Broads01

The Bermuda was another modern offering, very much a la mode.

The Connoisseur features strongly, justifiably so as it was ahead of its time and the 37 foot was already about 3 years old by then. The 42 foot was new that season. I like this pic because I have happy childhood memories of Salhouse as it was here before the mooring quay was added. Bows on the sand and jump off! Sorry this scan isn't great.

Here you go Siddy

Here is my 1981 brochure...

I'll give it a go Siddy. Are there any pages you're particularly interested in?

I love the old brochures and buy from ebay when the price is right. I have Hoseasons 1981 brochure which I treasure because it was the first year I visited the Broads as a child and our boat is in there. Whilst so much of what was on offer to hire in those days has long gone, it's fun to pick out the boats that still survive, a few in the Richardsons fleet for example.

What a kind offer. Hopefully someone was able to take it up and BA is all serviced up and back in Stalham.

Those ex-Fair Regals will be on my shortlist to hire in 2018 as it looks like I'd get a much better price than in the Fair craft days. Ive always liked the layout - Island double in the fore cabin and 2 single cabins is a useful and rare combination.

I've commented on the Facebook page that the Waterways Holidays search facility has no filtering function, hence if I search August I get 23 pages of boats to look at with Broads Boating Company boats buried there somewhere. On the subject of fuel deposits vs all inclusive, I think there are pros and cons to both. The fuel deposit system is fairest, all inclusive is the clearest and most unambiguous. I'd like more operators to do what Freedom do which is the best of both worlds - quote a fuel inclusive price and also give you a refund for the unused part of it.

The boats look tired and uninviting, with or without the railings, not what I'd choose for a relaxing few hours.

Reedham and Somerleyton are unlikely to be any issue at all for Arabella, there's plenty of room for a standard sedan-style boat without needing the swing bridge to open. I'm not 100% sure about Norwich but I don't think it's a problem unless the water was unusually high. You'd need to take care at St Olaves and probably avoid high water but otherwise OK. Beccles and Thorpe railway bridge would be no go (you might squeeze under Beccles at low water but I wouldn't recommend it), so more restrictive than a forward drive for those.

The Chet aside, these boats would be great for a luxurious south Broads week or short break on the wide Yare and Waveney. With an air draft of 9 foot 6 or whatever they'd squeeze through Great Yarmouth at low water but would you want to risk it - I wouldn't.

Woods End Staithe is also on Richardsons holiday map. I now know not to be a clever clogs and not bother to open the map because I think I can see the whole map in my head.

Nice! I like the canopy up top.

Good spot David. With the boat in the link and the location it looks very much Broom Boating Holidays 2 bit welcome nonetheless. There must be a gap in the market for more boats available on the south Broads given the lack of availability compared to the north.

I know discussions on here have been going on some time but I appreciate the explanations on this thread. I can now fully understand and agree why its so wrong to call the Broads a National Park. Navigation issues do indeed matter a teensy bit, the Broads being the best boating playground in the world.

I was watching one of Robin's blogs from a couple of years ago that I hadn't yet seen, 'Brinks Omega Day 2' and blow me the video shows somewhere I didn't know existed - Woods End Staithe. The video shows Robin turning east of Barton near the island and down a short dyke. At the Staithe there seemed to be space for one small boat along with a few private moorings (most of which were empty on the day of filming). Last year I visited two places I knew existed but had never seen (Coltishall lock and Catfield Dyke). This year I can look forward to somewhere else brand new - thanks to Robin. I've only been coming to the Broads for 36 years!

Nice. I like the helmsman's position set back from the windscreen. Most of these have it forward underneath the screen and it feels too cosseted for my taste.

Oh dear, I couldn't agree with you less. My son and I wear our Bournemouth shirts with pride, in Norfolk and elsewhere. As a footballl man I'm very comfortable with seeing people wearing whatever club shirt, it's an important aspect of supporting today's game. Bringing the discussion back to topic, my dream would be a resurgence of the south Broads from a hirer's perspective, to see hire operations at Beccles, Oulton Broad and St Olaves once again.

At Neatishead I prefer to moor at the bottom end because I really enjoy reversing out! Little dabs of forward throttle to steer, keep it dead slow. Because it's a sheltered spot it's actually a good place for reversing whereas elsewhere wind and currents can make life more complicated.

Thanks Helen for such a detailed review. It's pleasing to hear you had good service and that encourages the possibility of me hiring from Ferry.

For the Wayford Bridge, the nicest moorings are through the bridge on the left. There's a modest fee I think but it gets you away from the noisy main road.

Hi NonTecky. If you go to Coltishall be sure to chug on past the Rising Sun to the limit of navigation at Coltishall lock, it's fabulous, like escaping to a different waterway altogether. Have a look at my holiday tale and photos from last October On the pubs question, I like the Sutton Staithe hotel but its very difficult to get a space there in the season. You're going pre-Easter though it'll be a good time to give it a try. I also like The Swan Inn at Stalham which is an easy walk from either Stalham Staithe or Richardsons.

Thanks for writing Helen, I enjoyed your tale. How sad it turned out to be the last trip with your dog but hopefully it made those last days with him very memorable. I look forward to seeing your photos if you can get them to upload. I'd be interested to know your views on the boat and if you thought it's worth the fairly premium money Ferry Marina ask for hiring it.

I like chugging in to Norwich for a daytime stop but I've always avoided it overnight for the noise reasons already covered. You should be OK at Thorpe when the water's low enough but any stop there has to have planning otherwise you'll find the water's too high when you want to leave. I like the Commissioners cut and you're unlikely to have problems getting a space (unlike Bramerton) so in your position I'd cruise in to Norwich and then head for Commissioners for the night. Alternatively the mooring at Whitlingham is nice, albeit without facilities. I've never been one to use a bus or train whilst I'm boating - I love travelling by boat far too much for that!