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trambo
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Posts posted by trambo
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Not surprised to see it closing but will miss it. Food was well above the normal Broads offerings, at reasonable prices and service was always excellent but as said it would close at short notice. Location I think is the main problem, it just looks like part of the NYA complex (which it is), never saw it more than half full even on a Saturday night.
Fred
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Couple of scans from Blakes brochures of 1937 and 1939.
Most of the pre-war built Windboats would seem to have been sold to other fleets post-war but I am unable to find any reference to these big 43 footers.
Fred
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10 hours ago, Broads01 said:
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 think this is a difficult one because it really depends on the era or even year you are asking about. Yards came and went, renamed or even relocated often, especially post-war with the initial boom in what is known today as staycations followed by the slow decline from the 1970s.
I would guess Brundall takes the title for having operated the most hire yards over the years but many only operated a handful of boats, some even just one or two.
Pre-war, I only know of C. J. Broom & Sons with Bell Boats hiring out from 1950. By the mid 1960s the list was growing by the following;
Alpha Craft
Blue Cruisers
Brundall Gardens Yacht Station
Bradeston Boats (later B.B. Cruiser Co.).
Robin Fisher.
Girl Craft.
J. E. Fletcher (2nd yard with one at Oulton Broad).
Kin Craft (later Peterkin)
Leisure Time Boats.
Lingwood Cruisers.
H. Ody (later L. J. Eastwood, Harvey Eastwood and VIP Harvey Eastwood).
Purdy Cruisers (based at Alpha Craft)
Tidecraft Cruisers.
Robin G. Smith.
Smith & Forster (later Wing Line).
Springcraft.
Stephenson Rivercraft (later Chartercraft, Foster Marine and Silverline)
Swancraft
by the mid 70s you could add names like,
B.P.T Cruisers.
Bees Boats.
Bounty Boats.
Brister Craft (later relocated to Wroxham)
Carr & West (Coral Craft).
County Cruisers.
Curtis.
Davies & Read.
Fencraft.
L.L. Cruisers (later relocated to Wroxham).
Mitre Craft.
Pirate Craft.
Scott Cruisers.
In 1974 I noted in a Broads log that 191 cruisers and 0 yachts were available for hire from Brundall. In comparison Wroxham had 307 cruisers and 17 yachts available and Oulton Broad. 145 cruisers and 17 yachts.
Many more hire yards came and went from Brundall over the years with today just Broom Boats and NYA still hiring. Sorry NYA, chartering!
Fred
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If you go back far enough (early 20th century) the Norfolk Broads Yachting Companies yard was on the site of todays Hotel Wroxham.
Faircraft was established in the late 1950s. Not sure of any connection but the Alan Johnson yard at Acle Bridge also used the fleet name Faircraft in their 1960s advertising.
Going back to Brundall boatyards, anyone remember the very short lived Challenger Stealth Fleet (did it do a full season) based at Ed Rimmer's yard (the old Brundall Gardens Yacht Station) that he created as a base for the Challenger Syndicate boats which also included a row of holiday share properties that lay empty for years. The project collapsed before it got off the ground but today is the successful Marine Power yard.
Todays (sadly fleetless) Silverline yard was in the past, Stephenson Rivercraft, Chartercraft and Foster Marine.
Fred
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The Hoseasons craft on the photo at the mouth of the Bure is Hipperson's 4 berth "Elaine" and the aft cockpit cruiser in the photo below, Pearson's (or Pearson - Barber as it was in 1954) 2-3 berth "Albatross". Both are also in a couple of other shots. At Potter Heigham there are two Hearts Cruisers for Vaughan to identify. "Babemore" looks immaculate but they always did. Thanks for sharing, a great set.
Fred
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I'll have the camera primed and ready.
Fred (on Goosander).
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The video has been transferred (or recorded) at the wrong ratio resulting in boats looking longer than in real life. Salamander, at 5:33, which was 27' 9" looks much longer here. The boat at 6:17 is one of of Richardsons. Despite the ratio fault it is still a brilliant and fascinating record from the heyday of the Broads hire fleets.
Fred
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On 28/08/2022 at 17:10, troydark said:
Hello,
We have just come back from a 7 day cruise on "Bolero 1".
Think I may have spotted you passing Polkey's Mill moorings, whilst I was having an 'anorak' moment.
Fred
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Personal opinion but unless to go through the bridge I would never want to visit Potter Heigham anyway. Very unkind and I apologise but I always get an image of Soweto when the place is mentioned.
Fred
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Thanks Kevin. Fascinating set on many levels from an era when formality was the normal in so many photographs.
Fred
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Not sure how many shades of green its possible to turn but I've just done the pallet. Enjoy everyone.
Fred
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Kris Cruiser last appeared in the Blakes brochure in 2010.
