Canal Boat Holidays - extra costs???

poledancer49

Hi all,

Thinking about hiring a canal boat for a few days and just wanted to know if anyone can advise me what extra cost's should I budget for...apart from booze of course!!! Never done it before.

· How much for diesel...how long it lasts.....3/4 days??
· Insurance?
· Life Jackets hire?
· Mooring costs?

And if anyone can advise on what to take that they found useful....torches I guess for night walk back from pub?

Plus...I am a right girl when it comes to heights....do you have to have a good head for that and leaping to and fro boat to tow patch...can see me ending up in canal!!

Any help would be great...thanking you in advance



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kremmen

Hi
Diesel should last a few weeks. Different companies charge differently. Some include all diesel others will charge for usage.
Same with insurance.
I dont know of a company who will charge for lifejackets.
Mooring should be free , only a few private companies / marinas would charge for overnight mooring.
Take gloves,matches, torch, toilet roll maybe wellies . You need to see what individual companies provide.
I dont get on and off my roof and at least one of you will be on and off boat . The other will cotroll the boat through locks.
If you are on your own then that could be a challange but it is managable.
can I suggest asking any specific questions on the forum

http://www.canalworld.net/

Enjoy.

Paul

poledancer49

Thanks Paul. Hopefully will be a few of us and some young ones (well 20 years olds) to help. So hopefully the price I am being quoted on the website should include diesel....I will double check.
The items you have suggested are on my camping list...was hoping this would be upmarket!!!

kremmen

It will. I don't do camping.
Most towpaths are fine but some are mud paths.
You might remember that there may be no tv or radio.
Also remember that it will be a really relaxing time and great fun.
Paul

poledancer49

Oh yes there will...have to have my radio!!! Not bothered about TV. Relaxing.....not so sure my husband knows what that word means!!!!

nicoc

I went for my first narrow boat holiday for 3/4 days last year for my dad's 60th and we loved it.

Paul is way more professional than us - we were absolute novices but did take a few things which were helpful.

Carrier bags to use for rubbish - there was a bin liner provided but we seemed to make lots more rubbish!
Sachets of sauce - just a few for things like ketchup/mayo/mini marmites etc when making breakfast/snacks
CD's - the radio we had didn't always have great reception

Have fun!

poledancer49

Oh yes CD's!!! Hope I can get enough cash together to go. Been a tough year and think hubby more than me could do with the break.

cherrub

poledancer49 wrote: »

Oh yes CD's!!! Hope I can get enough cash together to go. Been a tough year and think hubby more than me could do with the break.

If you can wait until the last minute there are often some good discounts to be had. I've seen up to 40% for breaks booked within 7 days!

The two standard extras are collision damage waiver which is compulsory (usually about £50) and fuel deposit. These are usually clearly shown when you book and added into the final price. Last year our fuel deposit for a week was £80 and we did go slightly over it. I think we ended having to pay something like £2.30 when we got back. That was for a fairly average weeks cruising with not many locks.

The other thing to be aware of is that not all canals are created equal and your choice of boatyard will have a big impact on the sort of break you have. Some canals have lots of locks, some very few. If you're only doing a short break I would tend to look for a route without too many locks otherwise you won't get much actual cruising time. Also some canals are very rural - wonderful for wildlife and peaceful moorings, others take you through some of our major cities (and some rather dodgy areas!). It's very much a personal choice, but worth having a good look before you book.

There is quite a lot of variation in the standard of boats so worth looking at the tourist board grading. Four or five star will be nice boats, some of the three stars can be a bit tired. I have to admit I like my five star boats with the microwave, toaster and coffee machine - very civilised

rochja

If you follow this link it will take you to a set of tutorials telling you all you need to know about boating. I can well recommend the Shannon and the wind can whip up a strong swell on the lochs making for a more 'interesting' experience than an English canal can offer. If you want to try river cruising closer to nome though how about the Nene? There are only one or two hire companies on it but it is a lovely river and Peterborough and Oundle are great places for a visit.

http://www.carrickcraft.com/Tutorial.htm

canalnarrowboatuser

Although loverly, does tend to flood alot! even in july and august!:eek:

good book, good company, guide to nearby pubs and plenty of warm clothes/ waterproof always a good idea!

Please post where you went and if you enjoyed it!

Sulevia

Just a few points ... more what you should do rather than what you need (mainly a sense of humour and good waterproofs and wellies)
Don't let anyone walk on the roof or along the sides (gunnels) while the boat is in motion, falling off is too easy and kids have lost body parts in the rotating propeller (seriously);
Don't *jump* off if you can avoid it, bring the boat to a stop and step off or put the plank across and walk off (in flat shoes). Jumping off especially over a gap leads to falling in too.
Have a proper map of the waterway you are going on and study it ... the thing you are most likely to need extra of is water. Find where the watering points are before you need them. And plan ahead e.g. where the sharp turns are so you aren't taken by surprise, take them real slow and start the turn in plenty of time so you don't crash into the opposite bank. Also where there is No Mooring so you aren't navigating too late before pulling in for the night.
Moor up nice and early - the favourite spots get taken quickly so again you don't want to be looking for a decent place as it's going dark!
If you get stuck in a shallow spot, get off the opposite way to how you got on ... i.e. generally you will need to reverse. Only use the boat pole in the last resort and push through its length not by levering against the side of the boat as you will only break the pole.

Have fun!!