Week On Broadsman

[adam]

yes very hard to moor barnes side of bridge. Fair craft was busy with there boats then emptied out.

[KaptinKev]

On 11/2/2017 at 19:01, BroadAmbition said:

 A experienced helm (One of our Lads Week crew) who has been afloat every year since about 82 took us outside the marked channel as he got confused or just plian and simple wasn't paying attention.  I was in t galley as I mistakenly assumed I could trust him, just goes to prove assumption is the mother of all cock ups.  I came up to wheelhouse had a look round, it seemed to take ages for my eyes / brain to compute that we were outside of the marked channel, in reality eyes / brain just would not believe the information they were receiving.   I didn't know whether to faint or have a canary fit.  As it was,  once said sensors had confirmed my worst nightmare, muscles sprang into action, grab engine control bring to dead slow, swing helm fast and hard over to a direct course back towards marked channel, then commence prayers to Neptune. We got away with it, once back in safe water, me and the helm had a 'discussion'

Griff

I'm sorry Griff, but I had to laugh

[BroadAmbition]

I'm sorry Griff, but I had to laugh

So did I, some considerable time later I will add.  Plus I now have bragging rights at being outside the channel with 'B.A' and getting away with it!   Not that I wish to add a 'Bar' to that particular medal of honour you understand

Griff

[adam]

Wednesday 25th October

Up around 8am breakfast eaten and hot drinks consumed. Returned the lent cable back to Gus and thanked him for the help and lending us the cable. Decided we needed a launderette the night before so had to go back to Wroxham for the launderette. Still busy in barnes but tried faircraft loads of room so easily moored up. Off we went to the launderette kind lady helped us out and put the washing on said would be about 30 mins till be done then could go in drier so kids and there dad went off to the shops. Me and Mrs went for a wonder and decided we would go on one of the guided river tours and found that kids went free during half term. So back to boat and kids got showered. Chilled out and spoke to a nice couple who moved onto another mooring about the broads and boats. Went back to the launderette around 10:30am to put washing into the drier. Went across to the board queen of the broads around 11:15 to board the guided boat tour. Off we set and returned around 1pm.  Boat yard now very busy with alot of boats moored. So off we went decided we would go to Potter Heigham for the night. Stopped off at Wroxham broad so we could all eat lunch and didn't have to drive and eat for once. So once all had lunch we set back off toward Potter Heigham got into Potter Heigham round 4:30pm. No room on main river and no easy spots in Herbert woods yard so went back on to the quiet moorings for the night. Moored up using 1 of our rhond anchors and 1 post. Stayed here for night kds and there dad walked in potter heigham whilst me and mrs did the dinner. Had dinner then chilled watching the tv for the night. 

[adam]

Thursday 26th October

To day we decided we would return to the boat yard as we always do the night before so no rush the next day. So off we went dropped our rubbish off at herbert woods. managed to stick front in just far enough to get someone on to shore. Back out of the yard tight with such a long boat to turn round. Back down river had a look in Ranworth but no room to moor so we continued and stopped off at st bennets abbey. Had a walk up to the cross and listened to the talking bench. Back to boat and had lunch. Off we went up the ant through Ludham bridge with no problems not a lot of room to moor as very busy. Onto how hill decided we would stop off and have a look round. Bought some ice cream and had a look round the house. Really nice visit back to boat and set off back to the yard. Got stuck in a long queue as boat at the front was towing 2 rowing boats and another little boat. Got oto barton broad and got past the slow cruiser. Rest of journey was pretty quiet. Into yard around 4pm plenty of room on kingfisher quay. Moored up with plenty of room to maneuver. Went into the arrivals hut because we lost our hand over sheet. Around 4:30pm  boat next to us was going to leave but advised that all mooring and boat we saw coming back the moorings near by would be really busy. Off we went to McDonald to collect some dinner. Back to yard and eaten dinner. Then decided we would pack the car up with  most of our belongings. Early night had by all.

[SwanR]

Sounds as if it certainly was busy half-term week at all the popular places. 

