• ceo@blueotterboats.com

Bespoke English Narrowboat Holidays

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Trip Tips

    WHAT’S IT LIKE TO HIRE A BLUE OTTER BOAT?

    By CEO / 15th March, 2021 / Blog, Holiday Ideas, Trip Tips / No Comments

    Canal boat holidays with Blue Otter Boats, what are they really like?

    One thing is for sure, no trip on the canal is the same. You’ll meet different people, see different wildlife, encounter different challenges and moor up in different places. Our two boats are privately owned by members of the same family, one in Skipton, Yorkshire, and the other in Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire. Your experience hiring Blue Otter Skipton and meeting Ben will be different to picking up Blue Otter Wootton Wawen with Mark! Each boat and every adventure is unique to you.

    However, whilst boats differ in style, they both have central heating, hot water, shower, flushing toilet and a comfortable bed and the narrowboat experience will remain the same whether you are holidaying in Warwickshire or Yorkshire.

    • You won’t need to worry about kitchen utensils and our boats equip you with essentials such as tea, coffee and special treats.
    • You will ALWAYS have a great view. So moor up whenever the mood takes you, put the kettle on or uncork the wine, get the foldable chairs out and settle in to observe what’s around you.
    • Your narrowboat will be practical AND beautiful, we don’t accept style over substance or vice versa! Our Skipton boat ideal for couples has a traditional feel to it with the extra touch of sparkling blue granite kitchen tops. Our Wootton Wawen boat, ideal for two couples or a family, is longer at 60ft, and has an airy, contemporary look.
    • We don’t just ask you to watch a video on how to go through a lock and give you the keys. We go out with you for the first couple of hours, teaching you the ropes – literally – from steering, navigating bridges, going through locks, mooring up and, importantly, how to turn around so you can return! We invest time in your holiday from the beginning so that you can feel at ease and confident for the whole time you’re on holiday.
    • Unlike other hire boats, we don’t mention “Hire Boat” on our boat signage. As such, it looks like a privately owned boat. Our guests tell us this makes a difference as to how they are treated by other boat owners…usually with a greater amount of respect and immediate comraderie!
    • Our engines are serviced regularly, the bottoms are blackened every two years, insurance, gas safety certificates updated and registered with Visit England’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ kitemark of safety through the pandemic, so all you have to worry about is the itinerary.
    • Memories you make on a Blue Otter Boat will blow other holiday memories out of the water (excuse the pun, but it’s what our customers have said! We’re just sharing their words 😉 )

    What have our customers said about us?

    Both our boats have guest books on board where guests can leave personal notes, tips and advice from each trip. Through our booking agent Hoseasons, an online guest review is sent to boaters after their trip to rate their experience.

    Here’s a sample from the last three submitted reviews on each boat in 2020.

    Blue Otter Skipton, Yorkshire

    Blue Otter Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire

    First Time Canal Boat Hire – TOP TIPS!

    By CEO / 14th March, 2021 / Blog, Holiday Ideas, Trip Tips / No Comments

    I Want to Rent A Blue Otter Narrowboat – What Do I Need to Know?

    So you think you want to hire out a self-drive narrowboat? If you’re reading this, you’ve probably either booked your first canal boat holiday, or you’re about to book one of our bespoke Blue Otter Boats and need a little reassurance you are going to enjoy your time on board as much as everyone says you will!

    We’ve listed some of the main pointers to think about when you plan a narrowboat holiday for the first time.

    Planning

    Every good journey starts with a vague plan.  We’ve seen guests arrive with a detailed itinerary mapped out to the minute on a spreadsheet and we’ve welcomed guests who haven’t really thought about it at all until they step onboard for the first time. You don’t have to have a plan, but it does help if you have an inclination of east or west before you set off.  For example, from our base in Skipton, if the aim is to go east towards Saltaire and Leeds, you need to plan your arrival at Bingley Five Rise Locks around the lock-keepers operating times.

    These plans will help you figure out where to moor overnight, whether you stop somewhere on the way out or of the way back. We provide navigation maps on board for whichever canal will be cruising along, and the boat owner will be able to share tips for both direction. Cruising at 4mph means the goal of slowing down is about as instant as it gets, as well as estimating how far you want to go on your canal boat holiday, or if you just want to go with the flow and decided day-by-day.

    Top tip #1: remember to turn around half-way through your holiday, because it will take you the same amount of time to return to base!

    How Easy are the Boats to Drive?

    If this is the first time you’ll be taking your hands to the tiller…Don’t panic!  Piloting a boat employs exactly the same principles as a piloting a plane, (so the airpilots tell us!) , its all in the rudder and it’s just a lot smaller.

