Best Built Small & Large Boats

[Andrewcook]

As to over the Years there's been some good built Small & Large Boats as to  the Small One is the Hampton Boat's were good in their day as there are still a Few Hired Ones around as for the Larger Boat's at the Time such as Powell's / Broom / Richardson's / Herbert Wood's / Barns Brinks' last but not lest was the Connoisseur's As we now know Powell's have gone as for the Connoisseur's Boat Builders have gone to France. This leaves us with Broome still Building Boats I believe but what Types now? Richardson's are build Different Classes of Boats as to Barns Brinks again what type classes are they Building ? Herbert  Wood's from the early Days had there Old Style Light Boats again now making different types of Boats. Are they any better from the Old Days for Comfort / Clothes Space's/ Bed's  including some Boats on shore Electric Hook Up. There is One to mentioned Martham Boats still Hire Wooden Boats. Do these Wooden Boats out way the Cost of Fibre Class Boats  as I did see One in the Picture of Bridge Craft Boat had right smack at the Back edge of the Boat that did needs some TLC to put it right do Wooden Boats Fair any better with those sort of knock's?  

[grendel]

depends on the type of impact, wooden boats are heavier, but if they get caught between the bank / quay and another boat they can come off worse.

[CambridgeCabby]

With grp hulled boats , the grp laid down in the 60’s and 70’s was far thicker and heavier than was needed due to the lack of knowledge as to the strength of the new material and as a result many of the hull were over manufactured making a very very robust hull compared to many more modern offerings .

As far as which is better , there is no simple answer its more down to preference that anything .

I would love a “woody” but without the talent or pockets to keep one in the condition it deserves we have gone the grp route , I’m just glad there are those in a position better than us that are able to keep these majestic vessels cherished and afloat .

[Oddfellow]

4 hours ago, Andrewcook said:

As to over the Years there's been some good built Small & Large Boats as to  the Small One is the Hampton Boat's were good in their day as there are still a Few Hired Ones around as for the Larger Boat's at the Time such as Powell's / Broom / Richardson's / Herbert Wood's / Barns Brinks' last but not lest was the Connoisseur's As we now know Powell's have gone as for the Connoisseur's Boat Builders have gone to France. This leaves us with Broome still Building Boats I believe but what Types now? Richardson's are build Different Classes of Boats as to Barns Brinks again what type classes are they Building ? Herbert  Wood's from the early Days had there Old Style Light Boats again now making different types of Boats. Are they any better from the Old Days for Comfort / Clothes Space's/ Bed's  including some Boats on shore Electric Hook Up. There is One to mentioned Martham Boats still Hire Wooden Boats. Do these Wooden Boats out way the Cost of Fibre Class Boats  as I did see One in the Picture of Bridge Craft Boat had right smack at the Back edge of the Boat that did needs some TLC to put it right do Wooden Boats Fair any better with those sort of knock's?  

Brooms no longer build boats. They closed the boat building side of the business at least 18 months ago. Powels went donkeys years ago and Porter and Haylett, although still a trading company, hasn't built a boat for about 10 years and I am not quite sure what happened to the last two that were unfinished builds in the sheds at Wroxham. 

Who builds boats on the Broads now? 

Barnes
Horning Pleasure Craft
Faircraft Loynes
Horning Ferry Marina
Herbert Woods
Haines
Vogue (or whatever it's called now) 
Silverline
 

Apologies if I have left anyone out. 


Your title talks about the "best built" boats. In who's opinion? Based on what? 

You seem to be basing the discussion on design and, to a degree, longevitity. Let me give you another perspective: the best built boat, certainly one in hire, is one that can EASILY AND QUICKLY be repaired for the most common types of damage. If you cant get behind that hole in the rear corner to do a proper repair, you've gonna have to cut out chunks of the boat to gain access and that takes time in getting them out and usually a great deal more in repairing the damage you made trying to get to the damage that a hirer made. 

If you're talking about the best living experience, this is subjective. If you're talking about sheer popularity, you can get a good measure of this just by looking at the quantities of boats around. One of the most prolific builders was Bounty Boats who knocked out boats for every tom, dick and harry in hire. These boats found their way onto most waterways where public hire was possible around Europe. Aquafibre too and Alphacraft: all names consigned to history. 

The cycle has gone almost full circle. Up to the 60s, many hire boatyards built their own boats. Once GRP became more common, it was feasible to build hulls and tops to order and ship them to boatyards for fit-out and this became the norm for years with the aforementioned Bounty, Aquafibre and Alphacraft being the most productive. But as the domestic holiday industry took a knock, these companies' order books dwindled leaving just Alphacraft to largely mop up, but this is a different story altogether. 

Now, we see the yards developing their own boats again and it's great to see new designs making their way onto the rivers. I seriously doubt that we will ever see the likes of mass builders for hire again. 

 

 

[JennyMorgan]

For best I'd lie to nominate Riva!

https://www.riva-yacht.com/en-us/

[DAVIDH]

2 hours ago, FreedomBoatingHols said:

Brooms no longer build boats. They closed the boat building side of the business at least 18 months ago.

Andy, I've seem this said a few times, but over the last few years, they have added more boats to the different classes - the Captains and Bolero spring to mind, Clean Sweep and Broom Explorer too. Were these all purchased "ready made", or were they all completed more than 18 months ago? If so, it seems odd that they would have had such a spurt of activity, and then just stopped.

[Chelsea14Ian]

As far as I know they have not built anything for over a year.We often get fuel pump outs etc at Brooms,and based at Brundall,.Not seen anything. 

[Oddfellow]

7 hours ago, DAVIDH said:

Andy, I've seem this said a few times, but over the last few years, they have added more boats to the different classes - the Captains and Bolero spring to mind, Clean Sweep and Broom Explorer too. Were these all purchased "ready made", or were they all completed more than 18 months ago? If so, it seems odd that they would have had such a spurt of activity, and then just stopped.

Amongst the local community, there is a general consensus that the owners of Broom do not have particularly long-term plans for boating. None of us would be remotely surprised if, in 10 years time, the sheds are torn down to make way for luxury marina housing. It might be possible they have a small build plan for fleet I guess, but the statement about closing build operation came as a shock when it landed.

 

[Smoggy]

You missed out your closest one Andy, Sheerline are still building at Thorpe.

[oldgregg]

10 hours ago, DAVIDH said:

Andy, I've seem this said a few times, but over the last few years, they have added more boats to the different classes - the Captains and Bolero spring to mind, Clean Sweep and Broom Explorer too. Were these all purchased "ready made", or were they all completed more than 18 months ago? If so, it seems odd that they would have had such a spurt of activity, and then just stopped.

The boats they added more recently are from a 'cancelled order' for a French operator and the boats came back to Brundall and were put into the fleet. The exact details of why that deal went sour I don't know, but when we were moored at Brooms that is what I was told by the staff.

That is why you have the boats that are too big for Broads hire. They don't know what else to do with them.

I think some of the last boats to be built at Broom were the 39ft stretched Diamond 35's for Barnes who don't have enough capacity to build what they need for the fleet.