[adam]

was very busy on the northern rivers. Was very quiet on the southern rivers

[adam]

Friday 27th October 

Alarm went off at 8am. Had breakfast and finished packing up rest of the bits we didn't pack last night. Breakfast had finished packing up the car making sure we have packed it all up and make sure nothing was left on the boat. Just after 9am the guys come and re filled our diesel tank. Got last bits off boats and nice chaps asked if they could do our pump out and we was done so we let them do it. Engineer came and took the gas bottles out of the boat as we was leaving as it was done for the season. Took the life jackets and cot and high chair back to the buoyancy aid place added them to the pile where they wanted it all left. Into reception to hand book back in and get any money back for diesel not used, Got £35 back but paid the £12 pilot fee out of this. Didn't say anything about being stuck on breydon or the broken rope they replaced. Dropped kids dad back to Wroxham train station. Went back to boat yard to pick up mrs and kids. Before we left we decided we would book next years holiday before we left the yard. Decided we would book moon voyager for same week next year same layout as broadsman and with electric mud weight. Left Boat yard about 10:30am very busy with loads of boats returning. Decided we would go into Great yarmouth and have a quick visit to the arcades before we took the long journey back home. Quick go in arcades and decided we would have pizza hut for lunch got to pizza hut and realized we left the baby changing bag in the car park back at the sea front. So back to the car park we went to find bag had gone so mrs went and asked around and after awhile someone had handed it into the cafe next to the car park. So off we set again pizza hut was fully booked so decided we would stop off at burger king again on the way back home. Traffic was good and got to burger king around 2pm. Busy but got food pretty quick. Left there around 3pm ish and had a good journey up tto the a14 were they are doing the road works and sat in quiet heavy traffic. Came off few junctions before we normally do as still was quiet heavy traffic. Nice quiet journey once off a14. Got home aorund 5pm and unpacked

[SwanR]

Thanks for writing up your holiday to share with us all. Guess you're looking forward to the next one already if you have it all booked up.

[Broads01]

Thanks for sharing Adam. 

[adam]

booked moon voyager for 19th October next year

[C.Ricko]

On 11/2/2017 at 11:06, adam said:

Sunday 22nd October

Up around 8am returned cable to harbour master when he opened for the day. Decided we would head back north to day. So off we went around 9am after breakfast. On our way we see on twitter that breydon water is closed due to the high winds and being high tide. So decided we would stop off in Reedham till it re opens. Got o Reedham about 11:30am moored up plenty of space not many boats stopped at Reeham. Quay guy came and helped us set our ropes for the fall in the tide and stop us moving to much in the wind. Nice chat had the assistant said to ring Great Yarmouth Yacht station about 12:30 to check and see when they think breydon would re open. Once rang they said would probably re open once high tide has been. So had lunch and had a walk along the quay with the kids. Around half 2 we see that breydon is re open to all craft. So we ring the yacht station again and check it is and height under the bridges. All fine so off we set off to Great Yarmouth. Nice smooth journey down to breydon. Have to admit we were the ones who got stuck on breydon. Me at the helm and got distracted by the other boat stuck and kids playing games. Rang the coast guard and they sent ems to try and pull us out. Was unsuccessful one of our ropes snapped. So we had to wait for the life boat to come and rescue us. Every one off safely and returned to yacht station met by guys on duty at yacht station really nice chaps. Put all our life jackets into a locker. Off we wonder to brewers fayre for dinner and sit and wait till they bought our boat back in around 8pm. Kids and mrs went into the pub whilst i went and dropped our keys off  to the recovery guy for when he was going to pull us out. Back to pub to be told was going to be hour and half wait for table but another manager found us a table. Had a nice dinner most had the Sunday roast buffet. Around half 7 we moved tables so they could use our old table. Just after 8pm the recovery guy rang and said the boat was back and moored in yacht station. So off we went back to the boat sorted few bits out and off to bed we all went. 

Why did your rope snap? surely they would not have pulled on the cleat? 

[adam]

He tried pulling us with both back ropes and 1 snapped

[johnb]

On 06/11/2017 at 14:58, adam said:

booked moon voyager for 19th October next year

I enjoyed very much your holiday account, thanks for posting. We no longer have to worry about half term dates, but I think that it was on this forum recently, someone also booked this week for next year, only to find the their school was having half term holiday the following week. If it matters to you and you have not checked, it may be worth doing so. I remember when we visited during half term years ago, there were some years when Guy Fawkes celebrations were taking place at the end of our holiday. 

