Canal Hire Firms

There are many, many boat hire firms in the U.K. and Europe. These are the ones I know of that have a web presence. Many firms are now on the web, but there are probably still some that are not; I have not attempted to list those. Boats are hired (rented) from boatyards. Hire is usually by the week, though some 3/4 day hires are also offered by some firms.

Many ads can be found in the pages of canal and waterway-related magazines.

Agencies - for boats in the U.K. and Europe

An agency is a representative for one or more boatyards.

U.K.-based Agencies
Agencies essentially do the advertising for the boatyards they represent and handle the reservations (bookings).
Major U.K.-based agencies:
- Blakes U.K., Ireland, and mainland Europe
- Drifters U.K.
- Hoseasons U.K., Ireland, and mainland Europe
- Holidays in the UK U.K., Ireland
- WaterwaysHolidays.com U.K., Ireland, France (also trades as hireboat.com)
Agencies based in Austria
- ifsec Hausbootreisen Baier (Deutsch)
Agencies based in Germany
- Der Freizeitkapitän - Ihr Reisebüro für Hausbootferien (Deutsch)
- Hausboot mieten (Deutsch)
Agencies based in Ireland
- Worldwide River Cruise - Ireland, France, Germany, Portugal
Agencies based in the Netherlands
- "Holiday Boatin" - (Hollandisch; Deutsch)
- holidayboat.net - France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Belgium (English; Nederlands)
- Yellow & Blue boating holidays (English; Nederlands)
- House-Boat Amsterdam - fixed-location houseboats (i.e. you can't move them)
Agencies based in the U.S.A.
- Le Boat: - France, England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, Germany - hotel and self-drive boats.
- The Barge Lady: - France, Holland, Belgium, British Isles - hotel boats.
- Abercrombie & Kent: - France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and Austria - hotel boats.
- eWaterways.com: - England, Holland, France, and others - hotel boats.
- French Country Waterways, Ltd.: - France - hotel boats.
- Adventures 4U: - France - hotel boats.
- The Barge Connection: - France, England, Holland, Scotland and Ireland - hotel and self-drive boats.
- Grand Circle Travel - France, Holland, Belgium - hotel boats - was Continental Waterways.
- France Cruises: - France - hotel boats.
- Barge Experts - France, Netherlands, UK, Ireland - hotel boats.
Agencies based in Australia
- canalboatholidays.com
Agencies based in New Zealand
- France - The French Way - France (represents Locaboat Holidays) - self-drive boats.

Large Hire Firms - U.K.

These are, I think, the largest hire firms on the U.K. canal system. They each operate from several bases.

Alvechurch Boat Centres. Seven bases.

Anglo-Welsh Waterway Holidays. Nine bases.

Black Prince Holidays. Six bases.

Tillerman Boats. Three bases.

Viking Afloat Four bases.

Hire Firms with Specialised Offerings - U.K.

Canal Holidays for the Disabled

Accessible Boating Association - two boats on Basingstoke Canal

Bruce Charitable Trust has a fleet of four specially constructed broad-beamed boats on the Kennet and Avon Canal, available for hire by groups including the disabled. Two bases.

Canal Boat Project - (on R. Stort in Harlow)

Coventry Rainbow Canal Trust - operates nb Lady Godiva, which is specially adapted for day trips or holidays for people of all ages with mental or physical disabilities.

Disabled Afloat Riverboats Trust - Thames, K&A, Yorkshire Ouse

Ethel Trust Community Barge (Thorne, n. of Doncaster, on Stainforth and Keadby Canal)

Lyneal Trust - nr. Ellesmere on Llangollen Canal; cottages also

Mary Sunley canal boat (Macclesfield Canal)

National Community Boats Association - "... encourage and support community boating organisations within the UK ..."

Peter Le Marchant Trust - (Loughborough, Leics.)

Seagull Trust - free canal cruising (Scotland)

South Staffordshire Narrowboat Company - (Wolverhampton, West Mids.)

Starline Marine (Upton-upon-Severn, Worcs.)

Stockport Canalboat Trust offers day trips and short holidays for people with disabilities around the canals of North West England.

Swansea Community Boat - (on the Tawe River Navigation in Swansea, Wales)

Willow Trust - (Saul Junction, on G&S)

Canal Holidays for Schools and Youth Organisations, and Other Groups

Canal Boat Project - (on R. Stort in Harlow)

Dacorum Narrow Boat Project - (Hemel Hempstead, Herts., on GU)

Ethel Trust Community Barge (Thorne, n. of Doncaster, on Stainforth and Keadby Canal)

London Narrowboat Project - located at Braunston (nr. Rugby) - [website uses Java so may be slow to load or even inaccessible]

Next Generation Boat Project

The Pirate Castle - evening, half-day, day, weekend, and longer trips

South Staffordshire Narrowboat Company - (Wolverhampton, West Mids.

