News on Acorn & The Mighty Oak
This is the place to keep up to date with our antics!
January 2026
So as we enter February we are now fully aware of the consequences of the Llangollen breach. Sadly it has impacted us as we are the wrong side of the breach for travel to the town of Llangollen sadly. We are aware that many wish to make this journey but until next season we won't be able to offer this destination I'm afraid.
We have looked at all possibilities and are working to keep disruption to a minimum, something that we are very close to achieving! Once the i's have been dotted and the t's crossed I will be posting how we are going to function this season. For those already with bookings, fear not, your trips are safe. For those looking to book, if it's the Pontcysyllte you want to experience please consider booking in 2027 as some are already doing. If you are happy to explore further a field then drop me a line.
Due to the logistics we are limiting bookings to five nights and above. This is solely down to managing trips whilst we are not at our home base and I apologise in advance for any disappointment this will cause. All I can say is roll on 2027! If you have any questions please just drop me a line, I'm happy to help when I can.
Thank you for your understanding during this trying time.
We have looked at all possibilities and are working to keep disruption to a minimum, something that we are very close to achieving! Once the i's have been dotted and the t's crossed I will be posting how we are going to function this season. For those already with bookings, fear not, your trips are safe. For those looking to book, if it's the Pontcysyllte you want to experience please consider booking in 2027 as some are already doing. If you are happy to explore further a field then drop me a line.
Due to the logistics we are limiting bookings to five nights and above. This is solely down to managing trips whilst we are not at our home base and I apologise in advance for any disappointment this will cause. All I can say is roll on 2027! If you have any questions please just drop me a line, I'm happy to help when I can.
Thank you for your understanding during this trying time.
Here's to 2025
December ...
December 22nd ... There was a serious breach on the Llangollen not a mile from our moorings! The first thing to say is the emergency services did an amazing job and all have been working all over the Christmas period to try to isolate the breach and get the canal levels back up! It is with relief I say no one was physically injured, though for some of the boat owners they have lost everything ... We all wish them well and are amazed at how it takes something awful to happen for the best of humanity to shine through.
I would like to personally thank everyone who reached out to me wanting to know we were all safe, thank you, it meant more to me than you could know.
What is the plan for Drifting Wood now? Well, we are aware it's going to take a while to store full navigation and this does, for now, stop us travelling to Llangollen and of course the wonderous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct sadly. That being said though due to the importance of the Llangollen canal as a main water feeder things are not all doom and glum. I am hopeful that repairs will begin as soon as they have full access and, personally, I believe things will return to normal sooner rather than later. The Canal & River Trust do get a lot of flack from people, but what it is important to remember is this; without them there would be no canal system for anyone to call home, no canal system for people like me who operate a business on it for others to experience its wonders.
How this impacts us directly ....
As you may know, I don't believe in baptisms of fire and have always said a gentle introduction is far more pleasant and heading towards the town of Llangollen you don't reach any locks until your second or third day. Travelling towards Hurlston Junction does have locks, starting with the Grindley Brook staircase! After a lot of thought we are going to use this stretch and along with either myself or Dana you will be taken down through the locks, this will be part of your tuition and we will stay with you up to the Willeymore locks. This will allow plenty of time to get to grips with both locks and navigating the canal. There's some great pubs along the way, not forgetting The Swan at Marbury!
so please rest assured, we have plans in situ and will continue introducing people to the Llangollen.
I will try to keep updates on the progress of the repairs so bear with me!
Let's focus on the positives and look forward to a new year with hopes for a bright future.
My warmest wishes to everyone
I would like to personally thank everyone who reached out to me wanting to know we were all safe, thank you, it meant more to me than you could know.
