marshman

'Bout sums it up really!!

But Vaughan, again its a matter of opinion! I am not sure I see that gradual degradation you talk about. And surprise surprise there are sailing boats out of the water at Catfield! I wonder how they got there? You will also know full well there are Broads yachts and Broads yachts - I sail them and I do not go aground very often - but if I had a deep draught one, I would expect too! My old man had a 28' ships lifeboat conversion and I well remember taking that up the Waxham Cut in the early 60's - guess what? I got stuck! But instead of whinging about it, I did expect to, to be honest. Equally I can remember bits of Hickling being out of bounds because of the weed! So 60 years on, not much has changed from where I sit!!

John - are you my brother???

Vaughan - no one is closing Catfield off. Indeed it is due to be dredged but just as you have to get everyones permission to cut trees, you have to get even more to dredge!! It is important not to keep putting about false news!!!

Perhaps it would be easier to say if you are not aware of the risks, don't go! Can we no longer think for ourselves?

John - I am glad to see you are being told you are wrong because you do not listen - I too "listen" but just don't believe this squit put about by the vociferous minority under the guise that they are the only ones who are right!! I will withdraw for a bit and let you bicker amongst yourselves, as its all getting a little silly and in some cases personal, and that is not the role of a Forum.

Ok - lets be controversial! As if......!! I certainly could not be without my smart phone, although I am not up to "average" - quite!! How else do you keep up with your kids and grandkids? To be fair they tend to use Snapchat et all whereas I tend to use WhatsApp and messaging and I guess I get on average between 5/10 emails a day, all of which need attending to. The ones that don't, usually go to Junk anyway. Now I don't profess to be up with technology at all, but some of you lot must be positively prehistoric - do your children /grandkids never contact you??? I am surprised that so many express surprise at that article - is it just the others don't want to stick their hand up?? How many of you still have a landline - how many of your children have such a thing?? Even in Norfolk??

Its to help pay for the increase in expenses they awarded themselves some months ago against all advice!!!

Fair comment and a realistic approach, which is probably what all are asking for.

Gerald Ratner self harmed many years ago!! Sometimes I think people can make the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons!!

Doubt that - Norfolks too small to keep secrets!!! In any case cannot realistically see the basis of any claim that could even begin to be considered likely!

John - check to see if there is an empty gibbet nearby 'cos if so watch out for the lynching party!! It may NOT be empty tomorrow!!

OK - I hear what Clive has to say but I just cannot spot the risk - he says its not an insurance issue which it may not be, superficially, but someone somewhere feels something is at risk? So what is it? As Vaughan said a long time ago, it is not the boat I suspect, as they repair them themselves. So explain to me what the underlying issue really is? It cannot be unsuitability of hirers as they still hire to single sex parties etc etc, and I was not aware they actually carried personal insurance for the hirers well being? If it relates to the personal aspect of insurance, then Wyndhams (or whoever) cannot force you to take that so organise your own - many have it anyway. I am obviously missing something very obvious.....!!

Keep going like this John and you will be fully converted!!! Don't let the b*****s grind you down!! I quite enjoyed your posts but I can see they are slowly slowly getting to you and you are now more uncertain and hopping from one foot to the other! Ah well it was nice to have had you on board for a bit!! They still havent by any means convinced me - must be made of tougher stuff!!!

Not sure we are any closer to the real truth - I guess only Richardsons can tell us that and they apparently do not want to!! Clearly it would appear that there is still more to this than meets the eye I have to say that in the past I have always thought of them as being a relatively progressive company, but at this moment in time there seems to be a lot of "shooting oneself in the foot" going on - still thats down to them but sadly I think this whole episode is beginning to impact their business. But only marginally!!!!

Well, you may have thought he handled it sympathetically, but still no nearer to the real truth - which boatyard owner would allow a group of six lads, but turn their backs on someone who would probably take greater care of the boat. No guarantees of course, but I would hazard a guess as to which I would prefer! I wonder what these "different " policies are - even with my experience I would hesitate operating a boat single handed up the Hatton Flight, but on the Broads?? How can you NOT have differing policies for differing areas and degrees of difficulty - typical of a large uniterested Company to pretend all are equal! At a rough estimation, I would guess that at least 25% of private owners operate solo but if this is what Richardsons feel is being "foisted" on them, then perhaps a change is required!! I await a further sympathetic explanation justifying this bizarre episode - even amongst our readers they have already lost a few thousand quid of hire monies!!