Swansea Community Boat - (on the Tawe River Navigation in Swansea, Wales)

nb Tarporley - "the only original working boat available for hire as a community boat in London".

Tideway Adventurers - based in the Catford/Bromley area South London

Tuptonia Narrowboat - a 12 berth narrowboat owned by Guides and available for hire, preferably by youth groups

Willow Wren Cruising Holidays

Day Boats

APCO's list of Companies offering Day Hire Boats

Bath and Dundas Canal Co. - (Bath on K&A)

Boating Days - (Northwich, Ches.)

Bridgehouse Marina - (on Lancaster Canal)

Bath Narrowboats - 2 day boats (Bath on K&A)

Beacon Park Boats - 2 day boats (on Mon. & Brec., in S. Wales)

Blisworth Tunnel Narrowboats (Blisworth, Northants., on GU)

Caversham Boat Services - cruiser-style (Reading, Berks., on R. Thames)

Chertsey Meads Marine - Chertsey, Surrey (Thames)

Copt Heath Wharf - (near Solihull, W. Mids., on northern GU)

Cotswold Boat Hire - cruiser-style (Lechlade-On-Thames)

Devizes Marina (Devizes, Wilts., on K&A)

Farncombe Boat House - (Godalming, Surrey, on R. Wey)

Foxton Boat Services Ltd. - (Foxton, Leics., on GU, Leicester section)

Grebe Canal Cruises - (Pitstone on GU)

Kennet Cruises - (Reading, Berks)

Kris Cruisers - (R. Thames at Windsor)

Lee Valley Boat Centre (North East London, on R. Lee)

MK Afloat - (Milton Keynes on GU)

Oxfordshire Narrowboats

Pennine Cruisers of Skipton (Skipton, N. Yorks., on L&L)

Punting and self drive boats in Oxford

Saisons (Daventry, Northants.) [was Coronet]

Saltisford Canal Trust - (Warwick)

Sileby Mill Boatyard - ( Loughborough, Leics.; on GU, Leics. section)

Snaygill Boats of Skipton (Skipton, Yorks., on L&L)

Stewart Marine (Surbiton, Surrey, on R. Thames)

Streethay Wharf - (Lichfield, Staffs., on Coventry Canal)

Trafalgar Marine Services - (Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire on Peak Forest Canal)

Highly flexible booking schedule

Copt Heath Wharf - near Solihull, W. Mids. (northern GU)

Narrowboat Zinfandel - nr. Cambridge (River Cam)

Long Term Hire/Lease

Nationwide Narrowboats - no longer offering long-term

One-way trips

Depart from one boatyard and finish at another.

Anglo-Welsh Waterway Holidays no longer operates one-way trips

Shire Cruisers - on Yorkshire's waterways

Broad-beam "narrowboats"

Bath Canal Boat Company - one broad-beam narrowboat (Bath, on K&A)

Beacon Park Boats (on Mon. & Brec., in S. Wales) - several broad-beam in fleet

Moonraker Narrowboat Company (K & A, nr. Bath)

Riversdale Barge Holidays (Ireland, on the Shannon Erne Waterway)

Sally Boats - narrow and broad-beam boats [The broad-beam boats are "Faith" and "Grace"] (Bradford on Avon, on the K&A)

Silsden Boats - narrow and broad-beam boats [The broad-beam boats are "Hum Drum", "Helen´s Drum", and "Marley's Drum".] (Silsden, W. Yorks, on L&L)

Wessex Narrowboats - hard to find, but broad-beam boat is 4-6 berth Pellinore; booked through Alvechurch (Hilperton, Wilts., on K&A)

Electric Boats

The only electrically powered boats that I'm aware of for multi-day hire are operated by Castle Narrowboats, on the Mon & Brec Canal in S. Wales.
Chertsey Meads Marine has electric day boats for use on the Thames.

"Trad" (traditional) Narrowboats

Black Country Narrow Boat Hire - 70ft R.W.Davis Northwich Trader Class Tug (Oldbury, W. Mids.)

Braidbar Boats - (on Macclesfield Canal)

Freedom Boats - (Macclesfield, Ches., on Macclesfield)

Middlewich Narrowboats - gas-free fleet (Middlewich, Ches.)

Tradcraft Hire Boats (Market Drayton, Salop.)

Lists of Hire Firms and Agencies - France

Hotel-barges - French Government Tourist Office

Boat Rentals - French Government Tourist Office

Large Hire Firms - Europe

French Country Cruises France, Holland, (East) Germany.

