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THE BOATER'S HANDBOOK
If you are new to the canal then reading this is an absolute must! In-fact even if you have experience blowing away the cobwebs won't hurt! Everything you need to know about how to handle a narrowboat and enjoy the canals is in here. After all you wouldn't want to jump in a car for the first time and hit the road ... that would be dangerous! A good head's up before you start makes a massive difference in how you'll enjoy your holiday so please heed this advise, you'll thank us, promise! 
Please click on this image to access The Boaters Handbook
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Boater's HandbookHow do we set off?
What's the speed limit and how do I know how fast I'm going? How do we operate the locks? How do we moor up safely at night? How do we deal with other boats? How do you turn round? Who has right of way? What happens at Lift Bridges? What do we do at a Bridge if we can't see? What side of the canal am I supposed to be on? Can I moor any where? The easiest way to answer all the above is to read or watch The Boater's Handbook, better still do both! There's a list of do's and don'ts that apply on the canal and we believe it is vital that people are aware of these before they venture out, even if you've hired before it never hurts to blow away those cobwebs. If you are a beginner then it is required that you watch The Boater's Handbook and we strongly suggest more than the once. You will receive tuition but I can promise you there is so much info you need to retain by the time we leave you your mind will be whirling, so as they say, prior knowledge is a powerful tool .. |
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How can I plan my trip?
We get asked a lot about itineraries and as we say, this is not something we can do for you as we don't know your personal requirements. But what we can do is point you in the right direction so you can decide for yourselves exactly what you want to do. Canal Route Planner will allow you to decide exactly how long you want to cruise each day and the destinations you can visit. Simply start by following the link provided, then choose "Select Place By Name" and fill this in with "Grindley Brook Winding Hole" then just follow the prompted steps. |
Insurance
Our boats carry full commercial insurance, but please note this does not cover your personal belongings so we do suggest you may want to get your own holiday insurance for peace of mind, mobile phones don't fare well in the canal - I know!! |
Where Could we stay the night before?
We consider our boats to be along the 'boutique' line and with that in mind there are a couple of places we are happy to suggest for your night before stay. Nink's Retreat This is a magical place run by a lovely friend of mine .. If you've ever dreamt of running away with the circus this could be the place for you ... It is simply the most wonderful, magical place and being only a 20 minute drive from our base means it's the perfect stop over. Reubens Bar & BBQ Located in Whitchurch this fab establishment not only offers great food but perfect BnB and being less than 10 mintues from our moorings another perfect stop over to consider. |
Some Handy How to's on Acorn ...
So how do we do this?
Tune in the TVConnect the TV & Ariel power leads as shown in image 2
Ensure ariel has power and then attach to outside of window. Turn TV on and select MENU Enter Install and Retune Wait ... |
How to stay warm!
Put the Heating OnThe 1st image shows the heating set at off
To turn on flick switch to Left, this will start the sparking Turn the knob to the Star symbol and press down ... once the pilot has lit you can then turn the knob up to desired setting You will then need to slid the ON/OFF button ontop of the thermostat to ON select your temperature - Be aware it can get hot so lower is better! |
How do you get hot water?
Hot WaterThe water is heated primarily by cruising and will remain hot over night ... If you need more you simply have to light the boiler (as for the heating) DO NOT turn the thermostat on but press the white button at the end of the bed - This starts a pump and in about 20 mins you'll have piping hot water without running the engine
Please be aware the water gets VERY hot so just be careful! |