What is the plan for Drifting Wood now? Well, we are aware it's going to take a while to store full navigation and this does, for now, stop us travelling to Llangollen and of course the wonderous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct sadly. That being said though due to the importance of the Llangollen canal as a main water feeder things are not all doom and glum. I am hopeful that repairs will begin as soon as they have full access and, personally, I believe things will return to normal sooner rather than later. The Canal & River Trust do get a lot of flack from people, but what it is important to remember is this; without them there would be no canal system for anyone to call home, no canal system for people like me who operate a business on it for others to experience its wonders.
How this impacts us directly ....
As you may know, I don't believe in baptisms of fire and have always said a gentle introduction is far more pleasant and heading towards the town of Llangollen you don't reach any locks until your second or third day. Travelling towards Hurlston Junction does have locks, starting with the Grindley Brook staircase! After a lot of thought we are going to use this stretch and along with either myself or Dana you will be taken down through the locks, this will be part of your tuition and we will stay with you up to the Willeymore locks. This will allow plenty of time to get to grips with both locks and navigating the canal. There's some great pubs along the way, not forgetting The Swan at Marbury!
so please rest assured, we have plans in situ and will continue introducing people to the Llangollen.
I will try to keep updates on the progress of the repairs so bear with me!
Let's focus on the positives and look forward to a new year with hopes for a bright future.
My warmest wishes to everyone
August ...
We are thrilled to announce we have again been awarded the Travellers' Choice Award from, basically our guests! Without them this couldn't happen. And we are so grateful to everyone who takes the time to hit the keyboard wanting to spread the word. It really does make it all worth while, it let's us know we are getting things right, well at least trying our best to 🙃So it's a massive thank you to all, we truly appreciate it x
June ...
So, time has flown by and here we are half way through 2025! Just where does it go!
Well, quite a bit of it has been playing catch up, getting both Acorn & The Mighty Oak into dry dock in March to make sure they were ready for the season. Acorn had a full face lift and now sports an Oxford Blue cabin top .. Red just fades so badly, but she actually looks amazing. Even her name has been redone by the fabulous Jill. Actually Jill Kindlysides (boat painter/signwriter extraordinaire) did 99.9% of the painting ... I had a dabble though lol. I will say this, if you need your boat sorting out she is the lass to go to, that simple! You can find her on Instagram and Facebook - I will pop a link at the bottom so you can see her work for yourself!
The Helmsmans Course has had to be put on the back burner for now sadly. It's not dead in the water but logistically right now it isn't practical to undertake ... I will update!
There is some exciting news though!! We have linked up with the guys who produce The Hidden Sea wines. Wow, they are just an amazing bunch! If you don't know, we always put a bottle of wine on board as part of the Welcome Pack. One day I stumbled on their Sauvignon Blanc, I freely admit it was the label that caught my eye ... For every bottle they sell they remove the equivalent of ten plastic bottles from our oceans! It was a no brainer for me and the start of a new chapter ... For now I'll say 'watch this space' ;o)
Well, quite a bit of it has been playing catch up, getting both Acorn & The Mighty Oak into dry dock in March to make sure they were ready for the season. Acorn had a full face lift and now sports an Oxford Blue cabin top .. Red just fades so badly, but she actually looks amazing. Even her name has been redone by the fabulous Jill. Actually Jill Kindlysides (boat painter/signwriter extraordinaire) did 99.9% of the painting ... I had a dabble though lol. I will say this, if you need your boat sorting out she is the lass to go to, that simple! You can find her on Instagram and Facebook - I will pop a link at the bottom so you can see her work for yourself!
The Helmsmans Course has had to be put on the back burner for now sadly. It's not dead in the water but logistically right now it isn't practical to undertake ... I will update!
