Hi - Looking At The Broads After The Canals For Many Years.

[Tiger]

We've been narrow boating for many years, and travelled the 'system' on our boat over the last 15 years. It was a lovely adventure but in the last few years I wil admit the constraints of a narrowboat started to irritate. Being so low,  so narrow, everything double-purposed. All sorts of comfort compromises - despite the boat being superbly equipped by narrowboat standards. I fancy a boat with a more open aspect, more space, and easier cruising without constant locks (we based on the K&A so locks were always in sight).

So I am looking at the Broads, I have fond memories from 1970. Which I expect are nothing like now. 

I sold Compass Rose last year and now I am looking for a broads cruiser. For anyone familiar with the narrowboat world thats like heresy!  I do have a question - I need to get up to speed on what's what with cruisers, to narrow down the purchase options. 

Any pointers would be much appreciated. 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

[grendel]

[CambridgeCabby]

Welcome to the NBN , the friendly forum 

 

when looking for a cruiser for the Broads there are a few pointers to remember , 

petrol is not available at all waterside , so if you go this route you will have to purchase from service station and physically carry it to your boat 

holding tanks are mandatory on powered craft with toilets fitted , yes you can use a cassette type but disposal points are few and far between .

if you wish to access all the Broads you will need an airdraft of 6ft6” or lower ,  or 7ft2” if you forgo Potter Heigham bridge but still wish to get through Wroxham bridge , and both of these are dependant on tides and beam of vessel as both bridges are arched.

there are size restrictions both on beam and length in place for some rivers this is 46ft length and 12ft6” beam (unless registered on the Broads network pre oct 1991).

hope you find what you’re looking for , happy hunting and hope to see you afloat soon (resplendent with the NBN burgee of course)

 

[Cheesey69]

Ex hire. 
I’d definitely go exhire. 
It would have the toilets,shower, cooker, hit water and fridge. 
It would have an up to date BSS and most fit under nearly all bridges and the engine has been looked after

Personally, I think these boats make an excellent template for future changes

[marshman]

There is a distinct shortage of decent boats in the various brokerage outlets due to a surge in demand. Don't be in a hurry to spend your money, even if it takes some time. You could always hire to see how you like it first and check on which style you prefer

Be mindful that in reality the market in Broads boats is fairly narrow due in part to the yards new build programme being limited. However keep your eye open and there are plenty of quality private boats on the market that have not been in hire! Much of course, depends on your budget - like anywhere, you get what you pay for and there are few bargains around without a reason.

Always always get a survey!!

[Paul]

The main difference between the two, other than the beam of course, is the variety of boat styles available on the rivers compared to the canals, and nobody else can tell you what you want, though inevitably some will try. 

I would suggest that, if you can, take a trip to a couple of brokers yards and look around the different boats, go onboard and then take your thoughts away and ponder them for a while. Broads boats are always a trade off between different benefits. Boats with greater outside space have less room inside, high steering positions afford better views but need greater bridge clearance. 

 

[marshman]

Don't hurry to the Brokers yards - they really have b***er all to offer!! NYA at Horning have put all their also rans outside the shop and there is just 1 boat in the dyke at the rear!

No rush, take your time and hire one or two to see what appeals!

[MauriceMynah]

I have to admit Marshy, they have one I'm looking at, and it's definitely an "also ran". I'm just not sure how to go about finding out what's wrong with it before I have a survey done.

[Paul]

30 minutes ago, marshman said:

NYA at Horning have put all their also rans outside the shop and there is just 1 boat in the dyke at the rear!

I was at NYA Brundall the other day and they had quite a selection, couldn't do a deal alas. Waterside at potter had a load of tat at wee wee taking prices.

[Smoggy]

Sod the bridges and headroom, two big engines and the worlds your lobster (other crustaceans are available) , the east coast has some lovely places and up to 10' airdraft you can still  access most of the broads when the weather is crap.

A lot say about "wrong boat for the broads" but that's all rubbish as it's all a tidal haven, if you are going to escape the ditches do it big style.

[marshman]

So north of the Orwell, I cannot think of anywhere nice to go, other than the Broads!!!  Even there, you would struggle to get under Vauxhall, if at all.

