Boats Far From Home

[Vaughan]

From the Crown Blue Line brochure of 1999. Photo taken In the port of Aigues Mortes, in the Petit Camargue.

By the way, that is Susie and I, driving the boat.

 

In this photo we were NOT driving the boat as we had abandoned the wheel to say "cheers" to the photographer!

[LizG]

Pretty sure I've posted this boat before but Pearl Gem B89 moored up between Stansted Lock and Hardmead Lock on the Lee Navigation today. As usual into the sun

[Roy]

3 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I remember the Alpha Craft hirefleet versions of these, not sure if they had one or two. One was called "Starfire" as I recall and had a full size 3 seater household sofa in the saloon. It's still on the Broads I think. I would imagine the airdraft is quite sensible.

Yes I remember seeing two on the broads one is definitely still on the broads. 
 

I love this thread it’s interesting to see where the boats have ended up 

[WherryNice]

Taken from Blakes 1990 brochure, a Crown Concorde appears to have also been available on the Broads?  The picture is actually Starfire from Alphacraft but I guess that's because Concorde was in build? 

[Broads01]

Crown Cruisers weren't at Somerleyton for very long, if memory serves. 

[Graham47]

8 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I remember the Alpha Craft hirefleet versions of these, not sure if they had one or two. One was called "Starfire" as I recall and had a full size 3 seater household sofa in the saloon. It's still on the Broads I think. I would imagine the airdraft is quite sensible.

That’s correct. Alpha Craft had 2 in their hire fleet. Starfire and Skyhawk, both of which I hired. They were 4 / 5 berth and were extremely spacious and comfortable. Skyhawk was up for sale under private ownership a couple of years ago and at that time was moored on the owner’s property in Horning. It belonged to a lady.

 

[Vaughan]

8 hours ago, WherryNice said:

The picture is actually Starfire from Alphacraft but I guess that's because Concorde was in build? 

I was thinking that they were built about 1990, before I joined the company.  We didn't have any blue ones, though.

[dom]

Seems like someone got a bit too adventurous with an old Powles 40 yesterday.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/udCWZfvj7bxjUWQW/

The comments suggest she was in Stalham in the last week or so. It'd be interesting to know if she's made it round the North Norfolk coast before breaking down. What's the betting the RNLI got a call-out just for the sake of a blocked fuel filter?

[twowrights]

South Ferriby is in the River Humber. 

[NeilB]

2 hours ago, dom said:

Seems like someone got a bit too adventurous with an old Powles 40 yesterday.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/udCWZfvj7bxjUWQW/

The comments suggest she was in Stalham in the last week or so. It'd be interesting to know if she's made it round the North Norfolk coast before breaking down. What's the betting the RNLI got a call-out just for the sake of a blocked fuel filter?

It was moored at Richos not far from me, just been sold.  In the 2 1/2 years I’ve been here I’ve only seen it move once.  Surprised they made it as far as they did but I think the weather was very calm when they left earlier this week.

[grendel]

no food or water aboard, hmm

sound like they thought it was just a short hop, only a 4 hour drive from hull to stalham, how long could it take to sail round?.

maybe they just ran out of fuel.

[Gracie]

On 31/10/2023 at 00:57, Graham47 said:

That’s correct. Alpha Craft had 2 in their hire fleet. Starfire and Skyhawk, both of which I hired. They were 4 / 5 berth and were extremely spacious and comfortable. Skyhawk was up for sale under private ownership a couple of years ago and at that time was moored on the owner’s property in Horning. It belonged to a lady.

 

I recall seeing Starfire on the Broads many times years ago and didn't they also have a two berth, very long bath tub? Inside she looked a tad tacky I thought, for the life of me I can't remember what she was called.

I loved Starfire though, I wanted to save my pennies, buy her and live on her when I was a little girl, along with many other boats, I seemed to change my mind each year 

Grace x

[Smoggy]

If they went by water hats of to them, I know it took me 11 hours to cruise from wells to hull marina and south Ferribly lock is further up past the bridge.

