Broads01

My favourite memory is the moment we arrived at Norfolk Broads Yachting Company for our first hire, 14th August 1981. I was 10 years old. We hadn't even boarded our boat and yet something about seeing it from where I was sat (in the back seat of our Austin Allegro) triggered something in me which is very much still with me today.

Fabulous post, Roy, thanks for taking the time to put all the photos and captions together. White Champagne and Pink Champagne have been at Richardsons so long I'd forgotten where they originated from but you've just reminded me. I remember the Mixer Marine name but where exactly at Stalham were they located?

Did you mean to post a list? I can only see a link to Robin's Princess video.

Great photos, Ray, thanks for sharing.

Hi Robert. I recognise your boat from it's hire boat days at NBYC. My first ever visit to the Broads was as a child in 1981 when my parents hired from there. Vaughan does indeed still live in France so hopefully he'll be able to answer your question.

Thanks David, interesting stuff. It's striking to see how many Richardsons are selling off. As you say it's hard to understand given the strength of bookings this year and next. Royall Oak was sold in 2019 I think and I don't think the Benmores were in the fleet this year either. I'm wondering if their could be others in your list which may have appeared in Hoseasons this year but actually went pre-Covid.

I agree that turning on the ropes is easy and it's a method often overlooked. The only thing I would qualify that with is that the method does depend on mooring space being available which at Dilham isn't always the case. There's enough room to turn on the engine even with boats moored there though. Another method I like if you have a willing crew member to hold the bow rope tight to the mooring is to put the rudder hard over and gently motor round with the bow rope held.

I don't know anything about canoeing but would it be reasonable to expect canoeists to lift their boats out if the water to avoid blocking the mooring?

I agree with David. I took a 42 footer up there this year and turned with no problems. One mistake less experienced folk make when turning in a tight space is simply not to turn the rudder enough. With the boat at a standstill, turn the wheel hard over and give a good burst of throttle to get water moving over the rudder. Bow thrusters are a great help of course.

I completely agree. It's a short but very beautiful stretch of river and very quiet in comparison to the rest of the Ant. Re Potter, I'm afraid the chances are you won't get through unless water levels are unusually low.

As I think I've commented before, Robin, I like the simple format of the latest videos and your natural film making skills still come through. I hope to catch up on these latest one's very soon. At the moment I'm working my way through Russell's recent uploads and as you know that takes a long time...

Interesting article. How strange that Hoseasons tried to take over Blakes in the 1970s and yet it took them many years to finally achieve it. I first came to the Broads as a child in the 1980s and my parents always booked with Hoseasons for Broads and Thames holidays in those days. I loved the brochures, they were the hire boat web pages of their day.

No they don't, unfortunately, their loss.

That would be my worst nightmare if I was hiring. Last year I was temporarily stuck for 4 or 5 hours and that was bad enough. What was the outcome, do you know? Did boatyard staff manage to get the boats through either with the oil drum trick or having lots of people aboard?

Very reminiscent of a Hampton in my view and that's no bad thing. It's good to have compact boats being built to contrast with the majority of larger ones. This made me chuckle on the Herbert Woods description: "Will pass under Ludham, Wayford and Wroxham bridges subject to weather and tide conditions with the canopy lowered". Mmm, so where exactly is the canopy? 😊

I think all inclusive pricing is a mixed blessing. On the plus side, it makes pricing much simpler. On the minus side, you can end up paying for lots of fuel you don't use. I have Fair Duke booked for next year which I booked a couple of months back before the pricing policy changed. My booking specifies £130 fuel deposit and ordinarily I get a chunk back even though I like cruising plenty of hours each day. I hope I still get a refund at the end of my trip.

That actually sums up my current position also. I value being able to pick the exact week I want plus next year although I have two Broads bookings I also have one on the Caledonian Canal (for the first time) as well. The trouble is, I know I'm paying through the nose in comparison to syndicate folk and I do like the idea of ownership. What you're saying about "3 weeks you can use" makes sense.

Thanks for sharing your tale, Helen and some great photos. I'm pleased you were able to have the time away. Here in South Wales we've been prevented from travelling since 27 September so I'm pretty envious if I'm honest.

A question about syndicates - for the boats where 4 week shares are the norm, am I right in thinking 2 week shares rarely come up and it's unlikely a 4 week share would ever be split? The reason I ask is I think I'd be more inclined to go for a syndicate share if it was 2 weeks as it would give me more flexibility with my remaining work leave. I know you don't have to use your full allocation but I don't like the idea of paying for weeks I'm not going to use. Alan, I know Ranworth Breeze has 2 week shares and Southern Crusader single weeks but unfortunately I'd find the air draft for either too restrictive.

I completely agree. The recent videos on Trixie demonstrated Robin's film-making skills brilliantly.

No! I can't imagine anything worse than frittering away precious boating time by being in a car.

Can you get to Coltishall by tonight?

At long last! Good to see you back, Robin.

A tip for you when leaving a mooring such as the one you had at St Benets - reversing out can work out much easier. Turn the wheel hard round towards the bank, a quick burst of forward throttle to kick the stern out a bit, reverse a bit then repeat. I also have happy memories of Contessa which I hired two years ago - great boat and brilliant value for money.

Both the Benmores were already in private hands when I visited in late August. I hired Benmore 2 last year and really enjoyed it but Barnes must have something against the design because for some reason they got rid of Royal Oak as well.