The boat and the stretch of water are fabulous. Our stay was not fabulous. The heatwave reducing the water level meant we got stuck for nearly a whole day, we weren't even on the bank! There was no way of cooling down and In the end we left early because we had had enough and needed to find somewhere that had a big fan!!
I can absolutely see why the boat has amazing reviews, because it is such a special experience we were just unlucky The first pub wasn't doing food, the next pub was closed, it felt like we just went to get water for the next guests and come back. The water is an important thing on the boat, and we were worried about using too much in case we couldn't make it to the tap in Vicarstown if the boat got stuck again. The heat made us crave a long cool shower, the sun was totally against us!
You really don't need experience to drive, I'm a nervous person and this was out there for me but once you relax and learn how the boat moves it's easy enough.
I went with my 2 sons and the 16 year old loved the physical nature of using the boat. My 6 year old thought the fish in the incredibly clear water were great. They found the boat comfortable and we found the kitchen well stocked with equipment and staple ingredients. We made all our own meals on the boat and they turned out great!
I think that if the weather hadn't been so extreme in the run up and during our booking, things would have been better. Such a shame.