Welcome To The Retford Mariners Boat Club Website

Retford Mariners Boat Club was formed in November, 1978 by a group of canal enthusiasts using the moorings in Retford basin. Its aims were to provide practical support in running and maintaining members' boats, and to provide social events over the season while out cruising, and land-based activities to keep everyone together over the winter.

In the early days the majority of the boats were cruisers of all types, but as the popularity of inland waterways cruising has grown, we now have many more of the traditional narrowboats.

R.M.B.C. is a small club, still keen on waterways life, and interested in the natural ecology and social history of the canal network. Members have travelled to all parts of the system, but still enjoy the tranquillity and beauty of the Chesterfield Canal on which they are based.

Retford is a quiet Georgian market town, and R.M.B.C. moorings are at the heart of it, with pleasant canal-side walks, a smart cafe nearby, angling facilities not too far away, and picturesque locks at West Retford, Osberton, and Whitsunday Pie. Good food is available at Drakeholes, beside pleasant moorings with electric hook-up, and there are a few village pubs along the canal that provide a decent meal as well.

We have a happy working relationship with the Borough Council, and the support of the local Civic Society, who kindly donated two huge planters for placement beside the moorings a few years ago. We are more than happy to bedeck the yard and boats every summer with bedding plants in an effort towards "Retford in Bloom".

New members are always made welcome, and mostly stay with us for many years.

If you want to submit a mooring application, you can do so by going to our Moorings page. Please note that even though we may not have any moorings available for you, any requests will go onto a waiting list.

If you wish to contact us, you can do so by going to our Contact us page.

While here, why not check out our Pictures page? All the pictures have been submitted by members of the R.M.B.C - Some may be of a low quality.

Enjoy your stay!