Winter Cruising

[Andrewcook]

Will Private and Boat Yards and Syndicated consider Winter Cruising? Due to Spring Boat cruise is ruined as we to oming into late Summer and autumn cruise  Crush now expected? As to going  abroad has now been restricted. 

[Smoggy]

Private and syndicate boats have always done winter cruising, it's the owners choice as usual.

By next winter going abroad may be business as usual depending on what happens where.

[andyg]

Holidays abroad will be up and running by late June/July they have to be or your see some very big names in the industry in deep deep dodo. Winter crusing has never been very popular that I remember. Yards are too busy cramming in their maintenance programmes. 

[NorfolkNog]

Herbert Woods have always hired all year apart from December and January. I guess they'll likely do the same, Covid permitting.  I believe Brooms and Ferry have done and may again.

I also am keeping fingers and everything crossed that the excellent Bridgecraft may consider some winter hire for trusted clients 

[Cheesey69]

I don't see why not. 

Especially if you multiple boats of one mark. 

Hirers just need to keep an eye on the weather, so leave January and February alone. 

[YnysMon]

We love cruising in winter on our syndicate boat Moonlight Shadow. A crisp sunny winter day’s cruising with hardly anyone else on the rivers can be idyllic. However, we have had a few weeks in our allocation where the cruising has been limited by the weather. February last year we had a week that coincided with Storm Ciara, so the wind was just too strong for us to cruise through from the Sunday to Tuesday. That would have been much more of an issue had we been renting a boat though. Less of an issue when you have four weeks allocation per year. We quite like being on our home mooring in bad weather and using the car to explore Norfolk and Suffolk. 

[Mouldy]

1 hour ago, andyg said:

Holidays abroad will be up and running by late June/July they have to be . . . . 

Sadly, I fear that the rush to the sun may see a resurgence of the virus in this country as travellers return from countries whose vaccination programmes are less advanced than ours.  Until the virus is under control globally, staycations should be the order of the day (imho, obviously).

[marshman]

Sadly I believe that this pandemic is by no means over and we could well see many difficult times ahead for at least another 12 mths or more.

[DAVIDH]

Richardsons and Faircraft Loynes both tried to extend the season into November last year, but the demand wasn't there. I think that was the same for Brooms too - can't quite remember whether they pulled out a week or so later. Assuming conditions allow it, I can't see many people choosing a week on the cold, daylight limited Broads, when they can have the sun on their backs. 

As to holidays to the sun opening up in the summer, certain destinations were open last year of course, for a few weeks here and there. There is reticence to book abroad at the moment, following all the changes and hurdles needing to be jumped, last summer.  I heard one government minister say it was risky to book for a holiday overseas at the moment. The country which is welcoming you (with your two jabs perhaps) could easily see a spike in cases if their own people are not yet vaccinated. Then the government will put them on the red list, and you will be faced with an extended holiday in a hotel somewhere near your airport of arrival in the UK, with an accompanying bill for £1,750 per person.

[CambridgeCabby]

Winter cruising is wonderful , the scenery and wildlife different. Obviously the rivers are far quieter but by no means deserted , pre covid I (we) hadn’t missed being afloat every month at least one weekend , as long as there were no ice on the rivers we were cruising , you just have to make sure you have plenty of supplies aboard , oil radiator (if you have shore power) and a hose pipe as most of these at the 24hr moorings have been removed 

[dredger]

  Essential winter cruising kit. Sadly the bottles the glasses and the wood burner are empty and restrictions prevent cruising.

[YnysMon]

15 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

I think that was the same for Brooms too -

It wasn’t just that. Remember we had a new lockdown imposed in early November. Brooms had a few boats booked out. We were on Moonlight Shadow the week the new lockdown came into effect and we were keeping in touch with Brooms to check out how long they were keeping their refuelling station open that week.

[NorfolkNog]

1 hour ago, YnysMon said:

It wasn’t just that. Remember we had a new lockdown imposed in early November

yes, I think as folks have observed we can't be 100% certain what's in store for us. Hopefully we'll be OK this time.

I approached Bridgecraft last year with a view to hiring in December and February which they were happy with in principle but of course it never happened. 

However I remain hopeful for this winter!!! 

[andyg]

12 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Sadly, I fear that the rush to the sun may see a resurgence of the virus in this country as travellers return from countries whose vaccination programmes are less advanced than ours.  Until the virus is under control globally, staycations should be the order of the day (imho, obviously).

I don't disagree, but I think we've already seen what the great British public are willing to do and chances they are happy and are being allowed to take. I agree with the veiw we at least a good 8/12 months away from a return to travelling safely abroad. Yesterday we amended our dates a 3rd time for a trip we booked 2 years ago, so nearly 3 years would of past since we originally booked the trip. Quite daunting when you think about it.