Shannon cruiser hire

FirstIn

Folks , there are a number of companies renting cruisers. When it comes to selecting which one to use is it as simple as the best deal? I’m looking for a boat for 2024 as it’s a celebration for a 50th.

I wonder do they have any issues with groups of men? Though for 50 yr olds it’s more relax with the Irish times , lyric fm on and later a nice glass of vino with dinner than the antics of the younger male.

fergal.b

Lots of good deals around at the moment there seems to a big drop in hire boats on the Shannon this year so they would all love your business no matter who you bring with you 😉 pick one that is handy for you to pick up or drop off, enjoy.

AndyBoBandy

We always went away as a group of lads on a boat... in 2011 we took 2 of the largest boats from Emerald Star as we were a massive group of about 18-20..

Recently I've gone with the family 2 adults & 1 child) with CarrickCraft and both companies were always fine to deal with. It's just a case of finding the best deal, and from the best location to rent from for yourselves (personally I love starting in Carrick on Shannon, and heading south).

If you've never done it before prepare to be amazed.

zg3409

They dont mind large groups so long as you dont overload capacity of boat and beds.

Downside of large groups is you can't leave until everyone arrives and same at each port.

Beware some locations are better than others. Some have multiple locks that can cause hours of delays and have queues of boats. Erne can be bad for this.

Worse locations are typically cheaper. Cost of fuel may be extra and it can be $$$ if you motor all day.

Try to tie up before 5pm as many marinas get totally full after 5pm and you may end up not being able to tie up or being hit by other boats on the outside of yours.

Years ago I counted 18 providers in Shannon and erne. Shop around, haggle, go mid week, off peak etc. Often crappier older boats are cheaper, you often get what you pay for.

If you want to go one way you may be limited in choices otherwise you need to spend half your trip back tracking back to beginning. Don't go too far as you may be in a panic to go back. Try have breakfast on board while moving and snacks, it allows you to get further.

Allow for fuel, lock fees, damage to boat in terms of buoys missing and get all the group to pay in advance with the intention of what's leftover back after. One person has to risk deposit on their card. Boat may be damaged by others crashing into you or even simple things like breaking the key in the ignition.

KrakityJones

Just a heads up its not as simple as "get the cheapest / best deal" check what way they bill for fuel. I think some hire companies (possibly le boat) are charging per engine hour, and it's a hefty enough amont if you do a bit of travelling around the Shannon (and what's the point in having a boat if you ain't doing that?)

I think one or two other companies still charge by fuel used - ie like a car hire you get the boat full, when you return it they fill it back up and charge you what you used. Way cheaper that way.

Oh and either way remember to factor that cost in as you can clock up a good bit on fuel, it's charged at standard car diesel rates.

Oh also worth giving this guy a shout, think he's a broker but ive booked through him a few times and has been way cheaper, plus he's sound and will suggest places to go etc. I'm not connected to them in any way just been doing the Shannon trips for years.

https://www.shannon-river.com/Contact.aspx

AndyBoBandy

yeah, good shout on the fuel preference.. we alway took the full tank on leaving, then return and they fill it and charge me for it. I'm pretty sure it was fairly hefty for us the last time as we went from Carrick all the way down to Mountshannon and back up to Carrick.. so just make sure to budget for fuel... so if it's a big enough group of you, you might be looking at €15-€20 a head for diesel.... probably small change in the scheme of things..

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120782985#Comment_120782985

Intrigued by the prepare to be amazed line.

Had thought of doing this when we were just a couple, now we are 2a + 3c. Would it be a good family trip?

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783329#Comment_120783329

Yeah, honestly it’s stunning. From the views along the river, and every and anything you’ll see along the way, to the towns and villages you’ll pass through…

It’s honestly one of my favourite holidays. Done 3 trips with a group of lads, a trip as a couple, and then a trip with our son, and every time it’s been fantastic….

You’ll be the captain of your vessel charged with safely navigating the waterways, and it’s such a relaxing thing to do….

and then….. if you get the weather.. it’s all of the above but 10 times better….

NIMAN

I might look into it.

I'm not a swimmer so that always put me off but I'm guessing that's not really something to worry about unless you're being reckless.

What would be the shortest trip you could do? Got the whole summer off now with the kids, would be a great few days for them?

