Rugby Boats

Buy or sell using our quality, friendly brokerage service for canal boats, narrowboats, tugs and barges

UPDATE – NOVEMBER LOCKDOWN

Viewings (for live aboards only) will be strictly by timed appointment only.
Please call 01327 342211

Only two people (from the same household) to attend the appointment; viewings will be unaccompanied and we will answer questions afterwards. You must observe the two metre social distancing rules at all times, sanitise hands before stepping onboard a boat, and you must wear a face covering when indoors or on board.

James and Paul were really helpful, they provided advice and guidance without being "Pushy". They both guided us through the boat buying process all the way - it was a breeze.
Ian & Sandy
Reality
Thank you so much for your help. From Gongoozler to NB owners in one easy step!
Buyer
Sedona
Until we found Rugby Boats, and as a new first time owner, we were left feeling very much on our own thinking it would never happen. I can’t recommend them highly enough for their truly friendly and first class service
Buyer
Pelekas
“Simply the Best – James and his team provided us with a very professional, personal and digitally aware service – very pleased” Julian and Lynne “NB Auriga”
Vendor
Auriga
James, I'm almost lost for words at such efficiency. You have amazed me with your performance.
The Old Water Rat
Vendor
Thank you for the excellent service we received from you and your organisation
Graham and Sara
Juniper
very impressed with both the level of honesty and helpful support that has been shown by your company.
Mark & Jan
Illydan
We are extremely happy that we decided to place Midnight Rambler with you for sale.
Vendor
Midnight Rambler
"I can't praise Rugby Boat Sales highly enough! Extremely helpful, honest and personable throughout..."
Buyer
Drifter
We would highly recommend anyone wanting to buy their own narrowboat to visit Rugby Boats and all of you in the Rugby Boats's team made it possible for us.
Buyer
Isis
A huge thank you from us to you and all there. You have a great team.
Vendor
Firefly NZ
May I wish you, your family and Paul every success in the future and your buyers and sellers peace of mind in their transactions with Rugby Boats.
Tony
Sally Slap Cabbage
We hoped for but did not really expect a quick transaction and to sell within a day was beyond our imagination.
Graham and Sara
Juniper
The sale of my boat was handled with ease and speed despite me not being in the country.
Victoria
Grey Heron
It came as a refreshing change to find that doing business with people for, relatively, quite large sums of money, could actually be a pleasurable process without the grief and frustration of any high pressure sales techniques or concealed agendas.
Mark & Jan
Illydan
I would recommend your services to anyone who wants to experience good old fashioned excellent service
Dave
Meg A Star
Our only comment regarding any changes you might make to improve this level of service is... don't bother, you are already ticking all of the boxes as far as we can see.
Mark & Jan
Thank you very much for dealing with the sale so efficiently. We are most grateful.
Vendor
Second Chance
I could not have had more courteous help in purchasing my boat than that which James at Rugby boats gave me. Buying or selling these guys will treat you right!
John
Thyme
the negotiation on price was effective and quick
Steve
Walt
Can't say I how delighted I am. I will certainly recommend you highly and would not hesitate to use you again.
Vendor
Genesis
We never felt that we had to pester you or seek feedback from viewings, confident that you would get in touch when necessary.
Vince and Sue
Egret
I would definitely recommend visiting Rugby Boats website, it's easy to navigate around and the video's and other information are really helpful. My first port of call if we buy again will be Rugby Boats - I would highly recommend them for both buying and selling your boat.
Ian & Sandy
Reality
James and his team kept me well informed and were honest and transparent.  I couldn't have asked for more.
Victoria
Grey Heron
Thanks again for all your help - we couldn't have hoped for a better place to buy our boat. You have made us feel very calm through the process and understood our needs perfectly.
Sam
Roding
Before meeting you we obviously had to consider whether to sell through Rugby Boats as you were now an unknown quantity to us. Any misgivings we may have had were quickly dispelled on meeting you as you came across as being honest about your experience and enthusiastic about your new business.
Vince and Sue
Egret
We had visited a large number of the brokers both around Rugby and further afield. None provided the dedicated and personal service that James and his team did.
Buyer
Pelekas
Being completely new to the whole boating world, James and Claire went out of their way to help us get settled into our new life.
J & J
Walt
