FAQ Holiday Boats

The boats come comprehensively equipped for your holiday. Really all you need to bring is clothing and food. It is best to have rubber soled shoes for working the boat, and you should bring some wet weather gear, in case of inclement weather.

Wi-Fi is available on all boats.

There is a 1.25GB allowance for short breaks and 2.5GB per week.

You should also note that access to the internet over the installed device is totally reliant on it being able to connect to the mobile telephone network.  Without access to that network there will be no connection and this connection cannot be guaranteed at any time.

Each mobile device, laptop computer, tablet, mobile phone, gaming machine or any other device that has Wi-Fi as part of its hardware set up can access the Wi-Fi device on board the boat.  Users will need to select the appropriate network from the list presented on their own device.

Limited streaming and downloads apply – you won’t be able to stream movies.

Yes, all our boats are centrally heated . There are hot water tanks on the boats as well so that you can have a shower at any time.

Yes. Fixed beds normally have an interior sprung mattress, or are 5” high density foam mattresses which have to conform to special standards to ensure that you are comfortable.

Yes, there is always a fridge. Normally this comes with a small freezer compartment

All our holiday narrow boats have gas cookers (the gas is included in the cost of the holiday). These all have 4 rings, as well as an oven and a grill. Please remember that cooking times can vary compared with the more usual natural gas at home.

Yes, all berths are supplied with a full set of freshly laundered linen, two pillows, a sheet and a duvet. One bath towel per customer is also provided.

All of our boats are fitted with a 240v hair dryer.

Yes, all of our holiday boats have in-car chargers and 240v power supplies. Our day boats have 12v in car chargers.

Yes on all of our boats. There is a charge of £30 per pet per week or part week on our holiday boats. £10 per pet per day on the day boats.

Due to short locks and low bridges encountered on your journey, we are unable to accommodate full size bikes on board our boats. Folding bicycles can be stored inside.

Fishing is allowed provided that you have a current E.A. rod licence. Most clubs will not object to you fishing from the boat, but some may require you to purchase a day ticket. This varies from area to area. Please check with the boatyard on arrival.

Just about. Please do not moor you holiday narrow boat near bridges, junctions, locks or in other company’s boat yards without their permission.

Yes, these are marked on the maps and cruising guides.

Yes, you will take over your boat fully fuelled. In most cases there will be plenty of fuel for your trip. Occasionally, such as on an extended holiday, you may need to refill during your holiday, and you will be advised about this situation at the start of your holiday. If this is the case, you will be asked to obtain a receipt and the boat yard will refund you the cost on your return at the end of the holiday.

There are water points along the waterway, normally at least every 4 – 6 hours cruising. Always try fill up with water at least once a day. Remember you are not connected to the mains!

Yes, in fact if they are 10+ they will probably take over! They just love to drive the boats, under supervision of course (and where else could they do that?) If you have active children try the river Nene with plenty of locks and open countryside. It is very rare for children to get bored since there is always something for them to do.

No. You will be fully trained as part of the handover routine in how to drive the holiday narrow boat and operate the locks by one of our RYA qualified instructors. Your instructor will not let you commence your narrow boat holiday until he is fully confident in you being able to handle the holiday narrow boat. The show round and training can take around an hour at the start of your holiday.

Your boat is licensed for the rivers Cam, Great Ouse, Nene and Middle Level Navigations. These are shown on the map.

The rivers have a limit around 4 mph, (about walking pace) with some wider rivers having a slightly higher figure usually 7mph. When working out the timing of a route, you need to also allow about 15 minutes per lock. This means that in one hour you should expect to cover either 4 miles, or do 4 locks, or a combination of them both!

Most rivers are between 3 and 7 feet deep. We supply buoyancy aids for the crew prior to your departure.

Unlikely, but we would recommend that you buy a guide for your route either when you book, or from the Hire Base before you set out. They are not only useful for your route, but also for pinpointing pubs, shops and local points of interest. If you are uncertain when you get to a particular junction, just ask. Remember the locals are friendly. We have never lost a boat yet!

We provide you with a Holiday Narrow Boat Manual which stays with you on your holiday. In the event that you are unable to resolve the problem yourself we have a 24 hour, 7 days per week, emergency service. At night we will only come out for an emergency.

Yes there is plenty of car parking at our base, which is free to our customers for the duration of their holiday or day trip. We regret that we are unable to accept responsibility for loss or damage to customers’ vehicles.

We recommend you check the accomodation list for accommodation before or after your holiday. Visit their websites for further details. If you wish to extend your holiday with a shore based short break Common Right Barns is worth a try.

Yes, we can arrange for a member of staff to be available at a time to suit you. Obviously we can only perform the show round during daylight hours, so if arriving in the evening, this will be performed the next morning. There may be a charge for this service.

You are advised to take out cancellation Insurance Cover to protect you in the case of cancellation.