    Our Blue Otter Wootton Wawen boat is 10ft longer than Blue Otter Skipton (50ft), which can make tight bends in the canal interesting for the first time boater, but that’s part of the adventure and trust us, it’s really difficult to do anything wrong.

    We are more than happy to give you a crash course…. ok, perhaps not a crash course, but we’ll insist on showing you the ropes of how to pilot a boat when you pick it up. This includes how to steer, how to navigate through bridges, how to go through locks, mooring-up and, the all important turning in so-called winding holes.  We’ll spend the first few hours with you, until you feel at ease and comfortable to go it alone. We invest that time at the beginning of your holiday, so that you can truly relax and enjoy your time on board with us. We want boating to be as pleasureable as possible for you.

    Six top tips for piloting a narrowboat for the first time are:

    1. You steer from the stern, with an axel in the centre, and push the rudder in the opposite direction from that in which you want to go. So right to go left, and left to go right.
    2. There is no brake. To slow down you have to put the boat in reverse and account for the fact that the boat will not stop straightaway. The boats weigh around 15 tonne, hence the reaction comes with a slight time delay.
    3. Keep right please! When meeting other on-coming boats, pass port-to-port. That doesn’t mean you exchange a tipple of port, but that the port sides of the boats pass, i.e. keep to the right-hand side of the canal and you’ll be fine.
    4. Watch your speed!  It sounds silly when you can only go slow but, even at 4mph you can create a wake that disturbs the habitat nesting on the canal banks. And when you pass moored boats, you need to be in the lowest tick-over gear possible. If not, the boat dwellers will soon tell you off for rocking their boat! You’re on holiday remember…it’s all about slowing down and enjoying the view!
    5. Remember that some of the items on the boat might be loose – you don’t want cupboards to come open and all your porridge oats to spill out! So don’t leave any cups and plates on the kitchen tops, and avoid sudden stops if possible; the boat is made of steel and will survive, the mugs might not!
    6. Toot your horn!  Before you cruise around a bend, or under a tight bridge where can’t see through the other side, make sure you a) let oncoming boats know you’re coming through b) are ready to go into reverse to slow down if you meet a boat!

     

    What Should I Take With Me?

    Packing for a holiday is a tough job! Packing for a narrowboat holiday should be easier, because you need less items, but deciding what to leave out is the tricky part.

    Over the years we’ve seen guests arrive with suitcase after suitcase…after suitcase. And then the grocery boxes start to be unloaded…box after box…followed by the drinks crates! Our advice is to pack as little and light as possible. You really do have to decide between shoes and sacrifice two jackets for the sake of an extra pair of trousers because there is limited storage space and a bulky suitcase will take up a lot of room.

    The best idea is to pre-pack in a soft holdall, and that bag will easily fold away when you unpack everything into your home on the water. We send you on your way with biscuits, tea, coffee, milk, some suprise snacks and the essentials for washing up and cleaning.  Due to the Covid-19 safety precautions, we’ve had to remove our games and books, so you will need to bring those with you. There is a TV on board, but reception demands on your mooring spot, and the stations will need retuning with every new mooring location!

    What are the Extra Costs?

    At Blue Otter Boats, we’re an open book on costs and we don’t sneak in hidden extras.  When you hire a narrowboat, costs can be broken down like this:

    • The actual hire cost.  The costs of each boat are clearly displayed when you select your dates on the individual boat page with our booking agent, Hoseasons;
    • It’s cheaper in Spring and Autumn, so consider these times if you’re on a budget;
    • Boat Accident Insurance – fully included; for personal injury cover, we recommend you take out insurance before coming onboard
    • Additional day-time pilots – no extra cost; Some guests arrange for friends to join them for a day, especially when there are lots of bridges and locks to navigate, where an extra pair of hands and feet are a welcome addition. You also get to show off just how profficient you are in boat-handling!
    • Onboard inclusions – Each boat has bedding and towels for the week. If in doubt, check out our What’s on Board page.
    • Refundable security deposit – £150.  This will be required in a sealed envelope and left with the boat owners just before you leave  trip and returned when you bring the boat back, provided of course nothing has been damaged.
    • Fuel – you will pick up the boat with a full tank and this should last you for 2 weeks.  A typical refuel might cost between £80 – £100 to fill to the brim, which you will only need to do if renting the boat for longer than 2 weeks.
    • Toilet pump-out – the toilets on our boats are fitted with a macerator and a pump-out system. The key thing to remember is that this is not a normal plumping, and while robust, it’s also delicate. Basically, besides toilet paper, the macerator can only handle anything that your own body could process. That means no wetwipes, sanitory towels or other items you wouldn’t swallow. Blocking the system will be a messy and expensive repair that we ask our guests to pick up the costs of. You will pick up the boat with an empty tank, and unless cruising for longer than a week, you won’t need to worry about it. If for some reason the tank is full during your holiday, pull up at the next marina and ask for a pump out. It will cost approximately £16.

