The improvement follows the introduction of our Better Boating Plan, which was developed in partnership with boaters and launched in late 2024 to address boaters’ key concerns and improve their experience across the network.
Challenges remain
We acknowledge that challenges remain, with issues such as dredging, boating costs and navigation stoppages continuing to be raised.
The most marked gains have been seen among live-aboard boaters: satisfaction among live-aboard continuous cruisers has risen from 40% to 53%, and among live-aboard boaters with a home mooring from 35% to 47%. Satisfaction among leisure boaters remains relatively stable at around 59%.
The survey also shows significant signs of improvement in perceptions of the general upkeep of the waterways (6% drop in negative sentiment), stoppages (-24%) vegetation management (-17%) and boater engagement (-6%). While these areas are still a work in progress, this upturn in sentiment is a positive base to build on.
Other measures such as favourability, advocacy and trust in us have also seen modest improvements.
A clear rise in boater satisfaction
Alex Hennessey, our national boating manager, said: “We’re pleased to see a clear rise in boater satisfaction this year. This improvement is an early sign that the steps we’ve taken through our Better Boating Plan may be starting to make a difference. We know there’s more work to do – some of the longstanding issues that boaters tell us about, like dredging and maintenance, will take time and continued investment – but this is a reassuring sign that we’re moving in the right direction.
“We remain committed to listening to boaters and working with them to make the improvements that matter most. Our role is to care for this amazing 250-year-old network and make it work for all those who spend time both on and off the water, and we’re grateful for the feedback that helps guide our approach.”
Better Boating Plan
We will continue to invest in targeted maintenance and improvements and to engage regularly with boaters and stakeholders to build on this progress. As part of the Better Boating Plan, the charity has set challenging targets, which are being reported via public dashboards. For more information, visit our website.
The survey was carried out in two waves between November and March and was sent to around a third of the Trust’s boat licence holders. It received 1,742 responses, in line with the previous best performing sample for the survey (2018) and the strongest response rate at c.17%.
