingly tasked with projects sited next to water. One such concern is the transportation of construction materials to and from the site, given that the nature of such building works often means that there is limited land access and suitable infrastructure. According to the Rothen Group , the waterways can offer a solution to such logistical concerns. These canals and rivers can serve as a convenient line of transport for specialised marine vessels that allow construction equipment to get to and operate in awkwardly-located sites. For example, a floating plant can be positioned in the water close to the site, and when combined with a grab barge, is ideal for moving materials into the site and taking waste away. Ian Rothen, founder of The Rothen Group, a national independent civil engineering business servicing UK waterway, comments: “In many instances, a floating plant can reach sites where roads cannot go. They offer tremendous versatility, and are capable of navigating narrow waterways such as canals, as well as larger bodies of water, including rivers and lakes.” Even in circumstances where there is land access, the proximity to some of the UK’s oldest canals often brings construction teams into contact with historic towpaths. These were originally designed to bear the weight of horses, and are unsuitable for the heavy lifting of machinery needed for modern building works. Aside from the potential damage that heavy equipment and debris can cause to towpaths, it is often the case that access alongside canals must be kept open. With construction often taking place in busy towns and cities, pedestrians have to be able to navigate the towpaths, adding further challenges for contractors. Floating plant equipment can provide the solution to this issue. For almost every aspect of a construction project, there is a marine equivalent. Diggers, cranes, scaffolding, the laying of cables – all of these are possible through the use of floating plant. Furthermore, for canal or riverside properties with elevations facing the water, floating plant can provide a platform from which maintenance can be carried out. This level of interaction with canals and rivers will be new to many contractors, so it is vital that they seek the support of experienced marine contractors. Ian Rothen concludes: “Far from seeing waterways as the issue, contractors should look at the advantages that using floating plant equipment can provide. Given the specialist nature of this type of work, companies such as The Rothen Group ensure that from initial consultation, to undertaking the works, through to offering a 24-hour response for breakdowns, they are on hand to support construction teams. “Britain’s waterways were once the arteries of UK industry, and with the rising demand for waterside living, there is every reason to turn to floating plant equipment as a primary asset in construction.”

Contractors should work with proven and responsible marine engineering businesses when constructing the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line over historic waterways due to the level of complexity involved, according to a new report published by The Rothen Group . ‘HS2 and the waterways: The construction solution using floating plant’ aims to inform HS2 contractors about the challenges they face building the line across canals, rivers and waterways. The report emphasises that considering the specialist nature of the work and the HS2 project’s high profile, contractors should only engage responsible marine, civil and environmental engineering businesses with a proven track record in this field. Ian Rothen, founder of The Rothen Group, a national independent civil engineering and maintenance business servicing UK waterways, is keen to highlight the challenges of construction in this environment. He says: “Before construction can even start, contractors need to ensure they understand the rules and regulations associated with working on waterways. This incorporates a range of different factors, from towpath weight restrictions to safety standards that are unique to canals and rivers. A detailed comprehension of these issues is crucial to the success of the HS2 project.” The report highlights the logistics of moving materials to a site with limited land access, and demonstrates the benefits of a floating plant solution. These are perfect for accessing narrow, shallow waters, expertly designed to get close to the bank of the waterway and providing unrivalled capabilities for construction teams. The paper also outlines the best options for potential issues in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of HS2. Issues covered include Phase 1 facilitation works, such as laying high voltage cables along towpaths, and land restrictions and working over waterways during Phase 2 – for example, when a bridge needs to be demolished. The report also details The Rothen Group’s previous work with Western Power Distribution and Morgan Sindall, replacing and removing existing cables with new higher voltage cables in the Birmingham area. Finally, a Q&A with Ian Rothen addresses potential issues, such as disruption to pleasure boaters, mobilisation times, and the environmental benefits of using a marine hire solution. Ian concludes: “For every challenge covered in the report, we have offered a legitimate solution. Construction of HS2 will face numerous obstacles, so it is vital contractors work with businesses that have a proven track record working on the waterways. “All eyes are on the construction of the new line, meaning contractors cannot afford to accept anything less than excellence when it comes to construction on the canals, rivers and waterways during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of HS2.”

