Middlewich Boat Hire...Anyone used them?

[TIZWIZ]

We are thinking of hiring a boat from Middlewich, has anyone used this company before, and what are they like?

[Christine]

We used Middlewich in September - 12 berth 'Ash'. We had problems with an overflowing loo and the diesel cooker was a problem. The staff were helpful tho' but the boats looked their age. Middlewich seemed, for the weeks we booked, a mid range company. We did the Cheshire Ring. A fantastic holiday but with 8 on board - the cooker and loo problems didn't help and it looked as if it wasn't the first time these problems had arisen. We are using Alvechuch this time.

 

Chrissie

[Alec Gatherer]

They seem to have gone downhill since the new owners took over. There are mutterings of discontent from hirers passing through my moorings at Bartington. I used them for hull gritblasting and it ended in court!

[DHutch]

Ive never hired from them, but i've been moored there on change-over day.

 

Not all of there boats are new, and as Christine said, some of the are showing there age. (although ash is marked at "new for 2004")

- Also, they do feature on the whole "traditianal" style of boat, with a boatmans, and a "good old" air cooled in an engine room. Depending on your tastes...

- But they also have some very nice ones, and there website says they have two new semi-trads joining this year (linky)

 

If you can spare the time, it might be worth going down one day and having a noisy at the boats if your not too far away.

- They vary a lot boat-to-boat. If not, ring them.

 

 

Daniel

[david and julie]

I have never hired from and know nothing about this company.

 

I can say though that narrowboat toilet tanks can fill very quickly if used by inexperienced users, likewise diesel stoves also require a "bit of getting used too". That said, I am not suggesting this is the case with you.

 

I've hired a couple of times in the past from Alvechurch and have had no problems, save for a boat that was "breathing" the back pressure was really bad, the boat was sold the following season.

[charles123]

We are thinking of hiring a boat from Middlewich, has anyone used this company before, and what are they like?

 

 

The most imortant criteria is the quality of the boat when hiring in my view, as has already been said most of the fleet is old, why hire from them when after a little reserch you can find a well equipped new or recent boat? I think you could do better

 

Charles

[TIZWIZ]

Thanks to everyone for their help and advice, we are new to boating and very green!

[Bill Kennedy]

We are thinking of hiring a boat from Middlewich, has anyone used this company before, and what are they like?

 

Countrywide Cruisers at Brewood, Staffs have an excellent range of boats. You will find the staff very friendly and helpful and I would thoroughly recommend you consider hiring from them.

 

Good luck

 

Bill

[Stephen Sugg]

Waterways World for March has a Middlewich boat on the cover. Not sure about the mooting technique (both the place and the ropework) though!

[John Orentas]

Waterways World for March has a Middlewich boat on the cover. Not sure about the mooting technique (both the place and the ropework) though!

 

 

But that is how mooting is done. I thought everyone knew that.

[Keeping Up]

But that is how mooting is done. I thought everyone knew that.

That's a moot point.

[Alec Gatherer]

That's a moot point.

Which of the clickable faces is the one that's groaning loudly?

[Stephen Sugg]

Which of the clickable faces is the one that's groaning loudly?

 

[DHutch]

Also, they do feature on the whole "traditianal" style of boat, with a boatmans, and a "good old" air cooled in an engine room.

Ive just reread my post, and noticed it should read "air cooled lister sr3 in an engine room"

 

Yeah well, i only mised out the most important bit fo the sentace...

 

 

Daniel

[TIZWIZ]

Well we did hire from them......and have just returned from a week long jaunt to Llangollen and back.

Yes the boats were old and knackered.... ( but very clean )

Yes we did see much better hire craft along route....

Yes we should have searched this site and others for other hire companies....

But...

We had the most fantastic holiday ever.....and we can't wait to go again a.s.a.p ( converted and hooked ).

[DHutch]

Which boat did you have?

[TIZWIZ]

we had cherry...a 50ft....it was old and very tired...only 1 toilet worked and lots of mould growing around the window frames.

