• What is Timeshare?
  • What Locations are available?
  • What are the costs?  
  • Which Companies offer Narrowboat Timeshare?
  • What are the boats like?
  • What can I do with the holiday?

 

What is Timeshare?

When you buy a timeshare you are not buying a share of a property, rather you are buying the right to use that property or facility for typically a week a year or in increments thereof.
The property is managed by a managing company who provide the necessary services to keep it in good condition and make sure it is ready for use by Timeshare owners, the same company may also manages booking arrangements, though this could also be done elsewhere. The property is put in the hands of a Trustee to protect the interests of the Timeshare owners.

When you buy a week , you may buy a fixed week i.e. you get the use of the same week , say the first week of August every year. Or you may buy a floating week which will give you the right to choose a week from say the summer months.

The arrangement is really best suited for those who want to take a holiday at the same location every year, though this could include letting other people use the holiday or even renting it out.

Which Companies offer Narrowboat Timeshares?

At the moment the two main companies are Canaltime and Shakespeare Classic line Ltd.
Canaltime are by the larger company offering over 100 boats on four different locations.
They offer a floating week scheme and also allow Timeshare owners to book at any of the four locations without any extra charge, than if they had booked at the location of the purchased week.

Shakespeare Classic offer 20 Narrowboats out of Barton Turns Marina Staffordshire. They originally offered a  fixed week scheme, but are now move over to a floating week scheme for 6 berth boats, there are not enough 4 or 6 berth boats in the fleet for this to be viable for these groups.

Which locations are available?

Canaltime offer: Black water Meadow ( Ellesmere on the Llangowllen canal),  Alvecot ( Coventry Canal on the Warwickshire and Staffordshire borders. ) , Union Wharf  ( Market Harborough Leicestershire) and Worcester Marinas. (Lowesmoor Wharf Worcester, off the Worcester and Birmingham canal ).

Shakespeare Classic Line ltd offer: Barton Turns Marina. Near Butron on Trent, on the Trent and Mersey canal.

What are the boats like?

Both companies offer 4, 6 and 8 berth boats.
A typical 6 berth Canaltime boat has a cruiser stern, two toilets ( one with shower ) .Al arge double  bed in the bow cabin ( across the boat), two singles in the middle cabin and a rear saloon with a double berth to be made up at night. Access to the bows is via a side door from the front bedroom and along the gunwales.
The 4 berth is similar but with only one toilet and without the central bedroom.
The 8 berth has an additional bedroom.

Shakespeare Classic Line  boats differ in that they have a rear saloon. Double bedrooms front and middle with two singles in the saloon and direct front access to the bows from the front bedroom.. Also a cruiser stern.

Both companies offer central heating for the cooler months. Shakespeare Classic offer a complimentary bottle of wine when you leave the marina.

What are the Costs?

The initial cost new can be up to about £8000, which will probably give you something like 70 years of use. though buy a second hand week and you will get it for half of that or much less and there will still be plenty of years to run.

After that you pay an annual maintenance fee, about £400 a year at the moment.

On taking the boat out there will also be marina and fuel fees circa £120 at moment and a returnable deposit against damage.

What can I do with my holiday?

You can use it yourself.
Let someone else use it.
Rent it out.
Exchange through a scheme like RCI for another holiday - say a flat in Florida or numerous other options.
Opt for a "Points scheme" which gives you another means of exchanging through RCI.

 
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