|  Most
of us live in houses or apartments, which are, despite vague
differences, just about the same the world over.
Boats - well, they’re different. Narrowboats are different again and are built for the special purpose of cruising the inland canal waterways of Britain. Narrowboats really are a special breed. They are narrow and tight, long and heavy and the narrowboats hold within them all sorts of surprises. The great news is that ALL of our narrowboats have been given Four Stars under the recognised industry grading programme. That's a pretty good start, isn't it?
The four-burner hob, grill and oven are all gas operated and
for those of you unfamiliar with this form of domestic energy,
don’t worry. This will all be covered during the training
programme.
 Be aware that beds can often be smaller or narrower than at
home.
Always remember, if you want lots of space and
prefer to dress in designerwear during the evening, choose
a different style holiday! On the other hand, if you want to slow right
down, get away from all the commotion in the world, prefer
wearing your old clothes or, as this is England, your waterproofs
and you have that special spark and spirit of adventure....
well, this is the holiday for you. Narrowboats are purpose
built in the North East of England, where local craftsmen
blend traditional skills with contemporary methods and modern
materials.
The results are vessels operated solely to fulfil
the needs and satisfy the expectations of todays discerning
holidaymaker.
Please don't expect everything to happen by magic.
If you decide to remain moored within the marina, staff will
link you into mains electricity.
 However if you are cruising,
the boat is wholly dependent upon you to generate and conserve
the electrical power. Cruising will, subject to you following
the proper procedures, generate power and charge the batteries.
Thus, you will be able to use the on - board facilities. However,
be warned - if you are out on the canal, do not cruise sufficiently
each day and drain the batteries of their charge by improper
management the power will go down!
The same principle applies to the water supply.
The narrowboat's holding tank will need to be replenished
every couple of days on average. This can be done by yourself
at one of the many freshwater points along the canal. These
are shown on the map supplied to you on arrival. Public points
are generally open access though some commercial enterprises
may levy a nominal fee. Please note that whilst water is delivered
through the mains system. It is recommended that all water
delivered into and from the boat is boiled prior to consumption
purely as a precaution.
The point with both the electricity and the
water is that you can only draw out what you put in! Suddenly,
all our assumptions that there is always water and the lights
will always work are thrown out of the window. On this holiday,
you need to make sure that they do by, at the risk of sounding
melodramatic, managing your own space and environment.
*Plan - 45ft craft, sleeps 4 - click
here to enlarge view & see itinerary
* Plans are typical but layout, fixtures
and fittings may vary.
For your information, all toilet waste is
flushed into a holding tank built into the hull of the narrowboat.
Generally, there is enough volume within the tank for one
week. However, if the tank fills to capacity during your holiday,
it is your responsibility to arrange a 'pump - out'. This
facility is available throughout the canal system and like
the freshwater points is shown on the supplied map.
The service varies in cost though if you budget
for about £15.00, you will be fairly close to the mark.
Luggage space is at a premium and we suggest that you bring
as little as possible and folding canvas or nylon bags are
best. Avoid bulky suitcases at all costs. Bring flat shoes,
trainers and wellington boots if you can. Try to plan your
arrival having done your main shop for supplies prior to check
- in.
*Plan - 55ft craft, sleeps 6 - click
here to enlarge view & see itinerary
Omitting to do this will impinge on the training
time. Many guests tend to eat at least one meal a day at a
canalside pub. Food tends to be good and wholesome and in
the main, reasonably priced. Breakfast is the main concern
so do think about stocking up on eggs, mushrooms, cheese,
milk, bread, cereal etc as well as lots of snacks for the
day. The captain and crew will always welcome a mug - of -
soup or a cup of tea or coffee.
* Plans are typical but layout, fixtures
and fittings may vary.
You can email your booking directly to
bookings@hireacanalboat.co.uk
(stating dates required and boat size) or
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