    Interiors for Blue Otter Wootton Wawen 60ft narrowboat

    • What Happens If There’s An Emergency?

      Our boats are insured fully comprehensively and Blue Otter Boats is a gold member of River Canal Rescue – the AA of the aqua highways – and this includes breakdown cover.  So you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to thumb a lift to the next marina! You will also have a number for the boat owner who will do everything they can to assist you from the other end of the phone too.

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Blue Otter Boats
Celebrating new beginnings, Spring on the canal is Celebrating new beginnings, Spring on the canal is about banks flanked with bluebells and wild garlic, ducklings and cygnets and waking up to a dawn chorus. The only difficult choice is #Yorkshire or #Warwickshire for your starting point on #blueotterboats 
#canalholidays #narrowboatholiday #luxurynarrowboathire #privatecharter #covidsafeholidays #weregoodtogo #lifesbetterbywater
Love, chocolate, and sunshine—what more could yo Love, chocolate, and sunshine—what more could you need? A Blue Otter Boat!

That will have to wait until after April 12th, so we're wishing you nothing but smiles, sunshine, and lots of sweet treats this Easter weekend.
#Easter #canallife #narrowboatholidays #canalholiday
Tricky thing, those gusts of winds. Thankfully all Tricky thing, those gusts of winds. Thankfully all it takes in #Skipton is a pull of the rope and all is good. No swans, ducks or diggers were harmed in #operationBlueOtter 
#suezcanal #suezcrisis #narrowboatlife #privatecharterhire #luxuryboat #canalholiday
Bingley Five Rise Locks Opened in 1774 they are a Bingley Five Rise Locks
Opened in 1774 they are a bucket list experience for many a boater, old and new to the canals.
Through the 2021 summer season, the @canalrivertrust  customer operations team will be on site to offer assisted passage through the locks for our guests.
Further locks towards Leeds are not manned by volunteers but instructions are on hand to help you figure it out safely...and then just like that, you arrive in Leeds! 
We can’t wait to start cruising again!
#blueotter #narrowboatholidays #leedsliverpoolcanal #canalholidays #canalholiday #bespokeholidays #privatecharter #selfdrivehire #canalcruise
We're proud to be registered with the @visitenglan We're proud to be registered with the @visitengland ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard scheme and now automatically eligible for the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) international ‘Safe Travels’ stamp.

The WTTC stamp enables travellers to recognise destinations around the world which have adopted global standardised protocols - so they can experience ‘Safe Travels.’ Together with the Welcome to Yorkshire affiliation, customers for Blue Otter Skipton can feel confident knowing we have all the tourism standards in place. Same for Blue Otter Wootton Wawen in #Warwickshire, and through our booking agent Hoseasons, our guest bookings are protected too.

Now our only issue is the thing we call a 'tiller twitch'; that tingle in the fingers when a ray of sunshine hits the canal and you're just itching to cruise... not long now, and we're ready to welcome guests from April 12th in #Skipton, #Yorkshire (couples) and Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire (families).

#lifesbetterbywater #weregoodtogo #SafeTravels #CanalHolidays #boatinglife #staycation #canalsofengland #blueotterboats #wttc #weregoodtogo
We're proud to be registered with the @visitenglan We're proud to be registered with the @visitengland ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard scheme and now automatically eligible for the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) international ‘Safe Travels’ stamp.

The WTTC stamp enables travellers to recognise destinations around the world which have adopted global standardised protocols - so they can experience ‘Safe Travels.’ Together with the Welcome to Yorkshire affiliation, customers for Blue Otter Skipton can feel confident knowing we have all the tourism standards in place. Same for Blue Otter Wootton Wawen in #Warwickshire, and through our booking agent Hoseasons, our guest bookings are protected too.

Now our only issue is the thing we call a 'tiller twitch'; that tingle in the fingers when a ray of sunshine hits the canal and you're just itching to cruise... not long now, and we're ready to welcome guests from April 12th in #Skipton, #Yorkshire (couples) and Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire (families).

