Boat Ownership

Unless you are constantly using the boat, ownership can become an expensive option. £50,000 would be a typical price for a middle range 6 berth boat new, secondhand obviously can acquired for much less, but you have to be careful. With ownership come the costs and responsibilities of moorings, insurance, safety checks (compulsory and otherwise ) and licencing. In fact most of the problems of owning a very expensive motor vehicle!
These are obviously worth it if you are actually going to live aboard the craft, but if it is there just for weekend use, it may be difficult to justify the expence, there is also the worry of security when you are not using the craft. Boats have been known to sink due to the automatic baler failing after heavy rain or the development of a small leak. The can't go down far as the canals are not deep enough, but the damage can be considerable and expensive. Vandalism and theft can also be a major headache.
Boat ownership is the dream of many, but should only sensibly be considered by the dedicated or those intending to live onboard.

Boat Hire

The range and choice of boats available to bire in the UK is immense from wooden Broads sailing boats to plasic "Gin Palaces" and you can find them powered by wind, petrol, deisel, horse, or it is rumoured even steam ( though I don't know on what terms).

If however it is you intention though to explore the UK canal system beyond the scope of the wider major canals, your choice is limited to vessels that can fit through a traditional single width lock, which is about 7 foot wide ( give or take a few half bricks ). This really leaves you with the choice of narrow river cruises ( usually GPR nowadays ) or a Narrowboat.

Narrowboats will tyipically come in lengths of 30 to 70 feet. They do get smaller but at 70 feet and certainly above you will have problems fitting into some of the locks and may find sone routes restricted to you, something around 66 foot is probably a sensible maximum if you want to avoid problems, especially for a novice.
Width shoul not be an issue, though some older boats do spread with age and can stick in certain locks and the modern hire boat draws far less water than its traditional counterpart so depth should not really be an issue either. Though you will still run find shallow spots to run aground on - its all part of the fun.Usually the boats are powered by a deisel engine, though I believe electric or horse draw boats are available in places. There was also the rumour at one time of a steam powered craft.
"Double width" boats are also available, but restricted to the larger canals and rivers like the Seven. They obviously ofer much more space and are a sensible option to consider for diabled persons if you have to take a wheelchair.

A list of Narrowboat hire companies with a breakdown of location and facitities can be found at: hire companies

If you are intending to take a disabled person onboard, or a pet please make enquiries before you book the boat to avoid difficulties.

Narrowboat Timeshare

Narrowboat timeshare maybe an option for the baoting enthusiast who does not have the time or money to warrent the sole ownership of a boat.
basically you buy the right to use a boat for a week of a year, which accordding to the terms of the company may be fixed, or flexible.
Above this you will also be allowed to exchange the week through timeshare exchange schemes such as RCI or rent the week out for money, should you not want to use it yourself. For this you pay an initial purchase price and an annual maintenance fee.

Timeshare Rentals

Timeshare rentals can be a useful alternative to hire companies. The boats are usually well maintained and are often offered for considerably less than the cost of a hire week. Owners advertising a single week do not have a lot of money to spend on advertising and therefore can have difficulty getting somone to take up the offer, so discounted prices are often ailable.
The agreement is a private transaction between yourself and the week owner, but the boat is managed by the timeshare company as on of a large fleet and generally standards are high and might include a complimentary bottle of wine and a few flowers.

The following link shows some timesharerental ads : timeshare rental

Shared Ownership - Boatshare

I am sure there are many ways of sharing a boat both formally and informally.
Boatshare schemes usually give you the right to use a boat for say 4 weeks a year at agreed times.
Depending on the arrangement you may alo find youself involved in maintenance and other duties.
Such schemes are often seem as a step on the way to full boat ownership.
They are for people who are definitely commited to boating holidays on a regular basis and in that context provuide an economical option with a degree of involvement and flexibility.

Hotel Boats and Skippered Cruises

If you want to enjoy the waterways in comfort without taking responsiblity for the boat yourself one option is to look at a Hotel Boat, of which there are a few around. Basically you will be catered for as you would be in a Hotel while somone else does the steering and maages the boat. Typically there will be two boats one to accommodate the working crew and catering facilities and the other to accommodate the guests, with the boats travelling in tandem.

Skippered cruises take various forms from short tourist trips with no catering facilities to fully equipped floating restuarnts and probably everything in between.

Boat based courses and activity holidays

There are a number of organisations offerring boat based holidays and courses:

Boat handling courses

Cruises for groups like Artists, photographers or writters

Youth organisations offeriing holidays for young people

Charities for the disabled offerring holiday on specialy adapted craft.

The UK waterways offer a unique holiday experience and there are an abundance of different ways to enjoy them.
Aside from the boats the towpaths also provide wonderful walking or cycling routes and opportunities for fishing and other activities.

 

 

 

 

 

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Hire Companies

Timeshare Rental

Booking Agencies

Training And Courses

Hotel and Skippered Boats

Canal Societies

 Ownership

Route Planning

Pets

Timeshare

Boat Share

Rules and Etiquette

Moorings