Choosing Your Hireboat

Hire boats look broadly similar from the towpath but the layout, fittings and quirks vary a lot. Choosing the right boat for your crew makes a bigger difference to the holiday than choosing the right canal.

Match berth count to crew, then go down one

Berth counts are advertised at the maximum. A "six-berth" might genuinely have six bunks but it will live comfortably as a four. Two adults plus two children fits a four-berth easily; four adults are happier in a six-berth.

For couples, a 2-4 berth gives loads of living space and is easier to handle.

Fixed bed or convertible?

Most hire boats convert a dinette into a double bed each evening. That's fine for a week but tedious by day three. If you can, get a boat with at least one fixed permanent berth (often a fixed double in the bow or stern) so someone has a "real" bed to retreat to.

Light sleepers should ask whether the engine room is next to any berth.

Layout: cruiser, semi-trad or trad stern?

The stern (back end) of the boat comes in three flavours:

• Cruiser stern. Big open back deck. Sociable, kids can stand near the steerer, easy to access the engine. Less weatherproof.
• Semi-traditional ("semi-trad"). Smaller open deck with built-in seating. A compromise that suits most hire crews.
• Traditional ("trad"). A small platform with the engine room directly inside. Snug, weatherproof, but only the steerer fits comfortably.

Most hire fleets are cruiser or semi-trad.

Bathrooms

The plumbing is the difference between a happy crew and a grumpy one.

• Cassette toilet: removable tank, you empty at canalside disposal points. Easier mid-week, smaller capacity.
• Pump-out toilet: big tank, emptied at marinas for £15-£25. Better for larger crews, but you have to plan around the pump-out points.

For 6+ people on a week-long trip, look for a boat with two toilets.

Heating

Even in summer, evenings can be cold. Check whether the boat has:

• A diesel-fired central heating system (Webasto or similar)
• A solid-fuel stove (a real fire, charming, takes time to learn)
• Gas heaters (less common, less efficient)

For shoulder-season trips, central heating is non-negotiable.

Galley (kitchen)

Look for:

• A four-burner gas hob
• A proper oven (not just a grill)
• A 12V or gas fridge of decent size
• Enough worktop to actually cook on

For longer trips and bigger crews, a separate freezer compartment is a real bonus.

Steering aids

• Bow thruster. A small sideways propeller at the bow. Makes mooring and reversing dramatically easier. Worth paying extra for, especially for first-timers.
• Hydraulic steering. Lighter on the tiller, common on wider beam boats.

Boat age and condition

Newer boats break down less. They also tend to be cleaner, better insulated and easier to handle. Ask how old the specific boat is, when it was last refitted, and what's been replaced. Photographs on the website are often optimistic; ask for recent ones if it matters.

A simple checklist

• Berth count: comfortable not maximum
• At least one fixed bed
• Stern style suits the steerer
• Toilet type matches crew size
• Central heating fitted
• Decent galley
• Bow thruster if first-timers
• Boat age and last refit date
• Recent photos seen

Conclusion

The right hire boat is one your crew can sleep, eat and steer in without rearranging things twice a day. Pay extra for one fewer berth than you "need" and the trip will be more relaxing.

Related

• Hireboat features
• Choosing a canal route
• Canal holiday costs
• Planning a narrowboat hire holiday
• Canal holidays for families