[adam]

Think ours fall same week checked before we booked

[adam]

Thoughts on Broadsman

Really spacious boat suited the 6 of us really well. Very easy to manovere her with bow and stern thrusters.  Front bedroom really spacious plenty of room for both of us. Ensuite front bathroom is quiet small and a big step down from the main bedroom. Salooon is quiet spacious plenty of seating for 6 people even with room for a high chair. We put the cot up in the saloon most nights so she could sleep in there the youngest member. The curtains that clip on to front and back windows really easy to use and put up and bring back down in the morning. Canopy was easy to raise and lower. 

Kitchen is well spaced out and plenty of room to store stuff. Plenty of room for cooking and preparation.  oven usual size but mananged to cook for all 6 of us. Fridge was plenty of room for us as we stock up regularly. Microwave worked but on one night it kept stopping so in the end we had to give up using it, even though we had plenty of battery power. 

Middle twin room beds plenty big enough kids dad managed to fit in 1 of the singles couple of nights. Nice big wardrobe to put all there clothes in. Nice extra storage above the bed for any extra bits. Heating worked well in this room. En-suite bathroom to the middle bedroom was really spacious. Plenty of room no natural light within. 

Rear double bedroom. Bed was quiet big and comfy. A weird way of having the bed as was going along the back of the boat. Wardrobe was plenty big enough for the 1 person within the room. Bathroom was a good size.

Outside really nice to have a low rear to the boat so made mrs job of getting on and off easier and she could help moor due to the low back. Lots of grab handles to get hold of if your walking along the side of the boat. Lots of room to sit on the front part above front main bedroom.

[Broads01]

Thanks for the review Adam. I've not yet hired Broadsman but I've been aboard a couple of times and they're lovely boats.

Microwaves on hire boats stretch the batteries to the limit. I'm not a fan of running the engine when moored, but I tend to have to make an exception for the microwave because they need the voltage kept up. 

[adam]

We was on quiet moorings in potter so couldnt run our engine

[lakesailor]

16 hours ago, adam said:

We was on quiet moorings in potter so couldnt run our engine

Great to see someone with courtesy for other boaters

[adam]

yes try not to run our engine once moored up

[charlottefayelloyd]

On 11/11/2017 at 14:17, adam said:

Thoughts on Broadsman

Really spacious boat suited the 6 of us really well. Very easy to manovere her with bow and stern thrusters.  Front bedroom really spacious plenty of room for both of us. Ensuite front bathroom is quiet small and a big step down from the main bedroom. Salooon is quiet spacious plenty of seating for 6 people even with room for a high chair. We put the cot up in the saloon most nights so she could sleep in there the youngest member. The curtains that clip on to front and back windows really easy to use and put up and bring back down in the morning. Canopy was easy to raise and lower. 

Kitchen is well spaced out and plenty of room to store stuff. Plenty of room for cooking and preparation.  oven usual size but mananged to cook for all 6 of us. Fridge was plenty of room for us as we stock up regularly. Microwave worked but on one night it kept stopping so in the end we had to give up using it, even though we had plenty of battery power. 

Middle twin room beds plenty big enough kids dad managed to fit in 1 of the singles couple of nights. Nice big wardrobe to put all there clothes in. Nice extra storage above the bed for any extra bits. Heating worked well in this room. En-suite bathroom to the middle bedroom was really spacious. Plenty of room no natural light within. 

Rear double bedroom. Bed was quiet big and comfy. A weird way of having the bed as was going along the back of the boat. Wardrobe was plenty big enough for the 1 person within the room. Bathroom was a good size.

Outside really nice to have a low rear to the boat so made mrs job of getting on and off easier and she could help moor due to the low back. Lots of grab handles to get hold of if your walking along the side of the boat. Lots of room to sit on the front part above front main bedroom.

Me and my family have booked the Moon Voyager which apparently is indentical to the Broadsman. I'm very excited

[vanessan]

Welcome to the forum. When are you on Moon Voyager?

[charlottefayelloyd]

2 hours ago, vanessan said:

Welcome to the forum. When are you on Moon Voyager?

April 20th-27th of this year!

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, charlottefayelloyd said:

April 20th-27th of this year!

Not been on Moon Voyager or Broadsman, but enjoy your holiday  

[adam]

please post ur holiday thought charlotte and a review of the boat