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Broom Captain


Markw

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  • 2 years later...

We are hiring a Broom Captain next weekend. Having never done this type of holiday before, could you please let me know if there are plug sockets (I saw a hairdryer in one of your photos) - can you just plug it in or do you need some sort of adapter? Many thanks

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53 minutes ago, WendyS said:

We are hiring a Broom Captain next weekend. Having never done this type of holiday before, could you please let me know if there are plug sockets (I saw a hairdryer in one of your photos) - can you just plug it in or do you need some sort of adapter? Many thanks

If you run it off the inverter, it will need to be low power (probably 1000w or less) and only use it with the engine running at about 1400 revs.  A travel hair dryer is ideal.  If you are using a standard one, you will probably only be able to use it when hooked up to mains power as it will almost certainly be too powerful for the inverter on the boat.  In case you aren’t aware, an inverter converts 12v dc current to 240v ac, but limited to the size on the inverter.

Just call Brooms direct and ask for their advice.

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3 hours ago, WendyS said:

We are hiring a Broom Captain next weekend. Having never done this type of holiday before, could you please let me know if there are plug sockets (I saw a hairdryer in one of your photos) - can you just plug it in or do you need some sort of adapter? Many thanks

Hi Wendy 

Brooms supply a hair dryer onboard if not just ask them as they have them in there stock room.. The boat has a built in inverter so you can run your normal 3 pin house hold appliances And there are built in usb 12 volt socket for your phone leads to charge your phone,  also you can connect your electric hook lead What’s supplied with your boat and plug in at pubs and other moorings.. it’s always best to do that so you’ve always got hot water for your shower and washing up When your not mobile on the river..  
I hope that’s some help for you feel free to ask as I’m a regular hirer from brooms if not give a Jackie a call at brooms and she will sort you out with anything you need.. They are wonderful boats and your have a great time 

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  • 1 month later...

Thank you Mark for your pictures. We’re on a Broom Captain at the end of next month and I’m starting to get quite excited!

Posts like this are really useful when looking for information on hire boats. I found it really frustrating not being able to find decent pictures of all areas of the boats I was interested in. Neither Hoseasons nor Broom’s own website show a good picture of the bed or the shower which I think is surprising.  

I’ve not been on a boat that has railings that extend so far round the outside before. Can anyone tell me if that affects how you moor side-on? I can see myself getting in a tangle trying to hop off and tie up the bow rope.

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On 25/08/2020 at 21:51, YnysMon said:

I find having a railing is far safer, one hand for your line, one to hold on keep you safe. A few of Dave Whitworth’s YouTube videos capture his wife preparing to step off to moor up the bow.

Thanks YnysMon. I had a look at Dave Whitworth's videos and how they moor up is exactly what I'm used to doing. The thing that I'm not sure about is that the railings on Broom Captain (in Mark's pictures at least) look like they extend a lot further round the boat.

I'm sure I'm not understanding it right, but to step off near the front, it looks to me like you'd have to climb under or over the railings. Or, is the bow rope long enough to hold on to but step off near the stern instead?

If someone who's been on Broom Captain could help clear up my confusion, it'd be much appreciated. Though, I'm sure we'll work it out when we get there anyway. 

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We are on a Captain again in October and really looking forward to it.      You wont be disappointed.     The bed is a bit of a challenge to get in and out but it is all part of the fun.     I find it more difficult being old and crotchety.     If you are a lot younger , then no problem.    A lovely boat,   a huge storage under compartment at the rear of the boat which holds more than you will ever need.    Lots of nooks and crannies to put items in.      Love the way in which when you are in the front of the boat , you cannot be seen from outside when popping from the bed to the loo.      So very private.     The heating system is excellent and as we will in October find the front windows will get a lot of condensation on them , there is a blower facing the front wind screen and it soon clears.

There is also heating in the canopy covered back area so if are like my hubby and  you will be fishing from the rear you will still be toasty.

