Broads01

I'm guessing you're well versed on the condition of your batteries, Robin. I suspect though that on a hire boat, even given plenty of hours cruising, it might be pushing my luck for batteries to last the night.

I tend to agree with posts so far, there's a strong chance you won't fit under Ludham. Some designs of boat lend themselves towards edging ultra slowly up to the bridge so you can visually judge whether you'll make it through - Gleaming Light isn't one of those. You have to make a judgement on the basis of the height gauge as to whether you'll pass or not and nobody wants to take any chances. It's true that Richardsons help their boats through when the need arises but that's because they're based above the bridge. I wouldn't expect Herbert Woods to do similar unless one of their boats was stuck above the bridge.

I wouldn't read it like that because starting your engine doesn't always give "reasonable grounds for annoyance", it depends when you do it, proximity to others, the volume and the length of time you run it for. The problem with the wording though is it's not definitive - it's a judgement call as to whether you could annoy someone or not.

I want to buy a portable low wattage heater for using when hiring and on shore power. I'm looking for something compact but effective. Does anyone have any recommendations as to make and model?

Enjoying your tale, thanks for sharing. You're doing low daily miles, are you out for 2 weeks?

Sounds like we'll just miss each other again, Malcom. I'm afloat from Saturday 30th for a week.

I bet yours is the biggest boat that's been seen at Upton for a while.

I hired Silver Emblem last year and it was lovely but please don't be put off coming just because of Ferry Marina prices. Ferry are a decent business but I've long said they need to look at their pricing which doesn't compare well to the competition at all.

I always assumed that SOB was equipped for towing boats off the mud. If they can't do that then what's the point of their existence?

This is excellent, Clive. I really like the revamped website and based on a quick glance at the prices you seem to be offering excellent value. All the best in picking up plenty of bookings for next year.

I love the design too. It's such a clever use of 32 foot and the upper helm position is superb. I hired Gainsboroigh Girl too, Malcom (2010 in my case) amongst others. I agree stern access isn't brilliant although I notice Pacific Spirit at Pacific Cruisers has some very handy-looking stern steps which would compensate well I feel.

It's not unique in being a mooring spot much less busy than it once was. We moored there overnight earlier this month and there were perhaps 10 or 12 boats there. I do hope it doesn't become another Berney Arms, being a slightly sad spot and a shadow of its former self.

Yep, that's her. She was originally Benson Harmony, so quite probably with Benson Cruisers, who were bought by Maidboats? That might explain why she was fitted out so sparsely if the yard were either struggling financially, or aware they might sell out in the near future. Thought so. I know the Benson river front well and hired from there in the "New Horizon" (now Richardsons) days and again with Le Boat. I only know Benson Cruisers from historic brochures but as your boat was with Maidboats afterwards then what you're saying makes sense.

Sort of but sail boats are a bit on the slow side without wind, to put it mildly. Electric dayboats are commonplace now. How long before technology and charging infrastructure enables electric-powered cruisers?

I've only ever come across one other AF32 with the galley at saloon level and that's the one still on hire from Caversham Boat Services.

Is this your boat, Dom? http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki2018/index.php?title=Boat_Details&BoatId=9875&BoatHistory=67673 It looks to have been in the old Maidboats fleet years back but I think possibly a Thames hireboat when it was new. I know Bushnells at Maidenhead had these. It seems to have been in private hands for the years it's been on the Broads though.

I agree. Having exclusively Monday and Friday starts is quite a bold choice I think because Saturday starts have been the expected norm for so many decades. However, Monday and Friday turnarounds are popular now so if that works for the business and the staff then great.

Are there any manned locks on the Cambridgeshire waterways?

What was hiring from Sandersons like? Was it actually an "old wreck"? Not weird at all. Memories of smells can be powerful and marine diesel is distinctive in my mind.

Yes Grace, I'm with you on all of that. I've been hiring for over 40 years now and yet the moment I see my chosen boat for the first time and then step aboard is just as exciting as it always was.

Thanks for these contributions, Vaughan, you've certainly sold one-way hires as more feasible than I'd realised. I agree Breydon passage is always possible given sufficient daylight hours. Perhaps it takes one of the major operators to stick their necks out and take a calculated risk, at least on a small scale basis initially. I think the pay off could be an enticing USP which would differentiate them from their competitors.

A one way cruise would be brilliant. I confess I do enjoy the whole Great Yarmouth and Breydon crossing thing but I always enjoy it more outbound (whichever the direction) than the return by which time it can become a little tiresome sometimes. I remember in the 1980s, in the days when Herbert Woods and Hearts at Thorpe were in the same ownership, they had "Delight" and "Knave of Hearts", both Broom 30-style but with curved windows. Briefly and I think for that class only, you were able to hire one-way from Potter Heigham-Thorpe or vice versa. On the Thames around the same time, Maidboats had a complete business model around hiring one way between Thames Ditton and Wallingford. We can only dream though. For it to happen on the Broads now, it would take a hire operator to either operate both north and south or at least for a northern operator to have an arrangement with a southern one. Alas there are barely any south Broads operators left for that to ever happen.

Absolutely yes. I get as much excitement at the prospect of going and as much fun when I'm there as I ever did.

A very enlightening post, Robin, thank you and much food for thought there. I completely get your point about people who've never visited the Broads not knowing what it's all about. The most common reaction I receive when mentioning a Broads holiday is something like "Oh, on a barge?". I guess canals and canal boats are a common site in many places and so it's a common misconception that the Broads are an extension of the canal network.

Thanks Jean, that is good news. It was certainly pretty hideous northbound on Friday 28th July.