Canal Boat · Boat test
Precision-Machined Masterpiece
A detailed specialist review of Venissa, covering its contemporary fit-out and the thinking behind the finished boat.
Read the boat test →Awards · Press · Independent coverage
Award-winning British narrowboat builders.
Oakums Narrowboats has earned consecutive recognition at the Crick Boat Show and coverage across the specialist boating press, regional business media and international design publications. Our portfolio brings luxury narrowboats, bespoke interiors and advanced electric narrowboats together through contemporary British narrowboat manufacturing.
Three consecutive Crick results
Designed to be remembered.
From luxury liveaboard interiors to carefully integrated diesel and electric propulsion, every Oakums narrowboat is individually developed around its owner and the life they want on the water.
2021Larkrise — first place
2022Evenstar — first place
2023Morning Star — second place
Crick Boat Show · August 2021
Larkrise — Favourite Boat in Show.
Larkrise was voted Favourite Boat in Show by visitors at the August 2021 Crick Boat Show, establishing Oakums among the award-winning narrowboat builders shaping contemporary canal-boat design.
Waterways World followed the result with a December 2021 review of the 60ft narrowboat, its distinctive interior and the commissioning choices behind it.
Crick Boat Show · 2022
Evenstar — Favourite Narrowboat in Show.
Evenstar made it two consecutive visitor-voted successes for Oakums when it was named Favourite Narrowboat in Show at Crick Boat Show 2022.
The 60ft narrowboat combined rich timber, tailored furniture and an expansive galley with the practical detail required for extended life afloat.
Crick Boat Show · 2023
Morning Star — second place.
Morning Star achieved second place in the 2023 Crick Boat Show visitor vote. The 60ft electric narrowboat brought solar generation, lithium storage, electric propulsion and a gas-free interior into a refined liveaboard commission.
Award moments
Three years at Crick.
The awards marked three memorable appearances for Oakums and the owners whose individual boats shaped each result.
Featured press
Oakums in the boating and business press.
Specialist boat tests, independent industry commentary and international design coverage have followed Oakums projects from Larkrise and Venissa to Morning Star and Theta.
Waterways World · December 2021
Larkrise review
Waterways World reviewed Oakums' first Crick winner following the August 2021 show.
View the issue →autoevolution · July 2026
Theta reaches an international audience
An international feature explored Theta's all-electric propulsion, glass roof, oak interior and unmistakably contemporary design.
Read the feature →Henley Sales & Charter · February 2023
Luxury electric narrowboats
The independent boating business highlighted an Oakums electric narrowboat after encountering the team at BoatLife.
Read the boating feature →TheBusinessDesk · February 2024
British manufacturing growth
Regional business coverage followed Oakums' move into expanded Derbyshire manufacturing premises.
Read the business feature →Banner Jones · April 2024
Investment in British boatbuilding
Banner Jones profiled Oakums' acquisition of its Derbyshire site and described the company as an award-winning luxury boat builder.
Read the feature →Oakums on the water
Customer collaborations with a life beyond launch day.
An Oakums boat becomes a home, a cruising platform or a working part of a customer's business. These independent and customer-led features follow the boats after they leave the workshop.
Synewave Boats · Theta
A contemporary electric narrowboat experience
Synewave documents its collaboration with Oakums and the creation of Theta, from the prepared hull through insulation, first fit and finished onboard experience.
Explore the collaboration →Boatfinder · Morning Star
Electric systems in detail
Boatfinder's feature records Morning Star's Oakums fit-out, exterior finish, lithium battery bank, solar generation and electric propulsion specification.
View Morning Star →Narrowboat Life Unlocked · Morning Star
Launching an electric liveaboard
The owners followed Morning Star from its arrival for fit-out through launch, Crick Boat Show and life on the waterways.
Read the owner's story →
Electric narrowboat design
Theta — a new perspective on the narrowboat.
Designed and built by Oakums for Synewave Boats, Theta takes a deliberately modern approach to the British narrowboat. Electric propulsion, expansive roof glazing, solid oak cabinetry and a carefully resolved interior create a distinctive experience on the water.
The project has attracted international editorial coverage and independent video features, extending the reach of Oakums design beyond the traditional inland-waterways audience.
Further coverage
More stories from the waterways.
Selected customer videos, specialist blogs and marketplace features show Oakums boats at different stages of ownership, from first fit-out to cruising and resale.
Evenstar video tour
An independent walkthrough of the 2022 Crick Boat Show winner.
Watch on YouTube →Venissa at Crick
Narrowboat Briar Rose covered Venissa and its specialist Canal Boat review.
Read the blog →Oakums boats in the marketplace
Apollo Duck's public manufacturer page brings together new and used Oakums narrowboats.
View current listings →Choosing a new narrowboat builder
Contemporary design. Individual commissions.
Oakums creates bespoke new narrowboats for cruising, extended stays and luxury liveaboard life, with more than 50 boats forming an evolving portfolio of British craftsmanship.
Three new narrowboat ranges
Choose a compact Bowless, a sociable Open Bow or a protected Closed Bow, then develop the layout and specification around your life.
Compare the ranges →Diesel or electric narrowboats
Oakums offers diesel and electric propulsion, with charging, lithium battery storage, solar generation and onboard demand considered together.
Explore electric narrowboats →More than 50 individual builds
Explore contemporary layouts, marine-grade materials, tailored interiors and distinctive finishes across the Oakums archive.
Explore Previous Builds →Designed around the owner
Luxury narrowboats made personal.
Every Oakums commission begins with how the boat will be used. Layout, natural light, storage, materials, propulsion and energy systems are developed together to create a coherent home on the water.
Explore the Previous Builds archive, compare the current new narrowboat collection, or view the Crick Boat Show winners archive.
Questions buyers ask
Oakums awards and new narrowboats.
Clear answers about the results and what Oakums builds today.
Has Oakums won Favourite Boat in Show?
Yes. Larkrise won Favourite Boat in Show at the August 2021 Crick Boat Show, and Evenstar won Favourite Narrowboat in Show in 2022.
Which Oakums boats have been recognised at Crick?
Larkrise won in August 2021, Evenstar won in 2022, and Morning Star achieved second place in 2023.
Does Oakums build diesel and electric narrowboats?
Yes. Bowless, Open Bow and Closed Bow are available with diesel and electric propulsion options at their current published starting prices.
Start your Oakums
Create the next recognised Oakums.
Use these completed boats for inspiration, then talk to Oakums about the layout, finish and propulsion that would make your commission individual.