#lifesbetterbywater #weregoodtogo #SafeTravels #CanalHolidays #boatinglife #staycation #canalsofengland #blueotterboats #wttc #weregoodtogo
With a love like no otter... feeling groovey❤️ With a love like no otter... feeling groovey❤️
Looking forward to welcoming our guests as soon as permissible in #Yorkshire & #warwickshire
http://blueotterboats.com/our-boats/
#valentines #canalholidays #love #staycation #holiday #relaxation #wellbeing
We're getting everything ready for our guests arri We're getting everything ready for our guests arriving this year. Earliest booking is April 25th at the moment, but that could change after the government announcement February 22nd...we're ready! #steponboard #Canalholiday #lifesbetterbywater #weregoodtogo #narrowboat #narrowboatholidays #yorkshire #warwickshire #covidsafe #holiday #staycationuk #staycation2021 #skipton #woottonwawen
You never know what’s around the next bend, but You never know what’s around the next bend, but on a canal boat it rarely disappoints. 
Here, we’re somewhere along the route to #Leeds from #Skipton. 
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#narrowboatlife #canalboatholiday #narrowboat #leedsliverpoolcanal #staycation #yorkshire
Did you spot us online in @guardian today? #stayc Did you spot us online in @guardian today? 
#staycation #canalholiday #narrowboatholidays #covidsafeholiday #selfcatering #travelexperience #holidayathome #canalsofengland #lifesbetterbywater #blueotterboats #yorkshire
Great to see #Walkshire launch today by @welcometo Great to see #Walkshire launch today by @welcometoyorkshire and we look forward to sponsoring a walk-a-day later this month. Popular with our #Skipton guests, a cruise to Gargrave and a hike along The Pennine Way to Malham and back. 
#lifesbetterbywater #cruiseandwalk #staycation2021
#narrowboat #narrowboatlife #bespokenarrowboatholidays #blueotterboats
Tier 3 means we have to batten down the hatches fo Tier 3 means we have to batten down the hatches for a little while. In the meantime, you can still plan your 2021 holiday. Happy New Year! 
#staycation2021 #tier3 #narrowboating
Merry Christmas to you all. Here’s to a year ahe Merry Christmas to you all. Here’s to a year ahead full of bubbles in bottles rather than the home, and lock-ins not lockdowns! Have a lovely, if different one! 🎄🎁🍾
#seasonsgreetings #blueotterboats
Following today's announcement we are happy to con Following today's announcement we are happy to confirm we will be re-opening for cruising and static stays from Wednesday December 2nd. #weregoodtogo #Skipton #Tier2 #staycation
http://blueotterboats.com
We would love to have accepted just one of the sev We would love to have accepted just one of the several enquiries we’ve had about cruising throughout #lockdown, but sadly all movement along the canals in prohibited. 
#staysafe #booknowfor2021 #staycation2021 #blueotterboats
Cruising and static stays are suspended under the Cruising and static stays are suspended under the new lockdown regulations until December 2nd (and possibly longer), so for now, we’ll be enjoying the tow paths because life is still better by water. 

We’ve received 3 bookings in the last 48 hours for 2021 dates, so book now if you know you want to cruise next year!
#staysafe #staycation2021
Just thrilled to receive this 2021 calendar from o Just thrilled to receive this 2021 calendar from our past guest Ian and @rosemarythewitt. The collection of 12 images from their week on #blueotterskipton capture the mood, light, experience and colours of the #leedsliverpoolcanal 
Thank you so much, Liz & Ben.
We love reading the comments book on board...and t We love reading the comments book on board...and thank you to all our guests for not sailing off into the sunset. 😊 We understand why you would want to, and we look forward to welcoming many of you back next year for more cruising explorations. 
#canalholiday #narrowboatlife #blueotterboats #staycationuk #ataycation #covidesecure #weregoodtogo #visitengland #yorkshire #lifesbetterbywater
Taking time to take it all in on Blue Otter Skipto Taking time to take it all in on Blue Otter Skipton. Tranquillity, retreat, escapes, covid-secure. 
#canalholiday #relaxation #holiday #staycation #yorkshire #lifesbetterbywater
📷Rosemary Hewitt
It’s all about teamwork when it comes to the loc It’s all about teamwork when it comes to the locks, and our current guests on Blue Otter Skipton have the t-shirts that say it all. They’ve also sent us some of their autumn cruising photos...enjoy! Thanks Rosey Hewitt...and we know you’d love to keep on cruising, but please do bring the boat back 😊
#blueotterskipton #narrowboat #canalholiday #yorkshire #leedsliverpoolcanal
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