andyg

Handover was very quick yesterday and the yard was busy. Hope you enjoy your holiday 😁

Up nice and early, absolutely no idea why we aren't leaving till 9ish. It's only a 2.5 hr hop for us from here in Essex. Major disaster last night our asda holiday order failed to turn up. So a detour to tesco at Stalham is now required. The girls are going to drop us at the boat yard and while we sort things out onboard etc they will shoot off to tesco. We had planned to make Horning tonight fingers crossed we still can. Really looking forward to this trip as I've wanted to hire this type boat for some time. We had a really great experience with herbert woods earlier in the year let's hope they don't let's us down this week. Weathers looking okish, if you see dazzling light give us a wave 👋.

At the end of the day if an individual is happy to pay then its there choice I guess. I've hired before from ferry and will again next year. I do quite a few hours cruising each day and use a fair bit of fuel. I like the idea of just getting off the boat jumping in my car and going. So with everything in this world today we pay a premium for convenience.

I actually like the idea of just one price no added extras. But !! There's always a but, when nbd launched the AI idea on there fb page it caused a bit of a stir. Quite a few loyal customer's didn't like the idea and one particular lady push them quite hard on how they'd worked the fuel out. Apparently its worked out on the average consumption for each individual boat over a season. Now this is where the but comes in. Can we see the flaws in this process already ?? I personally know a very loyal customer of nbd who holidays with them twice a year. He only ever travels up and down the ant and surrounding rivers and he really does just plod along. Many of us have probably overtaken him once or twice over the year's. He would normally get a sizeable fuel refund. He has worked out his holiday is costing him approx £80 per week more since they have changed things. He feels short changed as is now looking at moving yards, which is a real shame as he is well know by the staff and he loves nbd. I guess fuel consumption will always be the sticking point for many..

Exactly Vaughan, I personally don't think it's to much to ask. Tomorrow we board one hw big elite boats. Even for a mid October week we have paid a considerable amount of money. We all would expect things to be as advertised. To many times on this forum I see members defending poor standards and customer service. Even excepting lame excuses for things that are broken etc etc. Hire tariffs are at an all time high with even a 40 year old bath tub demanding a weekly hire charge in excess of 1k next season. I may sound a bit harsh and critical but I'm not paying for sub standard goods or poor service. Just give me what you sold me. I paid you what you asked me to and when you asked me. BTW I've had delays on take over when a boat has been damaged on return etc, that's absolutely fine by me it's not the yards fault.

Ive seen quite a few comments across social media regarding faulty fuel/ water gauges. Do tanks on boats not use the same technology as say car fuel tanks ?? why fit them if your not going to maintain them ?? Surely a yard is just making a rod for there own backs by leaving it broken.

Apart from the kettle they are all things that should of been rectified on turnaround around. Can't see why not !!! Richardsons actually check all fenders are in place and are OK when doing the handover. I would imagine come this time of the season you'd be hard pushed to fine a hire boat that didn't need a new rope or two or had a few knots in it. Long gone are the days when every hire boat had its rope coiled on take over. Just another example of slipping standards.

Weve never been in the wherryman Andrew, we will be watching the football Tuesday night in Wroxham. So il give breakfast ago on Wednesday morning. Cheers for the heads up.

Thanks for that, I look forward to a refund lol...

I've just checked the invoice hw sent for our trip next week. Fuel deposit is £175, not sure if that's a standard amount they charge and it is a large boat. But seems a bit excessive for what is basically a three day cruise.

Personally I think your are seeing the broads transitioning into an elite type of destination. Two maybe three years will see the end of the gem fleet at Stalham. And maybe not all the big boys will survive,Who knows. But 3k a week for a boat will force more and more ppl away. Gun foot shoot comes to mind.

I think the upper front windows are just cosmetic. It's definitely a re work of the original boat. I don't really like much of what len has had designed, but I've absolutely no doubt it will be fitted out to a very high standard. Which is typically what he does, don't think you could fault him on that. These boats do seem to be very popular both at NBD and ferry..

We have booked a mooring and table @ the new Inn Horning this coming Monday night. I was looking at trip advisor early today and I was sadden to see quite a few poor reviews of late. I've always preferred the new Inn for eating when in Horning. Have any members eaten here recently?? We also like the look of liberty at Wroxham again any thoughts...thanks in advance.

I saw the mould sitting on the yard carpark a couple of months ago, I thought at the time it was to big.

Cheers David...

NBD have posted pictures of the early stages of construction of fair regal. Its looks absolutely huge and for me it's an updated version of the big funnel duel steer design at ferry. Now that's definitely not going to be cheap to hire.

Totally agree...

I recently read a holiday tail from someone on a week's boating holiday posted on trip advisor. They had 3 pump out over the course of the week. Also another one from somebody who was convinced both the water and waste gauges were faulty on his particular boat. I've only ever had need to have one pump out and that was because my young son hadn't shut of the water valve properly. When the guys finished pumping the boat out they didn't charge me because they could see it was just fresh water. Even on my stag doo none of the 3 boats we'd hired needed pumping out and there was some considerable drinking that weekend.

If a yards busy Andrew like on a turnaround day, I'm sure they would prioritise there own boats 1st as they are working to a tight timeline. If fact I'm sure a lot of yards actively discourage visiting craft on such days. Barnes use to have signs up to that fact.

Two trips on the broads. One with my brother and sisters, something we haven't done together in over 40 years. Just the 5 of us no partners kids etc. Cornwall another 1st for me, and hopefully our postponed trip to Cuba. Cuba holds a very special place in our hearts. A busy busy year. The bizzare thing is two of the trips we're paid for in 2019 so seems like free holiday's.

Thanks, glad to here you enjoyed yourselves. The girls picked the boat, so cost, being suitable for our group etc etc,Didn't even come into it. They just liked the look of her...Hurry up Monday...

Thousands of unemployed comedians and along you come 😆

Thanks, we have no1 aswell. How did you find the boat ??

Who's assuming?? You may not be as well informed as you think.

I would imagine it's Already been refloated Andrew. Probably sitting on the hard by now. You'd be surprised how quickly the yards repair the boats. Vaughan posted a very interesting piece about one of his yards hire boats that got sunk in france. But the best was Clives post re the damage to one of his challengers and bolero both very badly damaged at Yarmouth.