Virgin Boater Here

[LondonGuy]

Hi People, I'm a Virgin (almost). Sorry but I have a million question which are probbaly rather boring for you old salty sea dogs!

In 1984, when I was a young man,  I did a Narrow boat trip, with the 'lads'  on the rivers Severn and Avon. It all went well and I have been meaning to go again 'one day' (as an old man).

This time it will be with my wife.

The broads seem to be ideal, given the lack of locks.

I was thinking of the Bure, Ant, Thurne, ideally off-season (but NOT in the winter).  Is my logic good so far?

Mrs London Guy doe NOT like crowds!

In Fact Mrs London Guy has quite a few preferaces (more about these later). 

[MauriceMynah]

14 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

Is my logic good so far?

Your logic is fine.

The weather however is more fickle than can be planned for. November can be great or can be freezing. October can be very windy.

Finally, The broads are rarely that crowded so I wouldn't worry too much on that front.

[YnysMon]

welcome to the forum.

We’ve hired a few times in March and October. It can be quite chilly during the nights but we had some beautifully sunny days. It helped that we hired boats that had shore power and for our last few hires we had a small dimplex radiator with us, which we kept on a low setting overnight. 

Helen

[LondonGuy]

Thanks Maurice. 

I had assumed that the broads would be mega busy during the School Holidays (Easter and July/August). I though berthing was problematic. Am I completely wrong?

Yes, I know that British weather is totally unpredicatable! Just look at the recent weeks.

OK so do I go for a two berth boat or a bigger one to give more room for the two of us?  (Not too worried about cost).

Wiill I struggle to control a bigger boat?

[LondonGuy]

6 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

welcome to the forum.

We’ve hired a few times in March and October. It can be quite chilly during the nights but we had some beautifully sunny days. It helped that we hired boats that had shore power and for our last few hires we had a small dimplex radiator with us, which we kept on a low setting overnight. 

Helen

Thanks for that tip Helen.

[YnysMon]

9 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

I had assumed that the broads would be mega busy during the School Holidays (Easter and July/August). I though berthing was problematic. Am I completely wrong?

Yes, I know that British weather is totally unpredicatable! Just look at the recent weeks.

OK so do I go for a two berth boat or a bigger one to give more room for the two of us?  (Not too worried about cost).

Wiill I struggle to control a bigger boat?

We’ve normally avoided school holidays, but we did have an allocation on our syndicate boat for the August bank holiday week last year, and I didn’t find it too bad. Depends whether you are desperate to be moored near a pub really.

Some of the smaller boats can be really roomy for two people, better in my opinion than getting a bigger boat that has unused cabin space. Why not make a list of the features you are looking for on a boat? My list included shore power, an island bed (so that one of us didn’t have to crawl over the other to get to the loo), a decent sized fridge (some of the boats have tiny fridges) and a low air draft to get under bridges and not worry about having to lower the roof and windscreens (not fun in the rain). Other people though like a boat with a view over the reeds and aren’t so fussed about a higher air draft.

One of the boats that we hired (Fair Regent, which we hired twice...see my holiday tales) even had a proper bath with shower over.

Helen

[MaceSwinger]

24 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

Thanks Maurice. 

I had assumed that the broads would be mega busy during the School Holidays (Easter and July/August). I though berthing was problematic. Am I completely wrong?

Yes, I know that British weather is totally unpredicatable! Just look at the recent weeks.

OK so do I go for a two berth boat or a bigger one to give more room for the two of us?  (Not too worried about cost).

Wiill I struggle to control a bigger boat?

If you pick the right 2 berth boat there'll be no need to go bigger. My wife and I had a 3 berth boat last month, and whilst the bed was a little short (I'm only 5'9 and my feet and head were touching a bulkhead either end!) there was plenty of room on board. All three berths were in one cabin in the bow. Overall it was a nice enough boat, although I'd be loathe to recommend that particular yard, who will remain nameless. Some of the 'bathtub' style boats are fitted out to provide spacious accommodation for 2, some even going as far as having 4 poster beds!

The same principles apply to handling a boat whatever the size. They all steer from the back when you turn the wheel. Bow thrusters can make life much easier when mooring or leaving a mooring, especially if the tide's running or if it's windy.

We did a week in October a couple of years ago and whilst it was quite cold at times I think I actually preferred it to summer. There's a certain beauty to the Broads that time of year, with low hanging mist and the sun lower in the sky. We hired Brinks Duet and I thought it perfect for that time of year, with a large and airy wheelhouse, but 'real' doors and walls instead of a fabric canopy. It gave a fantastic field of view without being exposed to the elements; it even had a nice, big sunroof for the sunnier days. 

[LondonGuy]

Thanks Maceswinger.

Being older a comfortable bed will be very  important. Are the mattresss normal?

Are private boatyards better than using the big two companies?

Mrs London will expect the boat to be VERY clean. If it's an old tub, I'm in trouble!

The Herbert Woods websit looks nice - but its easy to make a good web site! A quality product is much harder.

[CambridgeCabby]

I think it’s fair to say that Herbert Woods are NOT the best maintained fleet on the Broads , if Mrs London is particular about boat appearing spotless I would steer towards NBD , the newer Richardson’s fleet and Ferry Marina . Summercraft although now a very much reduced fleet of 2 boats offering have always been exceptional too.