When a pleasure boater accidentally collided with an old boathouse in Skipton, the boathouse did not come off well! Pennine Cruisers asked The Rothen Group to assess the damage and come up with a solution. The stone copings and part of the canal wall, as well as the existing timberwork of the boathouse had collapsed into the canal rendering the building unsafe. The solution was to prop the roof of the boathouse to enable the timber walls to be removed first and use a floating pontoon with excavator, tug & hopper to retrieve the debris from the canal. A new canal wall was then constructed by driving piles, with back ties and filling the void with concrete. This was then finished with laying the existing the copings with a lime mortar. The timberwork of the boathouse was then replaced and repaired. TRG consulted with CRT to gain and permit and allow the works to be undertaken quickly.

In a previous blog we have talked about all things work boat , looking at the different types available, alongside the various attachments that can complement a marine engineering project. But once you have decided what you need, how do you go about getting hold of the equipment? Whether you’re new to canal-side construction or have 35 years to 40 years’ experience, this is a very important question. Though you may need commercial work boats, most organisations will not require work boats for sale, and should instead look for work boat hire options. With that in mind, we have used our years of experience and specialist data to help us create a guide covering everything that you need to know about work boat rental. Alongside other aspects of marine engineering, we’ve highlighted the key areas of consideration for hiring vessels on rivers and canals. Types of workboats By way of a quick review, it’s worth outlining the main types of work boats that you are likely to need on a project, and are available for work boat hire. Crane boats – commercial work boats that are ideal vessel for piling, dredging, bank stabilisation works, marine engineering and getting materials to awkward access sites, a crane boat is a workboat with a mounted crane. These work boats are available at lengths of 40ft , 50ft and 70ft , and a 70ft Hiab Crane & Grab Boat in both narrow beam and wide beam configurations available. Pontoons – the Swiss army knife of commercial work boats. A pontoon is effectively a floating platform on which a range of plant solutions can sit. The Rothen Group offers a variety of pontoons depending on the solution in question, including narrow and wide beam digger pontoons, narrow and wide beam crane pontoons, and welfare and survey pontoons . Digger boats – a specialist machine transporter and/or operating platform, generally powered. These digger boat vessels , available for work boat hire, is capable of transporting machines to awkward access sites or the machine can operate from the boat itself. Pusher tugs – a highly powerful and manoeuvrable boat , and the ideal workhorse for moving boats up and down the waterways. Can be paired with material hoppers or pontoons to assist with dredging, piling or transporting materials to site, assisting with marine engineering tasks. Powered carrying boats – a really versatile powered boat which removes the need for a pusher tug when carrying out work on rivers and canals. This is ideal if you require room to store a small chipper/generator, while also providing a safe working platform. Hoppers – commercial hopper work boats are designed to carry large amounts of material on rivers and canals, but cannot move around by themselves. Hopper work boat types include the material hopper, shallow drafted hopper, wide beam hopper, and small work boats and flat punts for laying brickwork on top of piling and inspection works. Punts – shallow drafted work boats suitable for laying brickwork on top of piling and inspection works weighing approximately 1.5 tonnes. Reed harvesters – a self-propelled reed and weed harvester that not only cuts and self-loads, but can also store reeds until they can be discharged onto another boat or onto the bank for disposal. Reed cutters – these types of commercial work boats remove reeds from canals, rivers and lakes. Open a dialogue Perhaps the most important step in work boat hire and work boat rental is to open a dialogue with those who have years of experience. The Rothen Group has experience of operating on UK waterways for over 25 years, and can help to provide advice on what work boats individual projects might need. This might be through a site visit, if the client is relatively new to marine engineering, or via email if there is sufficient knowledge to do so. Obtaining a quote is part of this process, and there are certain aspects of a project which help to define what type of commercial work boat is required. This includes: Width of the waterway – this will help define the size of the work boat required. Depth of the waterway – again, linked with the size of the vessel suitable for the project. Nature of the work – are you lifting, piling, dredging? The type work will dictate what boat is required. Materials needed – this includes the length of piles, the weight of the materials, where are you trying to load and unload to, and whether a pontoon is required. Access restrictions – how easy is it to transport materials to and from site, and how do you get the boat to site? This information can be crucial to marine engineering works. Work boats can often be interchangeable depending on the work they will be doing and we use this data to help us create the optimum solution in terms of availability, costs, and ultimately the ability of the boat to undertake the required work. Logistics The logistics associated with work boat rental and boat hire can be just as important as the boat itself. The time of year can have a drastic effect on how quickly, and by what means, boats are transported to site. For example, there are a lot more stoppages during winter, which means moving by water can take a lot longer than by land. The key to effective delivery of commercial work boats is to plan, ensuring that delays are minimal by navigating the country by water and road. With the capability to rapidly mobilise commercial work boats and facilitate work boat rental rivers and canals nationwide, The Rothen Group is able to meet demanding timeframes. Final thoughts on work boat hire Out of everything we have covered here, the most important thing to take away is to have a discussion with marine engineers who have years of experience. By opening a dialogue and talking through the options, contractors can be assured of making the right decision when it comes to work boat rental and marine engineering.

