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jimbob88
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Posts posted by jimbob88
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Interesting thread, I do like to see a good discussion on the Thames.
Ive just come back this week from another trip from Kris cruisers and you can't fault them. I find the Thames as a whole a more interesting waterway to the broads, there isn't a part I've passed through that I find boring like I do on some stretches of the Broads, and with a young family places like Windsor, Marlow, etc have so much more to offer than places on the broads. Even my girlfriend who hates the broads said how much she enjoyed it, so much so we are going back in April and I can't see us going back to the broads for the foreseeable.
Le boat however looked awful. The repairs and maintenance they carry out are shocking and the general state of them I'd be horrified if I turned up to my holiday to find that.
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7 hours ago, KevinB said:
We used to see a lovely looking private lowliner 44 often in the late 90’s / early 2000’s called “Lady Fishcake” , she was all white and always immaculate, we spoke to the owners a few times at various places, nice couple, not seen it in years, don’t know if it’s still on the broads
Yeah still on the broads, was built by the same yard as forth bridge 2 back in the early 90s. Lovely looking boat but perhaps a little dated I side now.
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Brilliant little boat this, hired her back in 2007 I think and still one of my favourites that Ive had. Not a fan of bathtubs or anything not dual steer but this boat was a cracker wouldn't think twice to book her again.
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7 hours ago, oldgregg said:
It's almost as if you have a thing for Lowliners, James
But yeah, if looking for an older / value boat that has actually had some maintenance then I think Richardson's would be a better bet. Woods do not seem to replace engines until they've chucked a rod through the block, but a lot of the older boats at Richardson's are running a Nanni.
The Classic Fleet boats don't always gleam on the outside, but they do inside.
I may have slight fondness for this design. Hard not to when they are this damn fine to look at. If only there was a syndicated one.
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This video of Caribbean doesn't seem to be uploading. Neither boat blew me away but if I was to choose I'd probably got for astral over carabrean.
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Really interesting thread this.
https://m.apolloduck.com/boat/alpha-craft-42/598982
I assume this is most likely an ex french boat possibly one you ran.
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These look so much sleeker than the ones alpha craft ran on the broads.The boat that got sunk was rather a one-off design that you may not have seen before and certainly not on the Broads.
We had some old centre cockpit Alpha 44s (or is it 42?) that were not letting all that well and needed refreshing. So a whole new cabin top mould was laid on top of the original boat. This did away with the sliding canopy and folding windscreen but gave it a long, spacious, high sundeck with dual steering. It made a very good boat for the French rivers, where we are not too worried about height.
It also dropped the waterline aft by nearly two inches, which actually made them easier to steer!
The mould was made by Langford Jillings at Alphacraft and designed by John Moxham, who I believe designed the original boat. The moulds were then sent by truck to France where the fitting out was done by Arthur Garret and myself, at St Gilles.
We had to do a bit of interior work in the old wheelhouse and around the window surrounds inside but otherwise, we hardly needed to touch the original interior, other than a lot of new varnish and new curtains and Lino.
Luckily I did my usual gas test on the boat before she first went out on hire, as I couldn't get any pressure on the gauge. I soon discovered that I had walked about 45 screws into the gas pipe, all along the corner of the aft cabin top! In my defence, it had been hidden up behind the head-lining, so I didn't know it was there. Another good reason why gas pipes in a boat should ideally be visible.
We ended up fitting out 5 of them and they have been very popular. The moulds arrived either with the blue sides in the gel-coat, or in plain white. Opinion was always divided as to which looked better.
I am not at all sure that all the expense and time, on an old boat, made them commercially viable in hiring terms but that was not my problem. They asked me to do it, so I did it!
When you say very little had to be changed inside was the original layout the saloon in the centre as opposed to more popular layout of saloon in rear.
I did see one of these for sale a while back in Ireland that had a home bar added seem to be popular live aboard a.
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Not that I know much about sunken boats but how was this declared a right off a d the silverline boat that sank at chedgrave and looked just as submerged wasn't.