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

We were on Broom Captain 9 at the end of September. I think there have been a few minor changes on the newer boats. For example, we had a window in the saloon area which seems to be missing on the earlier ones. We also only had a shower curtain, not a screen, and there wasn't a curtain in the kitchen. I also think our seating doesn’t look quite as plush as in Markw’s pictures. The tables look like they’re different sizes too, which might have implications for how the bed in the saloon is made up.

All in all it was a fantastic boat and it was absolutely perfect for all the rainy weather we had. I’ve tried to list out a few pros and cons, but I would say the cons are really minor ones and definitely wouldn’t dissuade us from booking the boat again as there really is so little compromise compared to other boats we’ve had. Obviously, this is reflected in the price and I’m a bit worried that we won’t ever be satisfied with a more affordable boat in the future now!

Pros

  • The boat was very warm with an excellent heating system. I think it was very well insulated too as we didn’t get disturbed by any sounds outside at night.
  • It had excellent windscreen wipers and a heating outlet aimed at windscreen.
  • The battery life was great - we didn’t need to use electric points.
  • The water was still hot enough for a quick shower in morning without running the engine first.
  • There is loads of storage space – under the interior steps, under the saloon seats, lots cupboards in the kitchen and saloon, a massive storage locker in the floor of the rear cockpit, and good cupboards in the bathroom.
  • The flip-up forward-facing seat for the ‘co-pilot’ a great feature. More boats should have them!
  • The bathroom is roomy (for a boat).
  • The toilet tank indicator is very handy. Not having to use an increase in nasty smells to tell you that you need a pump-out is great!
  • It’s easy to manoeuvre, with good visibility, and bow thrusters.
  • Even though the engine is under the saloon floor, it seemed pretty quiet when under way.
  • The rear cockpit area is very versatile with fabric sides that can be rolled up or down easily. We hung up our waterproofs and left our boots in there which meant they didn’t get in the way, and it helped keep the interior of the boat clean.
  • Everything was very clean and all the equipment all worked with no issues.

Cons

  • Could do with more lighting over the kitchen bench as it was quite dark trying to prepare food in the evening.
  • The table is very big as it is used as the infill for the bed in the saloon. This meant we found it got in the way a bit as you couldn’t fold it away, and it was a bit of a squish to get round it onto the seating.
  • As Markw said, it can be a bit of a struggle getting onto the front of the boat when the canopy is in place, as you have to go up a couple of steps whilst squeezing through the unzipped opening. This could be a a pain when mooring up, but I found a bit of sorting the ropes in advance solved this as you can just step off the back of the boat holding both ropes (as Hylander suggested - thank you!)
  • The main issue for us was the bed. My partner is six foot tall and it was just about long enough for him, but the two of us together found it a little cramped. The rounded shape was a bit awkward. It was very wide in the middle but there wasn’t so much head and shoulder room. We actually found sleeping with our heads at the end nearer the door was better, even though you couldn’t reach the reading lights. The mattress was very comfortable and we did sleep well, so it was by no means bad, and it wouldn’t stop me hiring the boat again as it seems a very minor compromise when you consider how nice the rest of the boat is.

A couple of pictures in case they’re of interest.

20201002_095520.jpg

20201002_093613.jpg

20201002_093646.jpg

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Thanks for the info and photos. I’ve looked at this boat so many times as a way of hiring on the south. Hubby is 6’4 so that bed does look like it could be a challenge. The table is similar to what we had on Zircon Emblem which compromised the only seating area a bit. As you say, there’s always a compromise somewhere. 

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Ditto, thanks for the info. I wonder what the air draught is? The thing that worries me about these sedan styles is getting under the bridges particularly in winter. Somerleyton for example can be quite tight. I've got so used to Alphacrafts that will pretty much go under most things at any time. 

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If it helps Captain 6 has a folding table and is very manageable when closed up, also can be moved around and not fixed.

Captain 6 also has a bow and stern thruster, absolutely fantastic in high winds and for mooring when wind and tide are arguing with each other.