There is some exciting news though!! We have linked up with the guys who produce The Hidden Sea wines. Wow, they are just an amazing bunch! If you don't know, we always put a bottle of wine on board as part of the Welcome Pack. One day I stumbled on their Sauvignon Blanc, I freely admit it was the label that caught my eye ... For every bottle they sell they remove the equivalent of ten plastic bottles from our oceans! It was a no brainer for me and the start of a new chapter ... For now I'll say 'watch this space' ;o)
Time certainly has flown by and it's been a year of ups and downs being honest! Unfortunately in July Dana suffered a Stroke which meant she wasn't able to continue with tuition and it has also put a hold on the Helmsman courses for the time being ... However you can never keep a strong woman down and the fabulous news is she will be back for the coming season! I have struggled through but will freely admit Dana is the better teacher :o)
Both boats are going into dry dock at the start of March for blacking and extras so that will be a busy time without a doubt. Acorn is finally getting her new windows too, which I am thrilled about, I have been promising her for a few years now but finally it is happening. Fear not, I am sticking with the sliders as I too like to be able to stick my head out and feed the ducks!
We have had to make a small increase in our base rate to try to pick up some of the slack from our ever increasing costs. Again, I thought long and hard about this as I have always said I want my boats to be affordable! I hope this doesn't put you off and don't forget, we are happy to offer a payment plan if this helps. Our payment plan is very simple as we don't use out side services, it is an agreement between the hirer and me, as long as the full balance is paid 28 days before boarding I'm happy.
For now I wish each and every one of you everything wonderful for the New Year, but above everything else I wish for you health, happiness and peace, without these 3 thing nothing else really matters ... Stay true to who you are and remember this, the world would be a far better place if each and every one of us tried to remember to be kind - What a beautiful place the world would be!
Both boats are going into dry dock at the start of March for blacking and extras so that will be a busy time without a doubt. Acorn is finally getting her new windows too, which I am thrilled about, I have been promising her for a few years now but finally it is happening. Fear not, I am sticking with the sliders as I too like to be able to stick my head out and feed the ducks!
We have had to make a small increase in our base rate to try to pick up some of the slack from our ever increasing costs. Again, I thought long and hard about this as I have always said I want my boats to be affordable! I hope this doesn't put you off and don't forget, we are happy to offer a payment plan if this helps. Our payment plan is very simple as we don't use out side services, it is an agreement between the hirer and me, as long as the full balance is paid 28 days before boarding I'm happy.
For now I wish each and every one of you everything wonderful for the New Year, but above everything else I wish for you health, happiness and peace, without these 3 thing nothing else really matters ... Stay true to who you are and remember this, the world would be a far better place if each and every one of us tried to remember to be kind - What a beautiful place the world would be!
Time Flies ...
So where has time gone!? It's been so busy I simply haven't had a chance to update here yet but am thrilled to see that, thanks to our wonderful guests we have won another TripAdvisor Award!! If I could personally thank every single one of you I would!
Both boats are busy out playing on the canal as I type and I know all who are aboard are loving every minute, so all the hard work that the past couple of years have thrown my way have been worth it. That 'leap of faith' has paid off and I can finally say, Yay!
We are already taking a lot of bookings for 2025, again this is brilliant news and our aim is to simply keep trying to make our guests canal experience the best we can, new comers or old hands at the tiller. I am aware that I 'go on' about people watching The Boaters Handbook video, but the proof of the pudding as they say! Without the info this provides the hands on training simply won't benefit people, so yes, we are a holiday with homework lol However, we want you to have a brilliant experience, not one where you question why you are on a canal boat!
So again my heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to leave us a review ... It means the world to us, thank you!
Both boats are busy out playing on the canal as I type and I know all who are aboard are loving every minute, so all the hard work that the past couple of years have thrown my way have been worth it. That 'leap of faith' has paid off and I can finally say, Yay!
We are already taking a lot of bookings for 2025, again this is brilliant news and our aim is to simply keep trying to make our guests canal experience the best we can, new comers or old hands at the tiller. I am aware that I 'go on' about people watching The Boaters Handbook video, but the proof of the pudding as they say! Without the info this provides the hands on training simply won't benefit people, so yes, we are a holiday with homework lol However, we want you to have a brilliant experience, not one where you question why you are on a canal boat!
So again my heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to leave us a review ... It means the world to us, thank you!
As the season gets closer ...
