Broads01

I was thinking the same as Neil about work holiday days but I can see the benefit in the roads having less holiday traffic. So Clive, which boats work better for short breaks?

Just run an availability check for August 2011 on Richardson's website and I notice they're now offering Thursday as a start day for the first time. Presumably this is to be able to cope with the increase in the fleet.

Thanks Dan & Carol. So the mysteries of Le Boat's pricing strategy deepen even further. Looks like I'll have to use my vouchers for something else then. Ferry tickets to Ireland so I can go boating on the Shannon perhaps....

Having amassed a fair few Tesco Clubcard vouchers (about £250 worth if I apply for one of the 'Tesco Rewards' offers, I perused the Tewsco website to see if there were any boating deals in the holidays section. That led me to Active and Afloat (activeandafloat.co.uk). I also picked up a brochure for the same from a travel agent. The good news is, from the photos and locations offered, it seems I could use the vouchers towards a Broads holiday because it seems Le Boat is somehow linked in to Active and Afloat. The bad news is that neither on the website nor in the brochure isthere any detail whatsoever about boats, prices or anything. Does anyone have any experience of this holiday operation?

I don't know exactly Carol but I've got a feeling it's low enough to squeeze under Wroxham Bridge if conditions were right. I'm guessing the Bounty 27 sedan was a kind of limited edition version of the much more common aft cockpit (a la Pacific Swift). There used to be more of them on hire at one time (I recall Swan Craft having one) but I think Sandersons have the only other one now.

Nice! Tidy interior and good to see they've kept things simple by pricing the same as both Swift and Emerald. At £325 per week including damage waiver for a week low season you can't go wrong.

There is a new 2-4 berth that comes up on the Pacific Cruisers availability search, priced the same as Pacific Emerald. There's no details of the boat yet elsewhere on the website - does anyone know any details?

I've fancied hiring Jay ever since they got her and I've always wondered what it's like internally. There's no arguing with Maffetts' value.

It's certainly a different pricing strategy, but one that I don't really have a problem with. If it means they're ending up with less bookings as a result then I would expect it to change. They certainly didn't help themselves (if it was their fault) by putting higher prices in the Hoseasons brochure from the ones in the Le Boat brochure that are also available online. However, at the end of the day with Capri they're now undercutting Richardson's identical Siesta by some margin. I also like being able to opt out of the Damage Waiver - give me a returnable security deposit (even if it's a few hundred quid) any day but nobody else gives you that option.

dan. The Horning Pleasurecraft name has always been a strange Hoseasons marketing thingy anyway and now it seems they can't even be consistent about it. Richardsons have never, that I'm aware of had any Horning Pleasurecraft branding at Stalham in the yard, on the boats or in the brochure! Even the Acle boats are Richardsons branded nowadays. Le Boat have lumped there 20% discount (previously for July & August) on September bookings now so you can have Capri for 3 nights for a measly £235 (and you can opt out of a damage waiver if you want). Just biding my time now as I can only go in October! Richardsons are going to have to drop their prices to compete!

I notice Dominica is priced the same as Serene Gem. Is the interior identical to Serene Gem or is the fit out slightly different?

I didn't know they existed either so thanks Dan. It's certainly good to see a new southern hire base. The 2-4 berth boat looks basic and little changed since the Richardsons days, but top marks to them for putting loads of internal shots on the website - leaves you in no doubt about what you're getting.

From my point of view over the years (I think I'm up to 18 hires now) I've had a lot more trips with no call outs than with call outs. However, call out experience has been almost all positive. Almost all faults have been fixed rapidly with minimum disruption. One holiday last year I had to call an engineer 3 times (one of which was my own fault) but even that made little difference to the holiday.

That's good news. Maybe the 'divorce' from Broads Tours/NBD is having a positive effect? I always think Herbert Woods can be a strange hybrid collection of smart modern boats, up together refitted older boats and some older boats that need some work and aren't particularly good value for money. This year I nosed inside the same Northern Light I hired 10 years ago and the same dodgy tweed upholstery was there - it looked dated even back then! There are some free fuel offers on the website at the moment which makes the pricing more competitive. Like the idea of a 35 foot centre cockpit. Presumably it will share the hull of the dual steer 35's? I'm not a boat design expert but I can't see the issue with just having a scaled down sliding roof based on the 44 foot, being the same shape but in different dimensions.

Hi Jonny. Hired San Elena back in 2005. It's a nice spacious boat and the layout (with the 2 saloons) works really well as it allows the party to spread out. The single cabin is very much a broom cupboard - my daughter was only 5 at the time and even she found it small. The other cabins are all fine though and the front one has a very spacious feel. Engine was pretty new at the time I think and ultra quiet. I like the sun roof within the sliding roof and the large rear 'patio' area. Can't remember what the toilets were like which probably means they're OK.

Gladyou had a good time Johnny. Where did you manage to cruise to in your 2 weeks? It's been some time since I've managed to get away for that long. Dan - I'm with you on the toilet issue. When I was with my daughter on Gainsborough Girl recently we had one toilet each - fab! No chance of ever needing a pump out that was for sure!

Good to see Pacific doing well. All of their boats were out last week. Funnily enough Sandfly wasn't out - there aren't many Bounty 27 sedans around so I'm wondering if Sandfly might actually be the new Pacific boat?

The interior looks absolutely lovely, what a staggering improvement. I think the boat is probably nearer 35 years old rather than 40 but I take the point, it really does show what can be done. A very tempting 2 berth and that coming from someone who's 'off' forward drive craft at present (temporarily I'm sure).

Just noticed Freedom have got some really good last minute deals on if you're lucky enough to be able to go in the next 2 weeks http://www.freedomboatingholidays.co.uk/

Good stuff. Thanks for the info and pics Dan. I like the old Connoisseur designs. Agree about Cirrus pricing, completely bizarre. Richardsons and Brinks must be doing really well to be able to add so many boats at once. I'll reiterate what I've said on a previous thread that I'm concerned about the impact on boat traffic and mooring availability in peak season. The downstream traffic on the Ant on Friday & Saturday afternoons in August will be evn worse. Ludham Bridge doesn't bear thinking about.

Hmm interesting! Great pics Dan. It's funny how the look of a boat does make a difference to it's appeal. You'd think it would be just down to the practicalities of size, layout and driving position but it's more than that. Bit like needing to fancy someone to want to have a relationship with them I suppose! I agree with those that have said this isn't the best looking boat ever. The other thing that strikes me about it, is given the height of the majority of the boat, I'm wondering if it could have been designed to pass under bridges like the AF38/44 dual steer does. I bet it's a lovely boat though and I'd love to get a look on one.

Great pics guys. Here is one of my Dad aboard Merlin in June 2009, courtesy of Dan Horner esq who happened to be moored at Horning Ferry at the time.

That's useful feedback Howard. Pleased you enjoyed yourselves - were there many hireboats about? Fine Time was for many years Caprice from Sabena Marine and as you saw Sabena had their own individual way of styling interiors. DRL have a few ex-Sabena boats. Royall Oak at Royall's Boatyard (formerly Sabena's White Diamond) used to have bright purple upholstery in its Sabena days!

Ah, the old style Connoisseurs, excellent! I've always thought they're well laid out for a centre cockpit boat. I like the combination of centre saloon with high level passenger seat which is quite hard to find. It sure is going to busy on the North Broads this peak season and it looks like it will be a bit bonkers busy on a Friday & Saturday in Stalham. Are you taking on extra staff for turnaround days Clive?

There are some more details on the Topcraft website now http://www.topcraft-cruisers.co.uk/kestrel.html