Graham47

Your boat should be a good stater boat. Not a bad length and the front well and doors makes it easier when side on mooring to get out of when the first person is already ashore when mooring up. It saves having to go to the back of the boat and scramble out of the back door. It also has a low air draft which means you are not so restricted with the bridges. Dilham is a nice trip if you can get under Wayford bridge, or stop at Wayford Bridge and visit the Wayford bridge inn. The cross keys at Dilham is a nice pub. Sutton Staithe Hotel is another quiet mooring. If you decide to moor on your mud-weight in a broad, make sure you are far enough away from other boats so that when you swing round you don’t hit them. If you struggle to pull the weight out of the mud when leaving use the engine to reverse slowly until the weight is pulled out of the mud then you should be able put the engine in neutral and pull the weight up by hand. Don’t be tempted to go to Yarmouth or further south.The tides at Yarmouth flow very fast and can be un nerving for a beginner. There is plenty to see and do up north and after a couple of days you should become more confident.

As others have said take it slow when mooring up. Make sure you wear your life jackets on deck at all times and hold onto the hand rails when on deck. Do not jump ashore. If you come in slow you should be able to get close enough to step ashore with your mooring rope. What boat do you have. Do you have bow thrusters. If you go to Wroxham there may be side on moorings at Brinkcraft or stern on in the basin. Norfolk Broads Direct is down the opening on the left before the bridge. How many toilets do you have on the boat. If you have two and use one at a time you will know roughly how long it will take before you need to pump them both out. Also a lot of boats have a gauge on the dashboard which shows how much water you have left in your fresh water tank.

We hired Defender S52 in either 1966 or 67 from Truman’s. We were 3 twenty year old boys and it cost £64.00 a week. If I remember correctly the roof was on a cantilever arrangement which lifted it across onto the rear cabin roof. Forward and reverse gear was selected by a long gear stick which came up through the floor and you pushed it forward or pulled back to select your gear. At the time I think the challenger 39 was in the fleet as well.

We have previously stayed at The Brick Kilns at Little Plumstead. Nice pub and a good menu.

I am in the same situation I have a boat booked and paid for (Carried over from April) I have been told VAT is payable at point of sale. So it doesn’t apply. You may be different if you haven’t paid the full amount.

Four of us went to the crab house in Wells and enjoyed our evening. They offer a selection of platters.

PM Sent.

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The original post has been updated by the tow boat owners wife and shows a picture of the seized cruiser under Police guard. It is a sporty type open top cruiser flying a pirates flag. Members of the other forum say it was moored up at Horning Staithe yesterday lunchtime and kept tooting the horn. Looking at the name on the side it seems to be a double barrelled name.

Barnes Brinkcraft have announced on their Facebook page that they have had the ok from DEFRA & BA today to re commence day boat hire from the 8th June.

The one with the Labrador looking over the stern looks like it could be Ranworth Staithe. Was the boat Collins, Royal Emblem.

Oulton Broad. Coming down into the broad on the right hand side alongside Nickolas Everett Park.

Womack Island is one of my favourite spots and mud-weighting in Ranworth Broad.

We were one of the first to hire Skyhawk from AlphaCraft. An excellent boat with plenty of room. Dual steering was a bit of a novelty on hire boats at that time. I hope you enjoy it.

Yes it is that time of year again. I have seen the birds on there quite a few times in the last week. The Bath webcam has also been active with the first egg being laid during last night.

Approaching the nature trail coming down from Wroxham.

Kevin Cook posted last week that he is getting Aboatime ready for sale in the next 2 / 3 Weeks. It is a 32 ft Alfa Craft Center Cockpit. Search Alpa 32 For sale to view original post which was last Thursday and send him a pm. I will try to contact him tomorrow.

It was also on this site last Thursday. Search Alpha 32 for sale

We spent many happy hours in the Fox and Hounds at Loddon which was at the far end of the village. It was converted into houses with more being built on the car park.

That is correct. Langford told me the same and that he personally took the first boat up to potter heigham to make sure it would.

Reading the NBD hire information for next year they are offering a 5% loyalty bonus to redeem on your next holiday booking. Only 1 bonus can be used per new booking.

Hi Johnash. You won’t be disappointed. We have had Swan Roamer twice. It is comfortable and has plenty of room for 2. We normally go in April either side of Easter if it is late. Enjoy.

Hi Floyd. If you google www.postcardsfromthenorfolkbroads.net Select page 5 and there is a picture of Santa Catarina as it was in approx 1966. After the write up is a copy of the hoseasons holiday catalogue advertising it for holiday hire.

Floyd. I don’t know if this may be relevant. I have been coming to the broads since the late sixties and remember how striking these boats were. We were moored in Great Yarmouth one year when one of these craft (Don’t know which one) misjudged the bridge height and hit the canopy with sufficient force that it turned right over and was left hanging off the back of the boat.