Watermark is available for hire by Society members only.
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Annual Timetable
| Early January | Members of the Society will be invited to participate in the ballot for holiday dates in early January. Ballot details, available dates and hire fees will be sent to members at the time. |
| Late January | The Committee will inform members of allocated hire weeks based on members’ 1st, 2nd and 3rd ballot choices. |
| February | Deposits must then be paid to secure bookings. Any unallocated weeks will be publicised here for members to request. |
| March | Hire season starts at the end of the month |
| October | Hire season ends at the end of the month |
| Winter | Boat maintenance |
2026 Availability
The ballot for the 2026 season is now complete, so booking is now open to all other Society members. All weeks still available are listed below. Priority is given to those wanting to hire for a full week, but shorter hires are possible within a month of the hire date. If you are interested in hiring, please contact the Bookings Secretary to confirm availability. Payment of the £300 deposit will secure the booking.
| Hire date | Cost |
| 30th March 6th April 13th April | £900 |
| 27th April 4th May 11th May | £1100 |
| 18th May 8th June 15th June 22nd June 6th July 13th July 20th July 10th August | £1250 |
| 28th September | £1100 |
| 12th October 19th October 26th October | £900 |
Collection
Our allotted collection slot is on a Monday, at 3pm. If you are going to be late please ring the boatyard and advise them (telephone number 0121 445 1133).
Report to reception on arrival. Boatyard staff will advise you where you can park your car for unloading. Please do not start to load your luggage on to the boat until you have checked in.
Check that your bed linen has been correctly supplied, and also that you have the right buoyancy aids, if you have ordered them for children. You will also be provided with bouyancy aids if you intend to spend any time at all on the River Avon, which is accessible from Alvechurch.
All hirers and their adult crew crew will be asked to undergo basic training on boat handling and use of locks, together with a Technical and Domestic Handover. The latter covers the location and use of all deck and safety gear – the water, power and gas supply (operation of the inverter, central heating, cooker, refrigerator, shower unit and toilet) – engine and maintenance (starting up and stopping drills).
Additional Boat Handling training is compulsory for first time hirers and those who have not hired Watermark during the previous 2 seasons. You will be shown how to handle Watermark, including introducing you to the Boat Manual, including the canal code, locking leaflet and water safety advice. A member of the Marina staff will remain on board as you start off along the canal to ensure you can handle Watermark appropriately.
Ask as many questions as you need during this handover period. The boat manual contains contact details for the boatyard in case of difficulty while cruising, but it’s much better to be clear before you depart.
Please keep dogs on a lead while you are in the marina.
Return
Watermark should be returned by 9.00am on the final day of the hire period, mooring at the facilities area for refuelling and a pump out before finally mooring in the permanent bay. You should then vacate Watermark within 30 minutes. Late returners may forfeit part or all of their deposit. Please do not linger on the boat.
It is very helpful if Watermark is handed back in a clean condition internally and with the inventory arranged as on handover. Please be sure to report any breakages so that the yard can restock the boat for the next crew.
Should you have experienced any technical problems which you did not report at the time of happening, please ensure that you tell the boatyard’s engineers before you leave.
Cancellation
We strongly advise you to take out appropriate holiday insurance to cover your own personal possessions, including cancellation cover, as mentioned in the Conditions of Hire.
The Society has a clear policy of cancellation charges. In the unfortunate event of you having to cancel your holiday, you will be charged as shown below.
| When we are… | Charge |
| able to secure another booking for cancelled week | £50 |
| able to secure another booking for cancelled week at discount rate | £50 + discount |
| unable to secure a new booking and you gave 3 months’ notice or more | 50% of hire fee |
| unable to secure a new booking and you gave between 6 weeks and 3 months’ notice | 75% of hire fee |
| unable to secure a new booking and you gave less than 6 weeks’ notice | 100% of hire fee |
If you are considering the possibility of cancellation, then give as much notice as possible, in order to minimise the amount that you will have to pay.
Further Information
- House Rules
- Hints & Tips / FAQs
- Boat Yard Report Form
- Post-hire Questionnaire