Sandersons In Reedham

[DAVIDH]

Just read on Norfolk Broads Forum that Sandersons are no longer being marketed by Hoseasons. Apparently, a post on Facebook from Sandersons says Hoseasons have said their boats no longer meet their standards (I have looked but cannot find it). As such they are now running as an independent yard. I worry for them. Their website is not phone-friendly so around half of their audience cannot engage and it has no booking facility. Perhaps they may consider Waterways Holidays as marketing agent in the future - they are not listed on there at the moment. I have a soft spot for them. As I have already said, they were the first hire yard we used. 

[trambo]

Not good news. Have a fond spot for the yard. I know they operate at the economy end of the market but you get what you pay for. Popped into the yard last year and had a nice chat, even got an old Blakes "A" flag  decal. Did not like Hoseasons at all! On a historic note Sandersons are (or were ) the last yard applying the Blakes flag to their boats.

Fred

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

To be brutally honest, Sandersons boats always look like they`ve never been cleaned, and i`ve had it on good authority, maintainance IS`NT something they care about very much. "If the engine starts, it`s fine" so to speak. Whenever we`ve moored near the, they always look untidy, like the outside has`nt been cleaned for ages, and the people who`ve hired them have been less than impressed. I have to say, they are one of the yards i`d NEVER hire from, Herbert Woods being another.

[SwanR]

Reviews on Hoseasons website were often poor and I wouldn’t have chosen to hire with them, but that’s just my choice. Do we have anyone here with personal experience?

[Meantime]

It must be very hard trying to keep boats clean down to the waterline in such a tidal place. I well remember on others forums how people used to knock Line Azzurro for their grubby boats in Yarmouth. Another place where it's very hard to keep boats clean.

However cleanliness aside, allegations about maintenance are certainly unhelpful to the yard I would have thought?

[Captain]

Sanderson's are one of the few remaining long established family run yards on the Broads and I wish them all the best for the future. I think it's possible to just about manage a very small independent yard on the Broads however you have to build a regular base of customers and a good reputation with regular investment, if they follow the Pacific cruisers model they should have a future. If they're not prepared to change a little then the market may not be there I sorry to say.

Neil

[Broads01]

I've never been with them and to be honest I've always felt their boats are priced too high relative to the competition but I'd be sorry to see them go. They're part of the Broads furniture and passing through Reedham wouldn't be the same without them. 

[eddybear]

Like David H, our first hire boat was from Saunderson's, Be it 43 years ago and it only broke down once but we did do the whole of the Broads network in a week which was pushing it and it was one of their older boats so all in all not bad they even let me Store my rusty little Austin a40 Undercover, very nice people

[trambo]

Although I have never hired from them or inspected the boats internally they do have quite a smart livery and don't look any worse afloat than many other yards. Colin is about my age (well past retirement) and must be dedicated because I would have sold the business and run. Would love get him, JM and Vaughan in a pub with a tape recorder and get them talking boats!

Fred

[unclemike]

I hired sand eaglet in 2012 had no complaints and john on the yard was very helpful

[LondonRascal]

I feel for the yard, as I know the real hard grafting that has gone into the fleet over the last winter and issues that have popped up and been overcome. Behind every hire boat is a business, and some are not flushed with big budgets so to be let down by the agency you've entrusted to help bring you customers  over so many years is a real kick in the teeth.

However, we do live in a very different world now than even 5 years ago, and things are changing constantly. In the past some of the reviews left on Hoseasons were negative, but then the yard had no way to reply to those left on the site which I think is unfair. Now is the time to try and shine. They have a lovely base to begin a holiday from - even a railway station is not far away. If it were me, I would start small and work on changes that don't cost the earth, like their painted sign atop their shed. Hand painted signs are expensive and another dying art, printed vinyl  banners are not and would lift the look easily.

I would not put all my eggs into the 'get a swish website' basket, but go with the free and easy to use Facebook page - populate it with lots of nice photos of the boats, layouts, get things like your opening hours up, phone number and some 'special offers for Facebook followers' - even if it is just a few percent off it helps. Where a yard cannot compete on scale, or give away food hampers with their boats,  go for the small and personal service. Free collection form the station, let people have their online ordered grocessies be deleivered to the yard - there are a host of things to make things appeal.

The boats are older yes, but then so to are boats at Herbet Woods and Richardson's - Sanderson's boats are smart in appearance, they are not bad looking at all. The product is good in my eyes, it is getting it to the public an making it as easy as possible to have a customer book and part with their money. I really wish them all the best because it would be such a loss if it did not work not only for holidaymakers but they offer fuel and pump outs at reasonably cost, they also can lift up to 4 tonnes on their crane and have often come to the aid of other hire yards boats with things like a rope around a prop etc.

 

[ZimbiIV]

There you go Robin stop playing with 1 or 2 boats/cars get a boatyard to play with.

Sanderson's may look a bit rough and ready but if you need help/advice be it hirer or owner it is always given.

paul

 

[Vaughan]

3 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Did my post earlier today get removed,

Looks as though it did.

When I saw it, I wasn't quite sure what to say in reply. You were not complimentary about them, so I imagine someone considered the TOS but then again, you are someone with many years experience of Broads holidays, as are many other members here. Maybe it is reasonable that you should speak as you find? A boatyard depends very much on its reputation and if that starts to slip for some reason then a forum such as this will surely pick it up.

I have known the Sandersons, both Colin and Steve, since many years ago and I also knew their parents when they ran the yard. The site itself goes back hundreds of years, to Halls of Reedham, who built some of the most famous wherries on the Broads.

