Hire a narrowboat or river cruiser from its owner
Britain's waterways, shared by the people who love them.
Hire a narrowboat, river cruiser or dayboat directly from the owner. Available for a weekend, a week, or just an afternoon adrift.
Where you can cruise
2,000 miles of inland waterway, on your terms.
Our story
Boating holidays, made for everyone.
BoatStays emerged from a passion for slow holidays along Britain's network of rivers and canals. It only made sense to create a platform letting more people live those magical moments on the water.
No two boats are the same. Whether you're an owner seeking extra income or a first-time boater looking for something different, BoatStays connects the people who know their boat best with those ready to discover the waterways.
Safety, community and environmental preservation are at the core of everything we do.
How it works
Booked in minutes. Crewed by you.
Find your boat
Browse owner-hosted boats across England, Wales and Scotland.
Book live
See real-time availability and confirm dates with a few clicks.
Cast off
Meet the owner, get your handover, and slip into waterway time.
For boat owners
Your boat earns when you're not aboard.
List in minutes. Set your own calendar, prices and house rules. We handle bookings, payments, and host approval on every guest request.
- You approve every guestBank-authenticated card on file, plus optional ID checks.
- Live calendarSync with iCal. Block out your own trips.
- Owner-set pricingYou choose nightly rates, deposit and minimum stay.
One week's rental covers your commercial insurance top-up - everything after that is yours.
Founding Owners
Become a Founding Owner.
List your boat before 30 September 2026 and pay 0% commission on every booking for your first season - right up until 1 January 2027. That's every penny of our 15% cut, back in your pocket. List now and your boat earns from day one.
What we believe
Boating holidays, made accessible.
BoatStays exists to open Britain's inland waterways to a wider audience affordably, safely, and in a way that supports the communities along them.
Passion for boating
Built by people who grew up on these waterways.
Supporting our waterways
3% of every booking goes to The Rivers Trust and the waterway authorities that keep the network running.
A real community
Owner-hosted means a warmer welcome and honest local advice.
Safe and secure
Verified owners, licensed and insured boats, payments held until check-in.