Around 352,000 people go canal boating each year in the United Kingdom, and 100,000 go on holiday boat trips. Once you hire your boat which costs between £350-£450 a week, you have to start thinking about the essentials you need to take with you.
Don’t Overpack
Narrow boats are quite big so there is lots of storage available for clothes and other essentials, if you are bringing a family with you, it’s important not to overpack.
Bring Your Own Food
Remember that canal boat holidays are self-catering, so you will need to bring your own food and drink. If you are travelling in winter on a narrow boat, make sure its multi-fuel stove is working, as it will keep you warm.
Here Is My ESSENTIALS:
Standard Things
- Soft bags are easier to store than hard suitcases
- Torch is useful in the evenings when negotiating a towpath
- Map book of the canal
- Mobile phone and charger
- Good quality camera
- Hard wearing gloves (for working the locks)
- Mosquito repellent
- Sun cream (you might be surprised)
- Toiletries (including a few toilet rolls)
- First Aid Kit for any unforeseen accidents or tummy trouble
- Bin liners (some will already be provided)
Clothing 
- Comfortable clothes
- Clothes that don’t crumple, as you may not have an iron onboard
- Fleece or hoody
- Raincoat
- Hat or cap >>See my article on winter hats<<
- Trainers (non-slip)
- Wellies
- Slippers/warm socks for evening
- Sunglasses >>See my article on sunglasses<<
Entertainment
- Board games
- Books
- CDs s and DVDs
Food And Drink
- Food for breakfast lunch and dinner
- Tinned food, which is non-perishable
- Drinks (including bottled water)
- Snacks
- Bread
- Milk
- Tea bags and coffee
- Condiments
- Cooking oil
Safety Items To Be Aware Of When Travelling
- Travel Insurance
- Life jackets
- Inflatable rings and buoys
- Padlocks for additional security
- Fire extinguishers and fire blankets
- Keys for doors/windows, along with pump out and fuel cap etc. – tie a cork tied to your keychain which will float should you drop your keys into the canal.
- Monoxide
- Smoke detector
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Plenty Of Places To Stock Up Along The Way
Don’t worry if you happen to forget something. If you’ve left something behind that is important, there are lots of little villages canal-side that you can visit. They are also good for replenishing any stock, so enjoy!
There are more than 2,000 miles of British waterways and towpaths that serviced the Industrial Revolution and are now being used by holidaymakers.
You can base your holiday around the attractions you may want to visit. For example, moor up next to a castle or museum. Or you may want a route that is quieter and runs through nature.