A tool built on the towpath, for the towpath.

How it started

Hi, I’m Alessandro. I’ve been a liveaboard continuous cruiser for a few years now, navigating the waterways a few miles at a time. Thanks for coming to learn more about Float.

Over my time on the water, I’ve come to realise how strictly the rules around continuous movement are enforced. Having heard the stories from other boaters faced with restricted licences for not being able to prove their pattern of navigation, I quickly started keeping careful records of all the places I moored.

Each time I moored somewhere new, I’d update a personalised Google Map with a new pin. It worked, but it was a faff. So I thought — why not build an app? I am an Android developer, after all.

Where we are now

After a lot of spare-time coding, Float launched — first on Android, then on iOS thanks to a friend (more on that below). It’s free, independent, and shaped by boaters’ feedback.

The app now covers the basics well: logging moorings, tracking the 14-day rule, seeing CRT stoppages and closures on the map, and exporting your data whenever you need to. And there’s a lot more coming — every feature idea comes from a real conversation with another boater.

Special thanks

A project like Float doesn’t happen alone. Huge thanks to my friend Massimiliano Faustini, who built and continues to maintain the iOS version in his own spare time. Float exists on iPhone because Massi believed in the project and made it real.

What’s next

Float is here to make life on the canals a bit easier. This is still just the beginning.

If you have ideas, suggestions, bug reports, or want to help — we’d love to hear from you.