Davydine

I just looked for Easter and the early May bank holiday next year and some of the boats we would be interested in have already been booked.

Evening all, So, our 2 family trip on Dazzling Light from HW has been scuppered by covid and only being allowed to have one household per boat, but ever resourceful, we have simply hired an extra boat (flash of light) one household per boat and we can then mingle ashore, in line with the guidelines, or not, as the case may be, in which case we will just do our own thing. I know from other threads that some of you use walkie talkies for boat to boat chat and I was thinking that, under the circumstances, they might be a very good idea and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations on brands / features to look for that would be suitable for us to use. Thanks, David

Do the boatyards sell the electric cards when you are hiring a boat (assuming the boat has a shorepower connection of course!)

We have just booked Flash of Light for a weekend break, The view from the central saloon looks OK from the pictures. I will report back! we were supposed to be on Dazzling light with friends, but restrictions don't allow 2 households on one boat, so that plan must change. As an aside, I think that dazzling light is a great design fo inside and outside living space, can see out of the windows when seated in the lounge too!

It's like the tree houses at Center Parcs, crazy money for a shortbreak, but always full...

That's a lot of money, but supply and demand I guess. For context, we have booked apartments in France through Brittany Ferries a few times now and have never spent more than £1000 for a week in August, including ferries. We have had a week on a 36ft yacht in Corfu for £2500 for a family of 4 in October half term, including flights and weeks Mediterranean cruise with P&O booked for 2022 for well under £3k for 4 of us. Love the broads but couldn't justify over£3k David

I am with Griff on this! I am not a big fan of the forward drive bathtub style from a mooring point of view, especially when reversing, but I completely recognise that this is my personal preference. The single level and the forward and aft entrance is very convenient and the living space superb. I personally like to steer from a raised cockpit, because I like the all round view, I would imagine a rear cockpit boat like a Bounty 27 would be good from a mooring point of view. if you have time, why not try hiring a few of the different styles for a short break, to see what will best suit your “mission profile”

Completely agree with what MM has said, I was going to say if you asked 25 forum members what is the perfect boat for the Broads, you would probably get 25 answers. Your budget will give you a lot of choice in terms of age / style / size / condition. A few more points to consider: Where are you going to keep it? If you have a mooring in mind, is there a size limit that will restrict how big a boat you can buy. How much of the Broads do you want to access, do you want to be able to get under all of the bridges, most of the bridges or not really bothered about getting under the low bridges... What time of year will you be mostly using the boat, do you want outside space or something to keep you out of the winter chill. Good luck with your search! David

I was thinking exactly the same thing about replacing our caravan next year ! We have a very old and very shabby caravan, bought about 8 years ago when the children had started school and we realised how much holidays during school holidays were going to cost! Last summer we had two different people knocking on the front door asking if we would like to sell it!

We are booked to have Dazzling Light from Herbert Woods for a weekend with another family for the early May bank holiday, rearranged from last year. Looks like we will not be able to go now, but I assume we will hear from HW in due course.

I believe the early evidence shows that it does reduce transmission, as mentioned by Matt Hancock a few days ago... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56145392 I don't believe there was ever any evidence that the vaccine would not reduce transmission, but scientists like to deal in empirical evidence rather than speculate. Unfortunately I think the media rather misinterpreted that as “vaccine will not stop transmission “

Sutton Bridge was always a landmark on the way from Derby when I was a child, but we would usually stop in or near Norwich for lunch. The Rushcutters at Thorpe was one I remember, the boats on the river and the trains on the bridges made that special. On a slightly different note, the smell of diesel exhaust always makes me think of boating holidays!

I think @oldgregg has got it spot on with his idea about Bureside Holiday park, but this thread reminded me that when I was about 10, My dad, who was selling the family travel agency, nearly bought a boat yard. I remember meeting David Court and visiting the yard with my mum and dad, I often wonder how that might have worked out if he had...

We hired in 1990 and it had the hinged roof then, I remember it being very heavy and we were 4 young lads, i would imagine the pram hood was much more practical.

I walked in to that!

I know the names must get re-used fairly regularly and I think Swiftway is a rather nice name for a boat. I believe the Seamaster 30s that were the Swiftway that I hired had originally been on the Scottish hire fleets, but I thought they made a rather nice Broads cruiser, I remember a large aft double cabin, raised center cockpit with a folding roof and a decent saloon and forecabin, not bad for a 30 foot boat. It was the first boat I had hired in my own name, rather than going with my parents and we were a group of 4 lads, fresh out of our A levels. Happy days!

If only my bank balance got bigger with age..l

I feel old, when I hired Swiftway, it was a Seamaster 30!

Thank you everyone, some really interesting information. I have been under the Thorpe bridges in the very early 90's when I hired an Ocean 30 with a single aft cabin from Richardsons. I think the name was San Louis, but I may be wrong. If there is enough height we may go through on the way up to Norwich. Geldeston is a different matter, I am pretty sure I have never been there, certainly not as an adult anyway, and it sounds as though it should be relatively easy, other than an hour or so either side of High Water. Reflection was refitted in 2014. We have never hired from them before and it looks stunning, very much looking forward to it.

Thanks, I can see both videos!

Thank you everyone, we have booked her at the end of March and based on tide times and sunrise/sunset times we are planning on staying down south (don’t worry we will be “up north” in May!) It is Spring tides when we are there, so hopefully there will be plenty of clearance at low water and for an hour or two either side.

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but does anyone know the air draft (draught?) for Silver Reflection? The Hoseasons website says it won't go under PH bridge, but doesn't say the actual height. The Silverline page only shows length and beam. I am wondering if we will get under Thorpe Rail bridges and Beccles old bridge. I don't think I have ever been to Geldeston and I would like to if I can. Thanks, David

A little more modern, but not much!

It is, indeed, the Oriana! Well spotted! We managed to recreate the picture a couple of years ago with my kids on Oceana, the wheel is about 10” across!

I have a few that have been scanned from my dad's slides, hope you don't mind? The last one is a very young me, probably about 1978. A prize if anyone can name the “boat” I am at the helm of! David