His And Hers Boat Reviews?

[YnysMon]

Just been rewatching Robin’s (LondonRascal’s) first Bronze Gem blog (yes, I know... rewatching blogs...but I’m suffering from the latest lurgy and can’t cope with anything more taxing than watching something about the Broads)

Watching the opening segment it occurred to me that it would be really interesting (fun?) to get a his and hers review. Too late now I guess, now that Robin has Independence as well as a part share in Broad Ambition. Would have loved to have had Sheila’s views of the boats!

Helen

[Boatingman]

Hi Helen

Sorry you are not to well

I think you will find Robin was on his own in most of the early blogs

Ray

[YnysMon]

Ah, yes, but on Bronze Gem day 1 Robin mentioned that Sheila was joining him the following day! In fact, if I remember rightly, sometime during the following few days she successfully turned Bronze Gem around at Coltishall Locks whilst Robin was on the bank shouting instructions. 

Also remember her popping up for a few days on quite a few blogs on various boats.

Just would be nice to have a dual view, so to speak. Sheila seems to have as cheeky a cheeky sense of humour as Robin.

H

 

[Wyndham]

14 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Just been rewatching Robin’s (LondonRascal’s) first Bronze Gem blog.....

Funnily enough I rewatched one last night, the one on Brinks something or other where he cooked a mountain of food using twice as many pans as was needed.

But to reviews, if Shelia had been around and if she's anything like Mrs W the review would have been either...

"Lovely boat, the toilet is nice" or "Hate this boat, the toilet is horrible"

[YnysMon]

Wot, nothing about the kitchen or how comfortable the bed was? 

[YnysMon]

Or how well it steers? (recalling a comment by SwanR).

 

[Wyndham]

8 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Wot, nothing about the kitchen or how comfortable the bed was? 

 

The kitchen could be like this

and the bedroom like this

6 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Or how well it steers? (recalling a comment by SwanR).

 

it could have the latest "mooring assist" gps features including being able to do potter bridge backwards......but if the loos not right...

[Delilah]

OK folks, I'm not sure whether this is what you have in mind for a 'her view' of a boat, but I can tell you the story of the very first time that Mr Nog brought me on the Broads. We'd only been together for just over a year and I'd never done any kind of boating holiday ever before. Mr Nog was trying to impress me and hired Camero 2 from Sabina Marine.

We picked it up from Wroxham and although I could see why Mr N was trying to impress me, I would seriously never want to hire that boat again! There was a 'four poster bed' in the bedroom, and to be honest,  they used more than a bit of artistic licence describing it as that. Four poster bunk was more apt!  Plus, there was no deck at the front, so you couldn't grab any ropes and jump on land to moore up. In fact, I can't remember how on earth we moored up 

The boat was 'compact' with a living room shaped like a wishbone and the tiniest of kitchens. 

Still, he tried and it certainly didn't put me off. The next year we started to rent from Swancraft and didn't look back. 

Ironically, one of my favourite boats was another ex Sabina Marine boat, called Caprice (aka FineTime). It was quirky and extremely cute, until it started to experience some damage.

 Kindest regards, Mrs Nog 

[YnysMon]

Now, that’s what I call a proper review Mrs Nog!

[Wyndham]

10 minutes ago, Delilah said:

Ironically, one of my favourite boats was another ex Sabina Marine boat, called Caprice (aka FineTime). It was quirky and extremely cute, until it started to experience some damage.

 Kindest regards, Mrs Nog 

We too hired that boat and a fine craft she was. (Proper loo)

SPOILER ALERT

It's actually up for sale right now.

https://norfolk.boatshed.com/alpha_32-boat-242610.html

Looking in need of some TLC

[YnysMon]

Aw, doesn’t it look forlorn...

 

[Delilah]

Thank you, and I agree with what's been said on here earlier, in that a boat could have as many bells, whistles and techno gadgets as you can shake a stick at, but if the kitchen and bathroom are sub standard and if there isn't enough storage space, then I wouldn't thank you for it!

Another point would be the heating and a decent calorifier. This is where Swancraft excelled. I miss the fact that they no longer hire

[Wyndham]

11 minutes ago, Delilah said:

This is where Swancraft excelled. I miss the fact that they no longer hire

Riccos have their boats Mrs Nog. Very popular they are too.

[Delilah]

We know this, as when we've walked through Richardsons boatyard (and taken pictures of some of their boats for Grace) we've seen most of the Swancraft fleet. It's the personal touch that we miss more than anything though

[Wyndham]

7 minutes ago, Delilah said:

We know this, as when we've walked through Richardsons boatyard (and taken pictures of some of their boats for Grace) we've seen most of the Swancraft fleet. It's the personal touch that we miss more than anything though

Never experienced Swancraft service myself but, yeah I get your feelings.

Thing is, you're in the yard for a couple of hours at the start and end, in between you get, IMO, some of the the best 2 berth boats on the broads.

