Your cruising hotel on the Canals and Rivers of the UK

Crew on Reed Boats in 2010.

Job Description.

N.B. First please note .....

1.. The job is to help operate a pair of narrowboats working as a traveling hotel on the inland waterways of the UK. We pay about £200 a week and provide full board and lodging. You will get a chance to travel around the UK. BUT It is a full time job, you live on the boats and you will have very little separate social life.

2.. We are looking for two crew, Butty Steerer and Assistant Cook, to start on Tuesday 16th March and to stay till Friday 16th July.

2.. If you are interested then please read this job description very, very carefully, we have been repeatedly let down by people who, because they do not take the time to read this, have false ideas about the job. I know it is a long document and you will be tempted to just flip through it, but it is an unusual and exciting job so please read it all!

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General.

Oak & Ash, two 70 ft by 7 ft narrowboats, operate as a cruising hotel, Oak is a motor, or powered boat, Ash is the unpowered Butty always towed by Oak. On them a crew of three, including the owner, all living on the boats, take up to seven guests for week long cruises on the canals and rivers throughout the UK., these cruises often start and end in different places. The crew operate the boats and supply full board to a four star hotel standard. It is a full time job, during each session of six to nine weeks, only one evening out of three is off, and days off are deferred to the end of the session.

Standard Day.
8.00 a.m. Morning tea or coffee is served to guests in their cabins.
8.30 a.m. Breakfast is served to guests in the motor lounge. During Breakfast one of the crew cleans guest cabins.
9.30 a.m. We move off. Morning coffee is served on the move.
1.00 p.m. We moor up for lunch.
2.00 p.m. We move on again. Afternoon tea is served on the move.
5.30 p.m. We moor for the night.
7.15 p.m. Soft drinks and snacks will be served in the butty lounge while the table is prepared for dinner.
7.30 p.m. Dinner is served in the motor lounge for everyone.

Turn Around Days.
On turn around days one cruise finishes after breakfast, the next starts with the arrival of new guests at 4.30 p.m., during the day both boats have to be thoroughly cleaned, all laundry done and shopping for the week purchased and stored away.
It is a full time job, during each session of six to nine weeks, only one evening out of three is off, and days off are deferred to the end of the session.

Crew Dates.
Crew are required for three sessions in 2010 as listed below …..

• Tuesday 16th March to Saturday 15th May.
• Saturday 22nd May to Friday 16th July.
• Monday 6th September to Wednesday 27th October.

Preference will be given to crew who can come from March till July. In August I have family crewing, however first refusal for September and October will be given to crew who have already served with us.

The Work.

Job Description - Owner/Motor Steerer.
" Is responsible for steering Oak and working locks during the day and general boat handling duties.
" Preparing food for an hour before breakfast and cooking and assisting with washing up on two nights out of three.
" Also responsible for maintenance of both boats, external cleaning and, with assistance, shopping on turn around days.

Job Description - Butty Sterer.
" Is responsible for steering Ash, bow hauling her in lock flights and working locks during the day. Also assisting as required with other boat handling duties.
" Cleaning inside the butty for 40 minutes each day.
" On turn around days for a thorough clean throughout the inside of the butty, dealing with the laundry, (we use a service wash to do the actual washing!), and setting up cabins for the next guests.
" On two evenings out of three laying up, serving at the table, and, with assistance, washing up dinner.

Job Description - Assistant Cook.
" Is responsible for morning tea or coffee. Laying up for, cooking, serving, clearing up after and washing up, for breakfast and lunch; tea and coffee during the day.
" On some days is required to help with operating locks during the day.
" Responsible for keeping the inside of the motor boat clean during the day.
" On turn around days for a thorough clean inside of the motor boat. Preparing shopping lists, and with assistance doing the shopping and putting it away.
" On one evening out of three cooking the evening meal and assisting with washing up. On one evening out of three laying up, serving at the table, and, with assistance, washing up dinner

The Pay.

The basic UK wage after deductions for tax and National Insurance. (In October 2009 this was £232.00 age 22 and over or £193.20 age 18 - 21 for a unit of six working days.)

We provide, without charge, accommodation on the boats, all food, all laundry.
Accommodation is provided for
¢ The Butty Steerrer in the butty cabin on Ash, 8ft by 7ft, which is fairly basic, with two single bunks, 6ft by 2ft 3 inches, one above the other. There is storage, a solid fuel stove and the privacy of an isolated rear deck. Washing facilities, toilet and shower, are on the other boat, Oak. A porta-potti toilet is provided for optional use inside the cabin.
¢ The Assistant Cook in a guest cabin, 6ft by 4 ft, (on Oak usually, though some weeks they will have to change cabins to a guest cabin on Ash to accommodate guests) There is one single bunk, 6ft by 2ft 3 inches and there is storage, central heating and a wash basin. Toilet and shower will be on the same boat.
Food, all of the same standard as the guests. Breakfast, lunch and four-course dinner with a glass of wine or beer.
All crew laundry done with the boat laundry. Towels and bedding are supplied.

Tips from guests.

Day's Off.

Crew members are entitled to one full day off in return for each six days worked. Sometimes we can fit in the odd day off, but generally we work continuously storing up the days off. Days off are normally taken either during the breaks between work sessions or as extra days paid for after finishing working with us.

General Conditions.

" The boats are a non-smoking zone inside for everyone, and there is very restricted covered space outside for smoking, sometimes none.

" Crew are not allowed to handle the boat or food under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (One glass with dinner at night is fine, it is excess, which is the problem.)

" If you are asked to come for interview you will be required to produce documents showing you are entitled to legally work in the UK.

" It will be useful if outdoor crew have some experience in the operation of canal boats but not essential as training will be given. However indoor crew must have some experience of at least ordinary domestic catering and cleaning. (Essentially cooking breakfast and following simple lunch time and evening dinner recipes.) Training will be provided in the way we operate the boats and in our catering and cleaning systems.

" Fitness is essential. Boat work requires a certain amount of physical effort, although skill replaces brute strength in most situations.

" Crew also need dexterity to be able to handle themselves safely while moving around the boats and between the boats and the shore.

" Crew will be required to supply their own clothing; they will need jeans, polo shirts, T-shirts, sweat shirts pullovers, etc. and non-slip shoes or boots for working the boats in sometimes cold and muddy conditions. They will also need separate tidy clothes for wearing in the evenings.

" Although indoor and outdoor crew are set out as separate jobs it is possible either for the crew to swap roles each week, or for a couple, by mutual agreement, to vary who does what work. Our only concern is that all the tasks set out are covered between the two crew members.

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Next ?

First explore this web site to find out more about the boats and where we are going this year. If you have any questions phone us on 07977 229103

Then send an email to office@reedboats.co.uk which includes ...

• Your CV including referees.
• A recent picture of you.
• A letter which sets out why you wish to work on the boats.