Wayfarer - Richardsons

[BB37]

New sedan for 2020.

https://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/boats/wayfarer/

 

[TheQ]

I think they have not many takers, though some have slept in them..

[VetChugger]

Are we sure this is going to be a boat??? Quote from the advert - "To book this unit"!

[marshman]

Yep - its a sedan with an air draft of 8'6" - more fun for the watchers at Ludham

https://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/boats/wayfarer/

[Mouldy]

8’6” airdraft?  Maybe Richos will be paying to lift the bridge at Ludham.  The Ant between Wayford and Ludham bridges isn’t much of a cruising range if the river levels are high.

Doesn’t seem an ideal design to cruise from their Stalham base to me, but what do I know?

[Boatingman]

The amount of times Richardsons send guys to get there boats through

It may be a cost effective option!!

Ray

[garryn]

I was watching the richardsons guys trying to pull her out of the mould in September. They seemed to be having a bit of trouble and I had to go in the end to catch the tide right at Yarmouth.

[CambridgeCabby]

Perhaps this will operate out of their Horning Marina in a similar fashion to NBD’s former Diplomats (now Sunway) and Far Horizon.

Last couple of weeks I have had to cancel my intended trip to the boat as Ludham has been below my required 8ft airdraft , am trying again this weekend hopefully (to those that are awaiting the NBD stickers , I haven’t forgotten you)

[RS2021]

Richardson's run some boats out of Stalham with quoted aircraft of 9ft! Not sure I always believe what is quoted.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Far Horizon runs from Horning and i believe is recommended for 3-4 nights cruising only, as it`s limitation is the Ant below Ludham bridge, basically making the Ant no go, the Thurne to Potter Heigham, and the Bure and its tributeries from Wroxham to Acle Bridge. I`m sure it was mentioned on here some years back that it`s even too tall to go under Acle bridge, so Gt Yarmouth is a no go anyway.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

8 hours ago, marshman said:

Yep - its a sedan with an air draft of 8'6" - more fun for the watchers at Ludham

https://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/boats/wayfarer/

Thanks for the link MM.

I fail to see the point of building such a boat where passage under one of its home bases nearest bridges is very likely to be severely restricted, even not possible as in recent months.  With the decades of boatbuilding requirememnts and experience, why on earth build the thing?. I can only think it must be a misprint.

Also, the 45ft high topped monstrosity must get under it, so why did`nt they modify the top moulding from that?.

[CambridgeCabby]

There is a YouTube series on Far Horizon by Robin for those of you who wish to view it  

[ChrisB]

15 hours ago, TheQ said:

I think they have not many takers, though some have slept in them..

Unless you are in the mould of Frank Dye and his wife Margaret.

Their honeymoon (they met at the 1963 Boatshow) was a little Wayfarer sail out to St Kilda. Later their most famous Wayfarer " Wanderer" made passages to Iceland and Norway, the story being told in their book "Ocean-Crossing Wayfarer"

"Wanderer" is now preserved at The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth.

In later life they lived in Wells and their home was left to the community.

 

 

 

[Matt]

It is the same listed air draft as Commander and Commodore that operate out of Stalham.


Sent from my iPhone using Norfolk Broads Network

[RS2021]

11 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

I can only think it must be a misprint.

No, not a misprint, but just a figure with a bit of margin of error in it. 'Just to be on the safe side'.  Why can't boatyards and the BA give us accurate figures. On the boat I've hired - also a sedan style boat, which I do like, there is a full 10in difference between the quoted airdraft of the boat and the reading needed on the gauge at Ludham to get through.

I've read numerous reviews of the boat where hirers have expressed disappointment at not being able to get under Ludham and enjoy the Ant. I suspect they took one look at the gauge and turned round when in most cases they could have got through. Do boatyards like these reviews, or would they rather have ones extolling the beauty of the Ant and a holiday well worth the money.

I'm sure one day a hirer is going to realise after their holiday that if they had been given accurate information they could have got through and enjoyed the holiday they had planned and ask for a refund.

[marshman]

ST - I think it will cope with Acle Bridge!! That has a clearance of 12' at AHW.

I personally think that both the BA and the yards should continue as now - err on the side of caution. If they made it "exact" there would be more accidents especially as lots of hirers do seem to be unable to read in many cases, and making it "exact" would encourage more to try. Believe me it would!!!

If they really want to explore the upper reaches of the Ant, there are many many boats available to do this; do people really take holidays without doing the research? There are plenty of places where bridge heights are available - read the info available and take advice if you need to seems a good idea....! Why should anyone expect a refund when talking about tides - are tides predictable?Not as far as I am aware!

[RS2021]

1 hour ago, marshman said:

do people really take holidays without doing the research?

Yes I think many people do. I'll put my hand up and say I didn't know about Ludham bridge when I booked my first broads holiday. If I had I probably wouldn't have booked the boat I did. However, in practice I had no problems with Ludham and it was a great boat and a great river. However, if I had believed the information provided I would not have attempted Ludham and clearly many hirers of the boat didn't.

If you try and do any research you find:

A: Bridge height information is inaccurate

B: Bridge gauges (with the exception of the pilots private one at Potter) are inaccurate

C: Boat airdrafts quoted are inaccurate

So its not really worth doing research unless good information is provided. I have never bought this we don't really trust our customers, so we'll give them duff information. However, I think its gone on so long that customers don't really trust the boatyards or BA so we have to guess. Is the information 6in or a foot out? I'll just have to try and find out...

1 hour ago, marshman said:

and making it "exact" would encourage more to try. Believe me it would!!!

