Brinks Encore & Barnes Brinkcraft Review

[BryanW]

First of all “The Yard”.

 

We had put down on the Arrivals Sheet for 13:00 but since we got to Wroxham at about 10:45 decided to check in at Barnes where a very helpful Receptionist took our mobile number and said she would call us when the boat was ready.  We also managed to say hello to Paul (ex Royalls) who seemed quite happy after the upheaval last year.

We had some shopping to do at Tesco in Stalham so we went off there (surprised at how crowded it was), after that we went down to Belaugh Staithe to have our sandwiches and a flask of coffee.

At about 12:30 we went back to Barnes and located the boat, a cleaner was just finishing off the outside of the windows so once she had finished we went back to the office where we were told we could ‘load up’.  Once loaded the office issued our lifejackets gave us the ‘Goody Bag’ and, to our surprise, a vast cardboard box containing a hamper of food, this turned out to be because we had previously been with Royall’s but we were not expecting it.  The problem was that we now had too much food so we ended up taking all of our ‘emergency rations’ and some more back home at the end of the week.

After a short time an engineer came round to do the handover.  Now for some surprises:

1. Engine start procedure - turn the key and the engine will start all of its own once it has run the Pre-heaters.
2. No need to check the Weed Filter, the engineer would not even tell us where it was.
3. No need to check the oil or coolant water levels, again the engineer would not tell us where the header tank was.
4. No slow running ‘standalone’ drinking water filter, all water is filtered.

After the engineer had been through the usual things he asked if we wanted a trial run, this was declined so we were on our way shortly afterwards.

On our return to the yard, as soon as we had moored the boat our car appeared (driven by an engineer) right behind the boat ready for us.  The Diesel tank was refilled and we had only used £30 pounds worth which is probably the least we have ever used so this boat must be pretty economical considering we did use the heating one evening but there again we don’t go haring around, most of the time just 1400 to 1600 rpm.

 

The Boat.

This is a brief review of Brinks Encore 1, it will be nowhere near as comprehensive as Robin’s reviews but, hopefully, assist other people to make a decision as to whether to hire her (or not).

I will upload a video taken around the boat but this may not be for a few days.  There will also be our usual video of the week at a later date.

Instrumentation:

GPS Speedometer, Rev Counter, Engine Coolant Temperature, Engine Oil Pressure, Diesel Tank Gauge and Water Tank Gauge plus the usual warning lights.  The Holding Tank Gauge is in the Bathroom next to the toilet, we did need a pump out about half way through the week.

Very powerful Bow Thruster (hydraulic).

Solar panels and electric ‘hookup’ cable supplied which we didn’t use, the electric was connected at the yard to give the batteries a good charge.  Not sure why the electric ‘hookup’ is supplied since the cooking is gas and all lighting is LED including forward and after wells.

Air Draught is 6’ 10” which I think has a good safety factor built in since the old Aquafibre Opals are 6’ 9”, you do have to look in the manual for this information.

Mud Weight winch, we had a problem with this whereby it stopped before the Mud Weight reached the bottom at Womack due to a twisted and balled chain (a la Sonnet a few weeks ago), an engineer was with us within half an hour (on Sunday) and sorted this but it was a bit difficult since there is no central access hatch into the Chain Locker.  I think that the winch is too fast, not allowing the chain to fall properly.

The Throttle is quite sensitive and you need to be careful standing up because you will catch it with your leg it also seems to be set so that if you increase the revs above about 1600rpm then, unless you hold it in position, it seems to want to settle back to 1600rpm.  1400rpm is about 3 to 4mph depending on tide.

The engine (Nanni) is fitted aft on hydraulic drive.

I did find the Helm seat too low and quite hard, no cushions are supplied so I couldn’t use one of those to increase the height and soften the seat.

CO and Smoke Alarms are fitted in the Saloon.

Beware the domestic Water tank filler cap, apart from the engraving around the cap there is no differentiation between that and the Diesel tank filler cap, neither need a wrench of any sort.

