A reaction ferry is a cable ferry that uses the reaction of the current of a river against a fixed tether to propel the vessel across the river. Such ferries operate faster and more effectively in rivers with strong currents.
Some reaction ferries operate using an overhead cable suspended from towers anchored on either bank of the river. Others use a floating cable attached to a single anchorage that may be on one bank or mid-channel. Where an overhead cable is used a "traveller" is usually installed on the cable and the ferry is attached to the traveller by a bridle cable. To operate the ferry either the bridle cable is adjusted or a rudder is used, causing the ferry to be angled into the current, and the force of the current moves the ferry across the river.
The ferry may consist of a single hull, or two pontoons with a deck bridging them. Some ferries carry only passengers, whilst others carry road vehicles, with some examples carrying up to 12 cars.
At one time over 30 reaction ferries crossed the rivers of British Columbia, primarily the Fraser River and the Thompson River. Those still operating include:
Big Bar Ferry, across the Fraser River at Big Bar, British ColumbiaLittle Fort Ferry, across the Thompson River in British ColumbiaLytton Ferry, across the Fraser River at Lytton, British ColumbiaMcLure Ferry, across the Thompson River in British ColumbiaUsk Ferry, across the Skeena River in Usk, British ColumbiaIn Quebec, the small Laval-sur-le-Lac–Île-Bizard Ferry operates seasonally across the Rivière des Prairies from Laval-sur-le-Lac to the Île Bizard.
Reaction ferries cross the rivers Sava and Drava.
Dolní Žleb Ferry crosses the Elbe at Dolní Žleb near Děčín. with lower (underwater) cableVrané nad Vltavou – Strnady, Vltava river before Prague, with overhead cableA number of reaction ferries operate in Germany, particularly across the rivers Elbe and Weser. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, they were quite common on the Rhine. Currently operating ferries include:
Aken Ferry, across the Elbe at Aken (Elbe) in Saxony-AnhaltBarby Ferry, across the Elbe at Barby in Saxony-AnhaltCoswig Ferry, across the Elbe at Coswig in Saxony-AnhaltRathen Ferry, across the Elbe at Rathen in SaxonyRäbel Ferry, across the Elbe between Räbel and Havelberg in Saxony-AnhaltRothenburg Ferry, across the Saale at Rothenburg in Saxony-AnhaltSandau Ferry, across the Elbe at Sandau in Saxony-AnhaltVeckerhagen Ferry, across the Weser between Veckerhagen in Hesse and Hemeln in Lower SaxonyWesterhüsen Ferry, across the Elbe at Magdeburg in Saxony-AnhaltThe Traghetto di Leonardo is a historic reaction ferry across the Adda River at Imbersago. It is reputed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
Poland
A number of reaction ferries operate:
Biechowy Ferry, across the Warta between Biechowy and PierskBorusowa Ferry, across the Vistula between Borusowa and Nowy Korczyn road no. 973Brody Ferry, across the Oder at Brody road no. 280Brzeg Dolny Ferry, across the Oder between Brzeg Dolny and GłoskaCiszyca Ferry, across the Vistula between Tarnobrzeg and Ciszyca road no. 758Czchów Ferry, across the Dunajec between Czchów and Piaski DrużkówCzeszewo Ferry, across the Warta at CzeszewoDębno Ferry, across the Warta between Dębno and OrzechowoGniew Ferry, across the Vistula between Gniew and Janowo road no. 510Grzegorzowice Ferry, across the Oder between Grzegorzowice and Ciechowice road no. 421Kozubów Ferry, across the Warta at KozubówKrzemienna Ferry, across the San between Krzemienna and Jabłonica RuskaMilsko Ferry, across the Oder between Milsko and Przewóz road no. 282Nozdrzec Ferry, across the San between Nozdrzec and Dąbrówka StarzeńskaOpatowiec Ferry, across the Vistula between Opatowiec and Ujście JezuickieOtfinów Ferry, across the Dunajec between Otfinów and Pasieka OtfinowskaPogorzelica Ferry, across the Warta between Pogorzelica and Nowa Wieś PodgórnaPołaniec Ferry, across the Vistula between Połaniec and Gliny MałePołęcko Ferry, across the Oder between Połęcko and Chlebowo road no. 138Pomorsko Ferry, across the Oder at Pomorsko road no. 281Siedliszowice Ferry, across the Dunajec between Siedliszowice and WietrzychowiceSławsk Ferry, across the Warta between Sławsk and Węglewskie HolendryŚwiniary Ferry, across the Vistula between Baranów Sandomierski and Świniary Stare road no. 872Waki Ferry, across the Warta at WakiStrečno Ferry, across the river Váh, between Strečno and Nezbudská Lúčka in Žilina DistrictVlčany-Selice Ferry, across the river Váh, between Vlčany and Selice in Šaľa DistrictZáhorská Ves Ferry, across the river Morava, between Záhorská Ves, Malacky District in Slovakia and Angern an der March, Gänserndorf district in Lower Austria, AustriaThe Pas de Barca Ferry on the Ebro river, in Miravet in the Catalonia region of Spain has been operating since the Middle Ages, and continues to use a traditional wooden ferry boat design.
Switzerland
Four ferries cross the Rhine in Basel.
The Hampton Loade Ferry, which carries passengers only, crosses the River Severn at Hampton Loade in Shropshire. It is operated partly by the current and partly by punting.
Several reaction ferries crossed rivers in the Ozark Mountains of the central United States during the first half of the 20th century. The Akers Ferry across the Current River near Salem in Missouri remains in operation.
