johnash

I know! We booked ages ago. A 'Swan' was recommended by SwanR (Jean). Thank you Jean. And thank you all for further help on this. We will definitely be popping in to Millets and, hopefully, Go Outdoors if it's still going by then. Difficult times for all retailers, though.

Thank you Jenny. Most helpful. For some reason I thought all the Milletts had gone. We used to love the one in Enfield, North London, where we lived in UK. Absolutely nothing like that here in Spain! Maybe one of the few things I miss! Along with The Broads, The Radio Times, the cold & rain......! We have friends who have moved from London to Lowestoft so hoping to meet up with them too. Thank you again.

As mentioned in other posts, we're returning to the Broads after many (24) years away. This time driving (via ferry!) from Spain. Most of our old boating gear has disappeared, rotted or in poor repair! We will have up to a day before picking up Swan Roamer next May to buy what we need. So we'd appreciate recommendations as to the best place to buy things like waterproofs, yachting shoes and short wellies etc? I might need some new walking boots, too. The ones I have I bought in a Milletts about 35 years ago. They were OK the last time I wore them! We don't want to spend a fortune on professional yachting wellies as this could well be the only time we'll use them. But we do have Swan Roamer for 3 weeks! Many thanks (hoping I've picked the right forum for this).

Looking forward to watching these, Jean.

I just love reading all these blogs. Thank you for sharing your story and great photos. Looks like some fine weather! We can't make it back to the Broads, after a long gap, until May next year but at least I can visit "by proxy" via these blogs.

I have spoken to our neighbour/friend. Her Dad was Leslie Hall who started (or at least owned) Faircraft until he was bought out. So nothing to do with Geo Smith!

Sad to read this news.

I like this Android app:- "WaterNav Norfolk Broads". https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.canalmap.norfolk_broads

UPDATE: I messaged Richardson's and within a few minutes, they came back with the following reply. Good news!! "Hi John, thanks for getting in touch. There is no limit on our WiFi, however signal can be limited in remote parts of the Broads as it does rely on EE mobile signal. We hope this helps. Kind regards, R" I have to say that, in my recent dealings with this boatyard, they have been exceedingly responsive and friendly!

Welcome! I am a returnee to the Broads too and can't wait for our trip. We've booked a boat from Richardson's (Swan Roamer) but have to wait until May 2021 as it's the earliest we can make it! Re Wifi. According to this page: https://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/first-timers/richardsons-cruisers-special-features/ Richardson's boats have onboard WiFi. The page states: "4G Wi-Fi All of our cruisers come equipped with 4G Wi-Fi for your convenience***!" "*** Subject to EE mobile signal. Strength of Wi-Fi may vary in different locations." What I don't know is whether this is an extra that has to be paid for and how much data is included. Perhaps someone can enlighten us about this Richardson's service, please? Enjoy your trip and let us know how you get on! John PS I also note that Richardson's boats have "Freesat", so presumably, somewhere, there has to be a dish for reception of a satellite signal? I have not noticed this in any of the pictures.

That name rings a bell! I'll check with our friend.

Springsong, great! And I found out recently that the father of a friend and neighbour here in Spain was "running" the Geo Smith boatyard in Wroxham at about the time we rented Sable. What his actual role was I don't know. I don't think her maiden name is Smith, though.

We will hopefully have time for a stopover on the way and I was thinking about going via Oxford so thanks for this suggestion, Puddleduck! I know that, whichever way, we will have traffic, but we will not have to rush, hopefully. Living in SE Spain we have very little traffic and so are really spoiled That's it, Springsong! Thanks so much. Sable is definitely the name of the boat. I do wonder if the one we had had a fabric rather than sliding roof. I have a vague memory that there was more than one Sable and the more recent one(s) had the sliding roof. It is very possible that I am quite wrong about this. (EDIT: I just took another look at the photo and it looks like there was a hood at the back,. Maybe that's what I'm thinking of!?). My Dad and I had such fun on this trip and it's great to have the name of the boat now!

