Looking for three month hire in northern canals

[BillD]

Hello CWDF experts,

 

We (Bill & Daphne) are expats living permanently in New Zealand, and now retired.  We want to do a circuit including the Leeds and Liverpool cross Pennines and back up the Trent, in spring of 2024 starting early April for around 3 months.  We're looking for reasonably priced hire 50-57' semi-trad or cruiser with a permanent double bed, and able to host 1 or 2 visitors for a few days at a time.  A reverse layout would be a bonus. Start location is flexible, preferably near or on that circuit.  We've found Manchester good to fly into. 

 

Can anyone recommend a hirer that does long term hires at reasonable rates?  https://www.longtermnarrowboathire.co.uk/ are good (we met one of their boats at Lechlade - looked good and had very happy hirers) and are a definite starter, but their base near Oxford means a lot of travel over canals we know and which may make timescales a bit tight for our usual relaxed pace over 3 months. 

 

cheers

Bill

 

From my research so far: 

• https://www.longtermnarrowboathire.co.uk/ look great and we're talking to them but they are further south than we'd prefer
• Rose Narrowboats are a bit further north near Coventry, and I'm contacting them.  
• Escape the Rat Race https://www.etrr.co.uk looks possible too.  
• http://www.sheffieldnarrowboats.com/ looked good, but closed some years ago, saying they were "undermined and eroded by constantly having to do battle with the Canal and River Trust ... Their 'on the ground' staff, especially lock keepers are absolutely superb however, but anyone in an office ....."  But I'm sure there are other threads on CRT, so let's not go there here!

 

Background: We had our own lovely 58' narrowboat Jabulani which we aimed to spend 5-6 months aboard, and maintained and serviced.  We've had 2 very good years and explored most of the cut south of Manchester, until COVID and family considerations are forcing us to sell.  Have nb river experience on Avon, Severn to Gloucester, Lee Stort, and whole Thames down to Limehouse. Also owned small yachts.

 

(If anyone living outside the UK reads this and is contemplating owning a nb from afar, I'd be very happy to discuss and advise from our experience.)

 

[Guest]

I would give Shire Cruisers or Snaygill boats a ring.

 

https://www.shirecruisers.co.uk/

 

https://snaygillboats.co.uk/

Edited May 7, 2023 by M_JG

[David Mack]

I would suggest contacting any of the hire companies you like the look of in your area of interest. Most don't advertise long term hire as it is too small a part of the market, but I reckon they might be interested in a guaranteed three month booking at the beginning of the season, and be prepared to offer a significant discount for an early booking (and saving themselves the cost of turnround between hires).

The risk for the company is that you might pull out, leaving a hole in their bookings, so they might want substantial payment up front. The risk for you of doing that is that they might cease trading before you get here. Not sure whether the usual holiday insurance would cover that.

[Stroudwater1]

Canal Cruising of Stone I believe do long hires too. It would make an excellent long ring all the way along the T&Mersey canal.

https://www.canalcruising.co.uk/. It’s one or two train changes from Manchester airport by rail which could be a bonus. I’m not sure about reverse layouts though, that seems less common for hire boats I believe 

 

Rose definitely do long hires, there’s a thread somewhere here from a couple that had a long hire last year though IIRC it was out of season. They aren’t too far from a rail station either. 

 

Union canal carriers from Braunston could well do this too, though a bit further South perhaps for you? 
https://unioncanalcarriers.co.uk/

[Momac]

Our first boating experience was a hired narrowboat. I recall at the time travel on tidal rivers was not permitted by insurers. 

That was many years ago but I would suggest your route via the Trent is agreed so the relevant insurance is  included.

 

 

[BillD]

Many thanks, M_JG, David Mack, Stroudwater1, there's some new ones there for us to contact.  Canal Cruising and Rose look especially promising as they are used to long term hires, and on our wanted long T&M ring.

