Broads01

Maybe not for a stern-on, I agree, in case the stern bumps the quay and throws you off. I would have thought it was safe for a side-on though, especially as there's a hand rail within reach.

That's my understanding also and I think they may be the only ones open all year now, although Herbert Woods make a few boats available in November and February.

Well I'm a nutcase, yes but for many of us on the forum and beyond the Broads is very much part of who we are.

I remember doing that too at the age of 12. By then I'd read the brochures so much my late father had come to respect the knowledge I'd built up and so he asked my advice on various boats as we paged through.

I have vivid memories as a youngster excitedly receiving Hoseasons and Blakes brochures in the post around this time of year. I can remember also walking in to numerous high street travel agents (remember them?) and asking if the brochures had arrived. I was usually disappointed because they seemed to receive them late. Brochures are a forgotten art, of course but I do miss them. During the winter time, especially they were a tangible coloured window on the boating world. Ban the Internet, I say!

Hi Malcom. Yes I know Barnes tend to do that but with Royale at least they said they'd taken a deposit and they were waiting for the survey to go through.

Hey, Barnes Brinkcraft have boats available for next year for free! Well, no not really. This is what shows for both Royale and Topliner. I actually had Royale booked for next year until recently and when I phoned with a query on the booking I was told the boat had been sold. I was a little disappointed because I've always liked the look of Royale. Whether you'd hire these boats or not, they're both individual and stand out from the crowd so it's a shame to see them go. I've now swapped my booking to Royal Velvet 2.

Yeah I usually say upstream and downstream but it means the same. I guess people confuse it with North and south, hence from the south Broads you're going "up" to Great Yarmouth. So, if I'm travelling along the New Cut I think I'm travelling neither upstream or downstream because I'm on a canal. Am I correct?

I think that's ex-Jamaica 1 which I hired in 2012. The upholstery has been changed since then (it used to be brown), the flooring has changed and no doubt other improvements. It'll make a great boat for someone.

I've not been through the Dartford tunnel but I have a similar recollection at the Severn Bridge (toll-free nowadays). I used to call it "chuck it in a bucket" and there was satisfaction in it somehow. One day, we'll reminisce about how Broads mooring fees were collected in cash before online payments were the norm( which they already are on the Thames at Cliveden and Henley).

I don't have a problem with card-only myself and there's no tech involved in carrying a card. Given that there are costs to a business for handling cash if it helps them keep prices down I'm all for it. I think over the next few years we'll see cash disappear in the way that cheques have.

Very sorry to hear about your Mum, Malcom. You must have felt so grateful to have your boat.

Yeah I must admit I can see that isn't fun, especially if you're having to hold station where it's narrow with boats moored both sides.

Continuous, unrelenting rain that lasts an entire day. Wind doesn't really bother me to be honest, maybe because I actually enjoy things that make boat handling more challenging.

111 litres is higher than I'd expect but it does depend on how much you pushed the tide on the southern Broads, how much throttle you used and how many hours you used the heating for. By way of comparison, I did a fairly energetic week in April this year, cruising 4-5 hours per day north and south and I used 89 litres.

Thanks for the review, Jean. The fit out looks good from the photos. You can see how they've opened it out which is very nice and makes it unusual. The only thing I don't like is that steering wheel which looks like it came from a 1970s car! I do like a proper ship's wheel style but maybe I'm just picky. What did you think of the shower and toilet?

Thanks for an excellent write up and photos, Jean. I'm impressed with the service you received from the boatyard and the fact they compensated you. As is so often said, what's important is not what goes wrong but how it's dealt with when it does. As I mentioned about my recent trip with Ferry, I was also impressed with the service, the handover and the boat. I do think they need to rethink their pricing though, especially as when I visited they had more boats not on hire than anyone else.

Sounds like you're having fun. I don't think I'd be able to write "moored at Thurne Dyke" as well as "not visiting The Lion" in the same post (:

What were the shower and toilet like, cramped or OK?

Excellent write up and photos, thank you. I visited Upton recently and admired Moorhen from the outside. It's really good to see your interior shots because the Eastwood Whelpton website is limited with those.

I'm very interested to read your tale, Jean. I had Rose booked myself originally for my recent trip but swapped to Silver for the top helm. Rose looks lovely though and it's a lot cheaper than Silver too. A rear camera on a forward steer is a brilliant asset I'm sure, I'm surprised there's not more of them fitted.

I'm learning something here because I never knew some of these names existed.

Rollesby Broad?

I've always had a soft spot for old Astons, particularly the ones of this class which parents hired when I was a youngster. Much later I hired Song of Freedom in 2019. Yours is the ex-Aston Florida I see. Best of luck with the sale. I like the look of your helm seat and I don't doubt the rest of the boat is lovely (it certainly was when I saw it from the outside at the Salhouse meet).

Well we're coming up to October half-term now which I've always thought of as "mini August" as far as the north Broads is concerned. I must admit I haven't been boating at October half-term for a few years now though, mainly because living in South Wales nowadays they have it a week late, so after the clocks have gone back.