[garryn]

22 minutes ago, grendel said:

no food or water aboard, hmm

sound like they thought it was just a short hop, only a 4 hour drive from hull to stalham, how long could it take to sail round?.

maybe they just ran out of fuel.

Seems it was just a dead battery now replaced and ready to move on to Trent Falls.

[Smoggy]

3 minutes ago, garryn said:

Seems it was just a dead battery now replaced and ready to move on to Trent Falls.

Hope they time that right, lower trent is not a place to be at low water.

[Broads01]

6 hours ago, Gracie said:

didn't they also have a two berth, very long bath tub?

Yes, an Alpha 42 called Jaguar. I always thought 42 feet for a 2 berth was a bit daft but perhaps that's just me.

http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki2018/index.php?title=Boat_Details&BoatId=7222&BoatHistory=21945

[Mouldy]

35 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

Yes, an Alpha 42 called Jaguar. I always thought 42 feet for a 2 berth was a bit daft but perhaps that's just me.

http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki2018/index.php?title=Boat_Details&BoatId=7222&BoatHistory=21945

Maybe it depends on how well you get on with the wife/husband/partner.*

* Delete as appropriate! 

[floydraser]

How timely this thread has been revived:

Unlike the boat, our caravan is in a constant state of readiness and having spotted the good weather forecast we made off for Devizes, Wilts last Monday. Yesterday we walked the 4 miles or so along the Kennet and Avon canal to Devizes from the site at Sells Green via the Caen flight. As we approached Devizes I spotted the Richardsons logo which made me realise I may have been spending a long time on this forum! 

In a line of pot-plant festooned liveaboard narrowboats (and widebeams) was Broadland Sun. Looked in better nick than most of the other boats so probably in good hands.

We're home now BTW.

[Davydine]

13 hours ago, garryn said:

Seems it was just a dead battery now replaced and ready to move on to Trent Falls.

If they had motored that far, how did they have a dead battery? Sounds like they might want to check the alternator?

[dom]

16 minutes ago, Davydine said:

If they had motored that far, how did they have a dead battery? Sounds like they might want to check the alternator?

I thought the same, but I guess there's also the possibility of a fractured internal connection or similar from vibration or wave slamming on that sort of journey.

If it was an old diesel with a mechanical fuel cut-off, it'd probably have kept going without power.

 

[Graham47]

15 hours ago, Gracie said:

I recall seeing Starfire on the Broads many times years ago and didn't they also have a two berth, very long bath tub? Inside she looked a tad tacky I thought, for the life of me I can't remember what she was called.

I loved Starfire though, I wanted to save my pennies, buy her and live on her when I was a little girl, along with many other boats, I seemed to change my mind each year 

Grace x

The Two Berth was called Jaguar. It was an Alpha 42. We hired from Alpha Craft from 1978 to 2000 but never went on Jaguar. 

[Troyboy]

What an interesting thread. I've enjoyed seeing the boats in different places. I always thought that the wider broads boats would be far too wide to use the locks. Especially on the western side of the country. 

[ChrisB]

30 minutes ago, Troyboy said:

What an interesting thread. I've enjoyed seeing the boats in different places. I always thought that the wider broads boats would be far too wide to use the locks. Especially on the western side of the country. 

There is alot of wide beam cruising available. However unless/until the planned wide beam canals planned between Milton Keynes and Northampton go ahead it is difficult to get to the North, the Coventry, Birmingham and the old heart of navigation remain narrow beam 6'10". To negotiate all.

[Smoggy]

And most boat owners on the RGO are hoping the bedford/MK link is never completed as the river will be stowed out with narrowboats and clogging sparce moorings.

Very few cruisers will be able to use it due to the low railway bridge.

[BroadAmbition]

Looking at your map (Tks for sharing) it seems I could navigate 'B.A' from Stalham to Donny, now there's a thought eh?

Griff