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We Need Some Serious Help !!

olliverdrake

By olliverdrake
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olliverdrake

olliverdrake

Posted
Posted

We are in need of some serious help please !

We have so far visited the broads 3 times this year. The last time was last weekend on a spare of the moment short break aboard Swan Rapture having only given her back 3 weeks previous on a heavenly week with just myself and the missus. It's the first holiday we have ever had away without kids in tow and we had such a relaxing,enjoyable week we just had to follow it up with a spare of the moment short break alone as we were missing the place so much. We only booked it on the Sunday and were collecting the boat on the Friday of the same week !! On the last 2 visits we have convinced the kids that we were only going to support the various businesses and excellent pubs so when we return with them in May of next year everything remains the same as it was when we came with the children in May of this year. My 11 year old daughter was very worried that we hadn't visited the Bridge Inn on our short break last week and is concerned that it will not be open on our return in May. So even the kids are smitten with the Broads

Anyway my problem is as follows. Firstly am I going completely mad ? I can't spend more than 2 months away from the Broads without going cold turkey. I have ties down in Lowestoft for the business I am in ( fish ) and I cannot go a week without making an excuse for having a business trip down and crossing the river at Beccles on the 146. I have even taken to listening, repeatedly, to Life On Mars by David Bowie. I cannot go a couple of days without looking at the Broads map and deciding where to go today and what pub to have lunch or dinner at. Or saying to the missus that we were here this time last week. It's got that bad that she is even saying the same to me. 

Next problem is that we really want to spend Christmas afloat. Our older children from past relationships have now flown the nest and have made plans with partners etc to have Christmas with their new found loves so it has left us with an ideal opportunity to spend Christmas away from the rat race. I know that most of the hire yards close in late October until early March and do not hire over the break but we really would like to be able to wake up Christmas morning this year, looking out over a broad or river, and not having to be restricted to the usual routine of all that Christmas brings to so many of us.

With all the above in mind can any of you good folk please convince me that I am, firstly, not going completely mad and also point me in the direction to a hire yard that can make my, and my familys, Christmas dreams come true.

Like I said I need help !!

 

Glenn

 

 

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olliverdrake
olliverdrake

Ok folks....Iv'e done it !! I spoke with Lindsey at The Broads Boating Company this afternoon and she was more than helpful. Got a great deal on Hoveton for 4 nights and the bonus is we can pick

NorfolkNog
NorfolkNog

Hi  Firstly Herbert Woods  won't hire in December, sorry  The only yard on the Broads (as far as I'm aware) that will hire over Christmas is Faircraft Loynes, be prepared to get the cheque b

olliverdrake
olliverdrake

Many many thanks for all your words of wisdom. I have taken all on board ( pardon the pun ). I will be doing some digging over the next few days. Afloat is a must though. I just can't imagine what it

Timbo

Timbo

Posted
Posted

You know you have a serious problem when you walk into any Broads pub or shop and they not only know your name but expect you know who the other local customers are and where they live, work, the name of their wife, kids etc. When you suddenly realise you do know the ins and outs of the cat's bum...you are a Broadaholic!

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NorfolkNog

NorfolkNog

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Hi 

Firstly Herbert Woods  won't hire in December, sorry 

The only yard on the Broads (as far as I'm aware) that will hire over Christmas is Faircraft Loynes, be prepared to get the cheque book out! 

Having said that there is no better time to be out (in December that is) been doing it for 11 years 

Tales of icebergs and closed pubs are grossly exaggerated, you have pretty much the same as summer but a lot more peaceful! 

Go for it (IMHO of course) 

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JennyMorgan

JennyMorgan

Posted
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11 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

Hi 

Firstly Herbert Woods  won't hire in December, sorry 

The only yard on the Broads (as far as I'm aware) that will hire over Christmas is Faircraft Loynes, be prepared to get the cheque book out! 

Having said that there is no better time to be out (in December that is) been doing it for 11 years 

Tales of icebergs and closed pubs are grossly exaggerated, you have pretty much the same as summer but a lot more peaceful! 

