This Could Upset The Applecart

[Broads01]

I've commented on the Facebook page that the Waterways Holidays search facility has no filtering function,  hence if I search August I get 23 pages of boats to look at with Broads Boating Company boats buried there somewhere. 

On the subject of fuel deposits vs all inclusive,  I think there are pros and cons to both.  The fuel deposit system is fairest,  all inclusive is the clearest and most unambiguous.  I'd like more operators to do what Freedom do which is the best of both worlds -  quote a fuel inclusive price and also give you a refund for the unused part of it. 

[dnks34]

Again on the subject of fuel, there was one yard I hired from who made clear on handover that their boat must not be filled up with fuel from any other yard or supplier claiming it would not be good quality and would damage their engine.  They were absolutely adamant of this. 

Having bought fuel at many places on the broads with my own boat since and never once suffered any engine damage I can only think there was some other (likely financial) reason for this. 

[quo vadis]

Roger that

[Vaughan]

8 hours ago, dnks34 said:

Having bought fuel at many places on the broads with my own boat since and never once suffered any engine damage I can only think there was some other (likely financial) reason for this. 

There have been occasions when I have had boats come back with contaminated fuel, usually purchased somewhere which is not, itself, a hire fleet, and having a bulk tank that does not get re-filled very often. This can block filters and, in the case of water contamination it can wreck the injector pump. These places might even be a local garage, which also has a pump on the river bank. Can't think of any on the Broads, but there are certainly plenty in France.

A hire boat will be able to go more than two weeks on one tank, unless you have been told specifically that it might need a top up after a week.

It would be unfair to compare boatyard prices with a filling station - say Batson's garage in Wroxham - as they don't have the same high turn-over. There are also lots of overheads, in conforming to all the Ministry installation and maintenance regulations. Don't forget most boatyards are on ground liable to flooding.

In the days when your tank was dipped at the end of the week, then if you had filled up earlier at a cheaper price, you only had to pay a few extra gallons at the boatyard price. Blakes and Hoseasons used to set an agreed price for diesel, to try and avoid this situation.

If you have paid the inclusive package, then this will make no difference to you.

 

[MauriceMynah]

As one who makes his own diesel (FAME), I can well understand boatyards wanting to control what fuel goes into their boats. I know my stuff and am happy to use it in my car, my sisters car and my boat, but I know of people who's fuel is of a poorer quality. They don't mind as it goes into heating systems or engines that can cope with it. but it wouldn't be right to shove it into a hire boats tank to get top dollar back as a refund. Personally if I was running a fleet, I'd have locked fillers on the boats fuel tanks, with reciprocal agreements with some other yards where necessary. It's about more than just making a bob or two extra on the fuel sales. 

[JennyMorgan]

We once had a boat returned with a suspiciously full tank, the tank had been topped up with river water! Thankfully it showed up on the dipstick but it did delay the turnround by several hours with a knock on effect for the following hirers,

Not fuel related but we also had a boat returned with incredibly clean windows, the cheeky beggers had broken one so removed all the glass on that side of the boat in the hope that no one would notice before the deposit had been paid back. It was noticed but that was by chance and at the last moment.

[dnks34]

If a customer is going to go to the lengths required to bring iffy fuel with them or fill it up with cooking oil/water or such like to save a few quid at the end of the week are these the sort of folk you really ought to be letting your boat out to anyway!

The problem with locked filler caps becomes clear when the fuel thieves come along in the winter.....not only lost fuel but a damaged deck! 

 

 

[Labrador]

21 hours ago, SwanR said:

 

Plus it's not just about the fuel cost. Ferry Marina are also one of the yards that will let you take the power lead out. Richardson's won't ever let you do that - we did ask and the answer was no. So you can't hook up to electric posts - not a problem in June but certainly a "nice to have" if you're out in the cooler months at either end of the season. 

 

Sorry, bit confused, if you have a boat with 240v system, what is the point if they won't let you have a shore lead?

[Matt]

They are already having a sale.....

 

 

[SwanR]

40 minutes ago, Labrador said:

Sorry, bit confused, if you have a boat with 240v system, what is the point if they won't let you have a shore lead?

Exactly. Sorry, it's a little off topic but I wanted to make the point that it's the overall package that matters and I hope that The Broads Boating Co. will do very well with their approach.

