Willow Wren Training

Formed in 1994, Willow Wren Training has introduced many thousands of people to more skilful, safer and considerate boating.

Willow Wren Training is approved by the Royal Yachting Association and Maritime and Coastguard Agency to provide boat and shore based training for the leisure and professional inland waterways and off-shore boater.

The RYA is the national body for all forms of boating including inland waterways and the MCA is the body who implements the government's maritime safety policy in the UK and works to prevent loss of life on the coast and at sea.

These approvals include annual reassessment and assures the customer of consistent quality training using appropriately qualified instructors, sound instructional techniques and in the best learning environment.

Our training course list includes:

Boat Handling, (Helmsman), Training ● First Aid ● VHF SRC ● Diesel Engine Maintenance
RYA Theory courses: Basic Navigation and Safety
Day Skipper ● Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore.
Fire Safety ● Personal Survival ● Tier 2 Boatmaster Training.

Our main boat handling course is the one-day RYA Inland Waterways Helmsman's Course. This course is delivered in an informal way to provide a very relaxed learning environment making it excellent for first timers but flexible enough that we can make it a challenge for the more experienced. No-one ever leaves WWT without knowing more than when they arrived.

Canal Training is carried out on the North Oxford Canal from Rugby Wharf on one of our high specification, cruiser stern training narrowboats.

Peggy is our 50 foot narrowboat which was launched just last July. Purpose built for training with a convenient reverse layout and a nine-foot rear deck which gives us plenty of room to accommodate the RYA maximum of three delegates.

Peggy has a part in history because it is the very last shell to be made by Dave Thomas at Braunston before he retired in 2011 after a very long time in the business. Rose Narrowboats did all the mechanics, fitting out and painting and made a superb job of it. Peggy handles superbly and has a finish to be proud of.

Our other training boat is Maggie. She is our 55ft narrowboat with a standard fit out. She is very user friendly and representative of the kind of vessel that many of our customers use.

All our boats are turned out to a very high standard. See Photo Gallery for more views.

We use longer craft for the more advanced courses, such as  Boatmaster training.



River Training is carried out on the River Nene in Northamptonshire on the 46 foot narrowboat Asmund.

RYA Inland Waterways Helmsman's course can be carried out on the river in the same way as the canal. Naturally, there are things we can do on the canal that we can't on the river and vice versa.

We also conduct the One-Day Helmsman's Course on your own boat. This can be combined with helping you to move your new boat to your mooring and extended to any number of days.

Our friendly instructors are amongst the best in the business. All have RYA Instructor status, two are RYA National Trainers, all are qualified Boatmasters and have other professional teaching and training qualifications. They all have unrivalled practical experience.

Shore Based Training is delivered at the training centre at Rugby Wharf, at the customer's own premises and in Brixham, Devon by arrangement.