Ok south of Orwell way, loads of choices, but why keep a boat on the Broads and hammer south every time you want to have a weekend away ? Its not for me nor could I afford to fill her up with two guzzling diesels - if I use in excess of 200l of diesel a year on the Broads I am doing well!!!!

I wonder if you are yanking his leg Smoggy or do you really believe that?

[ChrisB]

NORTH OF THE ORWELL.

Deben.        Ramsholt, Walderingfield, Woodbridge

Ore/Alde.   Orford, Aldeburgh, Snape.

Blyth.          Southwold, Walberswick.

The Broads  (for geographical purposes)

 Blakeney and Morston ( if you can take the ground )

Wells

Lynn

Wisbech.

 

[ChrisB]

My advice for what it is worth would be have a two week holiday on a hire cruiser on the Northern Rivers. Go low airdraft in the hope you can see everywhere.

Follow it with a two week holiday on the Southern Rivers, again pick a boat that can go everywhere.

You will have now seen  just how small and restrictive The Broads are in comparison to the canal and rivers and having two weeks N&S you will be retracing your course, which is what Broads cruising is all about.

If you like it, but I would give it a lot of thought, look for a boat.

In my opinion it is not the time to make purchases unless you are 100% sure. Whilst it may be a sellers bull at the moment, if the coming Spring brings as deep a resession as even the Government are now predicting and God forbid we find ourselves navigating the WTO ocean you won't give boats away, or caravans, RVs or get out of your time share.

Chris, who has been there!

[ChrisB]

Leading on from what I have said above:- I would like to say one other thing about big life changing choices.

I read and hear and have met so many wanting to make a move to Norfolk. Make sure that the wish is not based solely on your Broads boat ownership. Spending leisure time somewhere can be very different to living in a place.

I know of two couples and one widowed lady who did just that. All of them were never off the boat to begin with and as the seasons pass useage got less and less. The North East winds of winter, the constant mud of the beet and potato harvest, the dust storms as it dries in summer and missing friends and family took their toll.

Sadly at present none of them can now afford to return to Essex, Hertfordshire and Berkshire.

On a personal level our move to Norfolk was completely successful and even though I am now widowed I see here as home. I love my shooting, art, and have always been attracted to the wild bleak places, like the saltmarsh coast in Winter, as was my late wife.

When we moved here an extensive coastal and bluewater sailing life was behind us. The Broads were just an added bonus which is why we bought a new Viking 20 as we knew we would spend 80% of the time day boating.

After I lost Judith to cancer, solo boating was not for me. But my half acre garden, and all my other interests have been more than enough to keep me busy. 

In October 1987, I took a huge hit. Even by todays standards it was an enourmous amount of money. I was just 38, looked at it as a setback and rebuilt. When you are older, retired, you have no options, you simply cannot make expensive mistakes.

All I am saying is give it the due diligence that it deserves.

Here endeth the gospel according to ChrisB.

[MauriceMynah]

1 hour ago, ChrisB said:

My advice for what it is worth would be have a two week holiday on a hire cruiser on the Northern Rivers. Go low airdraft in the hope you can see everywhere.

Follow it with a two week holiday on the Southern Rivers, again pick a boat that can go everywhere.

You will have now seen  just how small and restrictive The Broads are in comparison to the canal and rivers and having two weeks N&S you will be retracing your course, which is what Broads cruising is all about.

An interesting point Chris, and although I don't totally disagree, I do feel it misses a point.

It's not just the "fortnights holiday" It's the extra weeks and week ends that need to be kept in mind. 

On the canals (for the most part), you have a choice of two directions. Up for half your holiday, and back for the second half. The Broads offers much more choice on the short breaks. I reckon that if you do things at the right speed, it takes the best part of a fortnight to "do" the broads, possibly even a little longer.

Also, and more importantly, with frequent trips to the broads, ones  cruising style changes. No longer is it a case of "must do all the favourites" and far more about chilling, perhaps only cruising for under an hour on some days. The holiday is more about being on the boat and less about visiting the various places.

[vanessan]

Very sound advice Chris. 

1 minute ago, MauriceMynah said:

Also, and more importantly, with frequent trips to the broads, ones  cruising style changes. No longer is it a case of "must do all the favourites" and far more about chilling, perhaps only cruising for under an hour on some days. The holiday is more about being on the boat and less about visiting the various places.

I think that probably sums it up quite nicely for a lot of people. 
 