When people talk on here about needing more electric posts at moorings, they do forget that a lot of hire boats won't have a lead available and can't use them.

[dnks34]

41 minutes ago, SwanR said:

When people talk on here about needing more electric posts at moorings, they do forget that a lot of hire boats won't have a lead available and can't use them.

I thought some boats were advertised as shore hook up now or have I got it wrong?

[rightsaidfred]

While some yards supply leads and cards I believe the main reason for 240v hookup on hireboats is to keep the batteries charged on their home moorings.

Fred

[Broads01]

Those ex-Fair Regals will be on my shortlist to hire in 2018 as it looks like I'd get a much better price than in the Fair craft days.  Ive always liked the layout -  Island double in the fore cabin and 2 single cabins is a useful and rare combination. 

[stumpy]

Re: hire boat shore power leads, a couple of years ago we shared Horning Staithe with a big Woods boat. A very puzzled guy was standing beside it with a blue plug in hand connected to at most 15 feet of cable! Luckily we have a selection of leads,couplers and splitters so were able to sort him out - don't know what he did the rest of the week.

 

[deebee29]

We have always had a  really long, heavy duty shore-power lead from Silverline (Elegance) complete with an adaptor so we could use either of the sockets on the post

[JennyMorgan]

Just a though re the cat's cradles of power lines laying along quay headings, might they not be a trip hazard? That might explain why hire yards only supply short leads, a question of potential liability perhaps? I would hate to think that someone took a header into the tide because of a power lead.

[ranworthbreeze]

I think that the boatyards are more concerned to damage to the electric post and damage to the boat when a crew set off leaving a power lead still connected.

I have seen it done on more than one occasion, the damage can be dramatic.

Regards

Alan 

[JennyMorgan]

30 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

I think that the boatyards are more concerned to damage to the electric post and damage to the boat when a crew set off leaving a power lead still connected.

I have seen it done on more than one occasion, the damage can be dramatic.

Regards

Alan 

I now have this image of one of Richardson's finest orange tops, complete with its 'stag' crew, bombing along complete with power cable still attached to a power post and dragging several private boats still plugged in via their lengthy cables. Since the boats were being towed and they were fast approaching the start line of the Three Rivers Race I just wondered who would give way to who?

[TheQ]

Since I believe we established in another thread that towing rights only belong to commercial vessels, from the the towing point of view the sailies would have right of way, however the towed boats may well have right of way by being "unable to manouver"

 

Oh the reason we need more electric posts on THE BROADS, is you can't get near the current ones because of the boats parked in the way.....(even when they don't need them)

[JennyMorgan]

Perhaps if there were no need for electric posts? 

[Bound2Please]

6 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Oh the reason we need more electric posts on THE BROADS, is you can't get near the current ones because of the boats parked in the way.....(even when they don't need them)

If I wish to moor at a place and there happens to be an electricity post there that I wont use, are you saying that I should not moor there?. I pay my tolls the same as those that want to use the post, so therefore if its a 24 hour mooring I will moor there.

Charlie

[JennyMorgan]

I go along with you on that Charlie, especially if moorings were to become reserved for boats needing to hook up to the mains. On the other hand, as a matter of courtesy, I wouldn't moor on top of a post if there was another space available.

[TheQ]

28 minutes ago, Bound2Please said:

If I wish to moor at a place and there happens to be an electricity post there that I wont use, are you saying that I should not moor there?. I pay my tolls the same as those that want to use the post, so therefore if its a 24 hour mooring I will moor there.

Charlie

I was not saying you can't moor, Although if there were space further along it would be nice if you moored there instead. We need more moorings period, It would be nice if there were more electric posts, My motor boat is driven by an electric motor...

[dnks34]

I would like to think anyone wishing to moor with no requirement to use an electric supply wouldnt moor right next to the post if there was space available away from it.

Or is it just I was brought up to be "moor" considerate than some. 

[Bound2Please]

21 hours ago, Bound2Please said:

If I wish to moor at a place and there happens to be an electricity post there that I wont use, are you saying that I should not moor there?. I pay my tolls the same as those that want to use the post, so therefore if its a 24 hour mooring I will moor there.

Charlie

I wasnt saying that I'd moor by an electric post if there was room away from one, I was talking if the only spot left to moor.

Charlie