what is 'Boys boat trip'?
Boy's Boat Trip (or BBT) is a narrow-boat holiday for men only, organised every year in early October on the English canal system. It is generally a good excuse for the guys to get away from it all, drink a lot of beer, and forget about work!
are there other boat trips during the year?
Sometimes. Paul holds a license to sail yachts at sea so we have had a yacht trip or two in the summer months. But this tends to be less popular due to the cost and fact that drinking makes life a little dangerous!
how long is the trip?
One week. Usually Saturday till Saturday.
So what does it cost?
This depends on the size of the boat and how many people sign up. As of 2020, have around £200-£300 in mind. This pays for your place on the boat. We supply a healthy stash of beer for the boat, which we ask you to put roughly £15 towards. Then you only need your spending money for the week. A good guide line is £200-£300. This should cover all your pub food and pub drinks.
what about paying pub bills?
This can be a messy situation, so we created the "Banker System".
Basically, a banker will be nominated at the start of the trip. You will give him £50 cash out of your budget, as will everyone on that boat. This is the main kitty, and the banker is in charge of it.
The banker will go to the bar and order all the drinks and food for everyone on that boat. He will pay the pub bill at the end as well. So basically the bill gets divided equally between each crew member. This avoids having to count up who had what, and fuss around with change, etc.
The banker will then notify the rest of the crew when the kitty is getting low and so everyone will deposit another £50.
It is not an exact science, but from experience £200-£300 for the week is a good budget to have in mind. But just be prepared that it may drift a bit higher depending on how much we are enjoying ourselves!
Basically, a banker will be nominated at the start of the trip. You will give him £50 cash out of your budget, as will everyone on that boat. This is the main kitty, and the banker is in charge of it.
The banker will go to the bar and order all the drinks and food for everyone on that boat. He will pay the pub bill at the end as well. So basically the bill gets divided equally between each crew member. This avoids having to count up who had what, and fuss around with change, etc.
The banker will then notify the rest of the crew when the kitty is getting low and so everyone will deposit another £50.
It is not an exact science, but from experience £200-£300 for the week is a good budget to have in mind. But just be prepared that it may drift a bit higher depending on how much we are enjoying ourselves!
where do i go on the first day?
On the first day (which is usually a Saturday), you will be emailed with the location you need to drive to. This is usually a pub close to the boat yard where we meet at 12 noon for lunch. Then we all go to the boat yard for 3pm.
Can i park my car at the boat yard?
Yes. Some boat yards restrict the number of cars within a group or may charge a small fee, but we have not experienced any problems with this.
i don't drive or am traveling from abroad?
If you don't drive, let us know and we will collect you from the closest train station. Same goes for airports.
do i need sailing skills?
No. You will be shown how to sail the boat and work the locks. The rest of the time you can relax and drink!
what do i need to bring with me?
October can have great weather, and it can also be cold and wet! So prepare for both. Here is a checklist of some items to definitely bring along:
The boat yard usually provides bed linen, pillow, quilt and towels free of charge. You will be notified if this is not the case and therefore you will need to bring a sleeping bag and a towel.
- Water proof jacket & trousers
- Walking boots
- Sunglasses
- Wooly hat
- Gloves
- Warm coat
- Camera
The boat yard usually provides bed linen, pillow, quilt and towels free of charge. You will be notified if this is not the case and therefore you will need to bring a sleeping bag and a towel.
when does the trip end?
The trip ends one week later on the Saturday morning. We usually have the boat returned by 10am. We must give the boat a clean, pack all our bags and disembark. Ready to go by 11am easily.