That said , Herbert Woods have a new Broom Captain (Gleaming Light)  they fitted out and that would probably be perfect for you both .

 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

15 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

Thanks Maceswinger.

Being older a comfortable bed will be very  important. Are the mattresss normal?

Are private boatyards better than using the big two companies?

Mrs London will expect the boat to be VERY clean. If it's an old tub, I'm in trouble!

The Herbert Woods websit looks nice - but its easy to make a good web site! A quality product is much harder.

Being old does not mean dirty!

Forget what you know from being on a canal boat.

Normal matteress? Heck, I`ve slept on a matteress in a B&B that was rubbish.

 

[MaceSwinger]

21 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

Being older a comfortable bed will be very  important. Are the mattresss normal?

The beds on our most recent hire were very hard, being little more than a block of stiff foam. I believe some yards fit proper sprung matresses, but my parents go as far as to take a memory foam mattress topper with them!

[SwanR]

If you’re looking for comfort for two I would highly recommend Ferry Marina if they still have availability. Prices can look higher but remember that they include the fuel rather than charging a fuel deposit. 

[MrBlueSky]

The first thing I look for on a boat is an island bed, mountaineering over the wife a couple  of times a night to use the bathroom is no fun.If price is no problem ,a newish Ferry Marina is a very safe choice.

[YnysMon]

We’ve only ever hired from Ferry Marina and NBD and I would have no hesitation in recommendIng both of them. Standards of cleanliness were great and I found the ones with island beds comfy. I thought Ferry Marina took the edge on engine maintenance but both Yards gave exceptionally friendly customer care.

Ive never hired with them, but I must say that the Richardson’s fleet, even the older boats, look very well maintained externally.

[750XL]

Waveney River Centre have some nice looking boats for couples, indeed me and the girlfriend are off on Waveney Pegasus in a few weeks. Island bed, heating, blahblah, it claims to have it all for a more luxurious stay

[CambridgeCabby]

WRC are indeed good, modern boats .

I didn’t recommend them as the OP stated that he wished to explore the Bure ,Ant and Thurne network.

If he was thinking of exploring the Southern Broads then Broom , WRC and Silverline would be my recommendations 

[LondonGuy]

Thanks everyone.

Most boats dont seem to have a shower tray - is the bathroom a like a wet room?

 

 

[CambridgeCabby]

Yes indeed , some do have separate shower stalls also but that tends to be the highlight end , dearer hires 

[LondonGuy]

"Please note: will not pass under Wroxham, Potter Heigham, Wayford or Beccles old bridges". 

So does the statement above serious affect what Itineraias that I  can see do?

Need I worry?

Can I go to Wroxam, for example, and berth before the bridge as I can't pass under it?

[LondonGuy]

I note that some boats are booked up in may, June and July next year but avaiable in August.  Why?

What's wrong with August?

[ExSurveyor]

On 06/09/2020 at 13:20, OldBerkshireBoy said:

Being old does not mean dirty!

You have never met my Mother-in-law,  Boom boom 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

7 minutes ago, psychicsurveyor said:

You have never met my Mother-in-law,  Boom boom 

Luv a dirty woman, you got a number?   

[YnysMon]

51 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

"Please note: will not pass under Wroxham, Potter Heigham, Wayford or Beccles old bridges". 

So does the statement above serious affect what Itineraias that I  can see do?

Need I worry?

Can I go to Wroxam, for example, and berth before the bridge as I can't pass under it?

Well, maybe I’m biased, as I think the most lovely, quiet stretches are above those bridges. Most boats won’t go under Potter, but the rivers above Weyford  bridge and Wroxham Bridge are worth a visit. You can have a perfectly lovely week without being able to get under those bridges though. 
There isn’t that much mooring available below the bridge in Wroxham, a few spaces outside the Wroxham hotel, that charges £10 or so. As a hirer you might be able to moor in Barnes Brinkcraft or the NBD boatyards. The hire yards have reciprocal arrangements for free mooring, but best to phone ahead and don’t expect them to let you moor there if the following day is a changeover day, when they’ll be expecting a lot of boats to be returning early. 
All the free BA 24hour moorings for Wroxham are above the bridge.

[750XL]

50 minutes ago, LondonGuy said:

"Please note: will not pass under Wroxham, Potter Heigham, Wayford or Beccles old bridges". 

So does the statement above serious affect what Itineraias that I  can see do?

Need I worry?

Can I go to Wroxam, for example, and berth before the bridge as I can't pass under it?

I've been the last couple of years on a boat that won't pass under these bridges and I'm going again in October on a similar boat, and it's not bothered us at all. If you look on the Broads maps there isn't a whole lot beyond Wroxham, Potter Heigham, Wayford or Beccles bridges. There's still plenty to see and do for a week or two without being able to get under these bridges.

There's moorings before the bridges at both Wroxham and Potter Heigham as I've stopped there before. Not sure about Beccles or Wayford but I'm sure someone will advise.

 

[YnysMon]

The Yacht Station at Beccles is just below the old bridge, so no problem there. There’s also a BA free mooring just before Weyford bridge with room for 2 or 3 boats. It’s right by the bridge though, so not the quietest mooring. Several wild moorings on the stretch up to Weyford too.