Locaboat Holidays France, Holland, Germany, Ireland. (site in English, Français, Deutsch)

Friesland Boating Holland. (site in English, Nederlands, Deutsch)

Crown Blue Line England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, USA. (site in English, Français, Deutsch, Italiano, Español, Nederlands)

Connoisseur Belgium, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, USA (site in English, Français, Deutsch, Italiano, Nederlands)

France Afloat

Smaller hire Firms with web pages or email - UK and Europe

England

Canal name abbreviations used below

Have a look a APCO's description of the English Tourist Board's Canal Boat Grading Scheme. APCO (the Association of Pleasure Craft Operators) has regional lists which show which member firm's operate graded boats, and which take part in the British Marine Federation Hire Boat Handover Programme. Here's an example: Hire Boat Companies in the North & South Midlands. (Links to other APCO regional pages will be found at the bottom of the example page, in the right-hand column.)

Acier Narrowboats (nr. Lichfield on T&M)
Andersen Boats (Middlewich, Ches.)
Aqua Narrowboat Hire (Burton-on-Trent)
Arlen Hire Boats (Lancaster Canal)
Ashby Boat Company (Ashby Canal)
Banks Hire Boats (Selby, N. Yorks.)
Bath and Dundas Canal Co. (Bath on K&A)
Bath Canal Boat Company - one broad-beam narrowboat (Bath, on K&A)
Bidford Boats (Bidford-on-Avon, Warks.)
Black Country Narrow Boat Hire - (Oldbury, W. Mids.)
Blisworth Tunnel Narrowboats (Blisworth, Northants., on GU)
Boating Days - (Northwich, Ches.)
Braidbar Boats (on Macclesfield Canal)
Bridge Boats (Reading, Berks.)
Bridge Boatyard - cruiser-style boats (Ely, Cambs.)
Bronte Boats (Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks, on Rochdale Canal)
Calcutt Boats (Rugby, Warks., on N. GU)
Canal Boat Escapes - (Barnoldswick, on L&L)
Canalbreaks Narrowboat Holidays (Coventry)
Canal Cruising Company (Stone, on T&M)
Caversham Boat Services - cruiser-style (Reading, Berks., on R. Thames)
Challenger Stealth Canal Hire Fleet (Market Drayton)
Chas Hardern Boats (Beeston, Cheshire, on SU)
Chertsey Meads Marine - no hiring in 2007; Thames cruisers (on Thames, at Chertsey, Surrey)
Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Hire (on SU)
Claymoore Navigation - many boats with hydraulic drive (Preston Brook, Cheshire, on Bridgewater)
Clifton Cruisers (Rugby, on N. Oxford)
College Cruisers (Oxford)
Constellation Cruises no longer hiring (Higher Poynton, Cheshire, on Macclesfield)
Copt Heath Wharf - near Solihull, W. Mids. (northern GU)
Cotswold Boat Hire - cruiser-style (Lechlade-On-Thames)
Countryside Cruising - (Endon, Staffs., on Caldon Canal)
Countrywide Cruisers (Brewood, on SU)
Ellerbeck Narrowboats (nr. Chorley, Lancashire, on L&L)
Empress Holidays (Nantwich, Ches., on SU)
Farncombe Boat House (Godalming, Surrey, on R. Wey)
Foxboats (Cambridgeshire)
Foxhangers Canal Holidays - weekly and short breaks (Devizes on K&A)
Foxton Boat Services Ltd. (Foxton, Leics., on GU, Leicester section)
Freedom Boats - (Macclesfield, Ches., on Macclesfield)
Galleon Marine (Basingstoke Canal)
Grand Waterway Voyages (Ashby Canal)
Grebe Canal Cruises (Pitstone on GU)
Guildford Boat House (River Wey)
Heritage Narrowboats (Scholar Green, Ches., on Macclesfield)
Kate Boats (Warwick, on N. GU)
Kennet Cruises (Reading, Berks)
Kris Cruisers (R. Thames at Windsor)
Lee Valley Boat Centre (North East London, on R. Lee)
Louis and Joshua (Doncaster, South Yorks.)
Maestermyn & Welsh Lady Cruisers (Whittington, Salop., on Llangollen)
Marine Cruises(Llangollen Canal)
Marine Cruises (Stoke-on-Trent)
Mid Devon Hire Boats - (Tiverton, Devon, on Grand Western Canal)
Middlewich Narrowboats - gas-free fleet (Middlewich, Ches., on T&M)
Moonraker Narrowboat Company (K & A, nr. Bath, broad-beam boats)
Napton Narrowboats (bases at Napton, at junction of GU and Oxford, and Autherley at junction of SU and S&W)
Narrowboat Zinfandel - nr. Cambridge (River Cam)
Narrow Escapes (Sandbach, Ches., on T&M)
Norbury Wharf Narrowboat Holidays (Stafford, on SU)
Oxfordshire Narrowboats
Paper Mill Lock (Chelmsford, Essex, on Chelmer and Blackwater navigation)
Peak Forest Cruisers  Link not working. (Macclesfield, Ches.)
Pennine Cruisers of Skipton (Skipton, N. Yorks., on L&L)
Reading Marine (K&A)
Rose Narrowboats (nr. Rugby, Warks.)
Royalls Boatyard (Hoveton, Norwich, on Norfolk Broads)
Saddleworth Canal Cruises - (Oldham, on Huddersfield Narrow Canal)
Saisons (Daventry, Northants.) [was Coronet]
Sally Boats - narrow and broad-beam boats (Bradford on Avon, on the K&A)
Savanna Canal Boat Hire (Guildford, Surrey, on R. Wey)
Shepley Bridge Marina  Link not working. (Mirfield, West Yorks., on Calder and Hebble)
Shire Cruisers (Leeds and Liverpool, Calder and Hebble Canals)
Sileby Mill Boatyard ( Loughborough, Leics.; GU, Leics. section)
Silsden Boats - narrow and broad-beam boats (Silsden, W. Yorks, on L&L)
Snaygill Boats of Skipton (Skipton, Yorks., on L&L)
Starline Narrowboats (Upton-upon-Severn, Worcs.)
Sunnybank Boats - ceased trading as a hire company (nr. Walsall, on Daw End Branch)
Swan Lane Wharf - Clubline Cruises  Link not working. - (Stoke Heath, Coventry)
Swan Line Cruisers (Alrewas, Staffs.) Ceased trading
Teddesley Boat Company (Penkridge, Staffs., on S&W)
Tradcraft Hire Boats (Market Drayton, Salop.)
Union Canal Carriers (Braunston, Northants., nr. junc. of GU and Ox.)
Valley Cruises (Nuneaton, Warks., on Coventry)
Water Babies (Lancaster Canal)
Water Travel Family Narrowboat Holidays (Wolverhampton)
Wessex Narrowboats - also has one broad-beam boat (4-6 berth Pellinore); booked through Alvechurch (Hilperton, Wilts., on K&A)
White Horse Boats (Devizes on K&A)
Willow Wren Cruising Holidays (Rugby, Warks., on N. Ox.)
Wyvern Shipping Co. (Leighton Buzzard, on GU)
York Marine - cruiser-style boats (York, on R. Ouse)