In late 2019, we were involved in some emergency washwall removal works which led onto further piling works on the Grand Union in Buckinghamshire. Our 70ft crane barge was deployed which could grab out the collapsed washwall and discharge directly into the hold, allowing full navigation of the canal in a short time. The washwall then needed replacing to prevent further collapses. Using a mini digger pontoon , a piling hammer was attached to the crane to install the sheet piles. From our specialist fleet of work boats we also used a pusher tug & hoppers to transport materials up the canal due to the remote location of the works. The pusher tug also provided floating welfare. The piles were backtied and had a waler fixed to the front to stabilise the bank before being backfilled. The towpath verge was then reinstated with soil & grass seed. The client was very pleased with the works stating “…what a great job your lads & The Rothen Group have done with the removal of the failed wall & installation of the piling… not only did your lads deliver a top rate finish, but they also cleared around 100m of tow path that had been covered with years of mud back to its original stone finish! Please pass on a big well done and thank you to your team from us and numerous local residents, who also are very happy with their safe new tow path.”

Our work boats are helping in the aftermath of the recent flooding, move rip rap (large stone) down the River Great Ouse from a loading spot to infill a scour hole.

The Rothen Group have been busy installing erosion control from workboats along a 130m section of canal. Working with Canal & River Trust we’ve been preventing the bank & adjacent towpath from slipping into the canal through installing rock rolls & rock mattresses . This awkward access site could only be accessed via floating plant and commercial workboats. Our grab barge was deployed which could carry materials as well as self load & install the rock rolls/mattresses. It also acts as the site welfare & security as tools/equipment can be kept on the boat overnight away from the towpath. A hand held post driver was also used to drive posts to retain the rock rolls. There were two aspects to the works; rock rolls & rock mattress. The rock roll works involved removing any slipped material from the toe of the bank, before installing a geotextile membrane at the base of the ‘new bank’. A rock roll was then placed in front, held in place by timber stakes, before clay was used as a backfill. This was then topped with topsoil & seeded. For the rock mattresses, a clay ‘fillet’ was installed to create a ‘new bank’ before a rock mattress placed on top. This is where the capacity of the crane workboat came into its own as it could transport a micro digger to site as well as the clay, and then lift the micro digger onto the towpath to undertake the works. The mattress was again held in place by timber stakes. This form of bank protection can provide shelter for fish fry & invertebrates below the water & a range of insects, animals & plants above the water which is ideal for this more rural setting. Contact The Rothen Group to find out how our team can support your project.

Watch this video of our wide beam crane boat placing stone rip rap into the River Great Ouse with our wide beam pusher tug and other workboats. The crane is remote controlled, enabling the operator to be a safe distance away from the crane arm, whilst the hold of the crane boat can carry materials!