 

Thanks MartynG:  tidal rivers (and our route generally) is something we're checking with hirers.  Our planned route avoids the fiercest tidal rivers, and so far we'd not need extra insurance and/or permission.

Edited May 9, 2023 by BillD

[agg221]

Norbury also do long term hires. They are one long/two relaxed days from the ring you are planning, if you intend to go up the T&M/Bridgewater, or an extra day if you plan to go up the Macclesfield/Peak Forest. At least one of their boats has a solid fuel stove, which could be a useful feature at that time of year, particularly on an extended cruise where you may not want to just run a diesel heater.

 

Alec

Edited May 9, 2023 by agg221

[Jo_]

Aqua Narrowboats are superb (acquanarrowboats.co.uk). They say get in touch for longer hires. A lot of boaters around us have boats built by them and they have a hire fleet but sponsored co-owned boats. Well worth an explore since they would meet your requirements in terms of layout and size, hire base at Barton Marina and the boats are all recent builds. Justin Hudson-Oldroyd is the MD and a great guy.

[BillD]

Brilliant, thanks agg221 and Jo.  I'd love to go up the Macclesfield & Peak Forest again.  Will check them out.

[IanD]

35 minutes ago, Jo_ said:

Aqua Narrowboats are superb (acquanarrowboats.co.uk). They say get in touch for longer hires. A lot of boaters around us have boats built by them and they have a hire fleet but sponsored co-owned boats. Well worth an explore since they would meet your requirements in terms of layout and size, hire base at Barton Marina and the boats are all recent builds. Justin Hudson-Oldroyd is the MD and a great guy.

I'd second that recommendation, the boat we hired from Aqua a couple of years ago was excellent, and well-equipped for a long-term hire.

[cisamcgu]

22 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

 

 

Rose definitely do long hires, there’s a thread somewhere here from a couple that had a long hire last year though IIRC it was out of season. They aren’t too far from a rail station either. 

 

 

Yes, Rose do long term hires : We took Joey for two months last year - fabulous !

 

Our trip

 

Thanks

Andrew

 

 

[BillD]

Thanks cisamcgu.  I'm interested that you took bikes.  Your own or from Rose?  I've read elsewhere that many hirers prohibit bikes, especially if stored on the roof or inside.  We had 2 bikes on Jabulani, though usually only one used at a time.   

Do you mind telling me how much it cost to hire Joey, in a message?  We're hoping that we can find a big discount off weekly rates.  

[cisamcgu]

We had a couple of Brompton folding bikes, stored them inside when we were not riding them.

 

 

Send you a message

[Tony1]

11 hours ago, BillD said:

Thanks cisamcgu.  I'm interested that you took bikes.  Your own or from Rose?  I've read elsewhere that many hirers prohibit bikes, especially if stored on the roof or inside.  We had 2 bikes on Jabulani, though usually only one used at a time.   

Do you mind telling me how much it cost to hire Joey, in a message?  We're hoping that we can find a big discount off weekly rates.  

 

I routinely use a brompton electric for shopping and visiting local places. and I wouldn't really recommend the experience. The tiny 16 inch tyres are inflated to around 100 PSI and are bullet hard, and the ride is unforgiving. On some towpaths it is almost unrideable, and if it gets muddy it gets a bit skittish. 

And on the rather rough and rutted rural roads you often have to use, it can be a harsh ride. 

I would imagine that the cost of a 3 month brompton hire is not much different to buying a cheaper folder outright.

In fact if you keep the shipping boxes in a friends garage, you could repack the folder and leave it with a friend when you leave, and maybe they could ebay it for you and get a few quid back. 

You wont get the super-small fold of a brompton, but you might not need it. A 20 inch folder would not fit into a supermarket shopping trolley so easily as a brompton, or sit underneath a pub table with you, but then it doesnt have to.

Because its cheap, you can chain it up outside a place you visit (with a proper chain) and it'll still be there when you come out (the exceptions are big towns, where anything is fair game to be nicked). 

