Any New Hiring Boats 2021

[scaniaman]

The boat that Clive has bought from the Thames is Merlin V. It`s a boat that was based at Benson Waterfront for many years and belonged to an RAF charity for the use of officers and families. Most of the users where pilots from the nearby Benson Helicopter base whose skills as boat Captains was, at best, questionable.

[Broads01]

13 hours ago, Vaughan said:

Call me a "party pooper" but it seems unfortunate that boats are still being designed for the Broads, where anyone standing on the aft deck is out of sight from both helm positions.

I get that Vaughan but isn't the same thing true of many forward drive designs, old and new?

[SwanR]

11 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I get that Vaughan but isn't the same thing true of many forward drive designs, old and new?

I think a lot depends on the interior fit out and where the doors are put. On Swan Reflection I have a clear view from the helm through the galley and the rear cabin to the stern of the boat. On Rose Emblem the door from the front cabin to the rest of the boat was in the middle if I recall correctly so I didn’t have that view. Might be remembering it wrong but I just seem to remember that was a disadvantage. The boat did have a rear camera but it wasn’t much help. 

[Vaughan]

13 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I get that Vaughan but isn't the same thing true of many forward drive designs, old and new?

I think what concerns me is the very low freeboard platform aft, combined with the high backed seating at the rear of the sundeck.  Access to this platform is by what is effectively a full height French window.  I have remarked before that this seems like walking out of your hotel room onto the little balcony, only to find that it has no rail around it.  It strikes me as too easy to be bounced off while manoeuvring, without the helmsman realising that one of the crew is in the water, right behind the boat.

I don't think the traditional Bounty bathtub, with inside access by a sunken well off the very large aft deck, offers the same potential hazard.

[vanessan]

6 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

It strikes me as too easy to be bounced off while manoeuvring, without the helmsman realising that one of the crew is in the water, right behind the boat.

Although the full facts are yet to emerge, it does appear that this may have been the cause of the tragedy at GYYS. Standing on the back of a boat whilst it is sedately moving gives a false sense of security and probably doesn’t encourage using a grab rail. And if nobody can see you.............

[DAVIDH]

Clive's latest boat Skyway, now on sale at Hoseasons 
https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/skyway-bh2698

[CambridgeCabby]

Looks good , hopefully soon be more photos so we can see the interior .

Was surprised it only states “will not pass Potter Heigham bridge “ but no mention of Wroxham , surely it has an air draft not permitting Wroxham passage ?

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Nice looking boat there Clive 👍👍

[Maxwellian]

Saw Swiftway at Ludham Bridge, look very nice indeed. Great start there Clive. Hope all goes well.

[Mouldy]

17 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

Looks good , hopefully soon be more photos so we can see the interior .

Was surprised it only states “will not pass Potter Heigham bridge “ but no mention of Wroxham , surely it has an air draft not permitting Wroxham passage ?

I think that Ludham may be a challenge to be honest, despite it having no screens.

[Dan]

50 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

Clive's latest boat Skyway, now on sale at Hoseasons 
https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/skyway-bh2698

 

Looks nice that, nice name too.... though looks like Hoseasons have messed up something with the layout as it is marked and not showing in the right section/as a second photo

[Dan]

... and bookings on it look to have flown off the shelf as well looking at the availability calendar!

[DAVIDH]

I suspect the first available date late August, reflects time required to refurbish the boat Dan. I certainly hadn't noticed it before today.

[Dan]

12 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

I suspect the first available date late August, reflects time required to refurbish the boat Dan. I certainly hadn't noticed it before today.

Surely it'll be out for the start of the school hols?!

Whatever is Clive messing about at! 

[DAVIDH]

The only thing that makes me think that, is that (and it's just a guess) Tideway suddenly appeared on sale for July onward dates, just last week. It seemed to have been taken off sale earlier. I wonder if it's taken a time to finish the refurb and that's delayed the start on Skyway.......or perhaps there's now more than one Tideway.

[CambridgeCabby]

Passed Tideway a couple of times last week , she looks very smart indeed 

[C.Ricko]

Hi, Skyway was named after a Chrome BMX i never managed to get, 

she was released last week and has her first hire on the 3rd of July, hopefully we will release her sooner but I had to draw a line somewhere... as always it seems that behind the scenes there was more to do than we expected !

I think the sales were all done from people ringing up as it wasn't on the internet  and I only gave them the release date about a week ago, I have tried to keep the price down, I am probably missing out on a few quid but hopefully that will land me a few loyal customers.. I plan on being here a while yet, even in a couple of years when the frenzy has passed.. 

 

[Broads01]

Looks good, Clive. I'd be interested to know what the air draft is?

[C.Ricko]

Hi Simon, 

The air draft is 9' so will struggle with Ludham, and definitely Wroxham, Ill get that updated. 

[BroadAmbition]

It may struggle with Ludham Bridge, however it sure is pleasing on the eye for a tupperware anyroadup

Griff

[Cal]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

It may struggle with Ludham Bridge, however it sure is pleasing on the eye for a tupperware anyroadup

Griff

I agree not a bad looking boat. We were supposed to be hiring one on the Thames at Easter but that got cancelled due to Covid restrictions.

 

Would be a little bit too restrictive for us for hiring on the Broads though at 9ft air draft.

[Andrewcook]

Hi Clive I've been watching this Topic with interest . I've got Two question for you . One are you Wood Boat person or are you fibreglass Person? Two are you fitting out theses Boats in your possession as  to being updated to theses Newer Boats that are now out on the Broads and are you still keeping the same per Berth at the same time? 

[andyg]

Good to see the fleet growing Clive, saw swiftway and tideway last week out on the rivers looked very smart. How's the development going on the new boat. 

[vanessan]

5 hours ago, Andrewcook said:

Hi Clive I've been watching this Topic with interest . I've got Two question for you . One are you Wood Boat person or are you fibreglass Person? Two are you fitting out theses Boats in your possession as  to being updated to theses Newer Boats that are now out on the Broads and are you still keeping the same per Berth at the same time? 

I think that might be three questions Andrew 

[C.Ricko]

7 hours ago, Andrewcook said:

Hi Clive I've been watching this Topic with interest . I've got Two question for you . One are you Wood Boat person or are you fibreglass Person? Two are you fitting out theses Boats in your possession as  to being updated to theses Newer Boats that are now out on the Broads and are you still keeping the same per Berth at the same time? 

Hi Andrew, 

I love nearly all boats I do really like classic boats but am also keen to modernise the 'New boat' offering i think I am lucky to be based on the Broads as canal boats are really boring and there is no option to refine them, I would find that boring. My favourite boat of all time which has been a constant for 20 odd years is the Ocean 30, possibly because it was Dads first order when he set up Aquafibre, possibly because I loved working on them and driving them or possibly because the look good, I don't like canopied boats in general so its odd having these as my favourite, I would like to update one or have had the moulds to build a new one.. 

I hope to find space to run about 15-20 boats over the next few years, i will sell some and build some doing some deals along the way and probably updating second hand where necessary. 

I will put some pictures up of my new boat soon, but that will be in a different section!