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Sixteen years ago Gordon and Margaret started this passenger service on Coniston Water. During that time it has blossomed into a fully fledged operation employing some nine staff and providing an unrivaled opportunity for visitors to fully enjoy the lake. Furthermore Coniston Launch has become a beacon of Environmental Friendliness with its pioneering solar-electric motive system.

The time has come for a change. The Partnership 'Coniston Ferry Services' that originally ran Coniston Launch is no more - and the boats are now owned and run by Coniston Ferry Services Ltd. Then on 1 Feb Gordon and Margaret sold their CFS Ltd shares to Douglas and Gillian Hodgson. The Hodgsons are very experienced in passenger boat operation, being involved in the management of Keswick Launch, they are however at pains to point out that CFS Ltd is owned by them personally - not by Keswick Launch.

Both Gordon and Margaret would like to thank all those who have been involved in Coniston Launch since its inception. They consider that they have been most fortunate to have had 16 wonderful years 'at the helm' and would like to wish all their customers, partners, contractors and others - including Douglas and Gillian - the very best for the future.

Well Ruskin is back in the water, looking good, and running a service whenever the water levels allow (we HAVE had a lot of rain!). Her new batteries are working really well - indeed we have not had to run the generator so far this year - Wow!

Ransome is having her turn now - just a couple of planks and a few ribs to see to, and of course new batteries for her as well - a bit of a luxury really because they had not 'gone off' as much as Ruskin's had, but it was only fair to do them both! The chargers are now on our overnight berthing jetty rather than on the boats - they are pretty large and would be a bit intrusive aboard.