Some availability for the summer...

[Dan]

Hi Everyone

As most boats are booked up now I thought it might be useful to someone wanting to book a holiday to know that Richardsons have just added some more 6-8 berth craft. The start days are Friday or Monday (Weeks or short breaks) or Thursday for weeks (a new start day to the line up by the look of things)... they're bound to book quickly at this point in time, so fastest finger first...

http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/WebPages/EUB ... ODE=BH2012

Although Hoseasons haven't added an external photo yet they are the same style as Fairway here, which does have a fantastic photo : http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/WebPages/EUB ... ODE=BH2004

All the best

Dan

[AdnamsGirl]

Checking their online availability, Pacific Cruisers at Loddon also appear to have some boats still available during August (and a few this month) for those who want to avoid the crowds and explore the beautiful southern rivers.

http://www.pacificcruisers.co.uk/

Carol

[Dan]

Here's some more additional craft with some summer availability. Some nice 29ft Sedan's (internal helm despite what it says!) from Richardsons:

http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/WebPages/EUB ... ODE=BH2017

Does anyone know of any others that might help people find that illusive Broads holiday with summer availability?

All the best

Dan

[C.Ricko]

Hi Dan,

we are just about to release Jamaica 2, Madeira 3 and 4.

Challenger 2 and Fairway 2 should be on line in the next week or 2.

also Tideway 1 and 2 have only recently ben added to the fleet

We also have an ex Calypso coming back into the fleet being renamed Dominica.

and also Modern gem is being refitted and renamed Eastern Gem (previous name caused problems!) but may not be in the fleet for about 3-4 weeks.

but, if in doubt and you cant see it on the website then give us a ring and ask as we have boats entering the fleet all the time...

[Hemel_Dave]

Hi Clive,

It's good to see you adding more boats to your fleet.

Dave

[goodall_m1]

Hi Clive,

It's good to see you adding more boats to your fleet.

Dave

You will be able to tell if he is scraping the bootm of the barrel if BV12 appears in the brochure......

[andyg]

hi clive, will your acle yard be getting any new boats for next season and will they get the new moulds in the future. its really good to see things picking up for all the hire yards, do you think the broads will benerfit in 2012 with the oylimpic being so closes and large increase of tourist that will flood into the east of england.

[C.Ricko]

Hi Andy,

Acle are set to have at least one new class next year, they shall be called Tropic Horizon and will be the same as the Madiera class from Stalham.

We will be introducing the new model at Acle but it will probably not be until we start producing the 36 foot versions as 44 foot boats are a bit harder to operate from that base.

The 2012 Olympics should provide an amount of spin off to most parts of the country, we hope to have our share but we will have to wait and see.

,

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

A former work colleague of mine has family in East London, and said the local Authorities were sending round letters asking for people to vacate their homes for the Olympic weeks, and would pay very high rent for them. A tempting offer, but just how much is that going to cost local council tax payers.

[Brian]

Let me know if you need any Testing Clive i have a family of 4 who are up for testing .

RC45 ;) ;)

[Guest]

come on brian

melody not good enough for you

[andyg]

brian not too loud dan might hear you neil thats very true i live in the area and i know of house holders being offered silly money to move out and rent their homes for the duration of the games, my grans got a caravan down on rainham marshes and we want £800 a week during the games seems a fair price to me

[Dan]

I think Jonny was at the front of the queue in his request for a free holiday testing out on the RC45?!

Still, I am more than happy to organise fisticuffs on Richardsons carpark at an agreed time so the best man can win.

The biggest problem so far seems to be the reality check of no free holidays on the RC45, but that needn't spoil the fun I suppose!

Dan

[Guest]

I think Jonny was at the front of the queue in his request for a free holiday testing out on the RC45?!

Still, I am more than happy to organise fisticuffs on Richardsons carpark at an agreed time so the best man can win.

The biggest problem so far seems to be the reality check of no free holidays on the RC45, but that needn't spoil the fun I suppose!

Dan

He was indeed young sir

Jonny

[Hemel_Dave]

Hi

I've just been looking on NBD website and it looks like they are adding some new boats to there fleet for this season next week.

