Mail Afloat
For the Provision of Mail Forwarding, serving 'Liveaboard' and 'Continuous Cruising' Narrowboaters

P: PO Box 4937, Walsall, WS69AF - T: 01922 417872 - E: admin@mail-afloat.co.uk

Want to live aboard your narrowboat, and/or extensively cruise the English Canals?

Living aboard a narrowboat and continuously cruising our UK canals can be a wonderful way of life, free to move and change the view from the boat window whenever you want. 

            Some travel the canal system throughout the year;
            Some cruise the system in season but return home or travel abroad during annual stoppages;
                      
Whichever option you have chosen, the advantages and desirability of such a lifestyle may seem obvious, but there may be practical issues which need to be addressed.

     One of the most frequently posed questions is:         How will I get my post if the boat moves?

We have a very practicable, cost effective, answer to that problem - our Mail Afloat Service.

Q. How does it work?  
A. During the period of your contract with us, your mail is collected by Mail Afloat and held by us until you are ready to receive it.  When you have paused in your cruising for a few days we, when prompted by you, forward the mail on to a convenient local post office (poste restante) or other suitable address such as a boat yard or marina specified by you. 

Q. Can we use Mail Afloat for just part of the time?  
A. Yes, we think we will have a plan to suit you.  We can operate the system on a long term basis (ie for a full year); just during the cruising system; or just on a month to month basis.

Q. But what will it cost?
A. For private individuals, we charge a flat service fee, based on a rate of from £10 a month, based on a single person or couple jointly occupying one narrowboat.  

We also ask for a 'balancing fee' (usually set at a minimum of £20), the balance of which is refundable at the end of the contract after we have deducted any additional costs. We do ask that the 'balance' we hold for you does not drop below £5.  To explain in more detail - there may be occasions when there are  unavoidable fees which need to be paid out by Mail Afloat behalf of a client.  For example, we may need to cover the cost of forwarding on a parcel received by carrier, which cannot be redirected in the usual manner - this is the purpose of the balancing fee. Remember we only use what we have to and the unused 'balance' is returned to you on termination of the contract.