I would just like to say a huge Thank you to you and your team for the true professional and speedy way in concluding the sale of Secret Garden. I will definitely recommend you to anyone in the future.
S Beale
Secret Garden
I was impressed with your honest, professional, efficient and pleasant manner
Dave
Meg A Star
Margaret and I would like to express our sincere thanks for your very efficient and friendly service and will be happy to tell people how satisfied we have been
Michael
Roding
I would not hesitate to recommend James and his team at Rugby Boats.
Victoria
Grey Heron
It has been a pleasure dealing with you & your colleagues & we would not hesitate in using you again or recommending you to anyone else interested in either selling or purchasing a narrowboat.
Craig & Lucy
Juniper
From the very start of looking at boats they had for sale, to buying and then all the way through to our maiden voyage, we could not have asked for a better experience.
J & J
Walt
The personalised customer service offered by James and his team made selling my boat  as easy as it could be. He had a real understanding of boats and for prospective customers as well as a great feel for the market and how to pitch things.    
MR J Bland 
The Duchess
We have found both buying and selling through you a very pleasant & speedy process
Vendor
Romany II
Many thanks James and all at Rugby boats for an excellent service.
Vendor
Nightingale
Most importantly, thank you for making an emotionally difficult thing for us go so smoothly, it means a lot.
Vendor
Gorse
We would like to say a big thank you for the fabulous way you have made this all happen in the most professional and friendly manner.
Vendor
Firefly NZ
To have the money in our bank account within a week was brilliant so thanks to you and your team for all your effort.
Vendor
Amelia Rose
Thank you also for such a professional service over the last couple of weeks...you and your staff have helped to make it an easier journey. Many thanks again and I hope that we are able to use your services again in the future.
Vendor
Kizzie
Would recommend rugby boats to anyone buying or selling a boat.
Elaine
Tess
The whole transaction was a pleasant and stress free experience. Your presentation and marketing were 1st class as was every other aspect of the sale.
Dave
Meg A Star
You clearly have a good understanding of your potential customers' requirements
Vendor
Midnight Rambler
I will definitely be recommending you to anyone who is buying or selling a narrowboat...well done and thank you all.
Vendor
About Time
Many thanks for handling the sale in such an efficient manner and wish you all well at Rugby Boats.
Vendor
Kingfisher
As a novice with a lot of questions, James and the team couldn't have been more helpful. They are very welcoming and go out of their way to help in any way possible.
Polly
Cromdale
Your professionalism, knowledge of the market, and honesty were very obvious. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending you to other people, whether they were looking to buy, or sell a boat.
Vendor
Chablis
Thank you for all your help with completing the financial transactions & subsequently on the day we picked Juniper up, getting her ready for our collection.
Craig & Lucy
Juniper
Rugby Boats have been amazing...
Scott
Rodanthe
Thank you and all your staff for an excellent and friendly service. I can't say I delighted I am
Vendor
Genesis
Suffice to say we'd thoroughly recommend Rugby Boat Sales - everybody we dealt were so helpful and professional.
Buyer
Time Out
On a personal note, you made my very difficult decision to sell Sally Slapcabbage, easy.
Tony
Sally Slap Cabbage
The quality of service you provided was wonderful, from your accurate valuation to the assistance provided in delivering Juniper to your site, not to mention the very polished marketing.
Graham and Sara
Juniper
Your whole team were simply outstanding. Please deduct £100 from proceeds and ensure that everyone gets a nice bottle of wine with our gratitude.
Vendor
Speakeasy
If the rest of our boating experience turns out to be only half as impressive as our introduction to this new adventure, then we shall still very glad we embarked upon this journey, which, will have been in no small part, attributable to the service we have received from Rugby Boats.
Mark & Jan
Illydan
I would like to thank you all at Rugby boats for all you have done to make the process as smooth and easy as possible...you have been very helpful from start to finish and I couldn't of done it without your help
Vendor
About Time
Look no further than rugby boats. James is very professional and kept me updated with the sale of my boat.
Elaine
Tess
Just a quick note to thank you and your team for the excellent service you provided during the sale of Chablis. The more I dealt with you, the more certain I was that I made the right choice of broker.
Vendor
Chablis
