Name: Aylesbury Canal Society — Dry Dock & Slipway
Address: Aylesbury Canal Society, Circus Field Basin, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1AP, United Kingdom
Telephone: 01296 252101

Phone: 01296 252101

Email: admin@aylesburycanal.org.uk

Website

A covered, heated dry dock and slipway at Circus Field Basin, on the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal, between locks 14 and 15. An electric winch brings the boat out of the water, then lifts raise it about 2ft 4in, giving access to the whole base plate for blacking, surveys and hull work. Dirty and clean workshops, a kitchen, showers, toilets and a laundry are next to the dock.

Dock specification

Facility type: Slipway

Max length: 72ft

Max beam: 6.67ft

Max weight: 30 tonnes

Hull restrictions: Flat-bottomed narrowboats only. No widebeams.

Facilities:

Covered
Heated
Power
Workshop
Toilets
Showers
Kitchen
Laundry

Who does the work: DIY allowed

Daily hire: £52

Lift in and out: £210

VAT: Prices exclude VAT

Pricing notes:

Daily hire excludes heat and electricity. Electricity is metered at 41p per unit and heating is £3.18 per hour. A £30-per-day deposit holds your dates. The final invoice after you leave covers days hired, metered electricity and any sanding discs used.

Prices checked: 2026

How to book:

Book online on the ACS dry dock page or call 01296 252101 with your boat length, beam and the work planned. Hires usually run Monday to Monday. The slip-out starts 8:30–9am, so be there by 9am; many hirers arrive at the weekend and use the free visitor moorings. Book every day in the dock up to the day before you leave, not the departure day. Dates can be booked months in advance, and popular blacking dates go quickly.

Insurance and safety rules:

Third-party insurance with at least £2,000,000 cover, uploaded at booking or emailed before your hire. You agree to the Conditions for Use of the Dry Dock and the Hot Works Procedure: an adult must stay with the boat for one hour after hot work finishes.

Last verified: 18/09/2026

Verified by: Site visit

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Aylesbury Canal Society

The Aylesbury Canal Society runs Circus Field Basin, a private marina on the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal between locks 14 and 15, at Stocklake on the edge of Aylesbury. The Society was formed in 1971 to keep the Arm open and in use, and today has more than 250 members. The basin has residential, cruiser and visitor moorings, a covered and heated dry dock with slipway, a covered wet dock, and showers, laundry and Elsan for boaters. The Society also hires out a day boat and has a function room for meetings and events. See the linked listings below for full details of each.

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Day boat hire from the Aylesbury Canal Society at Circus Field Basin, on the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal between locks 14 and 15. Catalina is a 31ft traditional-stern narrowboat for up to 8 people, available every day including bank holidays. Every hire includes one hour of free tuition in boat handling and lock operation, and dogs are welcome. On board: a galley with sink, gas hob, kettle, plates and cutlery; a front deck seating up to 8; a flushing toilet and sink; a USB port and socket for an electric cool box; and a radiator in the cabin for colder days. Prices (2026): Monday to Thursday, excluding bank holidays, £150 inc VAT. Friday to Sunday and bank holidays £186 inc VAT. Book via the Society’s website or call 01296 252101 (office Mon–Fri 9am–1pm), WhatsApp 07999 069 243.

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Aylesbury Canal Society — Moorings

Private moorings run by the Aylesbury Canal Society at Circus Field Basin, on the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal between locks 14 and 15. The Society offers residential, cruiser and visitor moorings. Visiting boats get up to two weeks’ free mooring, then £12.50 per day (excl VAT). Showers, laundry and Elsan are available to boats on site. Let the Society know you want to stay via the booking form on its website. Office: Mon–Fri 9am–1pm · 01296 252101 · WhatsApp 07999 069 243 Also recorded in Canal & River Trust mooring data as sites L1, L5 and S1. CRT data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.