The cooker is a fairly standard domestic gas type with four rings, a medium size oven, a grill and, at the bottom, pan storage space.  Two metal oven baking dishes were supplied stored in the oven.  The rings, oven and grill are all spark ignition.

The fridge is domestic sized and electric.

The shower is thermostatically controlled so no more trying to juggle two taps to get the temperature right.

The toilet (electric) is fitted with a soft close lid and seat but the seat will not stay up on its own (too close to the side deck), so be aware gentlemen, but it does come down slowly so no damage results.  The toilet roll holder has a swivel cover so no need to remove the toilet roll when showering and as the cover is closed it rolls the toilet roll up so long as the roll is fitted to unroll from the top, best idea I’ve seen for years.

Heater is an Eberspacher with outlets in the Saloon, Bedroom and Bathroom, this was used on one evening and heated the boat up quickly.  The heater seems to be just forward of the helm on the port side with the exhaust on the curve of the bow so no scorching of the boat next door or quay heading.

Both the forward and aft doors are double glazed but the windows (apart from the small opening lights in the bathroom and above the cooker) are single glazed.  I didn’t like the sliding windows in the bedroom because you cannot leave them open if there is any chance of rain unlike the old ‘scuttle’ windows.

Storage space is excellent:

Three large drawers in the saloon one good food cupboard, crockery cupboard, cutlery drawer and general utensil drawer plus a large storage space behind the settee back.  The bedroom has one  large cupboard, three drawers and wardrobe plus two bedside cabinets (at the bottom of the bed).  All drawers and cupboard doors are ‘soft close’

We didn’t use the TV apart from to switch it on as a test.  The Wi-Fi seemed to work well although, again, it wasn’t used much.

I am afraid that I do not like the main bed the way round that it is so I slept on the large pull out in the Saloon leaving the bedroom for my wife.  I had taken the precaution of asking for two sets of bedding and making up the Saloon bed was very simple, pull out the seat and the backrest drops down to form a large double bed then just a case of putting the sheet on.

The hot water was still slightly warm until the morning, I will qualify that to say that we generally stopped cruising at about mid-day and had showers in the evening with two lots of washing up.

 

Engineer called out on Sunday due to winch problem but the service from him was excellent.

Overall very impressed with both the boat and Barnes.

 

[Broads01]

Thank you Bryan for the comprehensive review. Those darned electric mudweights! I look forward to your video. 

[BryanW]

2 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

Those darned electric mudweights

Never had a problem with those fitted on Gala Girl 2 & 3 but they are much slower and a different design and there is easy access to the Chain Locker.

[YnysMon]

Thanks Bryan.

I wonder if some yards have changed their policies around telling people to check weed filters etc. We were shown how to do the checks in last year's handover at Ferry Marina, but this year when we asked about the engine we were told we didn't need to check anything and that the yard engineers were happy to be called out should we have a problem.

Actually we did have a sneaky look at the weed filters as the skippers manual explained how to locate them.

Helen

 

[BryanW]

This is the video of the exterior & interior, excuse the 'lived in' look but it was.

 

[BryanW]

1 minute ago, YnysMon said:

I wonder if some yards have changed their policies around telling people to check weed filters etc

Don't know Helen, if this is the case then I would expect a lot of call-outs if you go to Coltishall or venture to Dilham.  Maybe they are fitted with a self cleaning filter or it has a very large surface area, maybe one of our boat surveyors may be able to answer this.

In the past I have certainly had to clean the filter on many occasions.

[Matt]

I would imagine they have worked out that having people checking them leads to more callouts than not checking them....!

[YnysMon]

Yes Matt, I had thought that might be the case.

Helen

[deebee29]

In the last few years we have been with Bridgecraft, Richardson's, Silverline and Herbert Woods and out of those Silverline & Richardsons told us we didn't need to touch the engine and the other two we had the usual checks to do. Don't know if it depends on the engine or if it's the yards preference.

[NorfolkNog]

On a well maintained boat it really shouldn't be necessary. I think to be honest it's a throw back to days gone by. In fact hirers can potentially do more harm than good, for example dropping engine parts in the bilges! 