The ride will be much smoother on 20 inch wheels with slightly wider tyres (I know because I use both), so the trip into a local town will be more pleasant. 

I think the UK roads have gotten worse in recent years, and nowadays I sometimes dread the thought of riding the brompton over a route that I know has lots of rough and rutted stretches. 

In the summer, in dry weather, and avoiding badly rutted roads etc, a brompton can work- and often does for me- but I enjoy riding the 20 inch folder more. 

 

ETA- in terms of permission to keep the bike indoors, you could get a fabric cover- that might persuade the hire company. Or you could chain it to a stern rail- mine folds small enough that it doesnt get in the way at all, on a cruiser stern.

 

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by Tony1

[BillD]

Thanks Tony1, good advice.

[IanD]

Hire companies don't like bikes in general because they either get flung onto the roof or propped up somewhere, and this can damage the boat paintwork (even if chained to a rail) and cause rust.

 

If you have a folding bike and a suitable bag for it to keep the scratchy/sticky-out bits hidden away then they'll probably be OK -- a  Brompton is best for this because they fold away small (including folding pedals etc) and into a bag, other folders may be harder to get approval for. But a Brompton isn't ideal for rough/muddy towpaths, and is a thief magnet...

 

Not that it's much use to the OP, but if you're having a boat built you can get a secure folding bike locker built in... 😉

[Stroudwater1]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

Hire companies don't like bikes in general because they either get flung onto the roof or propped up somewhere, and this can damage the boat paintwork (even if chained to a rail) and cause rust.

 

If you have a folding bike and a suitable bag for it to keep the scratchy/sticky-out bits hidden away then they'll probably be OK -- a  Brompton is best for this because they fold away small (including folding pedals etc) and into a bag, other folders may be harder to get approval for. But a Brompton isn't ideal for rough/muddy towpaths, and is a thief magnet...

 

Not that it's much use to the OP, but if you're having a boat built you can get a secure folding bike locker built in... 😉

 

Neat but does the locker catch come as an optional extra? 

 

I agree re Bromptons, uncomfortable expensive trendy things, a larger tyre diameter is better, these do come with fold up canvas bags fairly often so worthwhile asking the hire company, and definitely sell on afterwards if you can. TBH I wouldnt bother having one on a short hire but a long one they may come in useful. 

[IanD]

6 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

 

Neat but does the locker catch come as an optional extra? 

 

I agree re Bromptons, uncomfortable expensive trendy things, a larger tyre diameter is better, these do come with fold up canvas bags fairly often so worthwhile asking the hire company, and definitely sell on afterwards if you can. TBH I wouldnt bother having one on a short hire but a long one they may come in useful. 

 

The locker wasn't finished at the time the photo was taken, so no (magnetic) catches/lock fitted yet... 😉

 

And it's only big enough for a Brompton, nothing else folds down small enough. Which as I said is not ideal for towpaths, but still better than no bike at all or one that's too big to store anywhere... 🙂

[Hudds Lad]

First time we ever hired we took bikes, hire company was ok with it as long as we put a mat on the roof to protect the paintwork from the pedals etc.

They got used twice, and I spent most of the time when moored worried they would get nicked (especially when we overnighted in Saltaire).

 

For peace of mind get a folder you can keep inside, although the small wheels and tyres will make anything other than tarmac or hard packed towpath a pain. If you're handy with bikes, a properly sized one with quick release wheel skewers can be stored reasonably well if you're willing to remove both wheels and loosen the bars to fold flat each time. Also look at tubeless tyres with a good dose of slime/sealant inside for when the towpath hedges are trimmed leaving thorns everywhere.

[IanD]

11 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

First time we ever hired we took bikes, hire company was ok with it as long as we put a mat on the roof to protect the paintwork from the pedals etc.

They got used twice, and I spent most of the time when moored worried they would get nicked (especially when we overnighted in Saltaire).

