SUTTON BOAT TRIPS are crowdfunding for £22,800, which makes up 33% of the build cost towards ‘FARADAY’ our bespoke-built, Eco friendly, solar powered, electric motor propelled Passenger Trip Boat. They are planning to be operational by July 2023, located at Sutton Wharf on the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire.
Sutton Boat Trips said: “Once Faraday is built, we look forward to running an eco-friendly business and offer this new visitor attraction, which will educate and introduce a new generation of canal users to the ongoing use of the historic waterways in modern times.
“We will be offering a daily program of one-hour skippered trips for up to 12 passengers, with catered hospitality and a selection of hot/cold drinks from our licenced bar.
“The hour-long cruise will pass by Ambion Woodland has views of part of the Bosworth Battlefield and turns at the halfway point just before Shenton Aqueduct.”
By essentially pre-paying a trip or cruise on this innovative future attraction, the funding you provide will enable us to purchase and complete the interior fitting, cabin, canopy, kitchen and bar ready for service.
Sutton Boat Trips is an alliance between two inventive young men named Tom who are both live-aboard narrowboat owners, based at Sutton Cheney Wharf in Leicestershire.
Tom J dreamt about building his own passenger Trip Boat since he was a child, as his family business operated up to 4 passenger trip boats along the Ashby Canal for over 15 years before the expansion of Sutton Wharf into its present thriving restaurant business. Tom trained as a chef and worked in some of Leicestershire’s top restaurants before returning to the Wharf. During the initial covid lockdown in 2020, he realised part of his dream by the creation & build of the Floaty Oakie Ice Cream & Coffee Boat, which provided much needed canal side refreshments for the many visitors as we came out of lockdown. He has been involved in the renovation and re-fit of at least 3 narrowboats and it is fair to say that boating and the Ashby Canal are in his blood!
Tom M has run Malone Electrical Solar Services for over 3 years, installing solar panel systems on boats all over the UK waterways. He spent his earlier working life as an Electrical Engineer in industrial factories, specialising in electronics and project management, before he & his wife sold up, paid off the mortgage, and moved onto their 57’ narrowboat home! While the Malone’s were moored at the Wharf for over 3 months during lockdown, the Tom’s met and became friends. Tom M’s knowledge and skill set became useful in creating the circuit diagrams for The Floaty Oakie (it has a big coffee machine!) and the pair have shared and bartered their skill sets to joint advantage ever since!
Link to the crowdfunding and more about how the boat is powered
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/suttonboattrips#start
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