Running a small boatyard can be a great strain, especially in difficult economic times. It certainly was for me, in my time! I sense that better times may be coming for tourism on the Broads and I hope that Sandersons will be able to profit from that. I wish them well for the future.

 

[Wonderwall]

I tend to hire from the more affordable class of boat. I want a nice boat which floats, is clean , has a bit electric  and is watertight.  I would rather spend the £1000 I have saved by not going top end, on meals and excursion out on my holiday . I'm quite a basic guy .

I have never been tempted by this yard however, though im sure I would enjoy a week on the broads on one of their boats, you would ultimately be on the rivers, which really is all that counts.

[Wyndham]

Really interesting. Reason I say that is I've read and heard of many first time hirers who have gone for marketing spiel, at a premium  price, and been disappointed. If you are charging a premium, you have to do your best to deliver on that, and that involves understanding what your customers expect and trying to exceed it. Not easy.

Although I know nothing about Sandersons I would bet they are not trying to appeal to first timers (no bling required) but more so the likes of Wonderwall above. Hirers whose expectations are more muted...supply something that floats, is watertight, everything works. Supply that you have happy customers who will enjoy their holiday and will return.

It's a strange thing is boating and I'm learning stuff all the time. I've hired cheap and expensive and been most disappointed with the expensive boats because I expected more, which is stupid because being afloat on the rivers is the joy, not the blingy thing you are on. Am I making sense?

I hope Sandersons can continue to be a viable business.

 

[Maxwellian]

I am with Wonderwall on this. We used Maffetts for many years, not because they were the best bling boats but because they were well presented with excellent customer service..... and very good value for money. Sara and I could get three to four weeks on Swallow for the price of one-week bling. Last year we tried Pacific Cruisers for the same reason. This year we are trying Maycaft and I hope they are the same. I have never hired from Sandersons so have no view on them. It is difficult out there and if we have bad experiences we should raise it with the yard and give them a chance to rectify. 

[Broads01]

I tend to hire at the budget end of the market because I'd rather spend the money I've saved on more time afloat, time being more important than luxury in my eyes. The issue I've always had with Sandersons is their prices don't match well with budget offerings elsewhere, even compared to other small operators like Pacific and Freedom. I appreciate there could be good reason for that but I feel their vest chance of a long term future is to make themselves more competitive in whatever way they can. 

[Maxwellian]

Forgot to mention Freedom. We hired SWEET freedom from Andy. Lovey boat for wat we wanted, low air draft at 6 foot 3 inches to get north of that bridge (PH). Very good on fuel as well. Again service was excellent.

[Maxwellian]

Just to make it clear I have no links to... or receive freebies or other incentive for advertising other yards.

[grendel]

I use Martham, two reasons mainly - it gets me above 'that' bridge, and I love being on a woody with only basic luxuries (like a fridge)

[Hylander]

Believe me at the end of the day a boat is a darn boat.  Talking 'stinkies' here.    Be it from the Top End version to the basic , they all go wrong , everyone of them has its negative and positive points.   I have yet to be on a boat that is absolutely perfect.        Depends on a lot things, time of year especially.     Hired early in the season to find that you get told , " well its early season and these things show up when the boats first go out" , to "well it is the end of the season what do you expect".   Oh yes and that was from a top end establishment.

Personally speaking I think the industry has shot itself in the foot trying to make the boats into floating hotels which they are not and never will be.    Top or bottom end they all need 'pumping out' 'water' and fuel.      Gadgets and gizmos are just something waiting to go pear shaped.    People's perception of a boat now is really not a boat in the true of the word.

Smaller yards need good support and good publicity.       The Agency that has dropped this yard speaks of standards.     People in glass houses should not throw stones I believe is the saying.   No one is perfect in this world.    

To end on a light note - the funniest thing I think I ever heard was a conversation repeated from a customer to an engineer when the customer enquired as to whether the boat got Sky and he replied yes 'open the roof'.

 

 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

In hindsight (a wonderful thing), i should have chosen my comments in a better turn of phrase. When i mentioned the comment "if the engine starts, it`s fine", i was referring to everything mechanical etc, "if it works it`s fine", yet things like the cleanliness of the outside etc are not of prime importance. Yes, of course they need to ensure things are going to work, but as we all know, any yard can have breakdowns.  The thing is, when you pass the yard while on the river, you see the outside of the boats, like you do with most fleets, so the first impression  you get is one of cleanliness, or lack of etc, and when this happens at the beginning of the season, it WILL give the impression of a lack of care, no matter how much effort goes into mechanical maintainance etc.

The one comment i made re from SOME customers (granted not all) and some respected members of the industry i will stand by, as they are the people who have personal experience, or have had to go aboard some of the boats during breakdown etc, so although it`s NOT because of MY personal experience, the comment was based on experiences of those customers through a face to face conversation. 

[Seagypsy]

13 hours ago, Maxwellian said:

I am with Wonderwall on this. We used Maffetts for many years, not because they were the best bling boats but because they were well presented with excellent customer service..... and very good value for money. Sara and I could get three to four weeks on Swallow for the price of one-week bling. Last year we tried Pacific Cruisers for the same reason. This year we are trying Maycaft and I hope they are the same. I have never hired from Sandersons so have no view on them. It is difficult out there and if we have bad experiences we should raise it with the yard and give them a chance to rectify. 

Agree 100% we are having 4wks this year on 3 different boats for less than £2k being on the water is No 1 priority 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

19 minutes ago, Seagypsy said:

Agree 100% we are having 4wks this year on 3 different boats for less than £2k being on the water is No 1 priority 

We`ve got 4 weeks for less than £1,500, and that`s on a 43 foot 6 berth.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

But that is plus fuel and pumpouts though.