Myalibi

Thanks for the help in identifying the locations Dom and the boss man, it's much appreciated. I've had quite a laugh looking back at some of those photo albums, but I have not yet found any more from Wroxham. But I am visiting my mum tomorrow and will see if she has anything relevant. Marie Louise doesn't ring a bell though.

Started going through some old family albums. Sorry, the quality of the prints is now great, and I don't remember where all the shots were taken. Wroxham perhaps for the first one? This one is Wroxham. There were some really grand houses tucked away. At the time, I recall the largest private cruiser on the Broads, the Francis Molly, at 63 feet, registererdd in London was moored alongside one. I have a recollection that the Francis Molly was used to carry Queen Elizabeth on one of her visits to the Broads as there was a photo and an article in the EDP about it. I've seen the post on the forum that The Albert was used on one visit. I do remember The Albert moored at the yacht club on Wroxham Broad. Wroxham Broad Salhouse Broad Not sure if this was Ranworth, or..... Another unidentified location, Belaugh maybe ?? Or maybe this one is Belaugh? It was taken in August 1993 for sure. This one is on L'Aigle, around 1987 No location Perhaps taken at one of the entrances to Salhouse Broad And along the same stretch of river Slightly better composition on this shot of a sailing boat B721 A much-admired property in Wroxham. The Broom Continental was named Whileaway

Coltishall was a nice run out from Wroxham. The Recruiting Sargeant was a pub we used to frequent for a meal, if I recall well. Interesting name for a pub. Wroxham bridge was always a challenge, even back then. Sorry to hear that it's become even more of a challenge. I think the pic below was taken from the Maclan, so probably early '80's.

As promised, a few photos of L'Aigle, formerly Yare Dawn. I've estimate the first to have been taken in 1987, and that's me in the foreground. These next couple were taken in Coltishall in August 1993 And at Salhouse the same Summer Fast forward to Coltishall 1997

The Maclan was a great starter boat, though with a BMW 130hp petrol engine, not entireley suitable. It slept 4 of us, and occasionally a fifth under the canopy on warm nights, but she had no hot water, no shower and being a deep-v hull she could rock sometimes, but we had some great times in her. We never took her under Potter Heigham bridge though, and dad was a bit reticent when it came to some of the shallower broads, such as Surlingham and Rockland, which was a pity as they were suitable for a weekend trip. Yare Dawn/L'Aigle was a more comfortable boat all round, but I've still a soft spot for the Maclan. I think I've solved the rotation issue, and the attached is an experiment to see if it works. It's a shot of a rather lovely house that was at the entrance to the dyke where Mike's yard was. I think the Broom Continental was named "Whileaway". I will post photos of L'Aigle on this thread, but for more general photos, would it be best to add them to the section "Broads photos"?

From some albums here at home, I dug out some photos of the Maclan and L'Aigle, as well as a few general scenes. Back then, it was a case of taking a shot and then figuring out what it was you'd taken. None of this digital m'larky. I just need a bit of help advising me how I can rotate the image so it is the correct way up in post - it's the right way up on my PC. I would guess this will have been in the late '70s, around the time that Bristers moved from Brundall to Wroxham. I seem to remember that later on, Mike Brister erected a wet boatshed over this berth and extended his office alongside. Furthermore, the boat was later on moored on the same side as the bungalow, and it would no longer be possible to park the car adjacent to the boat. Much later on, all the sheds on the other side of the dyke were demolished to make way for housing. Here are some shots of the Maclan at Coltishall. Interestingly, someone recently posted a link to one of the houses in the picture that has come up for sale. No canoes in this pic! Maybe someone will recognise this mooring spot as I have no note about where it was taken. More to come, once I've sorted out the rotation issue.

Thank you very much Woodie! So it looks like our old boat was Yare Dawn, and not Yare Breeze as I had thought. That's most interesting. Truly glad I joined the forum! My parents had her painted white from the original Brister colours, and they added the pushpit and pulpit, and a windscreen wiper. Internally, there was very little to alter. That must have been shortly after you had hired her. I'm going down to Peterborough next week (I live in Northumberland) to visit my mum, dad having passed away 4 years ago, and I will see if I can find some photos of that period. Anything interesting, and I will post them. Sadly, mum's memory is not what it was, but she is 91 years old!

Very helpful too. THANK YOU !!!

Thank you very much for the warm welcome! I feel honoured to be among you! Thank you Sir, that would be very much appreciated ! Adrian

Hi everyone! I stumbled across this forum after reading an article in the EDP, and found that some of the topics stirred a lot happy memories for me of the Broads. I was around 5 or 6 years old when my parents hired a boat called "Walrus", I believe from Richardsons in the 60's, but I became much more familiar with the Broads when my parents bought a Maclan 22, called "Maclan Eagle", J11, in 1975. She had been taken in part-exchange for a new Moonraker by a senior manager at Eagle International, hence the "Eagle" in the Maclan's name, but while awaiting sale in Brundall, she was vandalised, and certain items needed to be repaired/replaced. The salesman at JCL wanted rid of her, and helpfully directed us to Mike Brister, who at the time had his yard in Brundall, and following the repairs agreed to let my parents moor the boat at his yard. Being teachers, and living in Peterborough at the time, we spent nearly every weekend and the long school holidays on the Broads. After a while, Mike and Beryl Brister relocated the yard to the Rond at Wroxham, and the Maclan followed. Not long after, Mike offered my parents one of his Broom Skipper hire boats that he was selling, "Yare Breeze" G667, which they took and renamed "L'Aigle". That name was a nod to the Maclan, and they moored her at his yard in Wroxham. They eventually sold her and retired from boating. I did a bit of checking around a few years ago and found her listed on a website, that I won't name or link in case it trangresses the rules of this forum, and that she was renamed "Janey Louise", and was based in Dilham. In 2019, my wife and I visited both Brundall and Wroxham to see if we could find either yard, but both places have changed enormously, as had all the surrounding yards, such as AlphaCraft and Carr & West which have all gone, as had the large houseboat that was moored in the adjacent dyke. I would be interested in knowing more about the Maclan and the Skipper, in case they still reside on the Broads. Mike Brister sadly passed away, but my parents stayed in touch with Beryl for a while. I don't know what happened to their eldest son David, and his wife Jill since they lived in the bungalow at the yard in Wroxham, or to John the youngest son, who taught me how to fish. They had a daughter too, whose name escapes me. Meantime, I look forward into delving into some of the historical threads in the forum, and possibly I might be able to contribute from time to time. A glass of wine may aid the memory too! Cheers! Adrian