Waveney River Centre Hire Cruisers

[ChrisB]

I spend my life on roads like that round here! The more so from monday as they are closing Swayfield Bridge over the Ant/canal for 5 weeks. This last year the Coast Road has had countless closures. 

[AdnamsGirl]

Good to hear of another base on the Southern Rivers from which to hire - I wish them well.

Along with the football themed fleet in the past, in 1968 the then licensee of the Waveney Inn at Burgh St Peter introduced a fleet of six hire cruisers named after the Whitbread beers he served in the pub ... Gold Label, Mackeson, Tankard and Forrest Brown being some of those listed in this newspaper article at the time. It seemed to be a fairly short lived venture as, by 1973, some if not all of the cruisers had become part of Richardson's fleet at Stalham.

 

Carol

[DAVIDH]

It sounded like a large operation as the article says "Mr. Wilkinson, who has built up a fleet of 26 boats, plans to name his next dozen craft, due to be completed before next Easter, after more products of the Whitbread group". Probably just as well Whitbread didn't own this brewery at the time:
 

Thinking about it, can you imagine any existing boatyard being able to put another 12 new boats in the water in a single season?

[oldgregg]

Thinking about it, can you imagine any existing boatyard being able to put another 12 new boats in the water in a single season?

 

I wonder if Appleyard Lincoln were building them, given that they all seem to be Elysians?

 

Still a lot of boats to finance, though!

 

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

 

 

 

[JennyMorgan]

Ron Wilkinson was an adventurous businessman although I don't think that he made a fortune. Friends and I bought the pub off him, it was all pretty rough. When he had the Waveney Inn he installed a section of airliner, actually the linings of the cabin, in the back bar of the pub, behind the stage. He bought in a microwave, new techknowledgey  back then, and served actual airline meals on trays. You booked your meal and when you 'flight' was called you boarded the 'airliner'!   Very popular it was too.

[VetChugger]

Looking at a recent faceache post, it seem WRC did, after all, bring some of the Ferry cruisers down to the southern base. Sadly, they seem to be the butt ugly ones!

[oldgregg]

1 hour ago, VetChugger said:

Sadly, they seem to be the butt ugly ones!

There were others? 

[VetChugger]

Seems we are on the same page Gregg! 

[Simon]

Its good to hear of southern broads investment, 

I just hope we dont loose visitor moorings to make way for a hire boat fleet, really enjoy visiting WRC. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

Its good to hear of southern broads investment, 

I just hope we dont loose visitor moorings to make way for a hire boat fleet, really enjoy visiting WRC. 

Ditto that.

I have to admit, i like WRC too. I don`t know what it is,  but it`s a nice place to moor. There`s not a lot there, apart from the pool, but the plus side is, they have free toilet and showers, and they have laundry facilities, which is great if you travel light and need to wash clothes etc.

[SwanR]

We have never moored at WRC but we do like Ferry Marina's boats ... yes even those that so many people fail to see the attraction of.

Here's Silver Emblem ... so easy to step off the back when stern moored and how easy to get to the upper helm via the steps at the side. I know ... a losing battle with some people but there you go. 

I am really intrigued to see which boats become available for hire on the southern side.

[WherryNice]

Was having a nose around and found this via google https://www.waveneyrivercentre.co.uk/boating-holidays/

 

[oldgregg]

Ditto that.
I have to admit, i like WRC too. I don`t know what it is,  but it`s a nice place to moor. There`s not a lot there, apart from the pool, but the plus side is, they have free toilet and showers, and they have laundry facilities, which is great if you travel light and need to wash clothes etc.

There's a fair amount there really... You have the pub which does breakfasts as well, and if you have people joining you they have the option of staying in the rooms on-site or one of the lodges.

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[JennyMorgan]

The WRC is also a great place for those of us who like to walk, commune with nature, enjoy a decent pint in a lovely pub or visit the unique church at Burgh St Peter.

[Paul]

On 03/01/2019 at 07:06, SwanR said:

This would certainly be of great interest to us and I'm keeping an eye on their Facebook page from hereon. 

Mind you, we hired a day boat from there summer before last, and that road down to the site is a nightmare for anyone who gets nervous around single track lanes with passing places ... it seemed to go on forever!

You want to try towing a 24 foot twin axle carvan down there, never again

 

[marshman]

Aha - the church! The one where the tower goes up and down!!!!

[JennyMorgan]

54 minutes ago, marshman said:

Aha - the church! The one where the tower goes up and down!!!!

Just depends on the gas pressure.

[marshman]

Certainly does!

[Broads01]

22 hours ago, WherryNice said:

Was having a nose around and found this via google https://www.waveneyrivercentre.co.uk/boating-holidays/

 

Very much at the luxury end of the market then. All the boat photos are the same. I know the boats haven't been completed yet but it would be nice to have some variety of choice. 

[NorfolkNog]

Interesting looking at those, certainly aimed at the more luxurious end of the market. There does seem to be a pattern with the new Richardsons offering, the Broom ones, Herbert Woods and the way Faircraft Loynes have been going too. Expanding upwards certainly seems to be the trend, possibly to create more space.

They are very nice of course but give me an Alphacraft any day which gets under (almost) all the bridges.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Variety of layouts I believe.

[Paul]

They could come up with a design that looks slightly less like a bus

[YnysMon]

Hmm...we noticed a several hulls of boats in different stages of construction when we were at Ferry Marina last October. Wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t part of the new fleet. Wonder where they will be able to source extra boats in future though? Don’t think such a small fleet is sustainable.

[oldgregg]

9 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Wonder where they will be able to source extra boats in future though? Don’t think such a small fleet is sustainable.

I have a vogue idea where the moulds may be coming from...

[Vaughan]

11 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Wonder where they will be able to source extra boats in future though? Don’t think such a small fleet is sustainable.

No, it isn't. I reckon that in general, you can't make any money out of less than 15 hire cruisers, but the WRC is a cleverly diversified business. They have a lot of "strings to their bow" and to start gently with just 6 boats is sensible, especially if part of your idea is to attract hire boats back to the south rivers.

 I don't know where they are being built but I do know that the WRC has its own building sheds, which have built boats of that size before, and they can call on a team of qualified people for fitting out, as required.

I think this scheme will be very good for the Broads if it "takes off" and I wish them well.