Sharing the waterways.
Protecting them, too.
BoatStays is a boat-sharing platform for the UK's rivers and canals, built hand-in-hand with the values of the charities and authorities that look after them.
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.
2,000
miles
of inland waterway connecting communities across the UK.
3%
of every booking
goes to The Rivers Trust, which works to protect and restore the UK's rivers.
100%
owner-hosted
every boat is shared by the person who knows it best.
Who licenses the water you will be cruising
The bodies whose licences every boat carries.
Britain's rivers and canals are managed by a small number of navigation authorities. Which one applies depends on where a boat cruises, and every boat listed on BoatStays holds a current commercial licence with the relevant body. They are not partners of ours and they do not endorse BoatStays. The links below are for context, so owners and guests can see who sets the rules on each network.
Canal & River Trust
Guardians of 2,000 miles of historic canals and navigable rivers across England and Wales.
Visit site →Environment Agency
Cares for the non-tidal Thames, the Anglian network, the Medway and other major rivers.
Visit site →Broads Authority
Protects Britain's largest wetland. 125 miles of lock-free rivers and broads in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Visit site →Scottish Canals
Keepers of the Caledonian, Crinan, Forth & Clyde, Union and Monkland canals.
Visit site →A note on licences. Every boat hired through BoatStays carries a valid licence with the relevant navigation authority. If you'd like to understand what's involved, our get-licensed guide walks owners through the process for each.
Who we're for
A better deal for everyone on the towpath.
For boat owners
A hassle-free way to earn from your boat when you aren't aboard. You set the calendar, the rates, the welcome.
For guests
A warmer alternative to fleet hire. Meet the owner, hear the boat's story, find a stretch of waterway you'd never have booked otherwise.
For waterway authorities
More licensed activity from responsible owners, and 3% of every booking goes to The Rivers Trust.
For the environment
Helping more people experience the waterways firsthand builds the awareness that protects wildlife, water quality and habitats.
What we believe
Five values, one shared waterway.
Caring for the environment
The waterways are a living system. Every booking returns a share to The Rivers Trust, whose work covers water quality, habitats and river restoration. Future boaters get to inherit a healthier network than the one we found.
Passion for boating
We're boaters first. Built by people who grew up on these canals and rivers.
Community
Owner-hosted means real people, real welcomes and honest local advice on every stretch of the network.
Safety
Licensed and insured boats, ID-verified hosts, host-approved guests, and payments held until check-in.
Accessibility
Boating holidays open to a wider audience than ever before, across budgets, abilities and experience levels.
Safety & standards
Standards are what make owner-hosted hire work.
Boating is wonderful precisely because it's a bit wild! Moving water, working locks and ancient infrastructure are exactly why we don't treat safety as a tick-box. The standards below apply to every boat and every booking on BoatStays, and they're what lets guests trust an owner they've never met and lets owners hand their boat to strangers with confidence.
Hire boat BSS
Every hosted boat carries a valid hire boat Boat Safety Scheme certificate. A standard private certificate is not enough for hire use.
Properly licensed
A current licence with the relevant authority: CRT, Environment Agency, Broads or Scottish Canals, on every listing.
Fully insured
Third party and public liability cover of at least £2m for each claim, from an FCA authorised insurer, verified before a boat goes live.
Vetted owners
We verify licence, insurance and the hire boat BSS certificate before any boat goes live. Owners are ID-checked and run a proper in-person handover with every guest.
Host-approved guests
Every guest confirms their email and pays with a bank-authenticated card. Hosts approve every booking, and can require ID-verified guests on their listing.
On-water support
A real person on the phone seven days a week, with a clear incident process for both hosts and guests.
Honest reviews
Two-way reviews on every booking. Owners and guests both rate each other. No fake stars.
Environmental care
Pump-out compliance, no-wash speeds and wildlife guidance shared with every guest before they cast off.
Owners: the full licensing detail... who licenses what, costs, and timelines. All lives in our get-licensed guide.
