For how long can we hire a canal boat?
You can hire our boat for self drive holidays starting at 3 nights from Friday at 15:00 to Monday at 09:00, up to a maximum of 30 nights, or skippered day hire. For day hire check in and check out will be confirmed depending on season and the plan for the day. We are very flexible on our skippered day hire on start and finish times.
Are life vests, or buoyancy aids supplied?
Yes , we have a full range of adult and child life vests onboard for use on any of our bookings, and a safety ring on board should anyone go overboard and need to be assisted.
Is there a minimum age?
Our insurance policy states we need to have a minimum of 2 adults over the age of 18 for our self drive holidays and 1 adult over 18 for our skippered day hire. We do not allow single sex parties like stag or hen do’s on our self drive holiday hire.
Is any boating experience or license needed?
No experience, training or license is required, we will give a full hand over for our self drive hire which takes around 2-2.5 hours and for the skippered day hire we will give a brief health and safety talk and training throughout. Adults are always responsible for their children and their pets when on hire.
What does the boat hire charge include?
The hire charge is quoted for the boat with up to its specified maximum number of people. A full tank of fuel gives two weeks cruising time on average. A compulsory refundable damage and late return deposit is required for our self drive holiday hire.
Your Hire boat will come equipt with a full tank of water, which can be refilled at any of the numerous water points. This may need to be refilled daily depending on water usage. The toilet waste tanks will be empty and should last up to 2 weeks on average and can be emptied at pump out stations. Additional emptying of these tanks during the holiday is the responsibility and costs of the hirer.
Can we bring our pets?
Our boat is pet friendly for up to 2 well-behaved dogs. There is a charge of £50 total for your self drive holiday for this. On our day hire you can book up to 2 dogs with no additional charges.
Where can we cruise?
There are thousands of miles of rivers and canals in the UK, so you can take the boat anywhere within your time constraints. You can plan where to cruise with our holiday planning section HERE, but you will also get a guide to the Kennet and Avon canal on our boat in the handover pack. There are a small number of waterways for which you may need an extra licence, this will be down to the hirer to arrange.
Can we fish on any rivers?
There is no fishing allowed off our boat (or any boat) on the rivers and canals and for any shore to water fishing you will need a license and permission from the fishing clubs in the area you are in, some allow day fishing. Purchasing a license and getting permissions are down to the hirer.
Mooring along canal towpaths is free, but be careful not to restrict access to locks or bridges. Mooring spots near popular pubs and eating places can get busy at peak times. You can also tie up at private or local authority marinas, quays and harbours, where a small charge is usually made. The canal guides also show mooring places.
Can we walk or cycle along the towpaths?
You can walk or cycle on any section of towpath unless it is closed for repairs, however, bicycles are not allowed on our boat unless pre agreed. please contact us HERE.
Can I charge my mobile phone or camcorder and bring electrical appliances?
If your phone or camcorder can be charged from a 12 volt supply in a car or USB it will work from the sockets provided on the boat. You will need to bring your own lead. If it is 240 volt plug then it will work, but we only advice to have the 240 volt inverter switched on when the engine is running, due to the load on the battery storage system.