There are several companies to which you could go in the city of Manchester where boats can be hired. Some of the other activities in which these companies are also engaged are operating boat yards, repairs of boats and chandlers. There are no known facilities along the Rochdale Canal as of now. The companies located along the Macclesfield Canal, an important inland waterway, are Heritage Narrowboats (Kidsgrove), Kerridge Dry Dock (Bollington), Bollington Packet Boat Company (Bollington), Macclesfield Marina (Macclesfield), Peak Forest Cruisers (Macclesfield), Lyme View Marina (Poynton) and Constellation Cruises/Braidbar Boatbuilders (Stockport).

The companies located along the Upper Peak Forest Canal are New Mills Marina (New Mills), The Judith Mary Restaurant Boat (Whale Bridge) and Top Lock Marine (Marple). The company located along the Lower Peak Forest Canal is Warble Narrowboats (Hyde). The companies located along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal are British Waterways Wigan Tard (Wigan Bottom Lock) and Lancashire Narrowboats (Wigan).