Hiring Boats + Syndicate + Private Find It Cheaper 2021

[Cheesey69]

Same thing then. 
Your still shedding jobs and people are still unemployed no matter if the company is online or not

online can’t replace lost high street jobs and it’s support services 

 

[Oddfellow]

11 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

What Covid-19 has without a shadow of a doubt effected is the move away from the high street to online purchase habits , it was happening anyway but has escalated greatly so we are seeing now what in effect would have taken probably ten years to reach this stage without Covid.

This is the direct cause behind many of the redundancies we are seeing , as an example Cath Kitson is still thriving as an online retailer and will most likely see their year on profits by 2021  showing a very healthy balance , their share value has actually gone up after the high street closure announcement .

Tourism and associated trades are a different “kettle of fish”, and I fully understand where those in the trade are coming from , the hire season has limited weeks where the boats can rent but IMHO those yards that can brave through and survive this year and next could be looking at a rosy future , where more people look to holiday in the U.K. , plus all those rushing to book this year as they cannot fly to where ever whom have never tried a boating holiday many will be hooked as so many of us have been over the years and become repeat bookers 

I hope you are right with the extended season and I expect there to be increased demand over a normal year, but we have yet to see demand outstrip supply in October.

Yards may not want to push this too far. One of the reasons most shut at the end of November is to get a handle on the maintenance work. In my experience too, those unused to boating holidays will cane the power systems on the boats in November as the nights are long and chilly needing light and heat and the days short and reducing scope for battery charging. Larger yards might be able to cope with this better than smaller ones as they can dedicate teams to jobs. Smaller yards have to down-tools for a call out to change batteries and that impacts their maintenance programme. 

One of the biggest threats to holiday providers and domestic tourism is actually government policy itself. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not decrying this as such, but fining parents for taking their children out of school had an impact on tourism and a marked one. Bookings outside of the main school holidays have always been harder to fill even before fining, but when you were slapped with an extra £130 per child, it stopped dead plus I suspect that few parents will be willing to impact their children's education any further this year either. 

There are many, many factors that will have an effect on what happens for the rest of this year (and next) and most are entirely fluid. 

[Mouldy]

There can surely be little doubt that we are heading into a deep and damaging recession.  The full effects of the aftermath of Covid-19 are yet to be felt.  After three plus months of lockdown, the average Brit is relishing a taste of freedom and the chance of going on holiday must be the best medicine available right now.
I was talking to a family at The Ferry House last Saturday, who have recently invested a considerable amount of cash on a cruiser.  They have not holidayed on the Broads before, usually spending 5 to 6k on a long haul break.  Due to the current situation, they have bought a boat, which they will keep if they enjoy it, but will move on over the next year or two if not.  They are happy to accept a loss, as it would only be what their holidays would have cost anyway.
Furthermore, it would appear that syndicate shares are hot property now.  There were up to four full shares in Moonlight Shadow on the market not long ago, some for a long time.  Indeed, we sold ours very cheaply in March which had been on the market for about eight months.  Since then, all have sold, including another two which recently came to the market at a price that would normally be expected for a syndicate share on a six berth boat.

I think that the bubble will burst in a year or two and many of the boats bought recently will return to the market as purse strings tighten.  Indeed,  since returning to work last Monday following our holiday on Norfolk Lady, I have been put at risk of redundancy for the second time this year, the first occasion being curtailed by the onset of the pandemic.  Although I work for a large UK based logistics company, encompassing many areas of the haulage industry, some sectors have been hard hit by the downturn within the business and although our contract remains very busy, we will have to make savings.

I am lucky in a way, that at 64, I can take the opportunity to retire early.  Financially it will be difficult, but life is short and Covid has been a wake up call.  If the company accepts my request to take voluntary redundancy, as none of the new shifts on offer are acceptable to me, that will be me done.

One thing is for certain.  We have no intention of selling our precious boat.  It was an ambition that took a long time to realise and as long as we can still walk, we will be keeping her.

[DAVIDH]

Currently, Hoseasons and Richardsons are not offering holidays in November on their websites.

[JennyMorgan]

Over many years I've repeatedly heard the oft repeated complaint about the Broads in 'that there is nothing to do'. Inevitably I don't agree with that but that has never stopped people making that comment. This year might well be the year of the Stay-cation, but will people return? Not if doors remain closed and events cancelled they won't. 

[MaceSwinger]

8 hours ago, DAVIDH said:

That look a hefty increase. I know the yards will have to increase prices in order to survive, but near on a 100% increase will mean the boat will stay on their moorings. Just out of interest, which boat and what dates? I've just checked a couple of boats one from Richardsons and one from Barnes for October, and both are the same price as in 2020. I think they have a book 2021 at 2020 prices on at the moment. Maybe double check the price? 

Not too sure on the boat, my wife was looking while I was working away. But she says the £2k was actually between 1900 and 2000, but the 4k was actually £3.5k That's still a hefty increase though.

I've told her 20 million times not to exaggerate...

[andyg]

I've noticed hoeseason are using a live pricing program now. Prompting you to book now before the prices changes. There is absolutely no reason for the price to increase and I doubt very much it will go down. I don't use them and book direct with the yard I use. It's one of the big yards and the minute they start doing the same as I'm sure they will, will be the time I stop hiring. More crap imported methods of doing business from the good old USA. 

[DAVIDH]

14 minutes ago, andyg said:

I've noticed hoeseason are using a live pricing program now.

It's not a live pricing program. It's just a marketing nudge to get you to make your mind up. The prices on Hoseasons are the same as at the boatyard. That's one of their guarantees. In fact, with the clamour to book a UK holiday, it's surprised me that they (the boatyards) haven't tried to increase their prices. I believe they have stayed as they were in January.