Weed cutting is a critical element of canal maintenance, helping to keep UK waterways clear and healthy. It requires the work of an expert, and those tasked with clearing weeds typically face long days in the sweltering summer heat. We caught up with Simon Higton, Helmsman at The Rothen Group, to look at a typical day removing duckweed from the waterways. What does a day of work typically look like for you? During the warmer summer months, my days are typically spent clearing duckweed from the surface of canals. I generally start early morning, because as the day moves along the waterways get busier, and mid-morning traffic in particular can slow progress down. Ultimately, a big part of collecting duckweed is to keep the canals clear and easy to navigate along, so the earlier in the day we can get this done, the better it is for everybody. The day can be long, especially as I always try to ensure any maintenance or re-fuelling of the boat is done prior to finishing. This means I can make a start straight away the next morning. Where in the UK do you do weed clearance? Last year I was based mostly in central London – in Little Venice, up to Kensal Green, as well as covering some of Camden too. It’s a great way to see the city, and although it can get busy at times, everyone is really friendly and appreciative of the work we do. Growth of duckweed can be fairly localised, but it is so fast that by mid-summer the work is intense. It’s important to keep the UK waterways clear across both urban and rural areas, as it grows so fast that it’s a constant battle to keep up! Why is it important to keep the waterways clear? It’s possible to navigate through a small patch of duckweed, but when it really starts to take hold it becomes a challenge. Even just pushing a boat through an overgrown section, where the weed can sometime be upwards of a foot thick, is almost impossible. The other issue for boats is that engines are very often cooled used the canal water itself. This process uses a filter, which can become clogged if there is duckweed floating in the water, ultimately leading to mechanical problems. Duckweed can also be bad for the water itself, because it causes large volumes of rubbish to get stuck and block the canal. Combined with deoxygenating the water due to sheer quantity of weed, it will lead to genuine environmental issues if not controlled. How often does it need to be done? During the winter, you generally won’t see any duckweed because it is too cold. When things start to warm up – from April and May onwards – you see patches beginning to form, and this intensifies throughout summer, before slowing again in late September. When temperatures are at their warmest, you can almost see duckweed grow over the course of a day. In July, this can mean revisiting the same patch of water several times a week, just to keep on top of things. What kind of equipment do you use to collect the duckweed? We use a custom-built boat specifically designed to collect duckweed. There is a large conveyer belt mounted to the front, which we hydraulically lower into the water to collect the weed. Once the hopper is full, we can reverse the belt to offload the contents into the hold of a larger hopper, ready for transport away from the canal. We also used a Conver , which is a hydraulically-powered boat with a small digger arm on the front. This enables us to attach a basket for scooping up weed, or a cutting arm for processing large rafts of penny wort, which is a different type of weed. What was the biggest challenge for you last summer? The sheer volume of weed that was growing during the hotter months meant it was a bit of a logistical headache. Trying to predict where growth would be biggest, based on weather forecasts, and deciding how much manpower would be needed to remove it, is always quite difficult. There are also a number of other weed-cutting operatives that you have to work alongside to ensure you’re being as productive as possible. Fortunately, we had an incredible team, and that meant we could keep the waterways clear, even at their busiest. You’ve mentioned you’re supported by other canal users, are they generally thankful and understanding of the work you do? We’ve received nothing but praise from the boating community, which is massively appreciated and serves as good motivation during those long working days! I think there is an understanding that weed can be a big problem if left to its own devices, and even for those not on the canal, the smell can be very unpleasant if it starts to rot and die. The most vocal support actually came from the active commercial boaters who work along the stretch from Little Venice to Camden. We managed to hold back the major duckweed growth and keep waterways open for business, and as many of these companies rely on the canal for their summer trade, this was crucial. Despite the long hours, it’s a wonderful way to spend the summer. We get to see the friendly faces of those using the canals every day, and keep our beautiful and important waterways clear and healthy as a result. View our Reed & Weed boat hire options.