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Bronze Gem 2 Review


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I enjoyed Robin's latest video review of Bronze Gem 2. OK I know I'm a loyal Richardsons hirer so he's preaching to the converted but nonetheless the boat appeared even more up together than I thought it would be. I remember a few years back going aboard a Richos Bounty 37 with the engine running and it was deafeningly loud but not the Nanni on Bronze 2 now. And check out that luxury sofa! 

 

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Can't fault these boats on price and facilities. We've hired a Magic Gem in the past.

Not everyone wants (or can afford) all electric top of the range everything when on the Broads so these boats fit the bill

Personally I like to leave it all at home and just enjoy being on the Broads.

Again Robin proves you can have a great boating holiday for not a lot of money.

Great video

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I adore these budget boats, they are such good value for money, I don't think we've ever hired a boat we didn't like or had problems with. Been on a few of those bath tubs in our time but a non stick frying pan on board, never heard of it :default_norty:

Grace

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23 minutes ago, C.Ricko said:

Nice review there which is always good,

BUT... there should be a nonstick frying pan on there!!! 

There's always been a good quality non stick one when we've hired.

probably just an oversight 

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I remember being moored on Star Gem at Ranworth Island before the boys came along and decided to cook a full English for im indoors, the bangers got stuck to the pan and when I tried to shovel them out they were a heaving mess. We hadn't been married long and after the comment "I know you're no Nigella in the kitchen but I don't think I've ever seen a sausage like that"........one of our first ever marital domestics began, all ended well in the end, we rowed over to the Staithe and had a proper cooked lunch as I'm indoors described it :facepalm:

Grace

p.s Never cooked a full English on a boat since, Mum say's "you clever girl, I taught you well" :default_norty:

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I must say I'd never really seen the appeal of these sorts of boats before, tending to opt for the Sedan Cruisers and their associated luxuries, but having watched Robin's review, something about their simple honesty strikes a chord, so maybe just maybe, the next trip, after Omega in October might be on one of these, it'd certainly save a few quid!

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Just now, deebee29 said:

We always have a full English on a boat

That's the only time we have them, never have time at home

Should be banned. There is nothing worse than the smell of high cholesterol offal tubes, bacon, egg and tomatoes being fried on a broad or river.

The smell wafting along the bank or across the water on a still morning.

Especially if you are working on a boatyard on turn round day.

 

How you wish to be invited, just once. But of course it never happened.

Andrew

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Just now, Wussername said:

The smell wafting along the bank or across the water on a still morning.

There speaks a man whose barbecue burnt offerings had to be thrown in the broad at the Spring Meet, before our wives saw them!

Anyway, you weren't up for breakfast. Wasn't long before we were enjoying a glass of rosé though!

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The fact there was no frying pan was no issue to us - and the boat was really comfy.  Sure you are lower down to the river, but in a way that is better because you notice things you otherwise may miss as you cruise along looking at the river banks, trees and so on. It may be different on a long journey down the Bure to somewhere like Reedham, but for a short break it was ideal.

 

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1 hour ago, Gracie said:

p.s Never cooked a full English on a boat since, Mum say's "you clever girl, I taught you well" :default_norty:

If the wench never did a full English on the boat the gran kids would have her walking the plank or keel hauled.... Me on the other handv dont know what all the fuss is for grannys full English as I never have had one, oh that reminds me of the day in  the pub when she cooked a vegi breakfast and a Full English for couple ... best i leave :default_gbxhmm: that there for HSE reasons roflmao.

Charlie

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1 hour ago, LondonRascal said:

The fact there was no frying pan was no issue to us - and the boat was really comfy.  Sure you are lower down to the river, but in a way that is better because you notice things you otherwise may miss as you cruise along looking at the river banks, trees and so on. It may be different on a long journey down the Bure to somewhere like Reedham, but for a short break it was ideal.

 

Actually my take on it is do you want to be higher up if it means seeing the roads and the traffic. Sometimes it's nice to just be on the river. :)

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Just a note on Breakie - doing the bacon and Sausages in the oven is easy and simple, just cover baking dish with some foil to stop splashes in the oven - turn the assuages occasionally, they take about 20-25 minutes on gas mark 5. This means the hob can be used for heating the beans (or if you have one a Microwave is ideal for this along with Mushrooms) just need a pan for the fried egg. Cuts down on washing up too.

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2 hours ago, deebee29 said:

We always have a full English on a boat

That's the only time we have them, never have time at home

I was rather looking forward to bacon / eggs / sausages when we get around to visiting the broads.
Have memories of walking down Thurne Dyke in the mornings with the smell of breakfast cooking from the boats. Thus am surprised to hear of no frying pan...

Can't get decent bacon where I live :4_joy:

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On the forward drive vs other designs subject, forward steers have many advantages of course (living space, easy access, single floor level, large windows). The disadvantage or otherwise of a low down steering position to my mind depends where you are. On tree-lined sections it makes no difference whereas reed-lined you're at a disadvantage. Simplistically you could say forward steer works well on the north Broads, not so well south but both have their tree-lined and reed-lined rivers. 

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I have a fried breakfast down to an art form, I have a small (6" ) frying pan, and manage a full breakfast- oil in the pan, then fried bread, followed by the eggs, then the bacon, after that a tin of baked beans (or beans and sausages) is thrown in the same pan, and heated up.

That said sausages and bacon at home are normally done on a tray in the oven, but just occasionally it all gets done in one pan.

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Robin believe me,  even when you pay neigh on £3,000 for two weeks on the boat we hired we only had 2 three pin sockets,    one in the galley and one tucked under the TV .      None in any of the cabins.       This boat you have reviewed looks really good value.

 

 

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Excellent and most objective review Robin.

In my blog about our holiday in May I didn't say much about the boat but the Ultimate Gem that we hired was just as you describe the Bronze Gem. So was Richardsons' calm, efficient and very friendly service.

Our boat did have an inverter and a microwave (which we didn't need) but was otherwise more or less the same, only longer.

A couple of small points :

The old 3 pin 5 amp socket for the TV is not wired polarity reversed - it actually uses the earth pin as the positive. That way only the original Snellings hire TVs could be used and anything else that you might plug in would not work. So totally safe!

Those 12 volt neon strip lights are the ones that the boat was built with and they are still the best, even after 40 years. They give off a soft and very adequate light. The "Square D" fittings that you mention are not reliable, as they will burn out if the domestic batteries get too low. So well done Richardsons for sticking to Sod's Law - if it is still working well, don't change it!

I thoroughly endorse all that you have said and Susie and I will be phoning Richardsons tomorrow to book our boat for September.

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What is great about Robins reviews is that he just tells it as it is. He'll point out things he doesn't like which others may like and vice versa. No, shall we say "influencing" going on.

How any of us have a hobby or interest and have read reviews in a publication and thought is this a genuine review? ( If you see what I mean)

Yeah, in todays world Robins reviews are a breath of fresh air.

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On 7/4/2017 at 0:38 PM, LondonRascal said:

Just a note on Breakie - doing the bacon and Sausages in the oven is easy and simple, just cover baking dish with some foil to stop splashes in the oven - turn the assuages occasionally, they take about 20-25 minutes on gas mark 5. This means the hob can be used for heating the beans (or if you have one a Microwave is ideal for this along with Mushrooms) just need a pan for the fried egg. Cuts down on washing up too.

Hi Robin,

Just the way I do it on the boat, sausages always taste better `when oven cooked, you can remove the label and lid off of the bean or tinned tomatoes can and also cook  those in the oven.

Regards Alan  

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