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Aylesbury: Wet Dock Hire

Premium Covered Facility for Narrowboat Maintenance & Painting

Aylesbury Canal Society’s wet dock offers a purpose-built, sheltered environment for maintaining and repainting your narrowboat — ideal for DIY projects and long-term care. Situated on the Grand Union Canal at Circus Field Basin, our wet dock gives you everything you need to work in comfort, whatever the weather.

Wet dock

Why Choose Our Wet Dock?

  • Full Weather Protection: Unlike basic sheds or tarpaulins, our permanent covered dock shields your vessel from rain, sun, and wind — essential for consistent painting and repair work.

  • Still Air Heating Option: Central heating radiators provide optional temperature control to support quality paint application in colder months.

  • Excellent Lighting: Natural and artificial lighting ensures high visibility throughout the workday.

Clean, Safe & Professional Workspace

We use the Mirka dust-free sanding system — an advanced setup with integrated extraction that reduces airborne dust and keeps your work environment cleaner and safer. This is especially valuable when applying traditional coach paint, where a clean surface is essential for a smooth finish.

To support your project:

  • We stock a range of sanding discs on site.

  • Surfaces are maintained to minimise contamination and disruption.

  • The workspace supports both hobbyists and professionals.

The Wet Dock

On-Site Amenities for Wet Dock Customers

You’ll have exclusive access to:

  • Dedicated Kitchen Area: Sink, kettle, and microwave just for dock users.

  • Private Shower Facilities: Available between 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

  • Laundry Room: Two washers and dryers for your convenience.

  • Toilets: Nearby facilities accessible during working hours.

Additional Workshops

Located adjacent to the wet dock:

  • Dirty Workshop: Ideal for heavy-duty tasks; includes workbenches and vices.

  • Clean Workshop: A quieter, dust-free space suitable for detailed work and painting prep.

Perfect for DIY Boat Owners

Whether you’re repainting your boat, sanding down for maintenance, or preparing for a full refit, our wet dock and support facilities are tailored to help you get the job done — comfortably, safely, and to a high standard.

Wet Dock

What Customers Are Saying

“We blacked our boat here in July 2024 and cannot recommend this facility enough. Good space, modern facilities, access to fantastic kit to get the job done, and extremely helpful advice from experienced boaters. Going down the Arm was pretty easy as well and absolutely worth doing. Thank you to the team for the help! We hope to come back one day to winter moor here, that’s how much we recommend it, most friendly marina we’ve ever been to.“

“Friendly and helpful folks with a beautifully-maintained marina and top-notch facilities.”

“7 day free secure visitor moorings and use of all facilities, with friendly welcome from resident boaters. This is a fantastic marina to stay in, and I’m very grateful for having had the opportunity to do so.
Additionally the Aylesbury Arm is a beautiful canal, completely rural, which is amazing so close to London, and well worth a journey along it.“

“Aylesbury Canal Society is a friendly society where boat owners are able to moor canal narrow boats. They welcome new comers. There is pump out, fuel, dry and wet docks.”