Go for it (IMHO of course) 

We don't have icebergs on the Broads in the summer.

One advantage of coming South, Freedom Boats, is that the rivers are more tidal therefore you are less likely to being iced in. 

The Nog is quite right, December is a great month to be out on thBroads, just bring a hot water bottle and bed socks.

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NorfolkNog

NorfolkNog

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15 hours ago, olliverdrake said:

but we really would like to be able to wake up Christmas morning this year, looking out over a broad or river, and not having to be restricted to the usual routine of all that Christmas brings to so many of us.

Of course Royalls were the original Christmas specialists. They had quite a good core of regulars who went with them over Christmas and obviously thoroughly enjoyed. However I think the severe winter of 2010 put paid to that and Royalls got cold feet, literally, and stopped doing it. Academic now as Barnes have bought them out. 

You can see the yards viewpoint of Christmas hire in that they would have to pay someone to be on call in case of a breakdown. We always hire in December but hand the boat back before Christmas so have never actually had the holiday afloat. Having said that I bet it's magical. 

I would say crack the piggy bank open and book with Faircraft Loynes. 

There are quite a few pubs open on Christmas Day too, if I scratch my head I can probably think of some. 

:default_beerchug:

 

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Summertime

Summertime

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Many years ago we hired an apartment in Wroxham at Christmas from NBD and had great time. One of the passenger cruises was moored on the river front all dressed up in Christmas lights. We had wonderful lunch and on boxing day as we wanted to spend some time afloat we hired one of the better day boats from the place the other side of the bridge and set off up the Ant and had lunch at Barton Turf. It was magical and the rivers were so quite and peaceful. 

 

So just a suggestion if you can't get a boat from anywhere look at a land based option and see if you can get a day boat. 

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NorfolkNog

NorfolkNog

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Herbert Woods will also rent their lodges over Christmas 

But..........

Many moons ago we hired a Faircraft Loynes apartment in December. Spent just about every day on a Fineway day boat. The following year we hired a cruiser and have never looked back since. At the end of the day you cannot beat being afloat :default_stinky:

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BroadAmbition

BroadAmbition

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December afloat is magical, especially a night nav down through Potter Heigham / Horning / Wroxham viewing the riverside properties with the Christmas lights up - It's to die for.  However onboard a Hireboat sadly you can't night nav so I now don't know why I said that! :facepalm:

One thing to watch out for is river ice though, it's a boat stopper, well it certainly is for us woodies and should really be so for the tupperwares too.  I have berthed up at Malthouse Broad only to find ducks walking across the Broad next morning.  The upper reaches of the Ant have stopped us getting away from home berth and back to it before now, it makes me very wary, not being able to get back on time is a logistical nightmare.

However don't let this put you off

Griff

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olliverdrake

olliverdrake

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Many many thanks for all your words of wisdom. I have taken all on board ( pardon the pun ). I will be doing some digging over the next few days. Afloat is a must though. I just can't imagine what it would be like to wake up Christmas morning and be able to pootle down the river for a couple of hours. Fingers crossed I will be able to experience it this year though and bring to an end a year that has had many magical memories of the broads for our whole family.

As for night nav.....YES PLEASE !!!. Would love to experience that but fully understand the legalities so not until I eventually take the plunge and hopefully become an owner.

I will of course let you all know what I end up doing and thanks for all the advice and tips I have picked up since reading this forum over the past 18 months. I have learnt many things that have made my time afloat quite easy. Although Wayford Bridge backwards was not as easy as Griff made Wroxham look. LOL

Many thanks to you all

Glenn

 

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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Sorry, Freedom will not hire in December or January. Haven't done so for about six years; it's just too much trouble for a small company. We finish at the end of November and restart in February with a limited fleet with the aim to have the full fleet ready for Easter (which is booking already). 

The ONLY operators over this time for sure are NBD. 

Ryan at BBC has stated that they are open over winter, but I don't recall him actually mentioning Christmas at all. 

 

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