Oh dear - here we go again!! Having seen the "offending" complaint by JP, about the poster concerned, I cannot but help having a great deal of sympathy for him!! It so happens, I like many others, really have no axe to grind with the BA over this issue and to be honest see no reason to still doubt his word - after all given what he has now said, he would find it quite difficult to backtrack!! Anything more interesting to discus.....!!!

Ooops - Wyndhams no more? Platinum Equity now!!

Its all Vaughans fault really, because it has set me thinking!! Is this ban to do with the boat insurance or the personal insurance? If it is the boat, then its a bit bizarre since none of the yards, or rarely, claim for damage to the boat - they just get on and repair it! And if it is to do with the boat, what relevance is the fact that it is a single parent - and is this single, i.e. divorced or a married partner holidaying alone? What happens to a couple with children, where one partner is disabled - does this mean that with only one able bodied person, the insurance is not valid? Is that discriminatory? Surely accidents to a boat are caused by lack of care, rather than being taken by a single parent or a single hirer like Rascal?And are they restrictions imposed by a blanket "catch all" within the Wyndhams Vacations conditions, or Richardsons themselves?? ( CLIVE ? ) It must be to do with the boat and not your Personal Insurance, seeing as though you can opt out of that and take your own Insurance under a general Travel Ins, - you are not forced to take Wyndhams own Travel Insurance. Take out separate cover and show it to the yard. I am reminded of all those individuals, when hiring a car abroad, being "forced" to take out excess insurance, when all you need to do is to take out an excess policy here in the UK and pay only a modest premium, rather than the inflated cost from a commission based salesman on a car hire desk in some foreign airport! Still total lack of clarity - mainly muddy water I think, but I am now more confused

Not at all blatantly obvious, Katie - I have been around boats on the Broads for years, and as a single parent, and I am aware that if they wear life jackets outside the boat, there is minimal risk. There may be a perception that is higher risk but there is no evidence to suggest that is the case and I think many familiar with the Broads would agree with me. There is a lot of water at Center Parks and they also use pedalos without supervision and life jackets - equally there are several beaches in Norfolk where lifeguards are employed throughout the summer. Someone must perceive a risk even if you do not...!!!

I am sure that Clive will be along soon to tell us he is changing his insurer - either that or explaining why a hirecraft poses more risk to a single parent than either Center Parcs or a seaside holiday?? Either that or produce the statistics proving it is more hazardous - which he will not be able to do!!!

I find this extremely strange and think the yards should challenge this either through the company themselves, change insurer or indeed through the Insurance Ombudsman. I believe the Ins Co have got their wires crossed - I cannot believe this to be a condition of the Underwriters If you pursue that logic through the industry, no single parent should take an under 18 to Center Parcs,, go to the seaside , or go to a hotel with a swimming pool.

I must admit that I wondered were they found that article they referred too? Was it in the bottom of a shoebox?

Interesting article in the Times today about Oyster's troubles which may or may not be about a potential damages claim from the loss of the Polina Star in 2015, and subsequently a counterclaim against an unidentified 3rd party. I guess it will all come out in the wash somewhere along the line, but probably a bit more than that methinks. My guess is that foreign money is not just flowing into the UK as it was, for whatever reason. Difficult to judge why really rich people are seemingly not spending so much at the moment, but I would not like to be trying to sell some of London's mega properties at the moment - people really hate uncertainty and there is some of that around at the moment. I suspect that may be impacting Brooms as well hence the switch to selling land for houses - and that was no surprise either. Difficult times possibly ahead for the upper end - that could so easily roll over into other areas?

Reminded a bit of how many times Westerly went bust, and then reincarnated. Probably about 3/4 times to my knowledge. Probably something will come out of all this - they are good boats and likely to continue in a much reduced size ( not the boat!! ) methinks.