Fifteen shares find new owners

The Braunston Boat Share Show helped fifteen more families find a share in a boat managed by one of the sponsoring companies - BCBM, Carefree Cruising and Ownashare.  All three companies reported share sales.

The event was attended by around 200 people, all with an interest in shared ownership, either as prospective purchasers during the show or researching the way it all works and the range of boats available for the most cost effective waterways holidays.

Braunston Boat Share Show 2015

Apart from the sponsor companies, the event was supported by a number of exhibitors - all of whom have advertisements on this site.  They are listed (with links) in the Show Guide.

The event is held through the generosity of Braunston Marina and its owner, Tim Coghlan.  In recognition of this, boatshare4u.co.uk is donating £1,000 to Tim's chosen charity, The Friends of Raymond, on behalf of the sponsoring companies.

Great first day at the Show

Over 150 visitors attended the first day of the Braunston Boat Share Show.  All three of the sponsoring companies reported share sales, the weather held up and the J18 snack van kept everyone well fed.

If you didn't make it today, the show is still on tomorrow from 10 am to 4pm.  Don't wait till Crick - there is more about shared ownersip narrowboats at Braunston this weekend than there can possibly be at a large event like that - the Boat Share Show is just about shared ownership narrowboats, with lots of expertise and experience available to anyone interested.

I hope to see you there.

We're on the starting blocks for the Boat Share Show

The marquee is up, Carefree Cruising's new boat Lilaea has been craned in and is getting the final bit of signwriting done and some of the BCBM boats are already in place.  Braunston Marina - and the Boat Share Show - is the place to be this weekend.

Lilaea gets the final signwriting done in preparation
for the Boat Share Show this weekend.

Lilaea hits the Braunston road

Lilaea, Carefree Cruising's brand new boat, is now on a lorry en route for Braunston.  It will be craned into the water at Braunston Marina on Thursday ready to be viewed by visitors to the Boat Share Show on Saturday and Sunday.

Lilaea - on the lorry and off to Braunston

While Lilaea will be the newest boat at the show, Serenade and Swallow - both managed by BCBM - will share the honours for being the oldest.  Both were launched in 1994.  

So the ages of boats on show will vary from 'new born' to 21, share prices range from £995 to £10,950 and lengths range from 40ft to 62ft.  Spoilt for choice!

Sojourn shares sold

Since I posted information about Sojourn being the oldest of the boats on show at the Braunston Boat Share Show next weekend (25th and 26th April) all her available shares have been sold!

That's great news for the former owners of the shares and for the new owners who will be enjoying their holidays on board.  But it does mean that Sojourn will not be at the show.

If you see Sojourn when you're out, do have a word with the owners - they may be new to shared ownership and glad to have a chat.

The smallest of the boats on show at Braunston
will be Little Dawn at just 40ft.  Shares in this
2009 boat are available at £5,495

There's still plenty to see at Braunston, with boats ranging from 40ft to 62ft, launch dates from 1994 to 2015 and share prices from £995 to £10,950.

All the shares currently available from the management companies are listed here and you can view or download the Show Guide here.

Show guide on line

A show guide has been produced for this year's Boat Share Show which you can read or download here.

The guide has links to the show sponsors, Braunston Marina and all the exhibitors together with a plan of the marina showing where everything is.

You can download the guide, print it off and bring it with you - or just pop into the marquee when you get to the show and pick a copy up from the Welcome Desk.

Sad news

I've just heard the sad news that, due to personal illnesses, Ownashare will not be able to bring any of the boats they manage to the Braunston Boat Share Show next week.

We are very sorry to hear this, and wish the Ownashare team all the very best in dealing with these difficulties.

Heartsease - Ownashare's newest boat - was due to
be at the show but unfortuantely now can't be. 
Full details will be available at the Ownashare stand
in the main marquee.

I've made some changes to the arrangements in the show marquee, so there will now be an Ownashare stand there - right next to the 'Welcome Desk' - with information about their boats and the services they provide.

Hot food at the show

The J18 Burger Van will be providing hot food at the Boat Share Show - as well as tea, coffee and other snacks - the full menu is here.

The van will be serving into the end of the marquee, where there are tables and chairs so that visitors can sit, eat and chat.

The Macmillan volunteers who usually provide tea and cakes to show visitors will not be there this year as they have a major fund-raising event in Northampton.  We wish them every success in that.

Nineteen boats coming to Braunston

There will be nineteen shared ownership narrowboats to view at the Braunston Boat Share Show on Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th April.

The boats attending include Adagio, Dawn Chorus, Dawn Mist, Dragonfly, Enterprise, Heartsease, Lilaea (new this year), Little Dawn, Oakmere, Serenade, Shadow, Shearwater, Sojourn, Sundowner, Swallow, Viceroy and Winding Down.

Launched in 1993, Sojourn is the 'old lady' of this
year's Braunston Boat Share Show.  She's a 58ft
semi-trad boat with an unusual 7 berths.
The bunks in the rear cabin can sleep
up to 3 people, but can also be arranged to
provide two single bunks or a double bed.
Our first share was in Sojourn,
so we know her well.

All of the boats on view are managed by one of the professional management companies who sponsor the event - BC Boat Management, Carefree Cruising and Ownashare Cruising.

Shares are on offer in all these boats, ranging in asking price from £950 up to £10,950.  The boats vary in length from 40ft up to 62ft and in age from brand new up to 22 years old, so they represent a good cross section of the 96 shares currently on offer from these companies and listed here.

The show - at Braunston Marina (NN11 7JH)  - starts at 10am each day, with free parking and admission.