| Our Boats |
| Rosina
Emma |
4 berths
or up to 12 passengers - self-drive or skippered - day or period hire |
| Lancing |
for up to
44 passengers - charter hire - day or part day hire |
|
| ‘Rosina
Emma’ |
 Rosina
Emma is a purpose-built 51ft 4-berth narrowboat with a larger than
average saloon featuring maximum window space and large awning-covered
foredeck. This provides sufficient space to operate as a full-featured
day boat for up 12 passengers whilst providing extra space for a family
group on period hire.
In the saloon the additional space allows 2 tables to be provided
and with extra folding chairs allows up to 8 people to dine in comfort.
The settee converts to a double berth for which full bedding is provided.
A colour TV and radio cassette player are provided. 12v and 240v sockets
are available. |
  The
galley is fully equipped with full-sized gas oven, a microwave oven,
refrigerator, and a full range of utensils. A 6-place setting of crockery
and cutlery is provided for period-hire customers and is supplemented
to a 12-place setting for day-hire customers. Hand and tea towels
are provided.
Click photos for larger view. |
|
| The bathroom is equipped with a toilet,
hand-basin, sit-bath shower unit and razor point. A large bath towel
and a hand towel are provided for each person on period hire. |
| Two single berths in the back cabin
can be converted into a cross-ways double berth. |
| Full central heating is provided to
provide comfortable accommodation all year round. |
 Steps
lead from the back cabin to a well deck over the engine. A side cupboard
stores the folding chairs and provides hanging space. Additional wet-weather
hanging space and open shelving are provided on the opposite side
together with the instrumentation panel.
The engine is a reliable Beta Marine 1505 diesel engine which is keel
cooled to provide trouble-free operation.
One step up from the well deck leads to the traditional stern. This
is larger than normal and two or three people can stand there without
impeding the steerer. |
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| ‘Lancing' |
 ‘Lancing’
is a traditional narrowboat built by Yarwoods of Northwich for the
Grand Union Canal Carrying Company in 1936. It was converted to passenger
carrying use in 1972 and has been owned and operated by Kennet Cruises
since 1977. Facilities have been improved over the years and ‘Lancing’
has returned to service in 2002 after a major refurbishment which
has seen the passenger accommodation totally replaced with a completely
weatherproof steel roof and fully glazed sliding windows and comfortable
seating. |
| ‘Lancing’ provides accommodation
for up to 44 passengers and 2 crew. The interior configuration can
be varied to provide accommodation for parties of up to 22 passengers
all seated at tables or with progressive removal of the tables additional
passengers can be carried. Without tables, but where food is to be
served it is advisable to limit the party size to 40 passengers. |
Click photos for larger view. |
| ‘Lancing’ is equipped with
a toilet and a bar serving canned beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks
and a range of coffees, tea and hot chocolate and snacks. Radio, tape
and CD equipment is available for passenger use. A PA system is also
in use. |
| Passenger access to ‘Lancing’
is via a wide cross deck which is at a similar height to our landing
stage and other regular boarding points. Four steps then lead down
into the saloon. The cross-deck and doorways are wide enough to accommodate
a wheel chair but at the present time a lift is not available. Wheel
chairs would have to be lifted down into the saloon and this would
be the responsibility of the party organisers. |
| ‘Lancing’ normally operates
from its base at Burghfield Bridge, Reading and from either Chestnut
Walk or Queens Road Car Park in central Reading to provide cruises
on the Kennet & Avon Canal between Reading and Aldermaston. |
| ‘Lancing’s’ passenger
licence gives it wide plying limits and it is able to operate anywhere
on the Kennet & Avon Canal between Blakes Lock, Reading and Hanham
Lock, Bristol; the River Wey; the Basingstoke Canal from its junction
with the Wey to Ash Vale; the Grand Union Canal from Brentford to
Aylesbury and the Paddington branch; the Regents Canal to Limehouse
and the Rivers Lee and Stort. We are open to offers to visit these
waterways in connection with special events. |
| Historically, ‘Lancing’
was No. 154 in the GUCC fleet and was associated with the butty ‘Langho’.
It was based primarily at Bulls Bridge, west London and operated over
the main line of the Grand Union canal. It was the first boat to be
repainted in the Yellow and Blue livery of the Docks and Inland Waterways
Executive on nationalisation in 1949 and this was the subject of a
Giles cartoon at the time. |
| Towards the end of its carrying career
Lancing capsized and sank in Regents Canal Dock when its cargo of
steel bars shifted trapping a young girl in the back cabin. Fortunately,
she survived in an air pocket and was safely recovered. ‘Lancing’
was converted to a passenger boat at Marple, Cheshire and first operated
on the Macclesfield Canal under the name of ‘Rainbow’.
The limited depth of the Macclesfield Canal in 1972 proved to be too
great a problem and it reverted to its original name and operated
with the Warwickshire Fly Boat Company at Hawkesbury Junction before
coming on to the K & A in 1977. During 2001 ‘Lancing’
has undergone a major refurbishment programme. |
Rosina
Emma
Lancing
Kennet
Cruises home
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