OVERWATER MARINA LIMITED

What OVERWATER MARINA LIMITED does

Overwater Marina Limited is a privately held UK leisure and hospitality company operating a 5 Gold Anchor inland marina on the Shropshire Union Canal near Audlem, Cheshire. Founded in 2010 by Janet and Angus Maughan, the company owns and operates a diversified site portfolio comprising serviced canal-boat moorings, a certificated caravan site and 10-pitch touring park, four bespoke luxury glamping wagons, two cedar-wood holiday lodges (also listed on Airbnb), a full-service boat workshop offering Boat Safety Examinations and surveys under Workshop Manager Matt Anderson, an on-site cafe (Cafe at Bridge 80), a fuel bay, brokerage and boat hire, plus community assets including the volunteer-run Audlem Lass and the wheelchair-accessible Wheelyboat. There is no proprietary technology stack; infrastructure consists of ground source heat pumps, solar panels, and an office-based EPOS marina management system.

The business serves three core consumer segments — canal boat owners requiring moorings and recurring maintenance, touring caravanners and campers, and glamping/holiday guests — with secondary segments in disabled accessibility users and local community/event attendees. Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring mooring subscriptions, transactional accommodation bookings (direct via website or via Airbnb for lodges), unit-priced marine services (winterisation £135-£450, weekly checks £15, de-wintering from £75), cafe and fuel sales, and event-based income (Overwater Festival, charity quiz nights, festival camping at £10/night). Distribution is direct-to-consumer across a single UK site, supplemented by Airbnb for the holiday lodges. The company has received industry recognition including TYHA Inland Marina of the Year (2016, 2024 winner; 2025 runner-up), Visit Cheshire Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year 2026, and a Small Business of the Year 2025 award.

Name

OVERWATER MARINA LIMITED

Legal name

Overwater Marina Ltd

Website

https://overwatermarina.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Overwater Marina Limited is a family-owned UK inland marina operator serving canal boat owners, touring caravanners, glamping guests and holiday lodge visitors from its Five Gold Anchor site on the Shropshire Union Canal near Audlem, Cheshire, alongside on-site workshop, cafe, fuel, brokerage and community boat services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inland Marina and Canal-Side Leisure Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Marina RV & Waterfront Campgrounds (THAMAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Houseboats & Floating Stays (THAMADAG)

Keywords

• Canal boat moorings
• Marina services
• Touring caravan park
• Glamping accommodation
• Boat workshop services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantwich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Boat Moorings: Canal boat moorings on the Shropshire Union Canal with full services (water and electricity hook-ups). Marina is awarded Five Gold Anchors in the TYHA Gold Anchor Scheme.
2. Touring Pitches & Caravan Site: Certificated Location (CL) caravan site and touring park with facilities. Seasonal pitches available at Lakeview.
3. Glamping Wagons: Four bespoke glamping wagons providing romantic breaks. Also holiday lodges (two cedar wood lodges) available via Airbnb.
4. Boat Workshop Services: Full-service boat workshop including winterisation packages, Boat Safety Examinations (BSC), pre-purchase surveys, hull surveys, insurance surveys, pressure washing and blacking of boats.
5. Cafe at Bridge 80: On-site cafe open weekdays 9.30am-4pm, weekends 9.30am-5pm in summer, 9.30am-4pm in winter. Provides food and beverages to visitors and guests.
6. Fuel Sales: Fuel bay on site for boats, with weights and measures testing completed.
7. Events & Entertainment: Hosting events including Overwater Festival (August Bank Holiday music and comedy weekend), charity quiz nights, and seasonal events. Revenue from tickets and concessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Overwater Marina Limited operates a Five Gold Anchor canal boat marina on the Shropshire Union Canal near Audlem, Cheshire, offering serviced moorings alongside a certificated caravan site, a 10-van touring park, four bespoke glamping wagons, two cedar wood holiday lodges, an on-site boat workshop (BSC, surveys, winterisation), brokerage, boat hire, and a cafe. Complementary community offerings include the volunteer-run Audlem Lass and the wheelchair-accessible Overwater Wheelyboat.

Product overview

OverWater Marina Limited operates a diversified leisure and hospitality business on the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire. The core offering is marina moorings for canal boats, complemented by accommodation options including a touring caravan site (Certificated Location and Touring Park), luxury glamping wagons, and holiday lodges. Supporting services include boat workshop facilities (maintenance, surveys, BSC examinations), cafe, brokerage, boat hire, and community boat services (Audlem Lass and Wheelyboat for accessibility). The company holds 5 Gold Anchors from TYHA and has won multiple awards including TYHA Inland Marina of the Year 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cafe at Bridge 80: On-site cafe serving food and beverages, open on weekdays and weekends with varying hours seasonally.
• Glamping Wagons