Herbert Woods parent company, the Mowat Group launched Pennant Holidays in 1991 as agent for their fleets (Ernest Collins, Hearts Cruisers, Jack Powles, Southgates, Herbert Woods) and Swancraft. When the Mowat Group got into financial difficulties, Herbert Woods was rescued by Len Funnell and it returned to the Blakes brochure until 2010 when the present owners bought the yard and went independent.
I think time will show Blakes to have been the main agent for Broads boating and its promotion. They certainly did more for the Broads boater and environment in its Harry Blake and later cooperative days than any other company. Hoseasons although very professional was in hindsight all about selling the product. Thinking of "The Sun" promotion, perhaps selling it just a bit too much! It's a little hard to imagine now just how small Hoseasons were in the 50s being much the same size as Bradbeer's but the combination of a larger holiday type portfolio, colourful use of language (sound-bites), gimmicks and a professional customer interaction brought them to the fore. I think Blakes still had more boats for hire though, up until the Richardson family bought back the Stalham yard, using Hoseasons as their agent.
Fred
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Having seen the instructors at work whilst on Silver Cloud they are very professional but like you Alan I don't feel like a voluntary dunk in Clive's marina. Maybe if they do an old dodderers course I might have a change of heart although just the thought brings on the arthritis!
Fred
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Reading the story of the Oulton Broad incident I feel sympathy for both parties but should a novice hirer have been on such a boat? I suspect the hirers holiday has been ruined (it would mine) and they will not return to any boating holiday. In what now seems a long time ago the two main agencies recommended first time hirers to keep their choice of craft to under 34'. So what has changed? Have cruisers become more easy to handle? In two ways they have, the universal adoption of single leaver control and the introduction of bow and stern thrusters. However Broads boat design has become less boater friendly in other ways. Just getting on, off and around the boat on some designs is not as easy as it should be and high superstructure designs are prone to wind, even when fitted with thrusters. Would it not be sensible for yards to highlight classes suitable for novices and to restrict certain classes to experienced crews only or would this effect their profitability too much?
Fred
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As you say a true Broads icon, such a nice, genuine person and a unique establishment that will be missed. Wish her well at her new home and hope to visit in August.
Fred
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For comparison in 1971 there where 144 hire yards and approx 2000 motor cruisers, 120 yachts and 170 houseboats for hire from 32 locations. How things have changed and how many moorings lost.
Fred
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Perhaps this may help. Scan of area dated 1837 - 1838 from a Ordnance Survey based Cassini Historical map.
There is a brick kiln located in the vicinity of the Bridge vets centre (behind Broads Tours) and an area known as Brick Field, the river side of Skinner Lane near the football club.
Fred
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I'm sure the Awaze Group will still market boating holidays as long as it makes them money. A boat is something a little special to us. I strongly suspect to Awaze it is just another unit. That is not too negatively criticise them in what they do. Its simply the nature of the beast
Fred
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You had a super week Dave and thanks for a great travelogue.
Have to be honest I always look at the piccies before I read the tale and just for an instant I thought "He's got her under that bridge." Then reality dawned on me! Miss Horsey Mere a lot, walking to the beach and the Nelson Head. Always a good meal and a slightly tipsy walk back to the boat. Last managed it in 2010 on Silver Symphony.
I know what you mean about cleaning the windows on Goosander, they take forever!
Fred
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Would always go for carpet, so much nicer under (bare) foot but can understand why most hire yards go for the hard floor option. Much cheaper to keep to a good standard. The carpet used on Goosander is the hard wearing Teak-Carpet brand.
Fred
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Alice Rose (Glistening Stream IV) on the River Ant in 2019.
Fred
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The Broads themselves are not that car friendly if you are not that good walking. Can only think of Malthouse, as Griff mentioned, or the Barton Boardwalk and then into Neatishead. Much more choice along the rivers. Coltishall, Stokesby and Reedham come immediately to mind.
Have you considered booking a trip on an excursion boat from Horning or Wroxham? You will always see a lot more being afloat than ashore.
Fred
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5 minutes ago, Bikertov said:
Not sure I would want to wild swim anyway, what with all the raw sewage releases you hear about on our rivers
Blakes often showed river swimming in their brochures and until 1973 you flushed the loo into the river or Broad. OK but you had to look out for floaters!
Fred
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From what I would call true Broads boats, those with a Wild's family of hull seem to be the main culprits for excessive wash when at speed. Against that though they provide the most practical shape to maximise space in a 12' beam craft and some good looking versions (the centre cockpit Alphas come to mind) have and still are being produced.
Not so much speed but a very strong incoming tide at Stokesby causing wash from an Alpha version of these hulls.
Fred
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Nice atmospheric shot by Peter Juerges on Flickr.