Boats

The keys to our new boat Waterstart were handed over at a ceremony on board on December 17th 2004 when Peter McNestery of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust presented representatives of our staff, volunteers and trainees with a cheque for £225,000.
The steel shell of the 55’ x 10’ broad beam boat was fabricated by J & P Boats Ltd. of Dewsbury and fitted out by local boat builders Louis & Joshua here at Thorne.
The vessel is licensed to carry a maximum of twelve people, plus three crewmembers, and can accommodate up to four accompanied wheelchair users on each trip. Being specifically designed for varied use as a community boat, the barge consists of a large, centrally-heated, classroom-configured cabin incorporating a galley area. On board; participants on our programmes are able to access up-to-date computer and audio-visual equipment to enhance their learning experience and produce a tangible record of their individual progression and achievement. We have secured funding to enable us to operate the boat for the next two and a half years and with a growing number of fully-qualified skippers and crew we are able to fully utilise the craft for a variety of community-centred training, social and educational initiatives. One of only a small number of such purpose-built boats in the country, ‘Waterstart’ will soon become a regular sight plying the inland waterways of Yorkshire helping in its own unique way to enrich the lives of many hundreds of residents living in the towns and villages linked by the rivers and canals; all sharing a rich industrial and social heritage, and now embracing the new challenges presented by an ever-changing world.