How Much ??????

[JennyMorgan]

Just now, JanetAnne said:

Ah, such memories.

Both Katrina and Miranda were part of Saturday turn round. We used to take up and pump about 250 gallons of water into the rooftop tanks. They had thunderbox loo's (probably still have) so while the water was being pumped one way the waste was being pumped the other. Separate tanks and pumps before you ask. 

Most of the lighting, heating and cooking was propane based so a couple of gas bottles changed and fresh batteries for the pumps as well. We also had to take the cleaners up to do their bit.

The hirers loved the houseboat s, they always let well and many came back year on year. They had a weeks boating with the launch, were afloat and their car was nearby when needed. 

We seriously considered buying Katrina last time she was up for sale (£25K) a few years ago but didn't go ahead. She is too rich for us now!

 

 

Ah ha, the perfect candidate! Sit tight and watch the price tumble as logic suggests that it will. 

Pumpouts have been via large tanks that were towed across the Broad to Topcraft to be pumped out, a service that is no longer available.  

In the prime of the Oulton Broad houseboats they were all owned by boatyards that had the facilities to service them. Today's owner will have to be totally self sufficient. 

[JanetAnne]

I bet you have a picture of Blue Lagoon somewhere Peter?

[JennyMorgan]

Somewhere I have an aerial photograph of her. In the meantime here is the location, amazing that it is. 

[grendel]

I suppose that all that would be needed to retain the mooring rights would be to tow a new hull over to the site, crane her up and drop her on the new hull, then slowly remove the old hull, then start on refurbishing the topsides   old broom - new head - new handle job

[JennyMorgan]

Probably quite right, Grendel. The BA planning policy is that abandoned houseboats can't be replaced. Another not inconsequential issue is that the mooring is only hired thus the prospective houseboat owner would not own it. £45,000.00 for a 'project' and with questionable rights of tenure and poor access does not seem to me to be a wise purchase.

[NorfolkNog]

I've found another couple of the Oulton houseboats and one of which I assume is Katrina moored at the yacht station in December 2014. I wonder if that was before it was sold on ebay.  

[JawsOrca]

Premier houseboats is owned by a friend of mine.. boats with residential status do demand a premium... £45k is nothing really compared to boats on the thames which sell for inexcess of £1mil... But the advert is working as it's clearly grabbed attention and has people talking

[JennyMorgan]

No1 is Katrina before she was sold on EBay.

No2 has been off her moorings now for several years and is being slowly rebuilt after sinking several times.

No3 is a complete rebuild and is now with new owners who appear to have overcome most of the problems and are thoroughly enjoying her. 

[JennyMorgan]

Just now, JawsOrca said:

Premier houseboats is owned by a friend of mine.. boats with residential status do demand a premium... £45k is nothing really compared to boats on the thames which sell for inexcess of £1mil... But the advert is working as it's clearly grabbed attention and has people talking

Residential moorings are hardly at a premium on Oulton Broad, nor nearby Lowestoft, and neither are swinging moorings, just ask in the Harbour Master's Office if you want one. 

[JennyMorgan]

12 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

I bet you have a picture of Blue Lagoon somewhere Peter?

Here she is, during the 1950's, bottom left of centre.

[JanetAnne]

 

Looks like I need to get up in mums loft....

[unclemike]

how does a boat get into a loft?

[MauriceMynah]

It uses the loft ladder like anyone else... Why?

[JanetAnne]

51 minutes ago, chameleon said:

how does a boat get into a loft?

Uses 'raft' ers?

 

[JennyMorgan]

Even the Titanic was lofted  !

[MauriceMynah]

Loft at thea?

[vanessan]

[JennyMorgan]

The toll will soon be due, £250.00 or so, mooring charge for the houseboat alone, heading up towards a grand. A huge amount of work is required before she could possibly pass the Boat Safety Certificate requirement, the pressure must surely be on for a quick sale now. She is clearly a liability in her present state. Time to make an insulting cash in hand offer? According to Facebook the present owner might only have paid £4k for her so perhaps that would be a good starting point..