Products and services

• Marina Moorings (Five Gold Anchor) Serviced boat moorings on the Shropshire Union Canal near Bridge 80 in Audlem, with water and electricity hook-ups, fuel bay, pump-out, and full jetty services, awarded Five Gold Anchors in the TYHA Gold Anchor Scheme. Available to narrowboat and canal boat owners on long-term, cruise, and winter terms.
• Caravan Site - CAMAC Certificated Location CAMAC Certificated Location caravan pitches a few minutes' walk from Audlem village, with access to toilets, showers, and waste/recycling facilities. Targeted at touring caravan and motorhome owners seeking short-stay CL pitches.
• Caravan Site - Touring Park 10-van touring park with a facilities block, offering pitches for motorhomes and touring caravans. Development part-funded by a grant from the Cheshire LEADER Fund (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development).
• Lakeview Seasonal Pitches Seasonal pitches at the Lakeview development for touring caravans, motorhomes, and tents.
• Luxury Glamping Wagons Four bespoke Glamping Wagons providing a relaxing and peaceful countryside retreat designed for romantic breaks, with all amenities needed. Bookable via the dedicated owglamp.co.uk site.
• Holiday Lets - Cedar Wood Lodges Two bespoke Cedar Wood Lodges with open-plan living and a dove grey galley kitchen including double oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and wine chiller. Listed on Airbnb (third-party owned and operated).
• Cafe at Bridge 80 On-site cafe serving food and beverages to marina visitors, guests, and walkers. Open 9.30am-4pm weekdays and 9.30am-5pm weekends in summer; 9.30am-4pm throughout the rest of the year.
• Boat Workshop Services Full boat workshop including Boat Safety Certificate (BSC) examinations, pre-purchase boat surveys, hull surveys, insurance surveys, pressure washing, blacking of boats, and general engineering work. Managed by fully qualified Boat Safety Examiner and Surveyor Matt Anderson.
• Boat Safety Certificate (BSC) Examinations BSC examinations and certification services for boat safety compliance, delivered by fully qualified Boat Safety examiner Matt Anderson.
• Boat Surveys (Pre-Purchase, Hull, Insurance) Pre-purchase boat surveys, hull surveys, and insurance surveys offered by qualified surveyor Matt Anderson.
• OverWinter Care Plan Full winterisation and de-wintering service for canal boats, including the standard winterisation package (engine/heating antifreeze checks, battery terminal cleaning and greasing, stern tube tightening, water tank draining, calorifier and water heater draining, shower head removal, deck drain clearing, ventilation and battery isolation switch checks) plus regular boat checks and end-of-season de-wintering with water pump reconnection, tank refill, and general check.
• Brokerage Services Boat brokerage services assisting customers with buying and selling canal boats through the marina.
• Boat Hire Canal boat hire services available at the marina, allowing visitors to experience cruising on the Shropshire Union Canal without owning a boat.
• Audlem Lass Community Boat Volunteer-operated community boat service providing trips from Overwater Marina to Audlem and surrounding areas, supporting the RNLI. Launched in 2011 by Rodney Cottrell and the late Christine Cottrell.
• Overwater Wheelyboat Service Wheelchair-accessible boat service offering free trips for wheelchair users and people who would normally be unable to board a boat. The boat, named 'Maughan's Lass' in memory of Richard Maughan, can carry 8 passengers including 4 wheelchairs and operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
• Cheshire Farmstay Farmstay experience connecting visitors with the local farming community and countryside activities around the marina.
• Fuel Bay Sales On-site fuel bay for boats, with weights and measures testing completed, supplying diesel to mooring customers and passing boaters.
• Overwater Festival and Events August Bank Holiday music and comedy weekend festival held on site, plus charity quiz nights and seasonal events. Festival camping available at £10 per night for motorhomes, caravans, and camping, with water on site.

Quantifiable outcome

• TYHA Inland Marina of the Year 2024 - Winner
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Audlem Lass Boat ServicecoreOthersCommunity boat service operated by volunteers. The Audlem Lass provides accessible boat trips and is supported by the marina. Rodney Cottrell and the late Christine Cottrell were co-founders. The service supports RNLI.
• Overwater Wheelyboat ServicecoreOthersWheelchair-accessible boat service providing free trips for disabled and mobility-impaired individuals. Named 'Maughan's Lass' in memory of Richard Maughan. Grant funded launch in 2015. Marina continues to fundraise for running costs. Can carry 8 passengers with 4 wheelchairs.
• Audlem Music & Arts FestivalminorOthersOverwater Marina hosts events and fundraisers to support the Audlem Music & Arts Festival. The August Bank Holiday festival at the marina raises funds for the 2027 festival. Charity quiz nights also support this festival.
• David Wilson HomesminorOthersDonated trees and made a generous donation to the Overwater Wheelyboat fund as part of environmental planting activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Premier Marinas: Major UK marina chain (premium positioning); competes indirectly with Overwater for boating customers nationwide and sets brand/premium standards.
• Aquavista Marinas: One of the largest UK marina operators with a broad inland and coastal portfolio; competes with Overwater for mooring customers at scale.
• Boatfolk: UK inland and coastal marina operator; competes with Overwater on moorings, services, and customer experience in shared geographies.

Direct peers

• ABC Leisure Group: Multi-location operator of inland marinas, boat hire, and related services on UK canals; overlapping customer base (narrowboat owners) and adjacent services.
• Nantwich Marina: Neighbouring inland marina on the Shropshire Union Canal serving narrowboats with moorings and services; the closest geographic and service-mix competitor to Overwater.
• Great Haywood Marina: Shropshire Union / Trent & Mersey inland marina with moorings, workshop, brokerage, and chandlery, directly comparable to Overwater's combined offering.
• Hilperton Marina: Inland marina on the Kennet & Avon Canal offering moorings, boat services, and cruiser hire — a comparable full-service inland marina operator.
• Calcutt Boats: Grand Union Canal marina offering moorings, workshop, brokerage, and boat hire; similar inland multi-service marina business model to Overwater.

Others

• Hoseasons: UK holiday rental marketplace with canal boat and lodge offerings; competes with Overwater's glamping/lodges/boat hire on customer discovery and booking.

Emerging players

• Drift Away: Canal boat hire and related inland waterway services on UK canals; competes on the hire side of Overwater's boat hire offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OverwaterMarina
• Instagraminstagram.com/overwater_marina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/overwater-marina-limited

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OVERWATER MARINA LIMITED