Scotland

Caley Cruisers Ltd (Inverness)

Capercaillie Cruisers (Falkirk, on Forth & Clyde Canal)

Marine Cruises (nr. Falkirk)

Thistle Hire Boats (Linlithgow, on Union Canal)

West Highland Sailing - sailing yachts and motor cruisers (nr. Ft. William, on Caledonian Canal)

Wales

Note: the Llangollen Canal in Wales connects to the main English canal system, and therefore can also be reached via boats hired in England.

Beacon Park Boats - narrowboats and several broad-beam in fleet (on Mon. & Brec.)

Cambrian Cruisers (on Mon. & Brec.)

Castle Narrowboats (on Mon. & Brec.)

Country Craft (on Mon. & Brec.)

Marine Cruises (Llangollen Canal)

Red Line Boats (on Mon. & Brec.)

Road House Narrow Boats (on Mon. & Brec.)

Ireland

Barrowline Cruisers - broad-beam "narrowboats"; on R. Barrow (english)

Carrickcraft - 3 bases; cruiser-style; Shannon-Erne Waterway (english, deutsch)

Corraquill Cruising Holidays - Dutch barges; Shannon-Erne Waterway (english)

Emerald Star - 3 bases; cruiser-style; Shannon-Erne Waterway (english, français, deutsch, italiano, nederlands)

Kingfisher Boating Holidays - broad-beam "narrowboats"; on the Shannon Erne Waterway (english)

Leisureways Holidays - on Royal Canal (english, deutsch) [as of 12/06, no longer hiring out; selling off fleet]

Riversdale Barge Holidays - broad-beam "narrowboats"; on the Shannon Erne Waterway (english, français, deutsch)

Shannon Castle Line - cruiser-style; R. Shannon (english, deutsch, italiano)

Silver Line - cruiser-style; R. Shannon (english, deutsch)

Tara Cruisers - cruiser-style; on R. Shannon (english, deutsch) [as of 2/07, still showing 2006 prices]

Waveline Cruisers - cruiser-style; on R. Shannon (english, deutsch)

France

See the French Waterways Links page (Previous entries in this category have been moved there.)

Holland

de Zeilvaart - (in Dutch) large sailing vessels

Disclaimer

This pages are provided as a public service. There is no implied recommendation for any of the firms listed, nor is any criticism implied for any firm not listed. No firm has paid for any listing. If you decide to try canal boating, you do so at your own risk.