XsApollo

is there a license needed to be able to do this? Or can anybody rock up and get a boat

fergal.b

No just turn up and they will teach you all you need to know. Stay on the navigation and slow down approaching close to other boats and mooring spots and wear athe lifejackets supplied. It's a great experience for kids and a great way to make memories, I'm lucky enough that I cruise the Shannon most weekends 😊

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783372#Comment_120783372

Yeah, I can do a bit of swimming in a pool, but nothing special…, but I wouldn’t like to fall into the water either in the Shannon or in the Irish Sea (where I have a boat) to find out if I’d still be able to swim after the cold shock of falling in, and while fully clothed so I would always wear a life jacket….. but once you are careful you’ll be grand. And as Fergal said, wear the lifejacket provided at all times when out on the water.. (I’ve been on about 5 trips to the Shannon and no one ever fell in (even with lads acting the maggot at times).

I think the minimum rental duration is about 3 days, but you can still see a lot over 3 days… (first trip we ever did was Carrick on Shannon down as far as Hodsons Bay (just outside Athlone) which is a fair old distance to travel, and we did it over 3 days… (I woke up at 6am on the last day and got us going on my own to get us back up through Lough Ree as far as Lanesborough before any of the other lads even woke up, to make it back to Carrick that afternoon).

A nice trip short could be Banagher up to Athlone and back, maybe dipping into open water for a spin in Lough Ree and over to the inflatable water park in Hodsons Bay.

The scenery from Banagher up to Athlone is stunning, as you get to pass Shannonbridge (the bridge is epic) & Clonmacnoise (feels like a very isolated marina, but awesome ruins to see)..

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783379#Comment_120783379

As Fergal says, no licence required, you just rock up and they'll give you a brief orientation, and you are away.

They will always offer you an orientation spin out on the water for 30 minutes or so and show you how to control the boat and do the important things like docking etc...

Key thing is a boat steers almost like a forklift with rear wheel steering.... the rudder is at the back (stern) of the boat, so when you turn right (to starboard) the stern of the boat actually kicks out to the left (to port), and the slower the boat is moving, the less effect the steering will have, but it's really very easy to get the hang of.. The bigger boats have a bow thruster to make tight manoeuvring a lot easier.

Once you are meandering up and down the river, you'll be doing about 10/12km/h at full speed, so its a nice easy pace and you'll always have time to react to obstacles and other boats on the river...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtyPnxzkjvg

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120783064#Comment_120783064

Downside of large groups is you can't leave until everyone arrives and same at each port.

The boats don't go fast so it's easy to catch up if people are late or slow to return to the boat. A group I know booked a cruise on the Shannon and one of them was stuck in work so came down late. They'd been motoring on the river for several hours when the person got to the rental dock, leaving their car there for trip home, and got a taxi to where they'd docked which was only a 15 minute drive.

fergal.b

Might be of some help.

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120802346#Comment_120802346

Thanks for the heads up. Just booked 3 nights from Carrick with Emerald Star.

Nervous of the charge per engine hour, however, deal we got for the boat was quite a bit a bit less than other companies for the same time/duration.

AndyBoBandy

That engine hour charge seems odd to me, as surely it would be linked very closely to full consumption anyway, as won't the engine hour counter tick over faster with higher revs? and slower with lower revs? Or does it just count the hours the same regardless of what revs/load the engine is running at? If so it would seem to penalise anyone going a little easier and being more fuel efficient.

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842536#Comment_120842536

Will find out soon enough! It appears to be a crude hour counter no matter what you do! In any case, I will have throttle to the floor! 😊

HeidiHeidi

It's a long time since I was on an ES boat, but they all had limiters that kept you to 4 knots!

So your foot to the floor won't do you much good......

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120843475#Comment_120843475

Have hired from ES and Carrickcraft previously. Yes (both) limited, and with foot on the floor, yeah, probably around 4 knots....I just won't be doing 3 knots! 🚀

AndyBoBandy

Last time I was down I clocked us at an average speed of between 6-7kts on a Carrick boat….

I still have all the Navionics tracks showing very solid average speeds of 7kts down river and 6kts up river...

DOCARCH

Just back from 4 days/3 nights on the Shannon with ES.

The hourly engine charges was approx. €15.50 per hour. We did 15 hours. What I paid for the boat hire and engine charge was still cheaper than what other companies were charging for comparable boats, so happy enough with that.

The flow on the river was savage the last couple of days! Never experienced it so strong and it was the same with a few other regulars I was chatting to along the way. Coming up through Lanesborough was a crawl! Also flow caught a few out coming down the river under bridges/coming into locks (...quite a few crunch moments)!