Captain 6 also has USB points and not the old fashioned cigar lighter sockets.

We always take a small and I mean small washing up bowl to save water.

As for the bed,  it is the boat's Achilleas heel.     At mid 70s I struggled no end to get in and out and dont mention sitting up because it is an impossibility.    So no cuppa in bed in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

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Air draft is 8ft 6 with the tv aerial folded down.. 

We had captain 6 couple of years ago. Lovely boat.. But found the stern and bow thrusters not that good that was the reason we hired it but went back to Commodore.  captain 6&7 are hydraulic driven.. so the engines Rev higher on them than the other captains.. The earlier captains have the bigger Nanni engines so there better on fuel and power and you don’t feel your punching against the tide..  

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5 hours ago, SwanR said:

Hubby is 6’4 so that bed does look like it could be a challenge.

Yes, I think it probably would be, though I would imagine most boats are a challenge when you're that tall. We've stayed in a couple of campervans that had more spacious beds than any of the boats we've ever been on. 

I guess it depends on what you’re used to. It’s probably not as good as a decent walk around bed in something like a Silent Emblem, or a Swan Roamer. But if you’re used to a v-berth with an infill, or a bed where the foot or side is tucked under the freeboard, I would imagine it would seem miles better. 

One thing that might be worth mentioning is that I did make up the bed in the saloon one night as I thought I might need it due to a health niggle. I didn’t use it in the end, but it was pretty big, and really long. If you weren’t sure if you’d get on with the main bed, that could be a back-up option. 

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4 minutes ago, Chickpea said:

Yes, I think it probably would be, though I would imagine most boats are a challenge when you're that tall. We've stayed in a couple of campervans that had more spacious beds than any of the boats we've ever been on. 

I guess it depends on what you’re used to. It’s probably not as good as a decent walk around bed in something like a Silent Emblem, or a Swan Roamer. But if you’re used to a v-berth with an infill, or a bed where the foot or side is tucked under the freeboard, I would imagine it would seem miles better. 

One thing that might be worth mentioning is that I did make up the bed in the saloon one night as I thought I might need it due to a health niggle. I didn’t use it in the end, but it was pretty big, and really long. If you weren’t sure if you’d get on with the main bed, that could be a back-up option. 

That would be a good idea but there was only bedding for the front cabin only.  However for future use I will ask for bedding for the main cabin as well. 

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5 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

The thing that worries me about these sedan styles is getting under the bridges particularly in winter. Somerleyton for example can be quite tight.

The water levels were unusually high when we were away and it was a bit of a problem. We couldn't get under the bridge at St Olaves, and had to rely on Somerleyton opening, which it did so it was fine. I would imagine it wouldn't be such a problem under normal conditions, as long as you avoided being there at high water, but others may have experience that contradicts that. 

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1 hour ago, Broads01 said:

In the saloon photo, the sofa cushions look very much on the basic side for a premium boat. Was that your impression?

I suspect they have tried to save a bit on the costs of putting together the newer versions but the quaity of everything still seemed very good. The main issue was that the backs of the seats were completely upright, which was a bit uncomfortable, but you could pull the bottoms forward to make them slant a bit. It's quite a large area of seating so there's room to sit in the corners and put your feet up which is quite nice. 

What I would say is that I found the seat that flips over to face forward to be very comfortable when cruising along, and it gives you a good view. 

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3 hours ago, Hylander said:

If it helps Captain 6 has a folding table and is very manageable when closed up, also can be moved around and not fixed.

Captain 6 also has a bow and stern thruster, absolutely fantastic in high winds and for mooring when wind and tide are arguing with each other.

It's interesting to hear there are so many differences between them. I understand only 9 and 10 are exactly the same as each other. 

We only had bow thrusters, no stern thrusters. The table is an interesting one too. Ours could be moved around but didn't fold away, only dropped in height to make up the bed. Before we went, I'd assumed the length of seat by the door moved round to make the infill for the bed, but it was fixed in place, which make the bed really long when made up. 

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