Any examples of this kind of thing going along the length of a river instead of across it?,(reply>), HotelPapa100 it wouldn't be exactly the same, but I was thinking more about using a water wheel to pull the boat upstream, or having a chain of boats where the downstream boats could pull the upstream boats.,(reply>), Ocie Mitchell doesn't work the same way. Downstream yo float without control, and upstream you need energy.<br>There used to be cargo boats that were pulled by humans or beasts, but that was a few centuries back, before the advent of the steam engine.