This was part of preparations for the 25th Crick Boat Show, sponsored by Haven Knox-Johnston and taking place over the bank holiday weekend, 24-26 May.
Around 40 canal boats will be on display at the show, and 17 of them (with a combined weight of over 375 tonnes) will be craned in for the event.
About the event
Crick Boat Show is the UK’s biggest inland waterways festival and offers a fantastic family day out by the water, with free entry for kids under 16, dogs welcome and free parking. The annual event is organised by Waterways World in partnership with us and Crick Waterside & Marina. Now the UK’s biggest inland waterways festival, with over 200 exhibitors gathering from across the canal world and beyond, the event is expected to attract over 26,000 visitors.
As well as being the canal world’s biggest marketplace, Crick Boat Show offers a fantastic day out with dozens of boats to view, free boat trips, free boating seminars, live Music Festival sponsored by Aquavista hosting 15 bands and entertainers, dozens of food stalls and a Real Ale & Cider Festival sponsored by LeeSan.
A busy time of year
Lisa Tuckey, of MJT Cranes which specialises in lifting and transporting canal boats, explains: “Helping with the preparations for Crick Boat Show is always one of the busiest times of the year for us. Ahead of the show opening, we will be transporting and craning 17 canal boats, with a combined weight of over 375 tonnes. They range in length from 57ft to 70ft, and weigh between 15 and 35 tonnes each. Then after the show is finished, we take them all back again.”
A fantastic day out
Peter Johns, Publisher of Waterways World and Show Director, says: “We’re looking forward to welcoming people to our 2025 Crick Boat Show, the nation’s biggest inland boating marketplace and a fantastic day out alongside the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire.
“During the show build-up, one of the most dramatic sights is when these huge canal boats - that have arrived by road - are winched up into the air and placed onto the marina waters or onto the land in the Show’s land based marina.
“The maximum speed on our canals and rivers is just 4mph, making them the perfect place to relax and slow down, but as our exhibitors travel to the show from all around the country, it’s often impractical to send a boat by water. And the wide beam boats can’t fit through the locks on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal, as it’s a narrow canal, so they have to arrive by road.”
Celebrating our network
Alex Hennessey, our national boating manager, adds: “Every year Crick Boat Show, the UK’s biggest inland waterways festival, celebrates our fantastic network of canals and rivers.
“Canal & River Trust is the UK’s largest canal charity caring for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales. Our ongoing mission is to protect and keep alive this oldest working heritage network in the world and make it available for people to use and enjoy. A 58-mile stretch of the Grand Union Canal passes through Northamptonshire, and we look forward to welcoming people to the Canal & River Trust Marquee at the Show to find out more about enjoying the canals in their area.”
More about the show
The Show will open from 10am until 6pm on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May, And until 5pm on Monday 26 May. Adult tickets on the gate are £19.00. Entry for children aged 16 and under is free on Saturday 24, Sunday 25 and Monday 26 May.
