Day Boats
The pleasures of boating on the Royal River Thames
Light and shade, sun and shadows, rippling water, a different pace of life, these are the things you will appreciate in a day spent on the river.
The rush of driving along busy roads, of queuing in congested towns will fade into the background as you travel at a gentle pace, your own pace, where the beauty of the surrounding scene is something you and all in your party can see and enjoy.
Travelling upstream, a day’s cruising from Datchet will bring you to towns such as Royal Windsor and, on the opposite bank, Eton, then the pretty village of Bray and a little way farther on Maidenhead with its memories of Edwardian punting heydays.
At the limit of your cruising range are Boulter’s Lock and the beech-wooded heights of Cliveden. Throughout the greater part of your trip the Round Tower of Windsor Castle remains a still and familiar landmark.
Use our our live availability to find your chosen boat and date, click the boat that suits your party and scroll down to the availability calendar. We will require a credit/debit card to reserve the boat, but as we don’t take payment until the day of hire, bookings can currently only be made by telephone.
First time on a boat?
One of our instructors will show you the controls of the boat, explain operating procedures and demonstrate where necessary. You will be supplied with a map of the river showing moorings, pubs, restaurants and toilets along the river as well as being given information about the rules of navigation. In inclement weather the canvas top can be raised, similar to a large pram hood to provide cover for everyone on-board.
Picnic, Pub or Restaurant?
No matter which way you choose to cruise, downstream through Runnymede or upstream through Windsor, there are many pubs, restaurants and picnic places along the river to choose from. You can plan ahead and pre-book a pub or restaurant, or sit back and relax and see where the mood takes you. Moor between some trees, hide away on an Island for a secluded picnic, or stop on a large field and spread out your picnic blanket, the choice is yours !
Pets
Pets are welcome on all our day boats. Subject to the size of the dog we suggest for comfort you allow the pet as a person and we recommend a maximum of 2 pets per boat, please feel free to contact us if you have more than two pets.
Arrival Procedure
On arrival, please register in our office before parking your vehicle. We operate a fleet of holiday cruisers and spaces may have been reserved for the whole week. If there is space available, you will be given a car parking permit to display inside your windscreen. Once full, there are 2 car parks in Datchet. The railway station car park in the Avenue is a 2 minute walk and costs from £1.40 to £9.90, Horton Road is less than a 5 minute walk and costs from 80p to £7 for the day. Parking is free for Disabled and free for all on Bank Holidays.
Boats For Hire
BOOKINGS:
Day Hire:
We are located near Windsor and our boats are collected and returned to our base in Datchet, and are available for hire from 9am to 5pm April to October. To hire a boat during the months November through to March, please phone with your enquiry. Boat availability is subject to river conditions and daylight.
Weekends & Bank Holiday Advance Bookings:
The minimum booking in advance May through to September is for the whole day and during April and October, (excluding bank holidays) is 4 hours. You are welcome to telephone us within 48 hours of the date you require the boat on 01753 543930, as we may be able to offer you the possibility to book a shorter hire.
Monday to Friday Advance Bookings: (excluding Bank Holidays)
The minimum booking in advance May through to September is for 4 hours and during April and October, (excluding bank holidays) is 2 hours. You are welcome to telephone us within 48 hours of the date you require the boat on 01753 543930, as we may be able to offer you the possibility to book a shorter hire.
November to March
Subject to river conditions boats are available from 9am to 3pm with a minimum hire of 2 hours and must be booked in advance.
Making a Booking:
On confirmation that your chosen boat and date are available, we will require your name, a contact phone number for the day of your arrival, an arrival time and your credit/debit card details. We will also require an email address so we can send you a booking confirmation. Payment is made in full on the day and can be made in cash or credit/debit card.
To book a day boat please call us on 01753 543930.
Office Opening Hours:
January 8am to 4.30pm – Closed Sundays
February 8am to 5pm – Closed Sundays
March 8am to 5.30pm
April to October 8am to 5.30pm
November 8am to 5pm – Closed Sundays
December 8am to 4.30pm – Closed Sundays
Security Deposit: Mixed Groups:
On arrival you will be required to pay a security deposit of £200. The simplest method is in Cash. This will then be returned to you when you return your boat on time, in a clean and tidy condition, without being involved in any accidents or any loss or damage to the boat or its equipment. If using a card, this will be done on a Pre-Authorisation and your card Must Be Present, as it is not possible to take security deposits by mobile phone. On return of your boat on time etc, we will release your deposit within 24 hours. Please be aware most banks are then taking a minimum of 2 weeks to release deposits, with Starling, Monzo, Tide, Metro, Capital One and HSBC known to take over 4 weeks to release deposits. Boats returned late or in a dirty condition will be charged a minimum of Double the hourly rate.
All Male & All Female Groups:
Due to previous damage and behaviour problems, we no longer take bookings for All Male or All Female groups, unless you have previously hired from us and the boat was returned on time in a clean and tidy condition. On arrival you will need to show photo ID and you will be required to pay a £500 CASH security deposit. This will be refunded when the boat is returned on time, in a clean and tidy condition and without being involved in any accident or any loss or damage to its equipment. Boats returned late or in a dirty condition will be charged a minimum of Double the hourly rate.
Security Deposit: Excess Amounts of Alcohol: (No spirits allowed)
If in our opinion excess amounts of Beer/Wine are being taken on board, you we will be required to pay a £300 CASH Security Deposit. This will be refunded when the boat is returned on time, in a clean and tidy condition and without being involved in any accidents or any loss or damage to its equipment. Boats returned late or in a dirty condition will be charged a minimum of Double the Hourly Rate. Spirits of any kind are not permitted on-board.
Cancellation:
You can cancel your booking up to 9am the day before the day of hire without incurring any charge. Bookings of 2 or more boats will need to be cancelled by 9am 2 days before the day of hire, 3 boats 3 days, 4 boats 4 days etc.
If you cancel your booking outside this time schedule, a cancellation fee of 50% of the hire cost is payable.
Payments: Payment is made in full on the day by
