We have a very simple business philosophy when it comes to working with others. We believe co-operation and collaboration to be infinitely more productive than confrontation and conflict. We actively strive to develop alliances with those who share this philosophy.
Unlike many waterway businesses, we try, often against the odds, to extend this philosophy when dealing with British Waterways, who are often viewed within the industry as being - at best, 'difficult' to work with and at worst, a colossal, bureaucratic, wasteful, unnecessarily officious, obstructively heavy-handed arm of Government. We welcome every opportunity to demonstrate that these views may not always be appropriate, and will highlight positive experiences.
We are always looking to develop productive relationships with business partners, especially so with owners of high quality boats who may have considered generating some spare income when they're not away cruising.
Partnerships and commercial relationships with Boatyards, Marina Operators and other waterway trades are also highly welcome.
We employ:
ALL employees may benefit from (Pro Rata):
All appointments are made on a 6 month trial period. Following a successful trial, we will offer a permanent contract.
Sheffield Narrowboats Limited aim to be an Equal Opportunities Employer in every possibly respect. Basically put, this means we don't care who or what you are provided you can do the job better than anyone else. You will have to be comfortable with becoming a part of our 'family', and you should be aware that there will be times when totally unfair demands will be made of you, and your time. We pledge to look after you in return though, and ensure that you are very well remunerated for your unconditional loyalty.
We do not currently have any vacancies.
Please Note: This page is for information only, we are NOT currently taking on additional partnered boats.
There a a number of considerations that prevent owners from letting their boat on a commercial basis, not least:
The consequences of 'informal letting' leave you and your 'informal customers' highly vulnerable in a number of ways, not least in that your boat, contents and crew will not be insured in the event of a claim - and neither will any Third Party liability.
Entering into a Partnership with Sheffield Narrowboats means we'll look after all of the paperwork and associated expenses. We'll also ensure that your boat is very well looked after and provide assurances, through our pre-booking checks, that the people experiencing your boat will value it as you do.
We spend a lot of time during the initial handover to ensure that the crew are fully confident in all aspects of boat handling and safety. We also offer a free RYA Helmsmans Course in addition to our extensive handover, so you can rest assured that your boat will be in very good hands.
Remuneration is obviously dependent upon how long you'd like to let your boat. We work on a basic 50/50 split on all income and expenses, effectively halving your liability and expense for the Leisure Business Licence and Holiday Hire Insurance. We would generally suggest you make your boat available for a minimum of 4 months in order to ensure economic viability.
Complete transparency leaves you fully in control at all times via your on-line Partner Account. You can see the total income, associated expenses, payments you've received and what will become due.
With Satellite Tracking (we arrange to have this installed) we can always see where your boat is at any point in time for safety and security.
Because of our unique model, offering customers a totally flexible choice of their final destination, you can benefit from having different start points for your personal cruises, enabling you to see far more of the Inland Waterways Network than would normally be possible with a static mooring and maybe only a few weeks cruising during the year. You may even save significantly on permanent moorings as you could change your boat status to a Continuous Cruiser, paying only for 'resting' at secure marinas when your boat isn't in use.
Please feel free to contact us for an initial exploratory discussion.
Please Note: This page is for information only, we are NOT currently taking on additional shared equity partners.
Shared Equity Ownership, similar to a private shared ownership scheme, gives you the opportunity to enjoy your boat whenever you like (obviously in liaison and agreement with your Equity Partners) and gain a return on your investment by making it available for our experiences.
Shared Equity Consortiums can be as simple as a few friends or family members getting together to purchase a boat. You could find that the purchase and refitting (to our exacting standards) of a previously cherished boat isn't as expensive as you initially thought once shared amongst a few friends.
It's best to do this via a simple, yet legally binding agreement, so you all know what to expect of each other. We strongly advise you consult a Solicitor and Accountant prior to entering into an agreement. We can provide samples of Shared Equity agreements as a 'starter' and also put you in contact with an Equity and Finance Group who can help finance your boat purchase with a small initial deposit.
There are numerous challenges facing those within waterway industries, so we seek to develop opportunities and Commercial Partnerships that forge collective strength and added value for everyone involved.
At the base level this means just getting to know you, so we can start to develop alliances, potentially leading to commercial collaborations.
We also want to maintain a list of businesses we can work with on a fundamental basis, Marinas where we can 'rest' boats or point new owners toward, boatyards for regular maintenance, conventional hire companies to whom we can refer customers not suited to our longer term hire solutions.
As a part of our commitment toward the sustainability and long term viability of the Inland Waterways Network we're also keen to talk to businesses within Regeneration Areas and can advise on possible sources of funding for collaborative regeneration projects.
Whatever your waterway business, we're happy to talk to you!
Fleet Operators, Hire Companies and Sponsored Boat Owners are welcome to contact us should they have quality boats suitable for refitting available for sale at any time during the season (Subject to contract, and dependent upon the boat operator, we will usually take over existing sponsorship agreements if necessary).