General Information

Find Your Holiday

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need a "driving licence" for the boat?
No, no special licence is required to operate the boat. The boat itself is licensed for all British Waterways canals and rivers. Other waterways, specifically the Thames and the Avon require further licenses at your own cost. Request further information if you wish to cruise these waterways.
So what if we have never been boating before?
Don't worry, you will be given full, hands-on instruction on the use of your boat and canal cruising. Boat handling is easy, and even first-timers have confidence after only a few hours cruising. In addition each boat has an instruction manual with lots of useful information and tips.
Do we need to bring our own bedding?
No, each boat is equipped with duvets, pillows & bed linen for each berth. You will need to bring your own towels, however, except if you are an overseas customer or booked a regency class boat.
So what do we need to bring?

We suggest casual clothes, sensible (rubber-soled) shoes, Wellingtons and waterproofs. Don't forget torches, and games for the children. You may wish to bring fold-up camp chairs if you like to sit outside along the canal. Each boat has on board enough cutlery, crockery, kitchen utensils and equipment for the number of people on board, as well as a standard domestic-sized fridge (with a small icebox) and a four-ring gas cooker with  oven & grill. A full inventory list is available. If you use online groceries shopping, you can arrange your order to be delivered to your boat ready for your arrival.

One concern we often hear is how you will bring food & provisions.Our welcome brochure we email to you contains information about pre-puchase of groceries from various supermarkets and this can be a real help to overseas visitors but you should know that we provide cleaning and washing up liquids/cloths and also all toilet rolls.

What time can we collect the boat?
Unless otherwise stated, your boat is normally available from 2:30 p.m. on the first day of your holiday, so please do not arrive at 1 p.m. expecting your boat to be ready. To ensure a speedy takeover please advise us of your expected arrival time. The boat must be returned and vacated by 9.00 a.m. on your last day.
What routes are available?
The most difficult part of cruising with Napton Narrowboats is choosing your route! To help you choose please look at the Map and route descriptions within this website. In addition we recommend waterways guides available from our shop to show you all of the details and facilities you will need for your chosen route.
What charges are there?

Hire Fees

The hire charge (displayed on each boat's page) includes VAT.

Damage Waiver

As standard we operate a Damage Waiver where for a once-off and non-returnable payment (Regency Fleet £70. All other boats £60) you will be covered in the event of any damage/loss or accident to your boat or its inventory during your holiday. (Exceptions: malicious or intentional damage or the return of the boat in an unclean condition.)
When you think that this barely covers the cost of a new boat pole, let alone a replacement window, it is a small price to pay for complete peace of mind.

Fuel Deposit

Fuel is now included in the cost of Hire

Extras

Well behaved and clean pets are welcome on all of our boats, but there is a charge of £45 per pet per week. There is no charge for our on-site car park, but at our Autherley Junction site, locked, under cover parking is available at £25 per week if required.

Note that all male or all female parties are required to leave an additional, returnable security deposit of £100 per head in cash at the boatyard before taking over the boat.

Please Note: The free onboard wifi relies on mobile data using an on-board SIM card, and therefore needs a cellular connection to work. Geographic location and environmental factors can affect the signal and thus onboard Wifi / Internet cannot be guaranteed. Each boat is given 1Gb of data at the start of your holiday / every week (for multi-week holidays) which is ample for browsing such as Facebook / Email / Google Maps etc. but can be easily used up by streaming services / live video.

All of our terms and conditions can be viewed here

Safe and Friendly Cruising

Some thoughts on boating etiquette for the experienced and less experienced boater (or things you needed to know about boating but were afraid to ask)

Of course, if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.