Game Controls

#1: Menu Button

This button simply allows to leave or restart the current level.

#2: Mooring Button

The mooring button will only be enabled when a mooring opportunity is close enough. In this game you'll find these at the marina, at the dead end near the winding hole and at the pub. You'll also find some spots in the Pontcysyllte Area.

#3: Push-Off Button

This button is only enabled if you are close enough to a canal bank or dock and they're "in sight".

Sometimes you need to change your view direction to be able to push off. I.e. change the viewpoint to the bow of the boat to push off at the bow or change your view to starboard to push off at starboard.

The "Push-Off" power will increase if you press this button repeatedly.

#4: Combined Throttle/Gear Control

Move this lever up and the engine is in forward gear with increasing throttle.

Move it down to put the engine in reverse.

If you leave the lever in the center it will run idle for a while and then stop.

You can use a joystick/gamepad to control the throttle. Select it in the game options. You can also use the up/down cursor keys.

#5: View Control

These controls allow you to switch between different views:

The Heli-Button:

This button is only available in the "cruise free" levels.

Press it multiple time to switch between different views.

Press the normal view arrows to return to the standard views.

Arrows:

The arrows have two functions:

a) Switch the view:

When you press them, you can move around the boat and look in different directions. Often, there's more than one perspective in one direction. Just press an arrow again.

In the center there's an indicator in which direction you're actually looking (relative to the boat).

b) Park/Moor-Distance-Control:

The arrows also hint how far away the bow/stern of your boat are from the bank or dock.

#6: View Panning

Touch/klick the center of the screen and then drag to the desired direction. As long as you keep the touch/klick, the view direction will pan around. Press one of the arrows to reset your view again.

Poor Man's VR

If your (mobile) device is equipped with a "gyro" sensor then you can use the button to enable/disable the gyro-mode. In this mode your view will follow the direction in which you hold the device. I recommend using a swivel chair while using this option. ;-)

#7: Tiller

As long as your boat is in forward gear, you can steer the boat with the tiller. In other words: This boat (nearly) won't steer when you're in backward gear or neutral. Steering while going in backwards or without thrust is very limited.

On mobile devices you can control the tiller also by tilting the screen. But this has to be enabled in the game options.

You can also use a gamepad/joystick to control the tiller. Select it in the game options. You can also use the left/right cursor keys.

#8: Canal Karma

#9: Bow Thruster

These are only available in a few levels. It can be operated by two buttons in the upper right section of the screen (left of the heli-cam button). Bow Thrusters be best used in short bursts and are only effective on slower speeds.

If you use the Bow Thruster too long it will stop working because of overheating and only be available after a short cool down period.

#10: Horn

Try it!