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1. Booking
A boat is booked when a booking form together with 20% of the total hire fee to the nearest pound has been received and acknowledged by the Company. This booking can then only be altered or cancelled by the authorised person.
2. Balance of Hire Fees
The balance of hire fees is due to be paid to the Company 4 weeks before the start of your holiday. Published prices are subject to changes in V.A.T.
3. Cancellation
If you have to cancel, please telephone the company immediately and confirm the cancellation in writing. The company will then make every effort to re-let the boat for an administrative charge of 20% of the hire fee. If we are unable to re-let the boat, you remain responsible for the balance of the hire fees.
Our cancellation scheme is available only to residents of the UK.
4. Change of holiday dates/boat
Once your booking has been confirmed changes to dates and/or boat may be made up to 8 weeks before the start of your holiday for a £40.00 administration fee. Within 8 weeks of the start of your holiday cancellation charges will apply as in above paragraph.
5. Skipper and Crew
We regret that bookings by skippers under 21 cannot be accepted on 2 to 5 berth boats and by skippers under 25 on 6 to 8 berth boats.
For single sex crews and crews hiring more than one boat at least two crew members per boat must be over 30.
6. Helmsman
Minors must on no account be allowed to navigate boats unless an experienced adult is close at hand at all times, near the controls, so that they can take over in emergency. The Department of Trade and Industry do not allow more than twelve people to travel on any one vessel.
7. Damage Waiver & Security Deposit
For family bookings the damage waiver is included in the hire fee.
The Company reserves the right to charge a £250.00 security deposit on non family and all male/all female crews.
8. Insurance
Insurance of the craft with Third Party risks covered to £2,000,000 is included in the hire fee. In the event of an accident however small, you must notify the Company immediately by telephone with full details and names of witnesses and complete and insurance form. Hirers personal accident insurance remains the Hirers responsibility.
9. Service Call
The Company make every effort to prevent breakdowns. Should repairs be necessary they are the Companies responsibility and must not be put into the hands of others.
10. Hirer's Property
The Company cannot accept any liability for loss or damage to your property, baggage, motor cars etc. however caused.
11. Hire Periods
The hire period starts at 4.00pm on the Monday/Tuesday/Friday/Saturday, however every effort will be made to have your boat ready for 1.30pm and the boat may be boarded any time between 1.30pm and 3pm (after 3pm by prior arrangement with the boatyard). The time of departure will depend on the amount of servicing work, instruction required and staff availability. The hire period ends at 9.30am on the end date.
12. Taking Over
On arrival at the boat yard please check in at the office where you will be shown to your boat. Having unloaded and parked your car in the long term car park, let the office know that you are ready to receive your boat instruction. Having received your instruction you will be asked to sign a 'Boat Acceptance Certificate'. Further instruction in boat handling and lock operation will continue until you are confident.
13. Cruising
All craft are based at Linslade and are licensed to cruise the rivers and canals controlled by British Waterways. (The main independent waterways are the River Thames, Avon & Nene.) No craft may go on tidal waters except on the River Thames between Brentford and Teddington.
14. Return to Base
The boat must be returned on time in a clean and tidy condition. The Company reserves the right to charge for extra cleaning. Should the boat not be returned on time a charge of £50.00 for every hour or part of an hour is made until the safe return of the boat.
15. Navigation
You must not navigate the craft at a speed above 4 miles per hour or between sunset and sunrise. You must slow down when meeting other boats and passing moored boats. The horn must be sounded at all sharp turns. No craft may tow another craft.
16. Water Restrictions
The Company has no control over the canal system. In the event of canal closures due to engineering work, industrial action, flood, drought or obstruction the Company reserves the right to operate from alternative sites and make no financial adjustments in these circumstances. The Company cannot make any guarantee about the availability of any particular route.
17. Brochure and Website
Every effort is made to ensure that descriptions of craft are accurate but the Company will not accept liability for any inaccuracy that may exist. Plans are not necessarily to scale. Craft may be viewed by appointment before or after booking and we welcome the opportunity of showing you our boats.
18. Extra Persons
On some of the boats extra persons may be carried with the prior consent of the Company at £40.00 per week or £20.00 per short break per person. Please enquire when booking. The extra fees do not include bed or bedding. There is no extra charge for a child under 4.
19. Fishing
On no account may live bait or maggots be taken aboard.
20. Smoking
Smoking is not permitted inside the boats.
21. Bicycles and Canoes
Bicycles are not allowed on board except on 'Activity'. By prior arrangement a small folding bicycle may be carried provided it can be stowed under the cockpit seats. Under no circumstances may bicycles be carried on the roof. One canoe per boat may be carried on the roof.
22. Company's Reservations
A. The Company reserve the right to refuse to hand over a boat to any person, who in their opinion is not suitable to take charge of it. In this event all money will be refunded in full and the Hirers shall have no other claim against the Company.
B. The Company may repossess the boat at any time, if in its opinion the Hirer is not behaving responsibly and is a danger to himself and/or other canal users. The Hirer shall have no further claim on the Company.
C. If owing to circumstances beyond the control of the Company, the Company is unable to provide the boat booked or a suitable alternative, the Company will refund in full all moneys paid and the Hirer shall have no further claim against the Company.
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