[Martnal]

Hello, as part of my family history research I was trying to date a holiday that I had on 'Miranda' at Oulton Broad, probably in the early 1970s.  My sister, born April 1965 can remember it.  There are no family photos, which surprises me, but my big memory is using the rowing boat that came with the package, to go for milk one morning with my brother, two and a half years younger than me.  It was an intrepid and challenging row.  I was born in July 1957, so I would have been just into my teens.  I remember that my brother and I used to pretend that the Katrina occupants were 'the enemy'.  I can't make out where the boats were in Jenny Morgan's photo, above.  Can anyone help?  Also, where might we have rowed to for the milk?  As an extra oddity, I have recently discovered that my dad's grandfather was born at Corton, just 4 miles away, but this was not known at the time, family secrets!  We lived in NW London.  Well, after typing this, I hope it will let me post!

What was the significance of this whole thread?   Were the boats notable?

Martin Watson

[Vaughan]

4 hours ago, Martnal said:

What was the significance of this whole thread?   Were the boats notable?

Not particularly, to be honest - although they must have given great pleasure to those who had holidays on them in those days, when there were literally hundreds of boats of that type, all over the Broads.  By their nature, they were not "built to last" and few if any have survived.

Jenny Morgan is not on the forum these days but I have had a good look at his photo above and can't see anything that resembles these boats.  At bottom left is a D class Fairmile MTB and further over, what looks like a Fairmile C class ML or maybe a Camper Nicholson MGB.  Further over is an ex air/sea rescue launch and a Vosper 73ft MTB which was called Foynes.  All of these were used as houseboats in the 50s and 60s.

Over to the left top there are many boatyards such as A.D.Truman, Topcraft, Harry Collins, Leo Robinson, Ivan Darby (at the Commodore, which he also owned) and several more, all now gone I am afraid. Over to the right centre is Knights Creek.

[JanetAnne]

I reckon you rowed to Mr Jones (the 'Ivy Farm Dairy') a provisions shop just next to the yacht station. 

[unclemike]

10 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

(the 'Ivy Farm Dairy')

was a great place for ice cream and if you were early enough crusty cobs in the morning, sadly missed

[Tobster]

14 hours ago, Martnal said:

Hello, as part of my family history research I was trying to date a holiday that I had on 'Miranda' at Oulton Broad, probably in the early 1970s.  My sister, born April 1965 can remember it.  There are no family photos, which surprises me, but my big memory is using the rowing boat that came with the package, to go for milk one morning with my brother, two and a half years younger than me.  It was an intrepid and challenging row.  I was born in July 1957, so I would have been just into my teens.  I remember that my brother and I used to pretend that the Katrina occupants were 'the enemy'.  I can't make out where the boats were in Jenny Morgan's photo, above.  Can anyone help?  Also, where might we have rowed to for the milk?  As an extra oddity, I have recently discovered that my dad's grandfather was born at Corton, just 4 miles away, but this was not known at the time, family secrets!  We lived in NW London.  Well, after typing this, I hope it will let me post!

What was the significance of this whole thread?   Were the boats notable?

Martin Watson

Katrina & Miranda when in hire we’re moored at the bottom left of the photo (above) where the two MTBs  are moored, as Vaughan said they are not in the above Ariel  photo.

Notably: Miranda is still moored there to this day, photo of Miranda above 3rd photo posted by Norfolk Nog, looks very different today.

[PennyC]

On 21/03/2017 at 16:48, trambo said:

In happier times.

Fred

One of my favourite holidays from childhood was on the Katrina houseboat.  In the early 1970s I think.  Thank you for posting this information about her.  We enjoyed going off for the day in the motor launch.  One of my brothers would fish from the row dinghy.  We enjoyed watching boat racing on Oulton Broad that week too.  I loved that the only way to access Katrina was via the motor launch.  Exciting times for children.  I wish it was still available to hire.