Without HireHelm
Your booking calendar is a spreadsheet that only one person understands
Changeover days are chaos because you're not sure which boats are coming back when
Customers phone to check availability and you have to ring them back after checking the diary
You've lost track of which boats need their next service or gas safety check
Security bond returns take days because you're doing them manually via bank transfer
With HireHelm
Weekly & Short-Break Bookings
Handle Saturday-to-Saturday lets, short breaks, and midweek slots with flexible availability rules.
Handover Checklists
Digital pre-departure checklists ensure every customer leaves with a safe, well-prepared boat.
Fleet Maintenance Tracking
Schedule services, track engine hours, and flag boats that need attention before the next booking.
Deposits & Balance Payments
Take deposits at booking and automatically collect balances before arrival. Security bonds handled too.
See HireHelm in Action
Weekly Narrowboat Hire
Sat–Sat changeover · 4 boats
Everything included
Everything You Need to Run Your Narrowboat Fleet
Every feature is included with your HireHelm plan. No add-ons, no hidden costs.
Flexible Duration Booking
Set up weekly, short-break, or custom duration hire periods. Manage turnaround days and seasonal pricing with ease.
Automated Customer Comms
Send booking confirmations, pre-arrival information packs, directions to the marina, and post-trip follow-ups automatically.
Digital Handover Process
Walk customers through a digital checklist at collection. Record the boat's condition with photos and notes.
Maintenance Scheduling
Track engine hours, schedule BSS checks, and log maintenance history per boat. Get alerts when services are due.
Damage & Bond Management
Record any damage at return, deduct from the security bond, and process refunds — all from the dashboard.
Seasonal Pricing Rules
Set peak, shoulder, and off-peak rates. Apply early-bird discounts or last-minute offers to fill gaps in your calendar.
Keep exploring
More from HireHelm
Dive into the UK software guides, the full feature set, or another craft type.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is HireHelm suitable for a single narrowboat or a whole fleet?+
Both. Start with one boat and add more — or multiple bases — on the same account at no extra per-boat cost. The central calendar shows every narrowboat's availability, changeover day and maintenance status in one place.
Can it handle Saturday-to-Saturday changeovers and short breaks?+
Yes. Set weekly lets, short breaks and midweek slots with turnaround days built in, so two bookings can never overlap a changeover. Seasonal pricing, early-bird and last-minute rules fill the gaps in your calendar automatically.
Does it track BSS certificates, engine hours and servicing?+
It does. Log engine hours per boat, schedule Boat Safety Scheme checks and routine servicing, and get flagged before a boat is due — so you never hand over a narrowboat that's overdue an inspection.
How are security bonds and damage handled?+
Take the deposit and balance automatically before arrival and hold a security bond. At return, record any damage with photos against the booking, deduct from the bond and refund the rest from the dashboard — no manual bank transfers.
Can guests book directly on my own website?+
Yes. HireHelm shows live availability and takes direct bookings on your site, so you keep the customer and the margin rather than paying commission to a holiday portal. You can still take phone and email bookings into the same calendar.
How is HireHelm different from a generic booking tool or spreadsheet?+
It's built only for boat hire, so changeovers, BSS, bonds and handovers are native rather than bolted on. It also links to verified GotAPal reviews from real paid hires and estate payment rails — things a spreadsheet or a generic activity-booking app simply can't do.