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Summercraft Hiring In 2021?


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I've done a few 2021 searches on Hoseasons website and to my surprise Gala Girl from Summercraft has come up. I was under the impression Summercraft finished hiring in October 2019. Is that the case and Hoseasons have got it wrong?

https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/gala-girl-bh1182?start=03-04-2021&page=1&sortorder=4&region=21647&gateway=true&adult=2&child=0&infant=0&nights=7&range=3&pets=0

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Interesting.  I emailed Sue last year when I heard that they were giving up the hire fleet, both to say that I was sorry to hear the news and to thank her and her team for the high standards they had maintained that enabled us to have had eight happy holidays on her fleet.  She replied saying that the yard was to be used entirely as a private marina and work was underway to make necessary alterations.

Thinking about it now, I recall seeing both of their Diamond 35s, both Pearl 38s and the Sapphire 32 for sale on the NYA website, but none of their Opal 28s.  Perhaps she’s had a change of heart. 

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4 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Thinking about it now, I recall seeing both of their Diamond 35s, both Pearl 38s and the Sapphire 32 for sale on the NYA website, but none of their Opal 28s.  Perhaps she’s had a change of heart. 

I'm not sure about the Opals, but the others have all sold.

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1 hour ago, oldgregg said:

I'm not sure about the Opals, but the others have all sold.

I can’t remember if one of the Opals was advertised, but as you said, they were all sold relatively quickly.  They were a well cared for fleet and for a private buyer, surely would have been good buys, especially for the money they were advertised for.

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I looked onboard three of there boats last spring, they are without doubt very well maintained externally,but the three I looked on were all in need of internal refitting. Faded upholstery on two and showing its age. Lots on internal wood with water stain damage and just a very dated look. Sorry just my opinion !!

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1 hour ago, andyg said:

I looked onboard three of there boats last spring, they are without doubt very well maintained externally,but the three I looked on were all in need of internal refitting. Faded upholstery on two and showing its age. Lots on internal wood with water stain damage and just a very dated look. Sorry just my opinion !!

Yeah one of the Diamonds was not brilliant inside and all of the boats needed upholstery etc. I'd have happily taken Gainsborough off their hands, though.

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Yes the diamonds weren't great tbh. Which was a shame because you'd of quite happily of ate your dinner of the deck 😏 after hiring royals one it was a bit of a shock. I've just seen they have refitted the one on offer which is good to hear. I've hired Gainsborough girl and again it needed updating and apart from the uncomfortable upper helm it was probably the cleanest best maintained boat I've ever hired. Even the engine bay was spotless. Good to see them keeping there had in. 

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Although both Royals and Summercraft versions were presented externally in immaculate condition I always considered their layouts somewhat compromised with for example the microwave being a definite after thought. Compare that to Silverline's Silver Symphony, with it's neat and well thought out fitout of the same class.

Silver Symphony Silverline Marine.

Fred

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  • 1 year later...

We spent 20 years visiting the Broads with Summercraft, initially on Glitter Girl and then regularly on Gala Girl, normally Gala 2. As many others commented, the presentation of their boats was immaculate and the main reason we kept returning, often twice each year. We last used Gala 2 in October 2019 - it was the perfect size for a family of 3, easy to manage and very clean (although no bow thrusters). We were therefore very disappointed to discover via Facebook about a month after this that their remaining fleet had been put up for sale. Given the amount of times we'd used them, we thought they might have let regular returning customers know. We had had the impression they were running things down for a while; a few other boats from their fleet had been sold  a few years before and although presentation remained superb, the boats were looking a little dated inside. It seemed to us, Summercraft were putting more time into their cottage letting, which I don't doubt is more lucrative, easier to manage and maintain and far less hassle than managing a boatyard, particularly as retirement looms. When we were last there, Calvin had mentioned that trade had not been as good that year; very few returners like ourselves and most first timers not returning. I guess refits for the remaining fleet to make them more modern would not have been worth the outlay.

When we read last year that Gala 2 (and Gardenia) had been retained, my assumption was that the selling off of the boats had been interrupted by Covid 19 and the market probably fell flat. I'm 2nd guessing, but think Summercraft probably thought that they would spend a small sum changing the decor on the 2 boats left and hire them out for another year or two, before trying again. Although Gala 2 has had the word 'refi' mentioned, it doesn't appear that to me. The cracked sink in the bathroom was replaced in 2018/19 and the rest appears to be new curtains and bedlinen. We saw it last week while out on Humber Bridge - walked past for old times sake and it looked the same inside.

Sue did send us a card in Dec 2020 to let us know Gala was available for hire, but we had already booked with Bridgecraft by then (the original holiday booked for April 2020, has only just happened last week due to Covid!). I also notice that the hiring fee for Gala 2 has risen significantly since it has reappeared. For October and April, it is now well over £900 when the fuel is included, and £1200+ in peak time summer. That's a lot for a boat of its size and age. You pays your money and takes your choice I guess - I would imagine you are guaranteed one of the best presented boats on the broads for that money and it is already booked out for the first half of April 2022. 

 

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I have to say I agree with the comments about the boats internal appearance. That said I saw both of them several times whilst afloat and they looked absolutely immaculate. When I heard and read sues comments about gala being re fitted I'd hoped for a better effort if I'm being honest. I would still hire them both tho, you are still getting a very well maintained boat and proven product from them. 

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40 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

Summercraft retaining the two hire boats is more to do with wanting to still continue in the business and serve their loyal customers than covid.

Sadly due to inheritance tax they had to sell off a few cottages and their ageing fleet but they are very much still committed to the holiday industry 

You may well be right, but why were all the boats (including the two mentioned) put up for sale in November 2019 then?

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  • 1 year later...

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