A list of suggested things to bring will be provided
with the Boat Operator's Manual before your holiday.
You may bring your dog with you for your holiday but
please let the Trust Administrator know whilst making
your booking and we do ask that you keep on top of the
sweeping and dog hairs throughout the week to aid our
Voluntary Helpers with the cleaning at the end of the
week.
Booking Process
Once you have decided which boat you would like to hire
and checked that it is available, either send through
your details on the form provided on the contacts page
or call the office number to speak to the Trust
Administrator directly.
Upon receipt of your request, we will reserve that week
for you. In the October before your holiday, we will
send out a Hire Reservation Form for you to complete and
return to us, along with the deposit of £200 and £50
cancellation waiver. If you are booking your holiday
after October, the Hire Reservation Form and deposit and
cancellation waiver request will immediately be sent
through to you.
Upon receipt of your completed form, deposit and
cancellation waiver, we will send out a confirmation
letter that your week has been booked. If you have
requested training, we will list the training weekend
dates in this letter and ask you to confirm which one
you wish to attend. Further information on the training
weekend will then be sent out a month before it takes
place, with a request for payment.
Twelve weeks before your booked holiday, we will send a
request for the remaining payment to be sent through to
us within a fortnight. With this letter, we will send
you a Boat Operator’s Manual, Group Leader’s Manual and
a map. It is essential that the two Manuals are read and
fully absorbed by the Group Leader and as many as
possible of the other carers as this will enable you to
start your holiday quicker.
On the Day
We ask that you arrive as promptly as possible on the
first day of your holiday as the Handover is undertaken
by Voluntary Helpers who have already given up their
morning to prepare the boat for you. There is parking
available, free of charge, at each base.
You will be greeted by the Team Leader who will then
take the Group Leader and any other appropriate members
of the group through the key points of the boat with
particular regard to Health and Safety. The Team Leader
will then help you to bring the rest of your group and
your luggage onboard.
If it is your first time with us, the Team Leader will
then accompany you through the first couple of locks,
more if you would like, to ensure you are confident in
managing the boat. If you have been with us for a
previous holiday, the Team Leader will not generally
join you as you set off on your cruise, unless you ask
them to, in which case they will be happy to guide you
until you have built up your confidence again.
Provided Onboard
Each boat has a fully equipped kitchen with cups,
glasses, crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils.
Life-jackets are available and you will be asked for the
amount required and the sizes, upon your arrival.
Bedding & linen is
not
provided
Your Hire Reservation Form will ask you to tick any of
the following additional equipment that you would like
us to provide for your holiday.
·
Transfer hoist
·
Shower chair
·
Commode
·
Cot sides
·
Perching stool
back
to top
The
Trust prides itself in the high standard of boat
handling by our hirers. We request that at least one
member of each group has at least one week’s previous
canal holiday experience. If this is not the case, we
request that the Group Leader successfully completes a
residential weekend training course with the Trust,
prior to the holiday. Our training courses are provided
each Spring from a Friday evening to a Sunday
afternoon. The cost is £90 per person which includes
accommodation aboard the boat, meals and course
materials.