Hi James - Thanks once again for your help getting her sold, I am really glad I chose you to sell her.
Vendor
Dark Knight
Excellent professional service. Thanks to James and team for a faultless service helping to sell our boat. Friendly and efficient, highly recommended.
Vendor
Still Water
Many thanks, and thank you for all your help in selling Rhiannon. You all made it a great experience.
Paul
Rhiannon
We would thoroughly recommend your brokerage to anyone thinking of either buying or selling their narrowboat. You have made what should have been a very stressful set of transactions into a very enjoyable experience.
Buyer
Yew Tew
You obviously understand the market better than most so your fee was money well spent as far as we are concerned.
Vendor
Second Chance
Thank you for your calm final negotiations. We will have no hesitation bringing our next boat to you to see if you can repeat the success story!
Vendor
Amelia Rose
Many thanks for your work. It was a very speedy process. We are very pleased
Vendor
Wynifred
Super boats, super service and super people.
J & J
Walt
We came to you because of your excellent reputation, and we know that was a wise choice. Your advice and support during every step of the purchase and survey was invaluable.
Buyer
Isis
Your service, advice, details, videos, valuations and general approach to all the people you deal with sets you apart from any other brokerage we have dealt with before.
Vendor
Juniper
Hi James I am writing to thank you for selling our boat so quickly and so efficiently! I was amazed that you produced a purchaser within only one or two days from releasing the video of Amelia Rose.
Vendor
Amelia Rose
I am grateful for your professional services and enthusiasm. I sincerely appreciate your honestly together with your updated appraisals at all stages resulting in a most successful conclusion.
Tony
Sally Slap Cabbage
You were all amazing and made a really rough time for us palatable! We would highly recommend your services to anybody requiring them.
Vendor
Moor to Life
Your attention during this transaction was second to none...and on the day you put her on the market she sold!
Vendor
Juniper
Your marketing is way ahead of the opposition and it was this that encouraged me to ask you to sell Amelia rather than geographically closer brokers.
Vendor
Amelia Rose
Thank you all so much for all your help in making the purchase of Isis so easy. For 20 years we have dreamed of owning our own narrowboat, and the Rugby Boats team made it a straightforward reality.
Buyer
Isis
When an offer was made we were happy in the way that a negotiated deal was agreed and the whole transaction completed in a stress free and professional manner. Thank you for a good job.
Vince and Sue
Egret
A Calming and professional approach, providing a balanced view when offers came through and providing expert advice to settle finance and other matters.
MR J Bland 
The Duchess
Ian said you were good and he did not lie. Congratulations! I have some ice I would like to sell to Eskimos - perhaps you could help?
The Old Water Rat
Vendor
we had confidence that you would sell the boat
Vince and Sue
Egret
We are much better off than we would have been going anywhere else - the next highest company suggested marketing at £45k and the lowest at £36.5k!
Vendor
Second Chance
I will recommend Rugby Boats to anyone I know who wants to sell their boat. A very professional and courteous service
Vendor
Cymbaline
the level of service received from Rugby Boats, and in particular, from James and Paul, has been exemplary.
Mark & Jan
Illydan
Thank you for your excellent and professional service, pleasure to have sold with you.
Vendor
Ocelot
All of the boats we looked at at Rugby Boats are of excellent quality and are ready to live on immediately; something we didn't get when looking at other closeby marinas.
J & J
Walt
Well done. We will certainly consider using Rugby boats again when we look for another boat in a year or so time.
Vendor
Wynifred
It was a pleasure working with you for the sale of our boat. At all times we appreciated your frank and honest advice, prompt and courteous response to our queries, and the very professional marketing of the vessel.
Vendor
Midnight Rambler
All in all a very impressive performance and we would recommend you to anyone.
Graham and Sara
Juniper
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Find us


CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

We AIM to be open from 10am until 4pm daily for pumpout, gas, coal & diesel.

Boat viewings are STRICTLY by appointment only..

Rugby Boats started life in Rugby at Hillmorton Wharf, but moved to Stowe Hill Wharf in 2009.
Stowe Hill is 2 miles from the M1 J16, just south of Weedon Bec on the A5 and roughly midway between Northampton to the East and Daventry to the West.
We are located behind the Narrowboat pub.
Phone 01327 342211, or you can
email us.


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