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Refloat our Boat
Canal Boat Tours Return
Georgetown Heritage’s canal boat has been out of operation for two years while critical repairs to the canal have been taking place. In 2026 we will re-launch the boat program and once again bring vitality and joy to the C&O Canal. But we need your help to make it happen. Getting the boat ready for service, hiring and training new staff members, replacing and updating equipment – these things are all necessary and all cost money. Help us refloat our boat next spring by making a contribution today.
For contributions of $1000 or more please contact us or send a check to:
1000 Potomac St NW, Suite 22
Washington, DC 20010
About the Canal Boat
Getting Ready to Re-launch
In 2022 we launched the Georgetown Heritage, bringing historic boat tours back to the canal in Georgetown for the first time in more than a decade. This was the culmination of eight years of work, establishing a partnership with the National Park Service, securing funding from the DC government, and working to design and build a boat that authentically captured the look and feel of a 19th century vessel, while incorporating modern safety and comfort amenities. This $1.5 million effort was met with resounding support from the community in Georgetown, DC, and across the region. Residents who remembered riding the previous boat (NPS’s Georgetown) on school field trips brought their children to ride the new boat. Tourists once again queued up on the bridge at Thomas Jefferson Street to watch the boat navigate in and out of the locks.
In two years of operations, tens of thousands of people took a ride on the Georgetown Heritage, and the program had quickly earned its place as a “must do” item on the list of every visitor to our nation’s capital. Our school field trip program had begun to grow, and visitors from all 50 states had come to ride the canal boat. On board, these visitors heard the stories of the people who built, operated, and maintained the canal.
At the end of the 2023 season, the boat was put in drydock where it would stay until 2026, as the National Park Service began a series of critical canal repair projects. Now, at long last, the wait is nearly over! Early in 2026 the repair work is expected to wrap up, and preparations are underway to re-launch the Georgetown Heritage next spring.
Here’s what we are working on to get the boat ready:
Establishing a Field Trip Fund. Our goal is to bring every DC Public School third grade student to Georgetown to ride the canal boat. We know that for many schools, the cost of a bus is a major barrier to entry to taking field trips. Georgetown Heritage will establish a fund to ensure that cost is covered for any public school.
Boat Maintenance. After two years sitting in dry dock, the boat needs a little TLC. We’ll be putting a fresh coat of paint on, fixing minor issues with the hull, deep cleaning, and upgrading the sound system and fans onboard. We’ll also establish a fund for future maintenance of the boat.
Hiring Staff. Every boat needs a captain and a crew. We’ll be staffing up a whole team including a program manager to oversee all boat operations, staffing, and tour management.
Refreshing Tour Content. We’re taking in feedback from visitors, our NPS partners, and colleagues in the museum and history field to make sure our tour is accurate, engaging, and relevant to our visitors. In 2026 we want to mix things up! We will offer both a standard canal tour, and themed tours that will change throughout the season.
Improving Accessibility. In our first two seasons on the boat we had not yet perfected our operations to make the tour accessible to visitors of all physical abilities. We plan to take great strides to ensure that when the boat relaunches in 2026, ALL can come aboard and learn. This means adding ramps for boarding, offering ASL interpretation, and visual descriptions.