To me Swancraft who were the holy grail didn't want you to do it and their maintenance regime was so good it was never necessary!

[Vaughan]

36 minutes ago, deebee29 said:

Don't know if it depends on the engine or if it's the yards preference.

Perhaps I can help with this one.

On Crown Blue Line boats, all built in Norfolk, we have not lifted the engine covers, on a trial run, for about 15 years now.

Modern boats will usually be fitted with two weed filters, one either side of the keel and more important, they will have a grill or metal mesh cage covering the outside of the inlet skin fitting so that weed will slide off and not be drawn into the filter. 

Modern engines such as Nanni, which are the most common on hire, especially with hydraulic drive, are so reliable nowadays that they are effectively maintenance free in a weeks' cruising. They are also protected by warning lights, loud buzzers and gauges for such things as oil pressure, temperature and charge. 

So the days of laboriously dipping the oil and getting it all over your shirt, or dropping the water filler cap in the bilges, are long gone!

[SwanR]

I can also confirm, having hired from six different yards over the last few years, that the advice around checking and clearing the filters does vary from "please do it every day" to "we find that hirers cause more problems by trying to check them than if they left them alone". As such we really haven't worried about it for the most part.

Interesting to read about the issue with the winch! And also about the bedroom layout. I am constantly disappointed by yards who build nice new boats for two but then effectively put the bed the wrong way round with the headboard in the middle of the room. That rules them out for us. 

[trambo]

Nice review Bryan. Surprised on the video how many small differences there are to Silver Coral. The upholstery, looks less in your face. refrigerator is not as integrated as on Coral and the video does confirm the bed layout, at least on number one in the class. I wonder why Robert said the Brinks builds had the normal side bed arrangement. 

Looking forward to your trip video.

Fred

[Jocave]

7 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Thanks Bryan.

I wonder if some yards have changed their policies around telling people to check weed filters etc. We were shown how to do the checks in last year's handover at Ferry Marina, but this year when we asked about the engine we were told we didn't need to check anything and that the yard engineers were happy to be called out should we have a problem.

Actually we did have a sneaky look at the weed filters as the skippers manual explained how to locate them.

Helen

 

When we hired this year from Ferry Marina they told us not to touch the weed filters as apparantly its easy to crack the housings if they are over tightened so leave them alone and if we had any problems to give them a ring as they would rather come out and take a look themselves than to risk hirers messing with them and causing more serious problems..

[BryanW]

15 hours ago, Vaughan said:

So the days of laboriously dipping the oil and getting it all over your shirt, or dropping the water filler cap in the bilges

The dip stick on the Gala Girls was a real pain in the butt to get at, right on the outboard side of the engine bay and under the side deck (traverse Nanni with hydraulic drive.  With Royall Satin I was always worried that I was going to drop the weed filter cap in the bilge because of where it was.

15 hours ago, SwanR said:

put the bed the wrong way round with the headboard in the middle of the room

Couldn't agree more.  In fact we changed from Royall Velvet II to Encore when Barnes took Royalls over on the basis that the bed was as shown on Barnes' boat plan.  That is why I slept in the Saloon.

14 hours ago, trambo said:

Surprised on the video how many small differences there are to Silver Coral. The upholstery, looks less in your face. refrigerator is not as integrated as on Coral and the video does confirm the bed layout, at least on number one in the class. I wonder why Robert said the Brinks builds had the normal side bed arrangement. 

From what people have said about Silverline boats I suspect that Encore has been built to a slightly lower spec with regard to the interior fit out.

 

Still a very nice boat we would highly recommend it and the yard.

[Bedslad]

What a great boat review Bryan, thank you

[LondonRascal]

Brian, you certainly know how to paint a picture with words.  What a good review.  I stepped on this boat and had a brief look about, I would say the fit and finish is superior to Serenade since this was all done by Silverline which also explains why not too much of Barnes 'gizmos' have made it onboard.

