Cotswolds Boatmobility took delivery in Feb-23 of a new pontoon boat, Symphony.  She and all her equipment, was purchased from a grant from Cotswold Canals
Connected – the Stroud District Council team tasked with the canal project
delivery.

Our Wheelyboat needs a special ramp on the landing stage, which was not going to be possible in Stroud.  The pontoon boat is designed to sit higher in the water and has its own ramp which can be put out almost anywhere on the canal. It gives us much more flexible use and meets the Canals brief to be an accessible- to-all venue. She currently has a petrol engine, which being modern and new, pretty quiet actually, but she has been designed to be converted to be an electric boat when the infra structure is in place.   Our thanks go to Chris Mitford-Slade and his team in CCC.

Zephyrus, which was on loan to us from the Wheelyboat Trust has now been donated to us, by them. Our Katakanus continue to serve us well but two of our second-hand ones are beyond repair which leaves us with 4, Myrtille, Kingfisher, Bananakarma and Bruneval. We are looking to purchase another new one at a cost of around £3,500.

Text and images by Jan Thomas