Day boat hire - midlands

[Kilo]

I have an old sailing buddy who wants to hire for a week in the summer and has asked me to give him a confidence boosting day on the water (I am a qualified RYA instructor).

I don't have access to a boat at the moment so wondered if anyone knows of a company who will hire out a boat for a day or pref two so I can teach him the basics. He's a retired gent so he's not going to be a terror on the cut but I'd like him to understand the finer points of looking after the boat and the canal - I hate it when I see canal boats bashing open lock gates.

Cheers

[doratheexplorer]

5 minutes ago, Kilo said:

I have an old sailing buddy who wants to hire for a week in the summer and has asked me to give him a confidence boosting day on the water (I am a qualified RYA instructor).

I don't have access to a boat at the moment so wondered if anyone knows of a company who will hire out a boat for a day or pref two so I can teach him the basics. He's a retired gent so he's not going to be a terror on the cut but I'd like him to understand the finer points of looking after the boat and the canal - I hate it when I see canal boats bashing open lock gates.

Cheers

Loads of places do this.  Norbury Wharf spring to mind as a popular one.

[Kilo]

1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

Loads of places do this.  Norbury Wharf spring to mind as a popular one.

Thanks Dora, I'll check them out.

[Captain Pegg]

If you wanted to include lock working you’ll need to check the T&Cs since many day boat hires explicitly don’t allow the boat to be worked through locks.

 

Most hire bases have a day boat as do some canal trusts and yards. Find a suitable one and have a chat with them about what you are after.

[Kilo]

Just now, Captain Pegg said:

If you wanted to include lock working you’ll need to check the T&Cs since many day boat hires explicitly don’t allow the boat to be worked through locks.

 

Most hire bases have a day boat as do some canal trusts and yards. Find a suitable one and have a chat with them about what you are after.

Just seen that Cap'n - I do want to show him how to operate a lock, not much point otherwise.

[Tony Brooks]

21 minutes ago, Kilo said:

I have an old sailing buddy who wants to hire for a week in the summer and has asked me to give him a confidence boosting day on the water (I am a qualified RYA instructor).

I don't have access to a boat at the moment so wondered if anyone knows of a company who will hire out a boat for a day or pref two so I can teach him the basics. He's a retired gent so he's not going to be a terror on the cut but I'd like him to understand the finer points of looking after the boat and the canal - I hate it when I see canal boats bashing open lock gates.

Cheers

 

Hope I am not teaching granny etc. but if he is thinking about single handing a hire boat it might present a problem with hire companies terms and conditions.

[Kilo]

6 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Hope I am not teaching granny etc. but if he is thinking about single handing a hire boat it might present a problem with hire companies terms and conditions.

He's got a wife so I'm assuming he's taking her as well ? He'll think he's the only one that will need instruction on boat handling but I intend to change his viewpoint.

[OldGoat]

Although not strictly 'in the midlands' Oxfordshire Narrowboats - Lower Heyford have day hire boats as do College Cruisers (in Oxford).

Both locations are well served by public transport or have car parks.

 

The Oxford canal IMHO is great for learning as there are a mix of shallow and deep locks and a couple of (electric) lift bridges.

[doratheexplorer]

If he wants to learn locks etc. then this might be better:  https://www.willowwrentraining.co.uk/experiencecourse.html

 

More expensive than a day hire boat but he'll learn a lot.

[Kilo]

2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

If he wants to learn locks etc. then this might be better:  https://www.willowwrentraining.co.uk/experiencecourse.html

 

More expensive than a day hire boat but he'll learn a lot.

Thanks Dora but I'm a qualified IW instructor so I can teach him all that ?

20 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

Although not strictly 'in the midlands' Oxfordshire Narrowboats - Lower Heyford have day hire boats as do College Cruisers (in Oxford).

Both locations are well served by public transport or have car parks.

 

The Oxford canal IMHO is great for learning as there are a mix of shallow and deep locks and a couple of (electric) lift bridges.

Thanks Goat, He's based in Stratford so Oxfordshire is no problem - I'll take a look.

[doratheexplorer]

2 minutes ago, Kilo said:

Thanks Dora but I'm a qualified IW instructor so I can teach him all that ?

 

Not if you don't have a boat to do it on.  As other's have said, day hire boats aren't generally allowed through locks.

3 minutes ago, Kilo said:

Thanks Dora but I'm a qualified IW instructor so I can teach him all that ?

Thanks Goat, He's based in Stratford so Oxfordshire is no problem - I'll take a look.

If he's in Stratford, then Lyons Boatyard in south Birmingham has day boats.  Still no go on the locks though.

[Kilo]

1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

Not if you don't have a boat to do it on.  As other's have said, day hire boats aren't generally allowed through locks.

If he's in Stratford, then Lyons Boatyard in south Birmingham has day boats.  Still no go on the locks though.

I might be able to persuade them if I show them my quals?

[Laurie Booth]

http://www.debbies-day-boats.co.uk/

 

Very close to two locks

[OldGoat]

2 minutes ago, Kilo said:

I might be able to persuade them if I show them my quals?

Probably -

but the South Oxford has nicer scenery, a variety of sharp and shallow corners, a challenging lock (Somerton Deep), winding holes and an occasional pub.

[doratheexplorer]

6 minutes ago, Kilo said:

I might be able to persuade them if I show them my quals?

Doesn't matter.  It's more than a half day cruise to the nearest lock. 

[Kilo]

1 minute ago, OldGoat said:

Probably -

but the South Oxford has nicer scenery, a variety of sharp and shallow corners, a challenging lock (Somerton Deep), winding holes and an occasional pub.

I like the sound of the occasional pub! I would like them to do a couple of days of training with a boat we can sleep on so we can go for a beer in the evening and a nice meal - just looking at Oxford Crusiers now.

[mrsmelly]

Oxfordshire narrowboats day boats are allowed through locks.

[Kilo]

5 minutes ago, Laurie Booth I.S.M. said:

http://www.debbies-day-boats.co.uk/

 

Very close to two locks

Thanks, that gives me another option.

[Rob-M]

Angle Welsh in Great Haywood allow their day boat to go through locks.

[doratheexplorer]

Just now, Kilo said:

Thanks, that gives me another option.

The website makes it fairly clear that locks are a no.

[Kilo]

1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

The website makes it fairly clear that locks are a no.

I'll count them out then!

[Laurie Booth]

2 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

The website makes it fairly clear that locks are a no.

Where does it say that?

 

[ditchcrawler]

All this advice is for day boats and what you want is a 4 berth hire boat for a two day hire

[doratheexplorer]

2 minutes ago, Laurie Booth I.S.M. said:

Where does it say that?

 

[Laurie Booth]

Just now, doratheexplorer said:

It does not say you can't do locks.