The noticeboard
Questions, answered
How does the name print work? +
Type the boat's name, the canal or route, the year and the home mooring — you see the layout live before you order. Pick a background illustration (a lock gate, a kingfisher, swans) or keep it plain. The print is rendered at full print resolution from the same layout you previewed.
How does the boat portrait work? +
Upload one clear photo of the boat and pick one of five styles — watercolour, ink line, oil painting, vintage poster or painterly. The preview is free (three a day) and carries a watermark. When you order, the artwork is re-rendered at full gallery resolution — no watermark — and printed.
What photo should I use for a portrait? +
A clear, well-lit shot with the boat as the subject — bow-on at the mooring, alongside the towpath, or mid-lock all work. A 12-megapixel phone photo comfortably covers A3 and usually A2. We measure your photo's pixels against each print size before you pay; below 150 dpi a print looks soft, so we don't sell it.
Will the printed artwork look like the preview? +
Yes — the name print renders from exactly the layout you previewed, and the portrait uses the same style instructions as your preview at much higher resolution. If a portrait is clearly wrong, you get one free regeneration within 24 hours.
What sizes and formats can I order? +
Unframed prints from A4 to A2 (including archival paper), framed prints in black or oak wood, canvas up to 450x600mm, mugs, and folded card packs. Every price includes UK delivery.
How long does delivery take? +
Each piece is made to order in the UK: production takes 2–4 working days, then delivery 2–5 working days. Most UK orders arrive within a week. Ordering for a birthday or Christmas? Order a week and a half ahead to be safe.
What do you do with my uploaded photos? +
Uploads are used only to produce your preview and your print. Unpurchased uploads are deleted automatically after 30 days; previews after 2 days. We never use your photos for anything else.
Can I return a personalised gift? +
If your order arrives damaged or wrong, we reprint or refund — photos within 30 days to hello@narrowboatgifts.co.uk. Because personalised items are made to your specification, the usual 14-day cancellation right doesn't apply once production starts (Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, reg 28(1)(b)) — but if the artwork is clearly wrong, you get one free regeneration within 24 hours.