Sheffield Narrowboats

The Narrowboat Experience

Whether you really want to know what life is like on board a narrow boat 'Full Time' (or for a long time, anyway), perhaps in preparation for a retirement plan living on your own narrow boat, or just have a need to relax and enjoy the inland waterways of the UK on an extended break, we can offer you the real experience.

After you've loaded your baggage on board we'll spend some quality time with you on our "handover". Firstly you're going to get a detailled tour of your boat (you need to know where everything is, but don't worry, it's also covered in your Boat Manual). Next we're going to go through a thorough basic training course in handling, mooring, safety and navigation. We'll spend as much time as you feel you need, once you're confident that you can safely handle your boat, we'll let you loose on the open waterway to fend for yourself (Alright, we're always nearby, the UK is small, and you can contact us 24 hours a day on the support number you will have been given, but you get the gist).

Unlike traditional boat hire in the UK, we empower you to enjoy the reality of living life afloat. This is a little more than a 'taster', it's the real deal, and an aspect that many believe really makes your trip even more memorable, it makes it your experience. You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of your boat, including filling up with fresh drinking water, ensuring the gas is in good supply, changing the gas bottles when necessary, and all of the daily mechanical checks on the engine and stern gear. For longer journeys you'll have to fill up with diesel every two or three weeks - and get a certain 'holding tank' pumped out!

The longer trips are also going to mean you'll need to arrange for laundry stops, plan shopping outings, work out where the canalside recycling points are for your bottles, plastics and other waste packaging. All of these tasks give you the real experience and will start to equip you, should you so desire, for your future life afloat.

The real factor that truly makes the Narrowboat Experience though, is that we don't have a static base. Unlike most hire companies, where (with the exception of those with access to cruising rings) you have to stop half way through, turn around and hope you get back in time, we give you the freedom to roam as far as you like, wherever you like (provided you stay within the UK Inland Waterways, obviously!). This leaves you totally in control of your schedule. Want to spend a couple of days at a waterway festival? No problem. Fancy making a diversion, or exploring a different waterway? No problem. Wherever you end up at the end of your experience, is where you leave your boat, and are collected or will have your car delivered.

This also means you're going to get a lot of flexibility (albeit possibly not a great deal of choice) as to where you can start your experience, and also means that no two trips will ever be the same! In a sense it doesn't really matter where you start as (for an example) a three month experience will enable you to get to pretty much anywhere on the waterways network.

We also are offer conventional 'weekly' holiday hire with a dedicated 54 foot narrow boat from our Sheffield base, find out more here.

Depending upon availability we do 'last minute', 'Short Breaks' and 'Romantic Weekends' too :-)