Dave

[Dan]

Hi Dave

Interesting stuff. I see "Fair Princess" will be the Toyota Prius (pah!) of the boating world and Fair Aristocrat looks to be a very smart Haines model that looks a very exclusive hireboat, would be interested to know what height she is as I am keen on that design but thought they would be too tall for Ludham etc.

http://www.norfolkbroadsdirect.co.uk/ne ... page_id=86

Dan

[Dan]

Although availability looks fairly tight for the summer I see The Good Boat Co now have an Isabelle class (ex Broadland Tango's) on offer. By the look of the photos they have two?

Lots of internals which are a nice touch, shame they didn't put the boat on the river with someone and snapped the exterior better..

http://www.thegoodboatcompany.com/index ... e&Itemid=2

Dan

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

I never even knew they existed. Well don Dan . Where did you hear about them from, and have they got a good reputation?

[Dan]

I think they've only been going from this year Neil but with the name they have given themselves I would hope they are running at good standards as with their company name poor standards would not sit well with expectations!

It's nice to have a hirefleet at Thorpe again as not that long back this was a popular little starting point with a few hirebases.

The arrival/growth of http://www.waterwaysholidays.com in recent(ish) times has helped to made it more feasible for little fleets to have a go, and still be able to leave a lot of the marketing to another company. Several of the companies they market (accross all waterways) have just one or two boats.

Lets hope they do well and can build a good business in these busier times. The Isabelle's and the wooden topped boat they have look quite smart in the photo, will have to try and see them in the flesh at some point.

All the best

Dan

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

Knowing you Dan, that won`t be long at all. If you do get to go over there, it would be good if you could have a nose round and see what the base is like as well as the boats. Also, i wonder if they`d mind boats from other fleets stopping at their base for the night, as it could be a nice place to stop over, especially if you`re on a boat that can`t get under the bridges, so are not able to reach Thorpe river green. Regards ...................... Neil.

[Broads01]

I didn't know they existed either so thanks Dan. It's certainly good to see a new southern hire base. The 2-4 berth boat looks basic and little changed since the Richardsons days, but top marks to them for putting loads of internal shots on the website - leaves you in no doubt about what you're getting.

[Dan]

On the availability front I see Richardsons have added Dominica now (3 berth) with summer availability, and I had an email today where Freedom had Flight of Freedom (6berth) available from now until Saturday and were doing a special offer on her

Dominica: http://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.c ... inica/158/

Dan

[Broads01]

I notice Dominica is priced the same as Serene Gem. Is the interior identical to Serene Gem or is the fit out slightly different?

[Dan]

Hi Simon

The layout is the same, and she is one of the Calypso's that was, but one was recently sold to a private buyer so I am not sure which one she is. They had two and one had an updated laminate interior to a similar standard to the Serene's and one was a bit more original with wall carpet on bulkheads etc. As she's not been added to the Serene Gem class I thought this would be as she was part of the Horning pleasurecraft fleet rather than Serene which is under the Richardsons banner. However I see she is on Hoseasons under Richardsons fleet (as is Corsica) so either that is a mistake or she has maybe been listed seperately as not quite identical in fitout to the existing Serene Gem class... or maybe they just wanted to fill the brochure up more??!

There's a few other Horning P.Craft/Richardsons anomolies like Calypso is under Richardsons in the Hoseasons brochure but under Horning Pleasurecraft online.

I dunno, it's enough to give a boy a headache!

Dan

[Broads01]

dan. The Horning Pleasurecraft name has always been a strange Hoseasons marketing thingy anyway and now it seems they can't even be consistent about it. Richardsons have never, that I'm aware of had any Horning Pleasurecraft branding at Stalham in the yard, on the boats or in the brochure! Even the Acle boats are Richardsons branded nowadays.

Le Boat have lumped there 20% discount (previously for July & August) on September bookings now so you can have Capri for 3 nights for a measly £235 (and you can opt out of a damage waiver if you want). Just biding my time now as I can only go in October! Richardsons are going to have to drop their prices to compete!