 

[BryanW]

There were a couple of things I forgot:

The bow mooring ropes are a very good length for a hire boat, probably only just short enough not to reach the prop which made my wife's life a lot easier.

The Water Tank Gauge only reads with the engine running but the Holding Tank Gauge does read continuously

[JamesLV]

When I hired Sonata from Brinks no mention of checking the filters, or anything else, hired Fair Jubilee from NBD, and they were insistent it was done daily, that said on one occasion coming out of Ranworth onto he narrow bit I had to get the ex wife to take over the helm as I realised I'd forgotten to open the valves back up again, luckily I noticed the rapidly climbing temp gauge in time, but that highlights the potential pitfalls of checking them, and I view myself as fairly mechanically savvy

[ranworthbreeze]

There are sections of the broads that are more susceptible to weed than others.

Most boats do have alarms for overheating but on upper helms with limited instruments (temperature gauge) and away from the sound of the alarm damage is easily done. 

In my mind inspection of the raw water filter is a must, many have clear plastic covers so its a quick task. Other engine tests should not be needed on a boat that is checked on turnaround.

Regards

Alan

[Guest]

Whilst I accept it's generally not necessary, I've always been in the habit of checking filters, oil, water etc on a daily basis.

This is probably from having to do the same sort of thing every day at work and having it drilled into my routine, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[LondonRascal]

With improvements in engines and increasingly since modern engines are found in many hire boats as they have been either newly built or re-engined, they should not require daily checking for oil and coolant levels.  After all, how many car drivers bother to check their engine every time they set off in the morning to see if it has enough oil or coolant.

Let me take the example of Bronze Gem, a boat that has a 'new' Nanni engine in it - despite this having now just over 3,000hrs on the clock and being told not to check anything I kept an eye on things just to see. She used no oil and the coolant expansion tank never dropped before max.

Since most boats now have the 'Vetus' clear type filters, one can see if there is a blockage but also there is a risk should one open them (usually a special tool is needed as their lids can be pretty tight) if the seal is not engaged properly air can get in and render the suction of the engines water pump greatly reduced or stop it drawing in water at all. I have heard some hirers trying to inspect them and the rubber gasket drops into the bilge - thinking it is not too important then screwing the plastic cover back on and wonder whats wrong once cruising with overheating.

Certainly Barns Brinkcraft really prefer a very 'hands off' approach and would rather engines be inaccessible on modern builds and if there is any issue to call them out to inspect and fix than trying yourself. I think Richardson's are the same.  

[Guest]

On a hire boat, if they ask you not to touch anything or don't explain how to I'd be more than happy leaving well alone. It's their boat and it's them who will need to sort any issues out.

On my own boat it just goes against everything I've ever been taught. You obviously know your own boat and understand it's workings better than a more unfamiliar hire boat too.

As I said earlier maybe it's just how I've been instructed at work where if an engine seized due to lack of oil or there was no water in the pump to put on a fire etc I'd be kicking a pebble down the road and so I maintain regular checks regardless of the vehicle.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[dnks34]

5 hours ago, JamesLV said:

When I hired Sonata from Brinks no mention of checking the filters, or anything else, hired Fair Jubilee from NBD, and they were insistent it was done daily, that said on one occasion coming out of Ranworth onto he narrow bit I had to get the ex wife to take over the helm as I realised I'd forgotten to open the valves back up again, luckily I noticed the rapidly climbing temp gauge in time, but that highlights the potential pitfalls of checking them, and I view myself as fairly mechanically savvy

Apart from overheating the block and ruining the impeller the exhaust hose is going to melt if there is no raw water going through it for any length of time.

Its lucky you remembered the valve when you did!

Unless a boat has an underwater exhaust you can also tell by the sound of the exhaust that somethings wrong. 

Just making sure you have a flow of water from the exhaust (if its visible) should do rather than checking the filter everyday, as others have said with the clear type filters you can also see the flow of water through them to use as an indicator.

[JamesLV]

After that experience I decided not to close the valves when checking the filters, the amount of water that came out was so minimal it wouldn't have made any difference anyway.