Building quality narrowboats with honesty, pride and modern craftsmanship.

Central Boating was created with one goal — to build and transform narrowboats with the same care, precision and pride we’d put into our own. What started as a personal passion project has grown into a dedicated boat-building and refurbishment company, built on hard work, straight-forward communication and a genuine love for the canal lifestyle.

We’re not a huge operation, and we don’t pretend to be.
We’re a small, committed team who put time, skill and pride into every job we take on — whether it’s a simple interior upgrade, a full sailaway fit-out, or a completely bespoke new build.

Where It Started

After years of hands-on experience in construction, engineering and project management, we decided to bring our skills into a world we actually enjoy — narrowboats. Our first project, Gilly, showed us the demand for honest, high-quality refurbishment work done properly. From there, Central Boating was born.

Today we work on:

• modern narrowboat refurbishments

• full sailaway-to-finish fit-outs

• and fully bespoke new-build narrowboats

Each project is treated with the same passion, care and attention to detail as the first.

What We Stand For

Central Boating is built around three key values:

Honesty – We say it how it is. No hidden costs, no surprises, no overcomplicated jargon.
Quality – Good materials, proper craftsmanship and work that actually lasts.
Communication – Regular updates, photos, videos and clear progress from start to finish.

We believe a boat should feel like home — reliable, comfortable and built to suit the way you want to live.

Why People Choose Us

• Clean, modern finishes

• Proper off-grid electrical setups

• Reliable, long-lasting builds

• Transparent pricing

• Friendly, genuine customer service

• A passion for making every boat better than the last

We don’t rush projects or cut corners. We build boats properly, and we’re proud of it.

Our Vision

To grow Central Boating into one of the UK’s most trusted names in narrowboat renovations, fit-outs and custom new builds — without ever losing the craftsmanship, honesty and personal service that got us here.