Now recruiting

Want to work on a hotel boat, cruising the English canals? We are recruiting crew for this summer, our 2012 season.

Snipe and Taurus are two 70ft x 7ft traditional narrowboats which work together offering cruises on the canals and rivers of England and Wales and accommodate up to 8 guests per week. We require crew to join us - owner-operators Corinne and Neil. It is important that you have willingness to learn new and interesting skills, whilst having lots of fun! If you are looking for a way to travel, work and experience something completely new, then this may be the job for you.

We are a family business and while the job is sometimes very hard work, it is also a lot of fun – what better way to work and travel around the country? We meet wonderful friendly people amongst our passengers and other boaters, and we get to visit some of the most beautiful parts of the country.

We ideally employ at least one member of crew for the full season (mid-April until mid-October), however if you are at college/university until mid june (for example), we will still consider you. However, please consider your application seriously, as it’s not one of those jobs that are ‘fun for just a month’. This is a live-in position and all your meals are included. We cannot offer shared accommodation, however if you are a couple and do not consider this to be a problem, we would welcome your application. You will live and work on the boats full-time and will therefore travel throughout the country. There aren’t many jobs that offer you a different destination every time you get a day off!

Quote from one of our former crew:

Working on Snipe and Taurus was simultaneously the busiest and most relaxed I’ve ever been. The work is neverending and you’ll find yourself doing fourteen-hour days without even noticing – luckily there’s always a pub nearby where you can relax afterwards! You’ll learn a boatload (excuse the pun) of new skills, or maybe just hone the ones you already have; either way Corinne and Neil are enthusiastic and patient teachers.

It can be hard sometimes, like all jobs, but the beautiful sights and interesting people you meet along the way make it all worthwhile. It’s a combination of cooking, chambermaiding and physical labour. An odd mix, maybe, but I found it so fulfilling that I insisted on going to work on my friend’s boat the following year! You have to be good with people, not mind a bit of rain, and enjoy cake. As I recall, those are the only rules…if it sounds like it might be your cup of tea, it probably is.

Please also note, as we work very closely with all crew we prefer to interview applicants, so you must be prepared to attend an interview with possible travel involved to Warwick to see the boats.

Duties vary each day, which for the adventurous makes the job more appealing as there are opportunities to learn new skills. Essential qualities we look for are that you are physically fit and enjoy life outdoors, in all weathers. Daily tasks include kitchen duties (vegetable preparation, making a cake or dessert) and housekeeping (making the beds and occasionally cleaning the toilets!). If you are fit, active and enthusiastic, experience is not an issue as training for all aspects will be provided. We can also assist you if you are interested in obtaining a Boat Masters licence, as a lot of the boat handling skills that you will learn with us can contribute to the completion of your log-book.

To apply, email us a CV to info@canalvoyagers.com or visit our facebook fan page at http://t.co/1vk2ybu8 and send us your details.