Day boat hire

[John C]

Hi All

 

Some friends want to hire a day boat. The area they are interested in would be bounded by Oxford down to the K and A, pretty much the full length. I know that Oxfordshire Narrowboats have a base just north of Oxford with a few dayboats. My other suggestion was Devizes Marina, although it seems they no longer do hire. Any Suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

John

[OldGoat]

Hi All

 

Some friends want to hire a day boat. The area they are interested in would be bounded by Oxford down to the K and A, pretty much the full length. I know that Oxfordshire Narrowboats have a base just north of Oxford with a few dayboats. My other suggestion was Devizes Marina, although it seems they no longer do hire. Any Suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

John

 

On the Thames (well you didn't say canals only...)

Sma put-put boats at Abingdon, quite fun and several pubs en route. Some locks have public loos, so lack of facilities is not a problem)

[arpeeuk]

Kennet Horseboat company have a day boat for hire. Based at Kintbury just west of Newbury. See here

[Rebotco]

Bath Narrowboats on 01225-447-276

Somerset Coal Canal (on K&A at Dundas) 01225-722-292.

Both have day boats for hire.

[KJT]

Hobbs of Henley on the River Thames do day boat hire.

[DaveC]

Hi All

 

Some friends want to hire a day boat. The area they are interested in would be bounded by Oxford down to the K and A, pretty much the full length. I know that Oxfordshire Narrowboats have a base just north of Oxford with a few dayboats. My other suggestion was Devizes Marina, although it seems they no longer do hire. Any Suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

John

 

 

Devizes marina has one day boat for hire - 01380 725300 - I think the number changed a year or two ago.

 

 

Dave

[Starcoaster]

Saissons at Hillmorton Wharf hire out their tug-style boats Merlot and Anjou as day boats.

However, Anjou's tiller is currently bent and sticking up at a 45 degree angle (I don't know how this happened) that would make me not want to take it out, but they are still hiring it out as it is.

Whether this is ok or not I can't comment, but might be worth mentioning as I am not sure if you'd find out until you got there otherwise.

 

http://www.saisons.co.uk/index.html

Edited February 7, 2013 by Starcoaster

[Nightwatch]

Greenham Island at Newbury on the K&A had a day boat built and hired out when we were moored there up to six years ago.

 

They may well still have it. I know the business has changed hands at least once.

 

Martyn

[arpeeuk]

Greenham Island at Newbury on the K&A had a day boat built and hired out when we were moored there up to six years ago.

 

They may well still have it. I know the business has changed hands at least once.

 

Martyn

 

This day boat, called Cygnet, was bought by the kennet horseboat people and is now at Kintbury

 

Rik

[Nightwatch]

This day boat, called Cygnet, was bought by the kennet horseboat people and is now at Kintbury

 

Rik

Thanks for that. I will input into memory box for future reference.

 

Martyn

[Canal Shop Man]

Can I correct this post.

As the operator of these boats, can I please assure anyone reading this that the bent tiller (the result of a hirer catching it under a lock gate - don't ask me how!) has of course been straightened and both boats are fully operational in a good standard

 

We wouldn't hire a boat out unless it was in good order.

Richard

 

PS We re a bit north of Oxford though for the OP.

 

Saissons at Hillmorton Wharf hire out their tug-style boats Merlot and Anjou as day boats.

However, Anjou's tiller is currently bent and sticking up at a 45 degree angle (I don't know how this happened) that would make me not want to take it out, but they are still hiring it out as it is.

Whether this is ok or not I can't comment, but might be worth mentioning as I am not sure if you'd find out until you got there otherwise.

 

http://www.saisons.co.uk/index.html

[bowten]

Can I correct this post.

As the operator of these boats, can I please assure anyone reading this that the bent tiller (the result of a hirer catching it under a lock gate - don't ask me how!) has of course been straightened and both boats are fully operational in a good standard

 

We wouldn't hire a boat out unless it was in good order.

Richard

 

PS We re a bit north of Oxford though for the OP.

You allow day boat hirers to use the locks?With supervision one hopes?

[Roger & Margaret]

Red Line narrowboats on the Mon & Brec at Goytre Wharf have a few. Have seen people enjoying themselves..and no locks or lift bridges to wrooy about.

[Up-Side-Down]

Hi All

 

Some friends want to hire a day boat. The area they are interested in would be bounded by Oxford down to the K and A, pretty much the full length. I know that Oxfordshire Narrowboats have a base just north of Oxford with a few dayboats. My other suggestion was Devizes Marina, although it seems they no longer do hire. Any Suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

John

Same company as Oxfordshire Narrowboats - but at Bradford on Avon on the K&A (with a nifty name change) - have a day boat for hire: Wiltshire Narrowboats Bradford, Frome Road, Bradford on Avon BA15 2EA(01225 863987/07561 096679; www.wiltshire-narrowboats).

[alan_fincher]

You allow day boat hirers to use the locks?With supervision one hopes?

Is that tongue in cheek?

 

Obviously day boat operators give some training, (hopefully!), but day boats doing locks without supervision, (except maybe at the first one encountered?), is standard, in my experience.

[David Mack]

Is that tongue in cheek?

 

Obviously day boat operators give some training, (hopefully!), but day boats doing locks without supervision, (except maybe at the first one encountered?), is standard, in my experience.

Some years ago I hired a day boat from Streethay for a family gathering. Very disappointed to find on arrival that we weren't allowed to go through locks at all!

[john6767]

Some years ago I hired a day boat from Streethay for a family gathering. Very disappointed to find on arrival that we weren't allowed to go through locks at all!

 

I suspect some day boats, located miles from any locks, do state that they are not allowed to go through locks, but many others do not impose such a restriction, for some if would make it impossible to get any where really. So if you want to go through locks then probably best to ask about the position at the time of booking.

[David Mack]

I suspect some day boats, located miles from any locks, do state that they are not allowed to go through locks, but many others do not impose such a restriction, for some if would make it impossible to get any where really. So if you want to go through locks then probably best to ask about the position at the time of booking.

It never occurred to me we wouldn't be allowed - certainly other day boat operators allow it. So I never thought to ask at the time of booking.

[alan_fincher]

Some years ago I hired a day boat from Streethay for a family gathering. Very disappointed to find on arrival that we weren't allowed to go through locks at all!

I do recall the ones that used to operate on Tring Summit placed a "no locks" restriction.

 

But obviously if you consider the operation just to the North of that at "Grebe", then you wouldn't get far without.

 

We have shared many locks with day boats! (With "Sickle" all will of course generally fit behind!).

[haggis]

I remember once coming back from Stratford after a rally - so lots of boats going north - when everything came to a standstill. It transpired that a day boat had approached a top lock just as a boat exited. The crew from the next boat to go up were at the lock and after the day boat went in, they closed the gates and opened the bottom paddles. At some point it became clear that the day boat had not actually intended going down the lock and it was decided that they should wait till the lock emptied, go out, turn (there was a big pound) and come back up through the lock again. Easier said than done with a crew who had no idea of manoevering a boat! I think the hold up lasted about an hour - and it was raining!

The folk on the day boat enjoyed the experience though.

 

haggis