Brilliant story though I've often fancied a trip on the river Lot.
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Although I still miss Thunder from time time I have to say how relieved I was able to sell before this all happened. I feel for all the current owners paying out for something they can't use.
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Like yourself I was obsessed with lowliners when I was a kid although my preference was the aquafiber style. I finally started hiring them a few years back and be honest there a few things on that mould that weren't great like bathroons. However my complete bias towards the style meant I've never enjoyed a boat more.
I'm sure you'll enjoy Rapide and see past any faults. I've been on board a few and the upper helm there is plenty of space for a good few people and if the seat breaks your **** just stand up for a bit and enjoy the view. They probably did try to fit one too many cabins onboard and although the beds may be a little snug the living space should make up for it.
Look forward to how you get on and plenty pictures please as I'd still love to hire this boat regardless if how many people dislike the design.
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I'm sure after a good scrub it would be fine to crack straight on with but I think if a good a boat like this at that price I'd like to spend a little bit extra updating it.
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How much would a half decent refit cost. 15-20k ?
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Yeah Barnes do some weird things they managed to turn one of the best saloons on a hire boat for comfort and looks and make it look awkward and messy.
I do like the new 'Diamond' 39 in terms of the extra space and the engine being out the back where it's quieter, but the original helm station was an excellent piece of design and it's a shame that was lost.
It wasn't needed to house an engine but nor was it on the 43's and it worked well there.
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That's the thing though it's not the 35 mould it's the dual steer 43ft version and they chopped the back off to make an updated 35 essentially. Seems a shame to have lost the dual steer version in my eyes.
Most of the unwanted moulds at Rackheath were just chopped up from dinghies to larger boats - I did approach the administrators about a smaller mould but they just did not want to know, I am afraid.
Its good to see the old Diamond 35 mould being resurrected by BB with the added bit, - just shows how some moulds could actually stand the test of time in design terms.
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Cool thread
Still a real shame aquafibre has gone. Of all the boats on the broads I probably have a theoretical top 10 of boats I want to own and they'd fill that up I think. I still think the lowliner was the best thing ever made and the diamond 43 which I've owned part of would have been lovely to have seen more made with different layouts, a luxury 4 berth perhaps
Was quite surprised when I was talking to the lads at Barnes that the chopped up the 43 mould to make serenade rather than just putting a new **** on the 35 mould. Was hoping they may have made an updated 43 but not to be now.
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What incredibly sad news. I dread to think of the amount of hours I've spent looking at his database and always being pleasantly surprised by another new bit of information or a new photo of an old boat.
A massive loss to the broads and community's like this. One man with a little website that really did make a lot of people happy and I hope he goes down in broadband history.
You'll be missed Craig.
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Absolutely love that stretch of river. One of my big regrets when we moved the boat north.
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Yeah he can do some special things with wood. He's boats were fitted out more to a private spec but seeing the Facebook page sone of the restoration work he's done on woodies looks fantastic.
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I've hired Forth bridge 2 from them before (ex Fantastique) still a lovely boat just a few of the internal choices perhaps could have been a bit more sympathetic from bridge craft like the red rubber floor. Still a lovely boat though and would like to hire again.
Hi JB
I think they were a small yard but, as you say, with a reputation for quality. With a smaller fleet I guess photos are harder to come by and of course they predated the digital age with the huge amount of images around now. I didn't actually hire from them although the boat we hire from Bridgecraft (Humber Bridge) was originally a Greenway build according to Craig's database. Called Elysium back then.
Carol's Broadland Memories site is a very useful resource with a lot of historical photos - you could try having a look - it is divided into decades so you can look in the areas you are interested in. Not sure if there is what you are looking for but worth a try.
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Freshfields Holidays 1983
in Hire Boat Discussion
Posted
I like their thinking. Hire a boat that would be substantially more expensive than just buying bedding and pots and pans.
Love the old photos of the yard back in the day before all the flash stuff.