 

For peace of mind get a folder you can keep inside, although the small wheels and tyres will make anything other than tarmac or hard packed towpath a pain. If you're handy with bikes, a properly sized one with quick release wheel skewers can be stored reasonably well if you're willing to remove both wheels and loosen the bars to fold flat each time. Also look at tubeless tyres with a good dose of slime/sealant inside for when the towpath hedges are trimmed leaving thorns everywhere.

With a lot of hire boats there isn't a suitable space inside the boat to put a folding bike without you falling over it all the time -- I know, I've tried... 😞

 

Puncture-resistant tyres like Schwalbe Marathon Plus or Continental Contact Plus are pretty good, I've had one puncture in more than two years of cycling towpaths for several hours per week. The Continental tread is better for muddy towpaths, that's what I'd choose (as does the author of this report):

 

https://bikecommuterhero.com/best-commuter-tires/

Edited May 10, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

I gave up on a small wheeled folder (Dahon) not long after I bought it as there was so much towpath that it wasnt suitable for.

 

Sold it and bought a full sized folder.

[IanD]

2 minutes ago, M_JG said:

I gave up on a small wheeled folder (Dahon) not long after I bought it as there was so much towpath that it wasnt suitable for.

 

Sold it and bought a full sized folder.

 

The best solution so long as you have space to store it securely -- which is much less likely on a hire boat (the OP) than a liveaboard (you).

 

If you don't have space, a smaller folder is the only option... 😉

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Hudds Lad said:

First time we ever hired we took bikes, hire company was ok with it as long as we put a mat on the roof to protect the paintwork from the pedals etc.

They got used twice, and I spent most of the time when moored worried they would get nicked (especially when we overnighted in Saltaire).

 

For peace of mind get a folder you can keep inside, although the small wheels and tyres will make anything other than tarmac or hard packed towpath a pain. If you're handy with bikes, a properly sized one with quick release wheel skewers can be stored reasonably well if you're willing to remove both wheels and loosen the bars to fold flat each time. Also look at tubeless tyres with a good dose of slime/sealant inside for when the towpath hedges are trimmed leaving thorns everywhere.

 

I had the full size Dahon one and it was miles better (literally) than the small wheeled one I had previously. I would imagine with the wheels off it wouldnt have been much bigger than the small wheeled one folded with the wheels on. Of course you then have to store the wheels but easier off the bike.

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by M_JG

[IanD]

3 hours ago, M_JG said:

 

I had the full size Dahon one and it was miles better (literally) than the small wheeled one I had previously. I would imagine with the wheels off it wouldnt have been much bigger than the small wheeled one folded with the wheels on. Of course you then have to store the wheels but easier off the bike.

 

 

Have you ever tried finding somewhere to store anything big like a full-sized folding bike inside a hire boat, with wheels on or off?

 

In my experience (of a lot of hire boats...) this can be anywhere from difficult to impossible, because hire boats tend to be built with every scrap of space used and few big unused spaces -- if I can't find space for a polypin or a cool box (often the case) you'll have a job finding space for a full-size bike and wheels, folded or not, even if this does find a place in your liveaboard which almost certainly has a lot more spare space. Put yourself in the OP's shoes, not yours... 😉

 

P.S. A full-sized folder is best if it will fit, I'm agreeing with you there 🙂

Edited May 10, 2023 by IanD

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

Have you ever tried finding somewhere to store anything big like a full-sized folding bike inside a hire boat, with wheels on or off?

 

In my experience (of a lot of hire boats...) this can be anywhere from difficult to impossible, because hire boats tend to be built with every scrap of space used and few big unused spaces -- if I can't find space for a polypin or a cool box (often the case) you'll have a job finding space for a full-size bike and wheels, folded or not, even if this does find a place in your liveaboard which almost certainly has a lot more spare space... 😉

 

We sometimes hired a boat that is bigger than needed for the crew size.

 

Thus plenty of space. 

 

Ps I dont know why you refered to me as a liveaboard (twice now).

 

We have never lived aboard longer than four to six weeks at a time.

Edited May 10, 2023 by M_JG