Henley Sales & Charter

What Henley Sales & Charter does

Henley Sales & Charter Ltd is a UK-based, privately held boat brokerage, charter, storage, and maintenance operator founded in 1994 and headquartered in Lower Basildon, near Pangbourne, Berkshire, on the River Thames. The company sells used and classic motorboats and small craft across a price range of approximately £6,000 to £249,000+, and offers Thames-side charter, mooring, storage, and maintenance services out of its Beale Park boatyard facility. It is the UK agent for Statement Marine and serves individual affluent boat owners, classic-boat enthusiasts, and charter clients in the Thames Valley region.

The business operates on a multi-revenue-stream model combining commission-based brokerage, seasonal charter hires (including the Spirit X vessel), recurring storage and mooring fees, and maintenance services. Distribution is built on personal broker relationships, partnerships with adjacent Thames operators (Pure Boating, Woottens, Stirling), and active participation in the Antique and Classic Boat Society. The owner, Gillian Nahum, has 30 years of brokerage experience, supplemented by broker Heather Dennett, anchoring the firm's relationship-driven competitive position.

Strategically, Henley Sales & Charter has pursued incremental, capital-light expansion since 2022: a UK agency for Statement Marine, leadership in ADLS, partnerships with Pure Boating (2025) extending charter access into premium hospitality venues such as Sonning/Coppa Club, and capacity expansion at the Beale Park boatyard. The company remains founder-controlled with no external funding and a headcount in the 11-50 band, indicating a stable niche operator scaling organically within a geographically concentrated luxury lifestyle market.

Name

Henley Sales & Charter

Legal name

Henley Sales & Charter Ltd

Website

https://hscboats.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Henley Sales & Charter is a privately held UK boat brokerage, charter, storage, and maintenance firm founded in 1994, serving individual affluent owners of used and classic boats priced £6,000-£249,000+ on the River Thames.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Classic Boat Brokerage and Charter

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Marinas (713930)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

River Cruise Charters (Private/Group) (THAEACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leisure Passenger Shipping Charters (Ferry/Excursion Vessels) (THAEAGAH), Cruise Charter Operators & Ship Buyouts (THAKAKAI), Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Classic boat brokerage
• Boat charter services
• Thames boat sales
• Boat storage maintenance
• Traditional boat charter

Headquarters

HQ city

Pangbourne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Boat Brokerage/Sales: Commission-based brokerage selling classic boats on behalf of owners. Boats range from £6,000 to over £249,000. The company matches buyers with vessels and facilitates transactions.
2. Boat Charter Services: Charter of classic boats for events, weddings, proposals, and corporate functions. Operates through Pure Boating brand with vessels like Spirit X available for hire from The Great House/Coppa Club in Sonning.
3. Storage & Logistics: Boat storage at Beale Park facility, winterisation, valeting, and basic maintenance services. Additional services include boat transportation and project assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Henley Sales & Charter is a classic boat brokerage and charter company operating on the River Thames. It sells traditional and contemporary classic boats on behalf of owners (commission-based brokerage, with vessels priced from approximately £6,000 to over £249,000), charters classic boats for weddings, corporate events, and proposals (including via the Pure Boating brand from Wallingford and Sonning), and operates Beale Park Boatyard near Pangbourne for winter storage, valeting, winterisation and basic boat maintenance.