Grace has a boat fetish? I thought it was just shoes.

[Broads01]

I still have Hoseasons' interior photos of Caprice in my head. In its day it certainly was a unique take on an Alpha 32.

[Delilah]

I wouldn't be so bold as saying fetish, but in some of Mr N's Q&P's in the past, he's taken photos of the Richardsons boats especially for Grace, as she likes them. 

We made really good friends with all of the folks at Swancraft, but now we're hiring from Bridgecraft and getting to know Mark, Stephanie and Daniel. I take it Howard mentioned what happened at Herbie Woods boatyard in December with the Environment Agency? It was really lovely that Daniel came all the way there to look for us xx

[Delilah]

7 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

I still have Hoseasons' interior photos of Caprice in my head. In its day it certainly was a unique take on an Alpha 32.

The calor gas fire in the lounge was a one-off! Probably a H&S nightmare, but really good if you wanted instant heat!

[Gracie]

I don't think I have ever not loved a boat I've been on, from budget to posh. I very rarely use the galley, I'm on holiday and I'm not cooking  The only gripe I have with most boats I've been on is the showers, a bit too cramped for me when I'm singing my version of a Whitney Houston song, or killing it a slow death more like Lol, and you think Jay's bad

How are you doing Lind?

Grace

 

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, Gracie said:

I don't think I have ever not loved a boat I've been on, from budget to posh. I very rarely use the galley, I'm on holiday and I'm not cooking  The only gripe I have with most boats I've been on is the showers, a bit too cramped for me when I'm singing my version of a Whitney Houston song, or killing it a slow death more like Lol, and you think Jay's bad

How are you doing Lind?

Grace

 

I always find a cramped shower can have it's advantages if you are imaginative and creative 

I am sure my singing isn't that bad, I'll come serenade you, see what you think.

Oh, and you don't use the galley because you are on holiday? Really? You use the kitchen at home? 

[KatieR]

9 hours ago, Delilah said:

 I take it Howard mentioned what happened at Herbie Woods boatyard in December with the Environment Agency? It was really lovely that Daniel came all the way there to look for us xx

I'm quite new to the forum so may have missed something, but sounds intriguing- anything you can share?

[Hockham Admiral]

12 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Just been rewatching Robin’s (LondonRascal’s) first Bronze Gem blog (yes, I know... rewatching blogs...but I’m suffering from the latest lurgy and can’t cope with anything more taxing than watching something about the Broads)

Watching the opening segment it occurred to me that it would be really interesting (fun?) to get a his and hers review. Too late now I guess, now that Robin has Independence as well as a part share in Broad Ambition. Would have loved to have had Sheila’s views of the boats!

Helen

What an excellent idea, Helen.    

As some of the above posters may have hinted I would think that the heads would come high on any ladies list!   

[stumpy]

13 hours ago, Wyndham said:

 

But to reviews, if Shelia had been around and if she's anything like Mrs W the review would have been either...

"Lovely boat, the toilet is nice" or "Hate this boat, the toilet is horrible"

Funny you should say that - when we were schlepping all over East Anglia and the Thames valley boat hunting the first step in our inspection was always Kathy trying the head for size and smell and only if that got the nod could I start on the less important stuff. The only exception was a  Seamaster on props in Ely - we got within 15 feet of it, sniffed, looked at each other and went to the pub. It stunk! Holding tank,bilge and diesel were prominent!

[NorfolkNog]

3 hours ago, Katiew said:

I'm quite new to the forum so may have missed something, but sounds intriguing- anything you can share?

Of course Katiew!  We came down in December last year, and it was Mr N's birthday on the Monday. We picked the boat up on the Saturday and moored up in Herbie Woods boatyard at Potter so that I could go and inspect the tat in Lartharms.  Mr N went to the Falgate after he'd had one of the excellent burgers from the burger van. So, whilst I was tatting in Lartharms and he was in the pub, the Environment Agency raised the barrier at the entrance/exit to Herbie Woods boat yard, which meant that any boats that were in there, were in there til the following Monday. The EA do this if there is surge of salt water, which would kill the fresh water fish that normally use the boat yard for shelter and protection. 

So, this meant that we would have been locked in HW boatyard from the Saturday until the Monday. I was NOT pleased with this. How many times can you go round Lartharms in two and a half days? And there was just ONE pub. Knowing Mr N, he likes to sample two, three, four, sometimes five pubs.

So, HW must have realised that we were there and phoned the boatyard that we hired from. This is where Daniel (from the boatyard we'd hired from) came into it as he came looking for us. In the meantime, I  was so incensed with being told that we'd be locked in there for two and a bit days, I got on my mobile to the EH and told them what had happened. It all turned out well tho, as the EH lowered the barrier and we escaped 

[NorfolkNog]

Sorry, I've done it again and logged on as Mr N. At this rate we'll be divorced by April!  Sorry Howard