Our boat in 1993 was Star Gem 2. And I see it's still going. I remember it being quite old then! We must go and pay our respects to her if it's in the yard when we're there.....

A further update. We both felt that we may not be able to repeat our planned Broads trip, given our advancing years and the fact we are living in Spain. So I phoned the very helpful and friendly staff at Richardson's to see how much an extra week on Swan Roamer would be, the week before the two weeks already booked. (I'd already checked it was available). Well, compared to other boats/yards I've been looking at, the price was "cheap". So we booked it by cancelling the two weeks and rebooking for three! We have also decided to bring our car over on the Santander (or Bilbao)-Portsmouth ferry, saving the problems of all the things we would like to bring but would not have been able to had we been flying: (aforementioned wellies, binoculars, sharp knives, etc etc etc). It also turns the trip into much more of a full holiday. The downside is that I'll be driving to Norfolk over the May bank holiday weekend! (Suggested route from Portsmouth?). We have our big trip to USA coming up this May but when we get back, we'll have our Broads trip to look forward to. I'll try and do a "blog" (which I do do for our USA trips), just to reflect on how we see the Broads now after all those years away. With that extra time we'll have, we are looking forward to visiting those nooks and crannies we haven't been to before (I'm learning about them from the trip reports etc on this great forum). I just hope we don't find the rivers too busy and the moorings all full!

Thank you for all the encouragement! Puddleduck2: Thanks for that. Richardson's had mentioned that to me too in an Email. We are in two minds whether use the train or to hire a small car from Stansted (coming in from Spain) to make life a little easier (for doing our shopping too when we get there). Terrible waste to have car sitting in the boatyard for two weeks though! Another thought would be to drive from Spain (we could pack our wellies and tons of other stuff which we could not carry on!) but crossing from Northern Spain is expensive and I don't fancy the long drive through Spain and France. We had to do it in May, coming back from a holiday in Wales, when our ferry to Santander was cancelled. Too old for that "fun" now! BryanW: Thanks very much for the tips. I'd already found one or two of your logs and some video! Great stuff. PS I've been thinking whether I could wear my boating wellies on to the plane!

Just to update.... we have grabbed the bull firmly by the horns, as it were, and booked our boat for 2021! Thanks to the advice from SwanR (Jean) who has been most generous with her help, we have booked Swan Roamer from Richardson's. Without that advice, I don't think we would have gone back to that boatyard! However, it turns out we get an extra discount for booking early plus only a low deposit to pay and it can be cancelled before 20 January 2021 without penalty. And, by all accounts, a smashing boat. So two weeks on Swan Roamer, starting 11th May 2021. Can't wait. Which is a bit of a silly thing to say as we'll have to wait... patiently! I have dug out all my books, charts and logs and having great fun reminding myself about all the places to visit (and how to moor!). A bow thruster for the first time might help! My first boating holiday was with my Dad (and I have now pinned the year down to 1961. I managed to do this by looking up when Arthur Haynes was appearing at the theatre on Britannia Pier, Yarmouth as we went to see his show having tied up at Yarmouth YS). It was a two berth boat out of Geo. Smith's yard. I wish I could remember its name. It had a forward cockpit with a tarpaulin roof for when it rained. No toilet tanks then. It was pumped out into the river. Awful! But we had the most fabulous two weeks. I would have been 13. And my first introduction to Colman's Instant Mash. I also found my tide computer which was included with 'The Broads Book?. Who else has one of these I wonder? Thank you again for the welcome and advice. I feel like a 13 year old again!!

