Graham47

I seem to remember when I started coming on the broads in the late 60s, there was a small boatyard in Reedham, just down from Sandersons towards the bridge. I think it was called Reedcraft. It only had a couple of boats and no boat shed on the riverside, just a gap between a couple of the cottages where the office was.

I have hired boats on the Norfolk Broads from 1966 to 2020. Started with Richardsons. Followed by - Herbert Woods Ferry Boatyard A D Trueman Harvey Eastwood Earnest Collins. 4 weeks per year Aston Boats Loddon. 4 weeks per year Aston Boats Beccles. 4 Weeks per year Fineway Cruisers Alpha Craft. 4 Weeks per year. Ferry Marina.

Hi Geoff. I hired Rapide from AlphaCraft when it was first new 1990 / 91. As said previously you cannot see the aft end of the boat from the lower helm position. I like to see where the crew are when I am mooring up. The thing I really didn’t like was the way that the outside decking, where you step on and off the boat, changes height halfway along the boat. You go up 3 steps from one level to the next. The handrails at the rear of the boat are moulded into the shell and aren’t easy to grab if you slip, as I did. In all my years of boating that was the only time I have fallen in. I like the concept of dual helm positions and bow thrusters but that boat didn’t work for me. I appreciate you are looking for something with a bit of room. Have you considered a centre cockpit design. Have a look at something like Westminster Bridge from Bridgecraft at Acle, 42ft, plenty of room, one level apart from the helm position which is raised, bow thrusters, sliding canopy, wide outside decks, good all round vision when mooring up.

Ferry Marina are offering 35% discount on 3 night and 7 night holidays commencing Fri / Sat, 16th & 17th June.

As a matter of interest, what is their status once on the water and proceeding to or from an incident. Are they legally permitted to use their blue lights and exceed the speed limits?

As you say a lot of the bigger yards are now putting their new additions into various categories as you stated above but how many years is it before they are downgraded. I haven’t seen the category, Basic or Downgraded in use anywhere.

The owners of Buccanneer Boats in Brundall have announced that they are retiring from the Dayboat Hire Business. They will continue to offer private moorings and Houseboat holidays.

Is that Steve Daniels that owned Fineway Cruisers in Hoveton?

It would appear that people on the 3 Network didn’t get the alarm.

If you look on Hotels.Com it states max 2 pets per room.

What you have to remember when comparing eat in to take away prices is that eat in prices are subject to VAT at 20% so a take way price of £20.00 becomes £24.00 when eaten in.

The above should have read. Easter Breaks - 30% Discount on new bookings for holidays to be taken between 31/03/2023 and 20/04/2023.

Ferry Marina are advertising Easter Breaks at 30% discount on new bookings taken between 31/03/23 and 20/04/23.

Summer craft in Wroxham have a small number of riverside holiday cottages to let which come with a dayboat.

We hired one of our first boats from Easticks in the early 70s. It was called Royal Eagle, a Caribbean 39. From the boatyard you could walk up the footpath to the Hermitage pub.

Our local off licence manager maintains there is no such thing as a bad wine, some is just not as good as others.

On Herbert Woods late availability page they were offering 20% discount on several boats w/c 27/2/23 and 15% discount on boats w/c 03/03/23.

I have received a email from Ferry Marina offering New bookings for March at 2022 prices less 10%. Bookings to be made prior to March 10th.

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They were both Alpha 50s. Mirage was built in 1989 & Brabazon was built in 1990. Langford Jillings let me have a trial run on Mirage prior to it going on hire. I wasn’t encouraged to hire it. He told me at that time that he was having a battle with BA, over its length. It may have been as a result of these two boats that BA introduced the 46ft length restriction in 1991. Mirage seems to have left the broads but Brabazon was renamed Lady Pamela.

I just bought 10 ltrs of Redex Ad Blue from Screwfix for £22.60. Our local Shell garage has Ad Blue at £23.80 for 10 ltrs. Taking the P… or what.

Will that be £5 for daytime + another £10 for overnight.

When I first stated holidaying on the broads with my parents in the late 60s / 70s we spent a lot of time on the Southern Broads and used the Waveney House Hotel in Beccles quite a lot. At that time you could moor about 4 / 5 boats outside the hotel. There was a notice on the moorings which stated No mooring without permission. You had to personally ask the owner, Mr Brumfitt, if you could moor there. Once you had assured him you would be using the hotel he would have a quick look at you before giving his answer. Further up river from there was the Geldeston Lock House. At that time it didn’t have a proper Bar / Serving area, the drinks used to appear from out the back. It was run by a well known character called Susan. After you had consumed a couple of drinks she would tell you you had had enough. Time to move on to Geldeston Wherry, in the village, where you could drink all afternoon. (Don’t forget, in those days pubs used to close between 2.30pm and 6.00pm.) I have very fond memories of my early days on the broads. They were the good old days.

I remember the Buck in the 70s when a blind man used to play the piano in the bar on a Saturday night. The same man also played in the Ship at Reedham.

Showing my age now, I remember it. It was a Lacons pub / hotel, opposite Oulton broad north station.