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Brinks Encore


BryanW

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Phil at Barnes has added this in a discussion on Serenade so I thought I would copy it to this thread.

"17 hours ago,  barnesPhil said: 

Just to clarify the Encore's will have a gas cooker.  I am quite sure that is a 4 ring hob with separate oven and grill.  They also have a basic microwave and domestic type mains fridge.

The spec has quite a large battery for a boat of the size about 8 kw.  I would not expect you to have any problems."

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14 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Pictures of the finished boat are now online. It looks pretty darn  lovely in my view http://www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk/our-boats/detail/46/

Hmm!  Having seen these pictures I'm not too sure of some of the interior design features but we've booked it now so will reserve judgement until June.

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I had a quick look on Encore - to be honest the fit out is very good, better in areas than Serenade their other new build but that is down to the fact Silverline did all the joinery and internals - even the moulding and bonded windows are absolutely perfect.

The boat is unlike other new builds that Barnes Brinkcraft have done is very much 'back to basics' but this had to be done to fit in with the fact Silverline were those frankly doing all the work - so you will find standard set up so far as the heating and cooking facilities are concerned but there are a couple of gaffs like no vent/extractor in the heads with a tiny window means where will all the steam go when someone has a shower - the same above the hob and another small window it just means a lot of the moisture when it is not practical to open the sliding roof will be trapped for longer inside the boat.

You can see some areas where cost cutting has been made, no handles on any cupboard doors - you just put your finger in the top lip of the door to open - but then you find the doors and drawers are soft close which did not need to be added but is a nice touch.  Soft and luxurious feeling upholstery, lovely bonded glass, decent a decent wiper are good additions and it appeared to have good draft sealing around the sliding canopy.

Despite this and all the work that has gone in to it, the fact I was told 'whatever you do customers will soon trash it' must be hard to take and why it is best to rule with head than heart when in business but is part and parcel of running a large hire fleet to see pristine and expensive boats soon having scratched and damaged gel coats, broken fixtures etc that need repair or replacement.

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17 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

but there are a couple of gaffs like no vent/extractor in the heads with a tiny window means where will all the steam go when someone has a shower - the same above the hob and another small window it just means a lot of the moisture when it is not practical to open the sliding roof will be trapped for longer inside the boat

Couldn't agree more but any ventilator in these positions would need to be very low profile in order for the sliding roofs to clear them.

Having hired this class of boat many times my main complaint in this area is that the window above the hob is directly opposite the heads door and this window is not frosted and, of course, no curtain since the hob is beneath it meaning that you can't come out after a shower naked.  We have usually used the table cloth temporally stuck on the deck heading with duct tape over the window when we have a shower.  Although the windows are darkened on Encore as far as I can see from the photographs this window is still not frosted.  With one yard I continuously told them every year about this but nothing was ever done.

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17 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

'whatever you do customers will soon trash it'

A question for the yards; has this problem become worse since CDW replaced a security deposit?  My opinion is that a large security deposit (maybe £500) reserved against a credit card number would actually make people more careful.  I believe that this is the system used on the continent maybe Vaughan can comment.

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Recently I was about to book a hotel and having clicked the button it said that their may be additional charges and I should 'check the small print' - there was a link and upon clicking I found that on arrival a £100 cash deposit would be held, refunded on departure after a room check was completed.  I stopped, did not book the hotel and found another which did not have this policy.

The point is if you bring something in where people have to at the time of booking pay more money (even if most would get this refunded) it makes the initial cost seem way too high and would not book.

The CDW works well for boatyards - they are used to and expect their fleet to suffer cosmetic damage it is the big things that cause the problems like people getting stuck under bridges, causing major damage when mooring at places like Reedham or Yarmouth through hitting the concrete quay too fast this requires a rapid response to get the boat repaired for the next hire and the resultant cost of repair.

Of course, if that sort of thing does not happen those CDW payments - all of course non-refundable - really add up over the course of the season for extra income. My issue with the CDW scheme is initially you believe it is a 'damage waiver' that will mean you're covered effectively for accidental damage - but on arrival you find that if you break the aerial, loose a mop or a fender you may be charged for these items.  The boat is insured so if you damage another boat or third party you're covered there - but that is nothing to do with this waiver - so exactly what is it because it is no form of extra insurance, the costs vary a lot between different yards too.

When Swan Craft was hiring some of their CDW amounts were £70.00 - this did not reduce for a short break either - so you handed over £70.00 for what exactly?  Some will point out the great care Swan Craft took of their boats and this aided by the payments, fair point but then don't refer to this as a 'Damage Waiver' call it something more honest like a non-refundable cruiser preparation fee.

Still, the fact is it began way back in the day as a cheap and easy alternative - £150.00 refundable or £20.00 non-refundable - many more chose to loose £20.00 and 'feel covered' it has over the years crept higher and higher and I am sure accounts for a large amount in a big fleet at seasons end of simply extra income.

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Have booked Silver Coral mid April so will report back on any possible ventilation problems.

I do find this class of boat very relaxing to holiday on and the fitting out of Symphony was exceptional and in my opinion much better than Harmony, Silverline's larger Alpha version. The bed arrangement is rather brave in a boat of this beam. I am just on six foot and did think if I was any taller, would it have been a problem? The cabin is certainly bijou, although I notice on Coral/Encore, Silverline have got more storage in than on Symphony by replacing the dressing table and stool with more cupboards.

The main advantages of this class of boat (or at least the ones I have been on) are that they are small but practical. Have a lot of usable room for the size. The helm is far enough back to be out in the open when the roof is back. Very quiet under way on those with hydraulic drive and unusually for that engine type, low fuel use. Proper forward well with seating not the step arrangement as on Alpha moulds. Will pass all bridges.

Disadvantages are that small cabin  and the toilet compartment is a little narrow. They are also very low in the water so some of the lower reaches of the Bure can be a bit of a drag.

Of the new version which is best? Depends if you have a favourite boatyard. If you want to start in the North or the South and the price. I am biased to Silverline  but I do think come October, Coral will be presented in just the same condition as she will be in April.

We wanted a two week holiday in April, so the first week is on Coral. The second week is on our twenty year old shared ownership boat which I do love. Just hope the all new flashiness of Coral doesn't put her to shame.

Fred

 

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12 hours ago, trambo said:

 

The bed arrangement is rather brave in a boat of this beam. I am just on six foot and did think if I was any taller, would it have been a problem? 

 

This is exactly our problem and I know I have said it a number of times on posts previously. We're always on the lookout for really nice two berth boats and with Swan Reflection now on the northern rivers we haven't found anything on the south side that we really want to hire. I had hoped that Silver Coral might fit the bill but ... disappointingly both of these boatyards have chosen to put the bed the wrong way round. Hubby is 6'4 and it's one thing we can't compromise on. Such a shame. So if we were to hire a new boat from anywhere it would probably be one of the Ferry Marina fleet.

 

20 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

My issue with the CDW scheme is initially you believe it is a 'damage waiver' that will mean you're covered effectively for accidental damage - but on arrival you find that if you break the aerial, loose a mop or a fender you may be charged for these items.  

The only yard where we've seen this is Richardson's. We've also hired from Swan Craft (when they were there), NBD, Ferry Marina and Barnes Brinkcraft. But it was only when hiring from Richardson's last year that we noticed a "price list" in the Skipper's Manual. One year we lost a fender on Barton Broad ... don't ask! ... and Barnes didn't charge us for that even though we told them about it as soon as it happened and when we arrived back at the yard.

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