Thanks very much. The boatyard also confirmed that, under normal circumstances, she would go under Wroxham bridge so it looks like the boat for us. Can't wait now, but a lot of water will be passing under both Potter Heigham and Wroxham bridges before we get on board, I'm afraid! Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

Thanks for that, Captain! Given the difficulty of Potter Heigham, I would very much hope to get through Wroxham Bridge on Rose Emblem - which is listed as "6'10" high". (If not, I'd have to look elsewhere! I know it can't always be possible but under current 'normal' conditions…). Thank you for the alternative suggestions. I'd picked Rose Emblem as it has both bow and stern thrusters that seem quite rare (not that either were available the last time we were cruising on the Broads!).

I'm assuming this is down to consistently higher water levels in the rivers? It was mentioned to me by the boatyard that the Broads Authority had not carried out any dredging but I can't really see how that would affect the clearance under this bridge? Talking of Connoisseur cruisers, we hired a GL2 on our last 4 visits in the '90s and don't recall any problem getting through. 1997 was the last time we had a boating holiday on the Broads. We won't be able to make it until Spring 2021 but am excitedly planning it all now. Things will be a little more difficult this time as we won't be able to load all we need into the car as we will be flying in from Spain so what we need and what we manage to bring will have to be carefully planned! The boat I have my eye on is Rose Emblem from Ferry Marina. It's listed as having a height of 6' 10".

Sad news, Grendel. But thanks for confirming! A day boat sounds like a good idea! And yes, even going back to the boat I was on with my Dad in 1960, we've always used the pilot. I do remember, in the early days, watching as people tried to go through on their own with hoods and windscreens being ripped off as they learned their expensive lessons!

I have tried to search here on this topic but have not been able to find anything recent. Apologies if I'm asking something already covered extensively! As posted elsewhere, we are planning a return to a boating holiday during late Spring on the Broads after quite a long absence. We've chosen a boat, or thought we had, and I've just been chatting to someone at the boatyard. I would only choose a boat that would "normally" pass under Potter Heigham bridge as we always loved the wildness of Hickling Broad etc. However I was assured by the person at the boatyard that only small day boats are now able to get through the bridge due to a lack of dredging by the Broads Authority. I know river levels have been high but I am shocked that it is not excepted that any cruisers will be able to go through for the foreseeable future. Of course it may be a policy that has recently been set by this particular boatyard in which case I would look elsewhere for our boat. Any words of wisdom on the subject would be gratefully received. Thank you.

Great idea! I've put it on our "take or buy" list!

Smashing. Thanks Chris and SwanR. I am encouraged even more! Great to hear of your experiences Chris. There will always be people there to annoy you whether it is on the rivers or the M25! I have to say, SwanR, I would not have thought of hiring from Richardsons. One year we did hire from their huge Stalham boatyard and our experience was not a great one. But I will certainly check out the Swan fleet right away! Looking at the calendar for 2021, the two middle weeks in April would avoid Easter and May day bank holiday or mid May would possibly see better weather but would it still be as quiet as mid-April? We have no restrictions on when we can take this trip. Happily retired, we can go when we wish!! Oh, I managed to find a 2nd hand copy of 'What To Do On The Norfolk Broads' and it's on its way! I will now look for 'The Broads Book', one I'd forgotten!

Thank you for the welcome! We are unable to make Spring 2020 as we're off to the USA! We don't like Autumn as the anglers are out (we prefer the close season, nothing personal!) plus shorter days. So I'm looking well ahead to Spring 2021. I see Easter is early then so we should get two weeks in before the early May bank holiday. I've dug out all of my old books and logs but sadly not the one from the trip with my Dad. Thinking back, the facilities improved quite rapidly after that trip. No more toilet waste out into the rivers (I remember quite unsavoury moorings at Yarmouth Yacht Station during slack water) and no more of those ice blocks that could be exchanged at other Blakes' boatyards. As well as fewer boats, there seem to be far fewer publications and guides now (not surprising given the first statement, I suppose!). Our bible used to be "What To Do On The Norfolk Broads" which I don't seem to have any more. However, I do have my copy of Hamilton's Broads Navigation guide and a rather flimsy "Broads Companion". Yep, can't wait!