Britain boasts over 7,000 miles of coastline, but it also has over 2,500 miles of navigable waterways (that’s 5,000 miles of shoreline if you count both banks). That is a very big playground. And playing in this great pond are over 70,000 boats registered by the Navigation Authorities.
Despite this huge number you can cruise most of the waterways with rarely a traffic jam in sight. You can visit historic sites and engineering wonders which span the centuries, but never be far from a good pub or restaurant. Whether cruising through the centre of London or visiting tiny English villages, you can more up on the canal bank almost anywhere you wish for up to 14 days
So it is no wonder that the number of boats and boaters on the waterways has increased year on year in recent times. The majority of these boaters have always been local; a close knit tribe that shares a secret way of life which is slow, stress free and wonderfully sociable. A tribe, however, that warmly welcomes newcomers, where the rite of passage is just a chat by a lock or an ale in a local pub.
It is no secret that our nautical neighbours on the coastline are selling more and more boats into the Euro and Dollar markets. Is it possible that the Inland waterways are due for surge of interest from the continent and across the pond? Well, the Europeans have their own canals and I have met a fair number who enjoy the tranquillity of the English system. High profile visitors from the States such as Harrison Ford have raised interest levels back home and we now see a yearly influx of Americans who are beginning to see the advantages of owning in the UK.
The area which may be the ripest for International expansion may be the “second home” type of boat, or the corporate “pied a terre” which offers a real alternative to high hotel rates. Boatshed Grand Union has several prime examples of these alongside their traditional narrowboats. A luxurious Dutch Barge with moorings just a short taxi ride from Heathrow and an easy commute from London, offers the corporate or private buyer a wonderful home from home, which can be moved to the centre of London or the tranquillity of the rural Thames on demand. A houseboat on a permanent mooring just off the Thames, built by Kew Steam Museum has two bedrooms and spacious roof terrace with views of Syon Park. Smaller, but even more impressively located are two narrow boats on moorings in the very heart of London. All of these offer, investment potential as well as an opportunity to live on the water and management services are easily arranged for the overseas buyer .
For the international investor or holidaymaker who wants to take advantage of the weak pound, there has never been a better opportunity to get afloat in Inland Britain.