So as the new season draws closer it's time to get Acorn and The Mighty Oak ready to welcome their guests. Acorn is having a face lift with all her interior being revarnished and a few other little bits one. She also now boasts her own inverter, not as powerful as The Mighty Oak's but certainly useful!
As for The Mighty Oak, she is getting a few extras added just to bring her up to the standard we want - Not that she was lacking by any means, but you can always improve things and make them more!
We are also changing the system for the Damage Deposit - Sadly we have found on occasion that damage has been found after guests have left and had their deposit returned. Obviously this doesn't work our end so I have opened a Wise account and the Damage Deposit will now be paid along with the final balance, it will be held until the boat has been fully cleaned as it is then 'things' are found. Obviously as long as nothing untoward has been discovered you will receive the deposit back in full - BUT if we do find anything that hasn't been reported the cost of replacement will be taken from the deposit and the balance returned. Both boats will have a full inventory that will be signed when you board and anything missing will be charged accordingly, a list of charges will also be available.
As for The Mighty Oak, she is getting a few extras added just to bring her up to the standard we want - Not that she was lacking by any means, but you can always improve things and make them more!
We are also changing the system for the Damage Deposit - Sadly we have found on occasion that damage has been found after guests have left and had their deposit returned. Obviously this doesn't work our end so I have opened a Wise account and the Damage Deposit will now be paid along with the final balance, it will be held until the boat has been fully cleaned as it is then 'things' are found. Obviously as long as nothing untoward has been discovered you will receive the deposit back in full - BUT if we do find anything that hasn't been reported the cost of replacement will be taken from the deposit and the balance returned. Both boats will have a full inventory that will be signed when you board and anything missing will be charged accordingly, a list of charges will also be available.
WELCOME 2024!
We wish everyone a New Year of light, love, laughter, health and adventures
Bookings have been coming in fast and we are truly looking forward to meeting all our guests as they set out for their canal adventure with Drifting Wood Canal Breaks.
We couldn't be prouder of our boats and The Mighty Oak has settled in perfectly. She has already had her first Airbnb guests, who loved spending some time on her and now we are looking forward to the coming season and all the adventures and memories that will be made.
We couldn't be prouder of our boats and The Mighty Oak has settled in perfectly. She has already had her first Airbnb guests, who loved spending some time on her and now we are looking forward to the coming season and all the adventures and memories that will be made.
2023 ...
Catch up!
August 2023
So, it's been busy times here with the boats and their guests and I'm beyond happy with how it's all going :o) Things are settling down into a great rhythm, I have to say it has taken some getting used to having two boats to think about, but I'm finally there lol
I wanted to announce two things;
Acorn
Work is in progress to announce a big step forward for Drifting Wood Canal Breaks. As some will know we care deeply about people enjoying their time on the canals and go above and beyond to help those new to cruising and navigating a narrowboat. So plans are in hand for both myself, Laura, and Dana to qualify as RYA Helmsman's Course Instructors. We will use Acorn for all courses as she is the perfect boat to use! We are lucky enough to be moored in a location that gives us everything required to complete this course. More news and updates will follow! If you are interested in learning more then please just drop me a line!
[email protected]
The Mighty Oak
As she is fitted out with a Shore Line and 3k watt invertor I have decided to pop her up on Airbnb for the Winter months. People who don't want the stress of first time cruising but love the idea of experiencing living on a narrowboat. Or perhaps to be somewhere quiet, surrounded by nature to just relax and contemplate with a chilled glass of wine ... Adventurers, those hardly Winter Ramblers who frequently explore The Sand Stone Trail on her doorstep! Obviously the price does reflect no key to the ignition! A beautiful spot to just relax ...
I will say now that I am still trying to figure out the way to get everything as it is supposed to be on their site but that would be my lack of I.T knowledge ... suffice to say how she is listed on here is how many beds etc there are! I'll get there!!
