Bruce 2 : Hireboat 0

[Smoggy]

Looks like I have to carve another notch on my anchor! A silver line boat this time got it wrong in the wind (not really surprising) and used a window as a fender, not a shock that my anchor won the duel.

I should be on commission from the window fixers....

[Cheesey69]

Made the mistake of mooring at how hill. 
Got hit several times but the most annoying was from a privateer who used a boat hook to fend off. 
Still, I could surround my boat with Bruces.  ......

[NorfolkNog]

I've been hearing that the yards have been suffering much more damage to the boats this season. Mrs Silverline will not be a happy camper 

[LizG]

When you see posts on FB like this - isn't it no wonder - the boat in question being hired was probably one of the largest available!  Its quite frightening!

Booked the ***** for next summer, has anyone hired it before? I’ve never been boating and have no idea about anything Broads related!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, NorfolkNog said:

I've been hearing that the yards have been suffering much more damage to the boats this season

Like the one that went through Wroxham bridge just before dark last night.. crunch! Watching from Wroxham Hotel. 

[vanessan]

2 hours ago, w-album said:

When you see posts on FB like this - isn't it no wonder - the boat in question being hired was probably one of the largest available!  Its quite frightening!

Booked the ***** for next summer, has anyone hired it before? I’ve never been boating and have no idea about anything Broads related!

Makes me shudder! 

[MauriceMynah]

We all had to start somewhere in something. The broads is not just for the elite!

[MotorBoater]

My first thought was - At least they are asking for tips.

My second thought was - Facebook ?!?!?!

[JanetAnne]

Hands up those that have not cocked up a mooring or a manoeuvre whilst boating this year. 

I won't be amongst you 

[750XL]

Everyone has to start somewhere, reaching out on Facebook for advice is more than most do!

The first time I hired I had no idea what I was doing, neither did my girlfriend. First night we somehow managed to make Wroxham Broad and mudweighted relatively painlessly.

However, the second night it was pretty breezy and being on an 8ft 6in air draft boat, trying to get into the last remaining 30ish foot space at How Hill was a real struggle. 10 minutes of going forwards, backwards, sideways, round in circles, into the reeds, back sideways, back into the quay, back forwards, and another few circles for good measure - I eventually got close enough for us both to jump off and moor up for the night.

All this being watched by the privateer in front of us from the comfort of his rear sun deck, who's only move was to tie another fender to the rear of his boat rather than offer to take a line for us  

Fortunately since then my boat handling skills have improved to the point I'm allowed to steer any size ship anywhere in the world (Officer Of The Watch Unlimited) but we all have to start somewhere. No doubt on our return in October, I'll cock up a few mooring attempts. 

The Broads would be a bleaker place if it was restricted to the boating elite, IMO.

[vanessan]

What exactly is ‘the boating elite’? 🤔

How many forum members started by hiring a boat of 44/45/46 feet I wonder? Yes, we all started somewhere and I have no doubt we all made (and indeed still do make) a real hash of driving/steering/mooring/reversing etc etc. Making a hash of something in a 30/32 foot is a little more forgiving I think. Maybe it’s why driving schools have suitable cars for a learner rather than a top of the range Range Rover, Lexus or Rolls Royce. 

[LizG]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

We all had to start somewhere in something. The broads is not just for the elite!

My post related to the physical safety aspects of someone with no boating or broads experience hiring a boat that is 46 feet long! Yes start somewhere in something but not necessarily something so big and powerful?

 

[MauriceMynah]

I'm sorry but...

How many people will be on board the craft. My parents first hire craft was 42' long but wooden. as I said, we all had to start somewhere, and does Big equal powerful?

If we start discouraging first timers from hiring the boat they want, they won't come.

[vanessan]

1 minute ago, MauriceMynah said:

I'm sorry but...

How many people will be on board the craft. My parents first hire craft was 42' long but wooden. as I said, we all had to start somewhere, and does Big equal powerful?

If we start discouraging first timers from hiring the boat they want, they won't come.

Please don’t be sorry, we all have views and opinions to which we are entitled. Having been involved in a bump (when moored up) by a newbie in a large hire boat, I am perhaps a bit more wary than some. Bumps happen but that particular one required substantial repair. 

[annv]

Thats why a bow trustier is so help full in high wind novices or not. John 

[Cheesey69]

Homework at least for me it was. 
there was a book published back in the early 90s that describes every inch of the broads and had a section on steering and mooring 

plus I was a forklift driver and understood the rear steer principles. 
still made cock ups but it helped I went in off seasons at first

[Smoggy]

I've have a freedom window and now a silverline so I'm thinking I need a broom next to fill brundall's quota before I move down river to get a Sanderson's window.

Do I have the wrong attitude?

Both times it's been something that could have happened to any of us so no grudge or digs implied from me.

[750XL]

Dare I say first time Broads users on some of the 45ft top of the range boats with bow/stern thrusters are probably in a better position than those getting a budget Richardsons 35ft bathtub for their first hire?

That said, I've seen some horrendous boating on the Broads from all shapes and sizes, be it canoeists, WAFI's, privateers and hirers alike. If the worst should happen and there is a bump, I think it's the way in which the involved persons conduct themselves which is the important part (ie not sailing off!)

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

and does Big equal powerful?

Weight and momentum perhaps? 

[Cheesey69]

Hmm personally I think learning in a bog standard boat teaches you the fine art of control 

when I first started out the boat was the holiday if you get my meaning, destinations was where you moored up at night.  
so I spent hours cruising and learning each and every boat I hired

Because I knew I was going to own one, eventually 

it’s the end goal that counts, I wasn’t running mooring to mooring, pub to pub just messing about on the water

[Cheesey69]

6 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Weight and momentum perhaps? 

Your right!

8 ton of boat is still 8 ton of mass moving either on land or water

[Upcycler]

I worked my way up from a small hire boat to the larger type. Unfortunately you will have those that want to make a statement on their first hire boat with a large cruiser and will not have a clue what to do and how to handle it.

[MauriceMynah]

So, two novice families (4 adults 4 children)  should not be allowed to have a broads holiday as the boat hired to them would be too big for them to handle? Discuss.

[rightsaidfred]

Having hired boats of all shapes and sizes on both the Broads and Thames the only observation I would make is that small and light that bobs about like a cork can be far more difficult for the novice than something big and heavy that sits in the water especially in a breeze let alone a strong wind, size is largely irrelevant its attitude that matters and how one approaches a situation.

Fred

[vanessan]

I don’t recall anyone at all saying that novice hirers should ‘not be allowed’ to have a Broads holiday on a large boat. Does anyone actually think that?

55 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

its attitude that matters and how one approaches a situation.

How very true.