NigelB

Well it’s usually me that’s the nut loose behind the wheel...,

Mmm I’m probably wrong but I read this to mean they were after a centre cap to fit this wheel and cover the nut etc!

That’s exactly how I do it too, always ask for a second bow rope so I have one trailing down each side. Barnes were happy to supply the second rope but I was surprised when mooring for first time that both bow ropes only went part way down the boat, whilst the sterns were much longer? I just swapped them around and all was fine!

Hi Simon, yes they couldn't explain what went wrong so perhaps that's why they went the extra mile. Maybe the solo thing is why they are dropping all the Crown Gems too as that bed was never really a double for normal sized people! Peace is OK and far better than the alternative of going home with no holiday! Was good in the rubbish weather yesterday too. But yes I agree in today's sunnier conditions not enough of the cockpit slides back- it feels more like being in a car with a sun roof than a convertible. So given the choice I will try and go for an aft cockpit again in future, can you recommend any from Barnes?

Well I thought I'd add my experience on arrival at Richardsons yesterday as it was both positive and negative. I am solo, having hired Crown Gem from them for a week every year since 2000 on my own. They accepted that I had been honest in my booking and hadn't fudged it with a second name or even putting me in twice. They also accepted that whilst the need for 2 was always in their T&C's they had always told me in the past to ignore this, so I would have had no warning. Wouldn't let me have the boat of course, just a full refund. That's the negative. What they did do, to my surprise, was spend nearly an hour ringing round looking for alternatives for me and found me Brinks Peace from Wroxham. They didn't have to do that but in so doing they reduced my stress somewhat and moved me from a lost customer to one who will consider them again for any non-solo cruises in the future. We spend too much time grumbling in general I think so felt this worthy of a mention. Brinks were excellent too, I arrived there at 2pm and despite them not expecting Peace to be going out it was serviced, cleaned, loaded and I pulled out at 3.15. Will def use them for future solos. And as an added bonus because it was a last minute booking from their viewpoint I got the week for the short- break price too!

Hi all, just joined the forum after being made aware of it via Robin’s excellent vlogs on YT. I’ve been coming here for something around 25 years now, started with family hols when in my early teens through to bringing my elderly parents away for the last time they could manage on a boat and now coming on my own for a week of peace and solitude each year. Not sure how long that will last now Richardson’s no longer allow solo hire which was a nasty shock on arrival today but managed to make emergency alternative arrangements. May post more on that when I have had a browse round to avoid repeating loads! Now going to eat!