New Boat At Last

[Seagypsy]

20 minutes ago, coolcat said:

Not sure why owning or hiring a boat makes you any more or less a lover of the Broads?

I for one enjoy seeing members pictures on here, either their own boat or ones they are hiring. 

Does seem a bit of a shame to dampen the mood of this thread. Obviously the OP and his wife are very happy with their new boat and I for one wish them many happy hours on board and enjoying the Broads.

I remarked about the air draft but I have 2wks in May on a boat with 7ft 8ins air draft, there's a few bridges that won't go under as I said everyone to their own. If we didn't love the Broads we wouldn't be there and as the words (duly ignored) appear in the initial posting in this topic I don't think it applies to subsequent postings.

[Londonlad1985]

Congratulations! 

[finny]

very nice boat i hope you enjoy her .i have had a couple of boats over the years but getting my backside on them was and still is a  real pain in the backside its far more convenient cheaper and hassle free to hire at this moment in time  - my only advice is get on her as much as you can ..........enjoy 

 

finny 

[eddybear]

As Finny says, That is the secret to owning your own boat unlike hiring which basically works out a lot more economical, but of course, you can't drop everything and hop on it when you feel like it because it has to be booked in advance, whereas If you can use it whenever you like and that is what you pay for and of course It does work out a lot more expensive but you have to take into account the convenience factor which personally we also have gone for, But the only way to get the value is to use it at every possible opportunity, and that is the only way You can justify the expense.

When we bought our first boat we worked out that we were actually on it for three whole months in the first year not of course end to end but long weekends and weeks holidays, unfortunately, our circumstances changed when my mother-in-law came to stay with us It was all right In the beginning because she could come on the boat with us but now after seven years she is not really fit enough and we have to arrange respite for her so we can get away, but we still persevere and are now on our second boat which we are looking forward to enjoying this coming season, so you have had my two pennies worth, good luck with your new boat.

[addicted]

Of course if all you want to achieve while traversing the Broads is to creep carefully under low bridges and look at reed beds then a low draft boat is fine, if however you prefer to see the beautiful  countryside  that is the essence of the Broads while you cruise rather than just  a reed bed then a  loftier boat fits the bill. We've had both while here on the broads and  the low line we kept for 2 years the latter we've had for 10 so no guesses as to which we've found best!

 

 

Carole

[Gretzky]

Enjoy your new boat, I'm sure you will love it, even though your bank account might not :)

[eddybear]

22 minutes ago, addicted said:

We've had both while here on the broads and  the low line we kept for 2 years the latter we've had for 10 so no guesses as to which we've found best!

 

We appear to have done a similar thing to you, but in reverse 2 boats the first a Hampton Safari MK 2 which we probably had about nine years and then we upgraded or should I say sidestepped to the much rarer Hampton Safari MK 4 which is a totally different layout and the helm position Is a lot higher meaning you can just see over the tips of the reeds, But this also means there are a couple of bridges we can no longer get under   But the extra view of the world or should I say the Broads is worth the sacrifice.  

PS, as mother-in-law used to say Oh no not more bloody reads LOL

[addicted]

Your mother-in-law was spot on with that observation. We had a Sheerline 950 aft cockpit when we first arrived on the Broads which we promptly changed  for a Sheerline 1050 aft cabin. The  only thing we miss is not being able to access Barton Broad when we go over to the North and of course the trip over to the North requires a lot more planning with our air draft of in excess of !2'. The extra room and vision makes up for all that though and we wouldn't have it any other way.  It all boils down to what you want from a boat.

 

Carole

[Ray]

4 minutes ago, addicted said:

It all boils down to what you want from a boat.

Exactly so, there is no right or wrong type of boat. The best boat is the one you choose for your needs. There's no need to denigrate another's choice, we are lucky to have (or hire) a boat at all. We are all part of the same Navy and a good fleet needs all types of vessels.

At any given time the "best" boat is the one you're on right at that moment 

[Lulu]

There will always be a compromise. Ours is not having rear access for the dogs which is proving an issue but the positives is the layout, low airdraft when the canopy and sides are down but height when sitting in the helm. If it had rear access that would have equalled pretty much perfection for us. 

[mdblackburn]

On 25/03/2019 at 13:24, ranworthbreeze said:

Hello Mark,

A tidy looking boat, what is her airdraft? 

Regards

Alan

Hi Alan,

we are not entirely sure, sales site said 9'3"  but we have the original build book which says 8'6" both with mast lowered.

will measure accurately one weekend.

which means cant do wroxham to coltishall, but used to keep our old boat in porter and hayletts yard so have been up down there a lot, and probably cant do ludham bridge, but again spent a few years at wayford so have been all over there.

we spend nearly every weekend in spring,summer,autumn, on our boats as we have a love of the water, and love fishing bird spotting, wildlife and obviously the odd beer or three.

cheers mark

[CambridgeCabby]

Congratulations, lovely looking boat may you and your family enjoy making many happy memories aboard her .

[coolcat]

I saw your lovely new boat on Monday when at Acle Marina. 

Looking very nice indeed

[chrisdobson45]

Airdraft of 8'6" would make Ludham Bridge possible (we did Ludham with Brinks Royale 3 two years ago and she was marked as this airdraft, and there was about 4" to spare under the bridge).

Lovely boat, Birchwood's were made locally to home, so a fondness remains. The factory is still there in Huthwaite, off Commonside, now semi derelict after use as an indoor carting track.

[GregAfloat]

On 29/03/2019 at 12:48, eddybear said:

We appear to have done a similar thing to you, but in reverse 2 boats the first a Hampton Safari MK 2 which we probably had about nine years and then we upgraded or should I say sidestepped to the much rarer Hampton Safari MK 4 which is a totally different layout and the helm position Is a lot higher

If you still have your Hampton than you might be interested in the page at:
https://hamptonsafari.uk/mark4.php
Currently, the layout image doesn't show the doors to the WC and Shower as the photos I have (not posted on the site) do not show that area well enough. I also want to know more of the size of the berth in the fore cabin. Hampton advertised the boat as a 2-3 berth in the Hoseasons catalogue, rather than four, but it almost appears wide enough to be a double, so I have labelled it as such.

Also not on the site currently is this profile I created...