Hiring a London Boat, what style boat to choose and why

Boat for hire on the Thames in London are like people – they come in a variety of shapes and sizes each more suited to a different situation! You can choose a more modern vessel with contemporary finishes and smooth lines, or alternatively you can opt for a completely different style such as a replica Mississippi paddle steamer, or a traditional wooden panelled boat. There are speed boats, jet boats, party boats, disco cruise boats, Sailing barges, slipper launches and power boats all available to charter.

The amount of people that you are planning to include on your trip is something that affects the vessel you choose fairly considerably. You can’t fit 60 people in a small London speed boat although you can charter a fleet of identical Thames speed boats and cater for over 100 people in this way. If you are after a dinner cruise or disco cruise style charter in London and have low numbers there are scheduled Thames dinner cruises and disco cruises you can buy tickets to join. If you have higher numbers then it would be cost effective to look at a private charter of a Thames party boat.

Common sense prevails here, there is no point chartering a boat that can hold 350 if you only have 20 people. However depending on the type of function you may need to allow extra space so a bigger boat may be required. For example if you are having bigger entertainment options such as casino tables or a live band, then you may want to opt for a slightly bigger vessel.

As always in England, the weather is a factor that is advisable to take into account! For example, if you wish to use a boat with an open upper deck such as the M.V. Erasmus Thames party boat for a sight seeing trip, then it is best to book in the summer months to avoid disappointment! Alternatively, if you do not wish to go outside, you may prefer a London party boat with less open space such as the M.V. Golden Salamander. During the winter months, the boats are heated so there is no need to worry about being cold, particularly once the dancing is underway!

Another factor that you should consider when chartering a boat on the Thames in London is the sort of catering options required. For example, whilst menu options are generally vast across the board, some vessels are not appropriate for every menu. For example, on the M.V. Edwardian, whilst she is suitable for up to 100 people, if it is a silver service dinner you are looking for, she can only hold up to 60 people.

If you are after a static charter where the boat remains alongside the pier and doesn’t cruise on the Thames, the Havengore is a perfect option. She is a very British boat that was viewed by 350 million people world wide when carrying Winston Churchill on his funeral – needless to say, there is a lot of history attached to her! The Havengore’s base outside the new Hilton Hotel in the docks by Canary Wharf places her in a stunning location, particularly if you are lucky enough to catch the sun setting over the vast glass buildings of the city.

For a thrilling, adrenaline filled trip along the Thames, why not chose a RIB or Jet boat? These are fast manoeuvrable boats, capable of doing exciting tricks. They are an innovative way to impress business clients that shows flare and style, or alternatively, they can be used for transfer purposes to get to gigs at the O2 Dome, or just to play on the river!

Keith McGregor is a partner of Strawberrysoup, a web design agency with offices in Chichester and Bournemouth. Strawberrysoup specialise in creative web design, content managed websites, search engine optimisation, search engine marketing and graphic design