Maycraft?

[JennyMorgan]

I have very good memories of May Craft at Potter Heigham, always spoke good sense with regard to boats and broads, and always as proper English should be spoken, Norfolk style. I went past last September and the yard still looked alive but in browsing the Hoseason's web site I see no mention of them. Any news?

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hi Peter,

they withdrew from the agency many years ago, but i believe carried on hiring a Hampton indipendently for some years after that. They also kept hiring day boats, but i believe the Hampton has been gone for a couple of years or so now, but they still have some traditional looking dayboats, or at least that`s how it looked when we went past last year.

[VetChugger]

They still had two very reasonable looking Hamptons moored with the day boats when we passed last September.

Website still "live" as well!

http://maycraft.co.uk/home/2703209

Only takes a bit of "finger walking"!

 

 

[JennyMorgan]

Thanks Speed. I'd looked at their website and saw it was dated 2014 and that the Hampton had old style blue birds still on it so I did wonder. I knew old man Billy May and sometimes met the son at boat auctions or BA public meetings. One year he had a good old go at the Doctor, entertaining stuff!

[Broads01]

Yep must be around 15 years since they were in Hoseasons. I always smile when passing Maycraft on the river - it's such a ramshackle looking place with boats in various states of repair everywhere, like time's stood still. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

It is but when we went past last September,it looked a lot more tidy.May give them a ring .We intended to get a day boat.Then,Herbert woods charged 65 pound  perhaps may craft will be cheaper.Many years since we went under the bridge.Sadly sweet kingfisher  is to high.

[NorfolkNog]

It's also worth having a word with Phoenix fleet (pilots office) re dayboats. They do the electric ones which are very quiet and certainly in my experience may be prepared to show some flexibility with pricing. 

[jeffbroadslover]

I think that you will find that Maycraft's day boats are available to hire on a weekly basis through Riverside Holidays.

Riverside Holidays is the agency which rents out some of the Potter Heigham riverside bungalows. They are based in a caravan on the car park at the site of the old Bridge pub next to the chippy at Potter.

[ExMemberBobdog]

Old Harry May is still going strong.  I'm not sure how his workboat is still afloat, it has more holes than a colander.  His dayboats seem to still do a good trade.  His sons Alan and ... I can't remember the other ones name - he lives in the bungalow to the right of the workshop as you look at it ... both work with him. They seem to do a reasonable trade in repair work, and old Harry is a leading voice on the Parish Council.

[ExMemberBobdog]

James!  The other son ... remembered!

 

[JennyMorgan]

Thanks everyone, the Mays are something of a Broadland institution, good to hear that they are still going strong.

[jillR]

june 2007