I am sure that is was not the pride of their fleet.

What upset us most, was that the other hire boats / companies looked far more modern and clean......for the same money!!!!!

We were foolish to book without a viewing.

But we had a great holiday.....the best holiday we have ever had, and we will return to the canals....but with a different hire company!

[DHutch]

I am sure that is was not the pride of their fleet.

- What upset us most, was that the other hire boats / companies looked far more modern and clean......for the same money!!!!!

Yeah, a lot of there boats are very old (inclusing an old wooden-top, etc), compaired to other companys who tend to replace there fleat after only 4/5years or so.

- Not that theres anything wrong with this per-say, but its odd that the price doesnt not seam to reflect this!

 

 

Daniel

[mikevye]

The concensus of opinion regarding middlewich is basically correct. We regularly walk the canals at the week end and days off and the fleet does look tired to say the least. The colour scheme leaves a lot to be desired as well. We have spent the last 8 years on cruising holidays and have only used black prince. To date (touch wood) we have nothing but praise for the staff and boats.

[Stephen Sugg]

The concensus of opinion regarding middlewich is basically correct. We regularly walk the canals at the week end and days off and the fleet does look tired to say the least. The colour scheme leaves a lot to be desired as well. We have spent the last 8 years on cruising holidays and have only used black prince. To date (touch wood) we have nothing but praise for the staff and boats.

 

many moons ago i always had a thing about Black Prince, i couldn't stand the blue and yellow paint, they looked like anglo welsh cast offs. Now, they look really smart, and I'm thinking about them for next year. (it's between them and Alvechurch at the moment...)

[John Orentas]

Middlewich Narrowboats used to have a number of fantastic converted working boats for hire, many of them fitted out as camping boats. I used to see them quite regularly with 30 or so youngsters hanging off each boat, they seemed to have better holidays than they do now even without the microwave cookers and chintz curtains.

Edited April 20, 2006 by John Orentas

[Philip]

From the outside, they do look a bit tatty some of them, but I presume the interior is comfortable enough.

 

Some of them have a stove which is an advantage for cruising in coller weather and obviously some have the very traditional design with the engine.

 

The Chas Hardern boat that I was on the week before last was a good boat though. Nicely fitted interior, which has a stove and comfortable for 2/3 people.

 

It was a bit hard to control though - didn't behave itself when we tried to bring it to the bank to tie up, but we managed with that just about. The engine was smoky in neutral, so we switched the engine off when waiting for/and in the lock and it saved fuel.

[DHutch]

The Chas Hardern boat that I was on the week before last was a good boat though. Nicely fitted interior, which has a stove and comfortable for 2/3 people.

 

It was a bit hard to control though - didn't behave itself when we tried to bring it to the bank to tie up, but we managed with that just about. The engine was smoky in neutral, so we switched the engine off when waiting for/and in the lock and it saved fuel.

Yeah, he doesnt a nice job on the interior.

- Out of curously, as i know chaz quite well, which boat was that?

- Im quite supprised you had any trouble with the engine, he's ussually fairly picky about that sort of thing.

 

 

Daniel

Edited May 1, 2006 by dhutch

[Philip]

Yeah, he doesnt a nice job on the interior.

- Out of curously, as i know chaz quite well, which boat was that?

- Im quite supprised you had any trouble with the engine, he's ussually very picky about that sort of thing.

Daniel

 

It was Thorin - built in 2004/5.

 

It was quiet enough and all of their engines are quiet, but this one was just a bit smoky, which was surprising as it was only a year old.

 

We took it on its maiden voyage last Easter, I think we had a similar problem.

 

Apart from that, it's a very nice boat - 2/3 birth.

Edited April 30, 2006 by Philip

[DHutch]

Fair enough.

- Most of his newer boats have the mitsi engine in them i beleave, however he did say that shadowfax (this years new boat) has a yanmar in her. Although that might just have been cicumstance or an experiment.