News

BUDDUG RESTORED

We've spent the winter painting upgrading our Cheshire Cat fleet and restoring our new training boat to her original paint scheme.

CHESHIRE CAT 5 PAGE FEATURE IN CANALS RIVERS + BOATS

Canals, Rivers and Boats Magazine's has printed a huge 5 page feature on Cheshire Cat and the holiday the intrepid reporters Gerry and Anne Mulvaney recently undertook on our Silver Moon - read the February 2012 issue of the magazine to find out what they thought of her!

Click here to read the article (PDF)

OVERWATER MARINA WINS 3 AWARDS IN A ROW

The beautiful marina where our boats are based has just won 3 awards in a row! The first was 5 Gold Anchors from the Yacht Harbour Association/British Marine Federation, which is like a star rating for marinas. Overwater is the first ever canal marina to be awarded the maximum of five!

The second award was Best Startup Business of 2011 by the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce.

The third is the Environment Award from the Marine Trade Association. A prestige award which highlights the whole design and operation of Overwater Marina.

CONGRATULATIONS OVERWATER MARINA!!!

CHESHIRE CAT LEADING THE WAY

This article from Waterways World News: Is ‘Summer Breeze’ the first narrowboat with the new Trust logo? Suddenly, having the 20-year-old ‘bridge and bulrush’ logo of British Waterways painted on your boat alongside the registration number is going to look so very last year, darling. When Audlem-based Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays had their hireboat Summer Breeze repainted in November, they asked signwriter Rob Wagg to include the new Canal & River Trust logo alongside the registration number. “Could this be the first boat to feature the new logo?” asks Cheshire Cat’s owner Linda Andrews, after the boat was launched at the end of November.

FOLLOW THE OLYMPIC TORCH

It has been announced that the Olympic Torch will cross the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct by narrowboat on Wednesday 30th May 2012.

The timing of this couldn't be better as it will give our guests a really good chance to see this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.  Anyone taking out a boat on the week of 26th/27th May can easily be at Froncysyllte midweek. The torch arrives in Chester on 29th May, leaving the next morning en route to the Aqueduct. Other places close to the canal that the torch will visit that day are Gnosall on the Shropshire Union, and Stoke on Trent - these are also popular midweek stops for our boaters.

On Thursday 31st May the torch can be seen in Stoke on Trent, Burslem, Middleport (all on the Four Counties Ring), Macclesfield, Runcorn and Warrington.

SILVER MOON ON TEST

Canals, Rivers and Boats Magazine's intrepid reporters Gerry and Anne Mulvaney recently took our Silver Moon for a short break - read the February 2012 issue of the magazine to find out what they thought of her.

ANOTHER GREEN STEP

We have recently taken another step towards our goal of providing greener boating holidays, by switching to a renewable energy supplier.

Very much aware that the weekly laundry is a big user of electricity, we set about researching the market for a green alternative.  There is currently only one supplier, Good Energy Ltd, which sources 100% of its power from renewables, ie solar, wind and water power.  The switch will be made this week.

We have already cut energy and water use by investing in a triple A rated washing machine, and utilising the sun and wind to dry the laundry (its called a washing line, remember those?)  Further savings have been made by replacing worn out sheets and duvet sets with good quality non-iron bedlinen, thus avoiding what we regard as an energy-guzzling, pointless chore.  No prizes for guessing that the old stuff is being recycled into rags for the engineer, and for brass polishing.

We are already trying to do our bit for the environment by  using email and the internet for advertising and correspondence,  thus reducing paper, ink and fuel used to cart bits of paper round the country. This is the reason why we do not produce a large, glossy brochure,

Our guests can do their bit too – by using the recycling bags we supply on each of our boats, and to minimise diesel use by keeping to the speed limit, and filling locks slowly to avoid the need for a lot of revving to keep the boat still.

See an article on Narrowboat World about our Green Holidays

SECURE TROUSERS ALERT!

This has to be a contender for this years "most bizarre way to fall in" award. One of our guests was just stepping off the boat when his trousers descended to his knees, effectively hobbling him, and in he went. Can anybody better that one?

Newly Qualified Gas Safe Engineer

We are pleased to announce that our fleet engineer, Mark Edwards has now qualified as a registered Gas Safe Engineer.  With this comes peace of mind, knowing that all our boats are in tip-top order and comply with all the latest safety standards.  Mark is also available to undertake work on private boats. Phone 07970 384047 for details.

RYA Training Courses

We are now offering certified boat handling courses!
www.cheshirecattraining.co.uk