The ice breaker provision, originally in the form of this horse drawn purpose built craft, was maintained throughout the operational life of the Leeds and Liverpool canal primarily to ensure the passage of cargoes, as far as possible throughout the winter period, and also as a precaution against possible expansion damage to aqueduct masonry and embankments.

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At the same time as the boat was being towed a team of men on board rocked the craft from side to side. The boat being drawn onto the ice to cause an initial cracking which the rocking action then expanded to break up the ice.

From this mode of operation it is easy to understand why the term "Rockers" was often applied to the boats.

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As these boats had a very specific purpose and could remain unused for prolonged periods it was the practice to sink boats in winding holes or other suitable locations, where they would not interfere with canal traffic, in order to preserve the timbers.

The depth of water was important in order that the gunwales remained proud of the water so that the boat could be easily pumped out again and raised when required.

It would seem from the location of these sites and the references to ice boats that storage sites were carefully selected to ensure the ice boats were available to work on particular sections of the canal whenever they were required. Interestingly the ice breaking requirements upon various sections did vary as some of the mills alongside the canal used it to supply condensing water for their steam engines, consequently there were stretches that rarely froze.

At the end of the canal's commercial life and its virtual abandonment, some of these boats remained undisturbed in these storage locations which has inadvertently provided us with the opportunity for the study and examination of what is perhaps a unique type of boat that, had they been managed or organised as the other work boats of the canal, would certainly have been lost entirely.