Sadly, I suspect you are right, customers have got so used to duff information from boatyards and the BA that if they suddenly started providing accurate information it would take us by surprise...

1 hour ago, marshman said:

Why should anyone expect a refund when talking about tides - are tides predictable?

Sale of Goods Act. Are the goods as described. Its nothing to do with the tides. If the boat is described as having one airdraft when infact it has a completely different one, it is not as described.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

1 hour ago, marshman said:

 If they really want to explore the upper reaches of the Ant, there are many many boats available to do this; do people really take holidays without doing the research? There are plenty of places where bridge heights are available - read the info available and take advice if you need to seems a good idea....! Why should anyone expect a refund when talking about tides - are tides predictable?Not as far as I am aware!

That`s exactly a point i`ve been making for years, hire a boat specifically designed and built to go through ALL Broads bridges (forget about PH) ie, the typical sliding canopy, fwd drv, or aft cockpit designs.

One point i will make, having spoken to numerous hirers who have been "recommended" to hire a high top design, they`ve mostly said they did`nt know the boat they were on COULD`NT go through any of the upriver bridges. It`s all very well people (me included) saying they should hire a suitable design, but first timers, and new visitors more often that not don`t know anything about the area, cruising restrictions, and suitable boat designs for the entire waterway. Often, a hirer is recommended a boat because of the possible profit margin, and not informed of every option available, be it cruising preferences over cost.  This is why i always recommend people to hire a low liner design, at least they have the option to cover the vast majority of the network, even above PH bridge if there`s a seriously low tide.

[marshman]

The boats CAN go through through the bridges - on suitable tides!!

I am not a lawyer, nor profess to be one, but methinks the Sale of Goods Act might just be a stretch too far!!

[SwanR]

We were in something of a similar position on Zircon Emblem recently. I'm sure that boat goes under Ludham Bridge a lot of the time, especially at low tide, but we knew there was a chance that if the river levels were high, we wouldn't get up the Ant. It seems to happen frequently in October. We've also hired both Silver Emblem and Moon Beam (when it went from Horizoncraft at Acle) and we stayed along the Bure and Thurne on both of those. It's fine when you're on a short break but is restrictive when you're out for longer.

However I would never encourage people to try any bridge thinking that the gauges are inaccurate and you've probably got more room. To me, as a hirer, it's not worth the risk.

[Coryton]

1 minute ago, SwanR said:

We were in something of a similar position on Zircon Emblem recently. I'm sure that boat goes under Ludham Bridge a lot of the time, especially at low tide, but we knew there was a chance that if the river levels were high, we wouldn't get up the Ant. It seems to happen frequently in October. We've also hired both Silver Emblem and Moon Beam (when it went from Horizoncraft at Acle) and we stayed along the Bure and Thurne on both of those. It's fine when you're on a short break but is restrictive when you're out for longer.

However I would never encourage people to try any bridge thinking that the gauges are inaccurate and you've probably got more room. To me, as a hirer, it's not worth the risk.

I don't think it's that hard to sight along the top of a boat and see if you have clearance for a bridge (i.e. can you see the underside?)

Whether the tide/current/wind will let you abort by the time you realise it isn't going to fit is probably another matter.

[RS2021]

2 hours ago, marshman said:

I am not a lawyer, nor profess to be one, but methinks the Sale of Goods Act might just be a stretch too far!!

Maybe it is, but when customers are hiring boats which WILL go through Ludham Bridge, but turn round at the sight of the gauge believing they can't because the information is inaccurate and those customers then leave negative reviews which are read by other who then don't book - its lost revenue for the boat hire companies.

 

2 hours ago, marshman said:

The boats CAN go through through the bridges - on suitable tides!!

Exactly - so why publish inaccurate information which suggests they can't!

[dnks34]

I don't believe there is a great deal of leeway in the gauge at Ludham Bridge.  I have taken (my own) 8ft 6 airdraft under with 8ft 4 showing on the gauge and it was cigarette paper tight, there is also more clearance on one side than the other due to the slight slope on the bridge. 

If hire yards didnt slightly over state  airdraft on certain boats they would be repairing a lot more damage than they are now. 

Ive seen hire boats that have supposedly been repaired after bridge damage and the repairs can look an absolute mess depending on which yard it belongs to.

Get stuck under a bridge at Great Yarmouth and the boat can end up a ruin!

[Broads01]

4 hours ago, SwanR said:

 

However I would never encourage people to try any bridge thinking that the gauges are inaccurate and you've probably got more room. To me, as a hirer, it's not worth the risk.

Although I know water levels were very high recently Jean, as a general point I can't agree with you on that one. The Ludham gauge in particular is a work of fiction, as are many 'official' air drafts on hire boats. 

 

1 hour ago, dnks34 said:

I don't believe there is a great deal of leeway in the gauge at Ludham Bridge

In my experience there's a lot of leeway although I guess the difference is you know exactly what your boat needs whereas as a hirer I have to trust the supposed air draft I'm given. 

[SwanR]

Anyone who owns their own boat will know how it handles and probably have the experience to make the necessary judgment call. But how many times have we read posts on here, on other forums and on social media, pointing fingers or having a go at some poor person who has got themselves in a situation they should have avoided. For that reason I firmly believe that we should all do the responsible thing. Hirers often come in for criticism, sometimes deserved, sometimes not. But we should never encourage them to disregard the water level gauges or the stated air draft of their boat. It might be more than just their own holiday they spoil if they get it wrong. 
 

Just my own opinion.