Cutting reeds on the canal

We had just moored up for the day when 2 small gray boats came by. They were both rather unusual.

The first was this one which is a paddle boat that had a large blade attached to the front. It goes along and cuts the reeds growing at the side of the canal. The paddles avoid the problem of reeds getting wrapped around the prop shaft.

The other boat had something rather like a giant sieve on the front for scooping up the cut reeds.