Ex Alpha Boats To Enter Bb Fleet?

[Vaughan]

8 minutes ago, L8DAVE said:

So what happened ? Or is it a secret , and if you told me you would have to kill me

I think it is more that those of us who do know, would rather remember the good points, of our old friends and colleagues.

[Broads01]

Looking at the Barnes descriptions they state "Will not pass under Potter Heigham or Wroxham Bridge". That's absolutely wrong - the whole point of this design was it has a low air draft, about 6 foot 9 from memory, about the same height as your average forward steer or centre cockpit in other words. The alternative is they're planning to fit them with fixed upper windscreens which would be very silly. 

[LondonRascal]

The fact is, whatever may have gone on to cause the business to go down the path it did, I wonder how viable honestly their offerings would be now and into the future anyway. They always did things that little bit different, and I guess while that was something that worked in the late 80's and 90's (bringing in a settee, bath and domestic flushing toilet) are just some examples of 'ahead of their time' additions on boats, these days they look very dated and dare I say odd.

It takes a lot of money and skill to design a boat, so if they had wanted to come out with fresh designs for their own fleet and to be sold on to other operators who do not build their own, this would have to be financed then their existing fleet updated to compete in the market we are now in whereby larger boats, that sleep fewer people, and cost more per week to hire are increasingly the norm.

All the above would have had to have been planned some years previous and then have begun rolling out now and I think the only way that you can really afford to invest in such large scale things is to have different revenue streams which they did not have. Look at Barnes Brinkcraft, they are building boats and they seem to hire very well and at a high cost but they also have shore side accommodation, private moorings and boat brokerages in Wroxham and Brundall which obviously help even if one keeps them as separate business units   a Director may say investment is needed in such and place and channel money in from another area of the business to avoid borrowing and with interest rates likely to be heading upwards in years to come you don't want to be borrowing money now.

So in my opinion yes it is a great shame Alpha are no more but it would have needed some changes and a new direction in my mind to have had a successful and lasting future.

 

 

[VetChugger]

I suspect that the pictures BB are using are Alpha's old ones! Taken by Coldham Hall and on Surlingham Broad.

[Guest]

It was quite interesting to cruise past the ex Alpha yard last Saturday and see it empty. Does anybody know who has purchased it and to what future use they have in mind?

[KaptinKev]

I see that the Alpha Spitfire was soon snapped up form their NBS site. Unfortunately I wasn't able to move enough money around in my offshore bank accounts now I wouldn't have minded that boat as I have hired it before.

[NorfolkNog]

Bridgecraft have acquired another ex Alphacraft, I think that might be the one.

[tjg1677]

You are so right about design quirks Robin. On GK there  are some novel features but that said there are also some dreadful ones too, notably the grab rails and lifebuoy holder which both have an irritating propensity to trap and hold water and turn everything green, so annoying.

The airdraft on GK is 6 foot six inches, no screen but that is to the top of the forward nav light which is the highest fixed point. Often get under wroxham but never managed potter yet!!

Vaughan, is that correct that the old fb wilds moulds were used for the hulls, I wasnt aware of that. Does that include the 42 footers too? Reason i ask is because gk has , well a sort of weird hull design or seemingly so. It is very squat looking with an extremely blunt bow. I know mine is a little unusual in that the bottom is copper impregnated in the layup, i understand that only happened for two years between 90 and 91.

Cheers

Trev

[Vaughan]

That is correct Trev. I think your boat is from the longer Mediterranean  mould, which I think could be used as an extension of the Caribbean mould. The shorter version was the Bermuda and there are several of those around as well.

I know this is true because Langford senior told me, but I think in your case, the mould tool may have been altered to give a bit more sheerline at the bow.

The tool also got a bit twisted over the years and you may have noticed that your boat sits trimmed level at the stern, but lists a bit to port at the bow!

[tjg1677]

Thanks for that Vaughan, really interesting stuff that I didnt know. Will have to check for the twist next time I am on her........

[Davydine]

I have just been looking at Pacific cruisers in Loddon and it looks like they have Alpha Vulcan renamed as Pacific Vista.

[Boatingman]

Looking from the Reg number

I agree with you

Good to see Pacific improving their fleet

Richard and Fiona are really nice people

Ray

 

[DAVIDH]

Looks like BB have added another of the ex Alpha boats to their fleet: Blenheim. They kept that quiet!

http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/blenheim-bh2518

 

[WherryNice]

https://www.norfolkboatsales.co.uk/used-boats/alphacraft-42-blenheim-655.as

Seems she is for sale as well?