Product overview

Henley Sales & Charter operates as a classic boat brokerage and charter business specializing in traditional Thames vessels. The core offering comprises boat sales brokerage (with 30 years of expertise), classic boat charter services, and storage/logistics at Beale Park. The company also operates Pure Boating as a subsidiary boat hire brand. Their portfolio includes various boat types: slipper launches (Andrews, Freebody, Woottens, Woottens-built electric models), Bates Starcraft motor yachts, electric launches (CLARA BELLE, King of Hearts, Golden Butterfly), Dunkirk Little Ships (White Marlin, ONA II, Lady Isabelle, Janthea), and Scandinavian classics (Storebro Royals, Nordic Lady). Prices range from budget options around £18,000 to premium vessels exceeding £145,000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Boat Sales (Brokerage) Expert brokerage service for selling and buying classic boats, specialising in traditional river boats including Dunkirk Little Ships and contemporary classics, with 30 years of Thames experience. Listings include Bates Starcraft motor yachts, slipper launches (Andrews, Freebody, Woottens), electric launches, Dunkirk Little Ships, motor yachts and vintage runabouts, priced from around £6,000 to over £249,000. Targeted at individual boat enthusiasts, collectors and heritage vessel buyers.
• Classic Boat Charter Charter service offering classic boats on the mid-reaches of the Thames for family picnics, romantic proposals, bridal carriages and corporate events. Vessels are available through the Pure Boating brand with both self-drive and skippered options from Wallingford and Sonning. Targeted at individuals and organisations seeking a Thames experience for a special occasion.
• Storage and Logistics Boat storage, winterisation, valeting, basic maintenance, boat transportation and project assistance provided at Beale Park Boatyard near Pangbourne. Includes clean, secure storage facilities, a workshop for boat maintenance, and ongoing support for existing boat owners. Targeted at existing classic boat owners needing off-season storage and maintenance services.
• Pure Boating Charter Brand Modern boat hire brand operating from Wallingford and Sonning locations, offering self-drive and skippered classic launches for events, weddings, birthdays, corporate events and river cruises. Operates as a related charter sub-brand to Henley Sales & Charter with close operational and marketing alignment.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pure BoatingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPure Boating operates as a related boat hire brand offering self-drive and skippered boat trips from Wallingford and Sonning (Coppa Club/The Great House). HSC supports Pure Boating operations and mentions them in newsletters, indicating close operational and marketing alignment.
• Coppa Club / The Great House SonningcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partnership for 'Spirit X' charter operations. The Great House/Coppa Club in Sonning serves as the departure point for skippered boat cruises and events, creating a combined hospitality and boating experience.
• Woottens BoatyardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWell-established relationship with Woottens Boatyard (Swanbourne, Buckinghamshire) for slipper launch construction. HSC sells boats built by Woottens and maintains ongoing relationships for custom builds and refits.
• Dennett Boat BuildersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong working relationship with Dennetts of Chertsey for boat restoration work. Several boats listed with HSC have been restored by Dennetts, and company maintains close ties with this renowned Thames boat builder.
• Stirling & SonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoat builder whose craft are highly regarded and sold through HSC. Stirling & Sons are noted as 'one of the few yards still producing work of this calibre' with award-winning restorations.
• Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHeather Dennett serves as Social Secretary of ADLS, managing much of the organisation and liaising with French authorities. HSC sells Dunkirk Little Ships and facilitates participation in the annual Return to Dunkirk event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Ancasta International Boat Sales: One of the largest UK boat brokerages with multi-office coverage; broader portfolio than HSC but overlaps in brokerage transactions, broker relationships, and yacht/new-boat agency arrangements.
• Thames Clippers (Uber Boat by Thames Clippers): Larger passenger vessel operator on the Thames; comparable in commercial passenger services on the same river, though at much larger scale and on commuter routes.
• Bates Wharf: Multi-branch UK marine dealer covering brokerage, new boats, and chandlery; overlaps with HSC's brokerage function but with broader inventory and infrastructure.

Regional players

• Wargrave Boat House: Thames-side boatyard offering moorings, storage and boat services; directly comparable in marina/yard services and Thames-specific customer base, though smaller scope than HSC.

Direct peers

• Peter Nicholls Yachts: Traditional UK brokerage handling new and used motor yachts and classic craft; directly comparable in brokering premium used vessels and serving enthusiast buyers.
• Val Wyatt Marine: Thames-side boatyard and brokerage near Henley/Wargrave; directly comparable in geographic focus on the Thames, classic vessel brokerage, moorings, and yard services.
• Network Yacht Brokers: UK-wide network of independent yacht brokerages; comparable transaction-based brokerage model with similar take-rate structure, though broader and less specialised than HSC's classic-boat niche.
• Topsail Yachts: Classic and traditional yacht broker with similar niche focus to HSC; comparable in curating traditional craft, working with heritage builders, and serving enthusiast collectors.
• Berthon Boat Company: Long-established UK yacht and boat brokerage with offices on the south coast; directly comparable to HSC in brokerage model, breadth of new and used listings, and full-service yard and storage offerings.

Others

• Classic Boat (magazine / Kelsey Media): Specialist publication covering the classic boat market HSC serves; not a direct competitor but the primary media channel for the same buyer and seller community HSC addresses.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hsc_classicboat
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Henley Sales & Charter