Absolutely not! We welcome crews from complete novices with no previous experience to the seasoned boater. You do not require a license to drive a canal boat, and full tuition is provided on how to operate the boat and it’s equipment at the start of every holiday.
Our comprehensive handover briefing covers all the essentials around canal safety, operating locks, passing through tunnels and general navigation etiquette. This is concluded with an accompanied cruise that will pass through several bridges and a lock to ensure you are familiar with the necessary procedures for safe navigation. Should you require a little more tuition, we will stay on board for as long as it takes you to feel relaxed, and confident to proceed alone.
Handling of a canal boat is quite straight forward most of the time, however turning the thing in a force 9 gale can be challenging, but that’s all part of the fun! Once you have mastered the basics, you will be amazed at how much satisfaction you will get when you start to pass through bridges without bumping the sides - just don’t celebrate too soon as you may need to navigate around that boat heading towards you!
Before you arrive for your holiday, we do ask that you take the time to familiarise yourself with the boater's handbook – it’s a bit like the highway code for the waterways, and is filled with everything you should know about driving a canal boat. The following online resources may also be of interest to you with valuable information about taking a holiday on a canal boat.
> Canal & River Trust – Guide to Navigating the Waterways
> Boater's Handbook Download
> Boater's Handbook DVD (Part 1)
> Boater's Handbook DVD (Part 2)