Broads01

Have a look at Robin's brilliant review - see the thread in the Video Blogs section http://forum.norfolkbroadsnetwork.com/topic/12484-brinks-serenade-the-review/

Really, really enjoyed this review Robin! What a boat. I loved the innovation and attention to detail your review illustrated. The little things like the auto door catches can have a big impact on your hiring experience. Whilst all the electronic benefits of the boat were really impressive, the non-electric stuff made their mark on me - the folding, swivelling table is brilliant and the finish on everything looked luxurious.

Paladin - you'll receive no support from me or from others if you diss Robin on here. I'm not a boat owner and have no experience of dealing with the BA but I found Robin's post hilarious. I can't understand why anyone except perhaps the BA themselves would take offence. Robin wow, you've been going through it. I hope you're like me in that our favourite pastime, not only doing the boating thing but planning for it, reading and writing about it gives you some respite from things life throws at you.

Just watched Robin's Brinks Serenade review. What a boat, it was breathtaking. I'll post more in the hire boat section. Looking forward to the Brinks Serenade blog and to understand why Robin spent all that money when he could have just cruised on the boat he part owns!

Always good to see internal photos as they tend to be even more useful than the official website ones.

They're great value boats. I had the similar Salerno a few years back and it was brilliant. Horning looks peaceful. I see you had 11 days - did you go south?

Pictures of the finished boat are now online. It looks pretty darn lovely in my view http://www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk/our-boats/detail/46/

Ooh, tough one. In no particular order: Cockshoot Surlingham mudweight Ranworth Pyes Mill, Loddon Salhouse

Excellent. I suffer from the coeliac condition and it makes a huge difference when eating places consider gluten free options. It would be great to see either the menu marked up with gluten free or a separate menu.

I loves me forward drives, I love me dual steers too. Both are brilliant for the Broads for different reasons. Robin's video where he talks about 'bathtubs' (You can't see sh**!) is actually spot on though, particularly on the southern Broads. I remember cruising the Chet on a dual steer for the first time and realising how much I'd been missing.

I love a trip south but it looks like staying north is the sensible option on this occasion. I notice your potential stay-north itinerary doesn't include the Ant - you'll be fine at Ludham. As has already mentioned, Ludham would only be an issue in unusual conditions. You can see how many high air draft boats Richardsons have and they have to pass Ludham on every hire.

Thanks for clarifying Chris. Those orange bathtubs are actually very presentable inside and great value to hire.

"Do you not think the sight of a noisy, orange, turquoise bathtub with a radio pumping out bass might not go down too well?" Does that reflect your opinion of the hire boat community?

When you say "didn't look that good", in what way?

Yep must be around 15 years since they were in Hoseasons. I always smile when passing Maycraft on the river - it's such a ramshackle looking place with boats in various states of repair everywhere, like time's stood still.

I also remember Sabena Marine and Brister Craft who haven't been mentioned yet.

Moores survived until 2008 I believe. Jack Powles disappeared back in 1992 when Pennant Holidays was sold and a reduced fleet amalgamated under the Herbert Woods brand. It's a bit before my time but I think Powles occupied both sides of the river at various times.

I was lucky enough to enjoy a trip to Amsterdam this week. Stood in the queue to visit the Anne Frank house I found myself working out route options for my Broads trip in May.

Phil, it's really good to see your contribution to this. Thanks very much for taking the time to provide detailed responses.

The much-maligned helm seat is no more. Barnes have posted pictures of the new one on their Facebook page. It's a huge improvement in my view and good on them for acting on feedback. They've also just posted photos of Brinks Encore being launched https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=257141633150

A few years back I saw a boat in a similar situation to the one in the photo. It was just downstream of Stracey Arms Mill and had clearly mounted the 'greased slipway' as Vaughan calls it. We were moored near the mill at the time and I walked up to the stricken vessel and asked if all was OK. When I asked how it had happened the guy said "I just wasn't looking where I was going".

Ive only had a dinghy once, back in 2000 when my children were young (22,and 17 now). In some ways it was fab, rowing in to South Walsham inner broad having mudweighdted on the outer springs to mind. In other ways dinghys are a pain in the arxx. Think every stern mooring when you have to pull the darn thing to the boss, think side on but the dinghy thing seems always to float out to where it blocks everyone else and you're always having to pull it out the way.

On the stern on mooring subject, whilst I'm fully in agreement that stern on at Horning Ferry was a bit bonkers, there are a limited number of locations where stern on would be both perfectly safe and increase mooring capacity. Think St Benets, Acle Bridge Inn or even Horning village Staithe. If the river is wide enough and sight lines are good, why not? Give me stern on over double moored any day.

What a gorgeous boat and some great photos. My own memories of Hearts are from the 1980s onwards so I'm always interested to fill in the gaps in my knowledge.

And here's what we hired. Norfolk Broads Yachting Company ceased hiring after 1983. I still see the boat around, moored at Barton Turf last time I saw it. It was for sale in Wroxham a few years back so I got up close and saw it had hardly changed at all.