Broads01

May I just check, is Langley Dyke now a complete no-go for overnight moorings?

It's amazing on the south Broads how many boaters, with a strong tide in their favour at Reedham say, still push the throttle lever all the way forward. You can tell by the engine note.

In my experience absolutely nobody slows down when they should - but hasn't that always been the case?

I don't think boatyards can be expected to look into a crystal ball and forecast the behaviour of a given party taking over a boat and whether they're same sex or mixed is immaterial. Am I right in thinking if you witness anti-social behaviour you should call Broads Control?

I'd be very interested to hear about that. I know Lancaster well as my elder daughter lives there. I've often wondered what a cruise on the Lancaster Canal would be like, knowing it's the longest stretch of lock-free canal in the country. Although I've been coming to the big lock-free playground we all love for most of my life, I do like locks as well and the fact that the Lancaster is lock-free puts me off strangely, so very interested to read your experience.

Hi there. My children are adults now but because I like to hire more often than I can get a crew I've hired solo regularly. Barnes are great in my experience, as are Ferry Marina. I believe Bridgecraft, Pacific Cruisers and Martham Boats are also options, although I've no experience of hiring solo myself from these.

Two tales to come from me, all being well.

I wonder that about myself too, Neil. What strikes me about your list is how many of the boatyards operated with a very small number of boats. Some things don't change though - Richardsons and Herbert Woods had the highest numbers, albeit far fewer than they each have today.

Here's a quiz question to which I don't know the answer but I bet one if you knowledgeable folks will. Which location had the highest number of boatyards and how many were there? When I was growing up in the 80s, Wroxham and Brundall had about 10 boatyards each. Oulton Broad had 4 I think (Topcraft, Newson, Truman and Hampton) but I know it had many more previously.

I had no idea they ever existed. I didn't visit between 1990 and 1992 and it seems I missed out!

I was only 10 years old when we hired from Norfolk Broads Yachting Company and I remember it was up that dyke somewhere but couldn't remember the exact location. Next time I'm in Hoveton I'll be able to visualise the old boatyard, thanks Neil.

Thanks, for sharing, Jean. I would imagine the silence in neutral is rather nice when you need to wait in neutral en route for a sail boat in front of you or some such. What was the noise like when you were cruising? How loud was the whir?

Good shout, Malcom. I've never been to the Cross Keys but I've read good reports recently.

I used to like the mooring opposite the houseboats just above Wayford Bridge but I'm aware that option is no longer available. The BA moorings are fine but there's not a lot of length there, so are there any other options within walking distance of the Wayford Bridge Hotel?

You don't do day boats, you don't do camping, you don't do moorings. What do you do?

To say hirers in bygone years we're "more caring" and had "different values" implies current hirers are inferior. My point is that the vast majority are not.

Please don't tar all current hirers with the same brush. The majority, like myself, treat boats and people with respect.

Thanks for the write up, Helen, enjoyable as always. It's useful to know you can still moor at the Beccles swimming pool because when I passed there in April it didn't look as though you could.

I'd not heard of either of those and I didn't know there'd ever been a boatyard at Stokesby. Was it somewhere upstream of the Ferry Inn?

Yes, the ill-fated Line Azzuro. They took over Kingfisher Cruisers at Thorpe (at the site which was previously Maidencraft, later Freedom) and for some reason relocated to the old Marina Keys site at Great Yarmouth. They gained a terrible reputation for poorly maintained boats and didn't last long.

Great photos, Howard. What year did you have Aston Concorde? It looks very new. Your 1995 list is revealing and just shows how much has changed.

Happy memories, Roy, I remember all those. Others that come to mind are Wing Line (although I think they'd gone by the late 80s) and Buccaneer Boats. Aren't NYA down that dyke nowadays or have I got that wrong? If we start talking about other yards outside Brundall it'll be a huge list.

I must admit, Helen, that's one aspect of syndicate ownership I would struggle with. Don't get me wrong, I always leave a hire boat in a tidy condition but I'm very glad to pay someone else to clean to the standard needed for the next hirer. I know, comparatively, I pay through the nose for the privilege though.

What a change. My recollection of this time last year and the year before is there was nothing available and every so often Barnes and HW would advertise a cancellation.

I don't think I'd want to take a day boat from Brundall to Reedham even though it may be technically possible. Dave Whitworth hired an electric Brooms dayboat on one of his recent videos (filmed in February this year) and I was reminded just how low in the water you have to sit in one of those boats. He took one down to Rockland Staithe and then up to the Ferry House. Swimmers have as good a view.