It is looking like we are going to face a recession in the near future, maybe quite a deep one. Any big changes to ones lifestyle now, particularly one that will cost a lot of money, needs to be very carefully thought out imo. 
 

[Smoggy]

9 hours ago, marshman said:

So north of the Orwell, I cannot think of anywhere nice to go, other than the Broads!!!  Even there, you would struggle to get under Vauxhall, if at all.

Ok south of Orwell way, loads of choices, but why keep a boat on the Broads and hammer south every time you want to have a weekend away ? Its not for me nor could I afford to fill her up with two guzzling diesels - if I use in excess of 200l of diesel a year on the Broads I am doing well!!!!

I wonder if you are yanking his leg Smoggy or do you really believe that?

The point there is for weekends or bad weather you have the broads to play on, for longer breaks the options open up and outweigh the restrictions on the broads, I like the broads but a good season for me is one where I don't go northern rivers at all as it means I've had the weather to get out further afield, wells is a lovely place, woodbridge is a very pretty town, waking up on a swinging mooring at waldringfield and taking the dinghy to the maybush for brekkie is fantastic, 4.5 hours after getting back to the boat we were mooring up in ramsgate.

From wells hull isn't a problem and on to york, lincoln is in easy range (scurry through boston though), from there nottingham is doable, there's no point turning your back on the sea when you play in a big tidal system, besides all the boats above ph are green.....

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Tiger welcome to the forum.

We came from a long time narrow boat hiring from the mid seventies, hiring out of season for long weekends. A group of six of us also continued our time on the canals, to be honest I still miss it, even though we bought into our syndicate boat in 2001.

As others have said I would take your time looking at boats on the Broads and possibly hire a few boats to see what type of boat you prefer. 

From a boating point of view even if you are proficient on a narrow boat it can be a steep learning curve adapting to the Broads, wind and tides and the weight differences between a narrow boat and a cruiser do take  while to master.

Overall you will see a slight saving on your outgoings on the Broads compared with the canals.

Please let us know how you get on with your search for a boat.

Regards

Alan

[OldBerkshireBoy]

I don`t miss the locks at all however I do miss the wood burner! Don`t think anybody has mentioned moorings yet or the toll charges both of which are calculated on size of boat and finding good moorings is harder than finding a good boat imho and is the boat for leisure or living on?

Think it was established that the average size boat here is 35ft (?) which is comfortable for two people and can accommodate four from time to time however some of the things you said about canal boats still apply. Biggest thing to consider is where do you like to steer from, the front, center or back and from a low or high postion. In your shoes I would wander the local tow paths and talk to owners of boats you like the looks of before spending time driving here and back. I considered my old knees and joints knowing they aren`t going to get any better in time so took into account steps inside and getting on and off when mooring up with some being easier than others. 

[TheQ]

Ok I'm going to say it of no one else does..

You're going to have to learn how to cope with WAFIs...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

including me..

[OldBerkshireBoy]

PS

Canals have locks whilst the broads have bridges, both can be a pain in the rear, also there is nothing to stop you importing a boat by road from the Avon area and thus bypassing the Norfolk Tax seemingly added to a boats value here 

[Paws]

We spent 30years on narrow boats just4years on the broads we didn't like the lack of places to moor or in high season having to be moored by lunch time or not many walks for the dogs we sold our boat wish we could return to the canal hire first to make sure you like it   Paws

[ranworthbreeze]

12 minutes ago, Paws said:

We spent 30years on narrow boats just4years on the broads we didn't like the lack of places to moor or in high season having to be moored by lunch time or not many walks for the dogs we sold our boat wish we could return to the canal hire first to make sure you like it   Paws

One of the things we used to like about the canals was that you could moor up by a canal-side pub or shop in the villages. Over the years on many the canals by the time you can find a mooring you can be a long way from that pub or any shops because of long-term mooring on the towpath side of the canals. Where there is also private mooring on the opposite  bank there is little room for manoeuvring. Of course there are miles of canal banks to moor by the towpath but if you want a meal, beer or a can of bean or bread be prepared for a good walk. 

In the later years of narrow-boating our crew of six people allowed for someone to walk to the shops, a bit of exercise for us old codgers.  

Regards

Alan

[ChrisB]

Exercise is an important point and much easier on canals.

Take it in turns on the helm while someone walks the towpath.