I wanted to announce two things;
Acorn
Work is in progress to announce a big step forward for Drifting Wood Canal Breaks. As some will know we care deeply about people enjoying their time on the canals and go above and beyond to help those new to cruising and navigating a narrowboat. So plans are in hand for both myself, Laura, and Dana to qualify as RYA Helmsman's Course Instructors. We will use Acorn for all courses as she is the perfect boat to use! We are lucky enough to be moored in a location that gives us everything required to complete this course. More news and updates will follow! If you are interested in learning more then please just drop me a line!
[email protected]
The Mighty Oak
As she is fitted out with a Shore Line and 3k watt invertor I have decided to pop her up on Airbnb for the Winter months. People who don't want the stress of first time cruising but love the idea of experiencing living on a narrowboat. Or perhaps to be somewhere quiet, surrounded by nature to just relax and contemplate with a chilled glass of wine ... Adventurers, those hardly Winter Ramblers who frequently explore The Sand Stone Trail on her doorstep! Obviously the price does reflect no key to the ignition! A beautiful spot to just relax ...
I will say now that I am still trying to figure out the way to get everything as it is supposed to be on their site but that would be my lack of I.T knowledge ... suffice to say how she is listed on here is how many beds etc there are! I'll get there!!
And now may I introduce you to The Mighty Oak
It's been a while coming and there have been all manner of delays but she is finally finished! A few snags to sort but then she is ready for the off! She has turned out to be more than I could have imagined and with her massive headroom of 6'7" she feels so spacious inside! More news to follow ...
And here we are, towards the end of April ... my how time flies! No photos I hear you cry, fear not The Mighty Oak is on exactly where we need her to be. It could be said there have been moments, anyone who has undertaken fitting out a boat will know this already lol! However I am super happy to tell you everything is on track, a big thumbs up all round! As for photos, well she does look like a building site it can't be denied - limited space and loads of 'stuff' everywhere so I am going for the 'big reveal' when she has her soft furnishings in and all the other stuff gone! But as I can't resist I am sneaking a couple of teasers on for you, remember she's not finished yet! I will sneak some more up as I can't contain myself! Off to paint very soon!
///what.3.words
In an effort to keep up with the times, and also knowing sometimes people miss the signs, I thought I'd have a look for our location ... I will admit not selecting the first ones but these are where I park my car - You really couldn't make this up!
*magical.unwound.installs*
https://w3w.co/magical.unwound.installs
*magical.unwound.installs*
https://w3w.co/magical.unwound.installs
So as we venture into 2023 plans are underway to get The Mighty Oak to her home mooring! Once here the fitout will be finished off and then she's in the painting shed for a month, due out mid-May. Both Dana and myself will then take her for a 'snagging' trip to make sure everything is working exactly as it should be before she welcomes her first guests at the start of June! Very exciting times here at Drifting Wood!
We look forward to seeing you all at some point this year!
We look forward to seeing you all at some point this year!
November 2022
So, her hull is ready and now we are at the lining out stage! All wiring and pipes marked out, spray foam insulation next ... Exciting times!!
October 2022
October 27th ... Almost ready to hit the water, The Mighty Oak has now had her hull 2 Pack Epoxy Blacked, Primer and Undercoats done! Next stage into the water for the fit out to begin ... We are all very excited and hope you are too!
September 2022
The Mighty Oak Build
Base Plate laid
Skim Tank Fitted
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Start of the Engine Bay
The Mighty OakExciting times here at Drifting Wood as we follow the process of the build by JD Boat Builders... Base Plate done and slowly she's working her way up!
As she grows we'll be adding more and more images ... watch this space! |
Swim in place
Bow Bulk Heads Up
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September 2022
Every now again it's a good idea to make sure everything is ship shape below the water line and when we lifted Acorn it struck me how many people this attracted!
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Acorn hovering!
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It is a little nerve wracking to watch your boat slowly rise, but it's the perfect opportunity to check that her base plate is good and the main reason for this lift was to check her rudder was still true - Which of course it was!
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