Big demand for share boating

THE recent Crick Boat Show showed that there is an ever increasing demand for share boating, with shared ownership companies reporting a quick take-up of shares.

ABC Boat Share launched a new 65ft semi-trad shared ownership boat, Harmonia, pictured with Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury, with  only three of the 12½ shares remaining unsold by the Sunday afternoon.

First time offered

On the BCBM Boat Share stand the news was similar. The company had brought along the tug style semi-trad Oakmere, originally commissioned by a private owner, but recently acquired for shared ownership. The Crick show was the first time that the 12½ shares were offered for sale, with a price tag of £10,950 per full share. Of these, 7½ were sold on the first day of the show, with contracts signed and deposits taken by Sunday.

Carefree Cruising had their new 'reverse layout' mid galley semi-trad boat Solace (pictured) in the static display section, ready to be launched at the end of the show. Carefree Cruising do not have a fixed syndicate size, but by Sunday afternoon shares equivalent to 38 of the 48 available weeks had been sold.

Older boats

The market for shares in older boats also seems to have strengthened at Crick, as increasing numbers of enthusiastic boaters discover that they can get three or four weeks a year on board their own boat for much the same cost as a single week's high season hire.

It is believed there are now more than 200 shared ownership narrowboats on the inland waterways, giving around 2,500 families an annual boating holiday and contributing much to the waterways economy.