Bridgecraft Acle

[andyg]

I follow bridgecraft on FB I'm really enjoying the drone footage they post to there page. Not sure who pilot's the drone but there flying skills improve all the time. Do they own the old anchor craft yard ? the old boat shed looks like it needs pulling down, is the old shed used or home to local wildlife. They seem to be a very busy yard with a popular fleet. Acle has never appealed to me as a start point, but I guess if you were planning on heading south it is ideal. They also hire day boats,I never knew that,not sure how popular day boats are from acle though. good to see them thriving 

[NorfolkNog]

Excellent yard, can't praise them highly enough. Nothing is too much trouble. I believe it's Daniel who is the drone pilot, he filmed us setting off in December a while back. Don't do Facebook but guess it could be on there.

 

[vanessan]

Hired from Anchorcraft several times in the 80s, it was a great yard. Acle is good to start from, as you say if going south it’s handy. It’s also good if staying north, I don’t really think it makes a lot of difference to any other northern yard to be honest. 

[SwanR]

Starting from Horning is one of the reasons that I particularly like hiring from Ferry Marina. A good choice of places to moor for your first and last nights meaning you don’t always have the same bit of river for your first and last cruise. 

[Oddfellow]

They have a couple of day boats. I sold my Rapier to Bridgecraft last year, so their fleet is increasing. Very nice people and a great yard with a long family history. Way too few yards left like this now. 

[andyg]

3 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

Excellent yard, can't praise them highly enough. Nothing is too much trouble. I believe it's Daniel who is the drone pilot, he filmed us setting off in December a while back. Don't do Facebook but guess it could be on there.

 

If it was humber Bridge you were aboard then indeed the video is on there fb page. I'm sorry I don't know how to link the video. Never a grandchild around when you need one. Lol

[NorfolkNog]

Yep would have been Humber Bridge

 Cracking boat for winter, really cosy. 

[andyg]

19 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

Yep would have been Humber Bridge

 Cracking boat for winter, really cosy. 

I'm a fan of this design, suncharm from Richardsons was a cracking boat when it was new. They had problems with the heating system and it was taken out after a couple of years of service. The saloon never really got warm enough for some reason. I know the ex Swan boats are also good boats but my personal favourite was Royall Swan, loverly boat. 

[Broads01]

I've never hired from Bridgecraft but all being well I'm putting that right in July (postponed from March) when I'll be on Forth Bridge 2 with my son. I started from Acle four times in the Horizon Craft days and I love it as a start point, whether or not I'm going south. 

7 hours ago, SwanR said:

A good choice of places to moor for your first and last nights

That's the same anywhere, isn't it Jean? Generally by the first night, I'm not particularly close to the boatyard and occasionally not on the last night either.

[SwanR]

58 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

That's the same anywhere, isn't it Jean?

Not quite. If you hire from Wroxham then unless you can guarantee getting through the bridge then you will probably always do that stretch of the Bure leading back in from Wroxham Broad, Salhouse or beyond. You leave that way and come back that way. Or if you’re at Richardson’s then the last bit into Stalham is the same and you’re likely to be somewhere on the Ant. Only one way in and out of their yard.

But if you’re leaving from Horning or returning there then you could be either side along the Bure or up the Ant. And actually their riverfront is also a great place to spend your last night. Just my view. 

[twowrights]

We were lucky enough to moor at Irstead, on our one and only visit so far, on our last night two years ago. Didn't realise how far the White Horse was to walk to, well worth it though. 

[Broads01]

3 hours ago, SwanR said:

Not quite. If you hire from Wroxham then unless you can guarantee getting through the bridge then you will probably always do that stretch of the Bure leading back in from Wroxham Broad, Salhouse or beyond. You leave that way and come back that way. Or if you’re at Richardson’s then the last bit into Stalham is the same and you’re likely to be somewhere on the Ant. Only one way in and out of their yard.

But if you’re leaving from Horning or returning there then you could be either side along the Bure or up the Ant. And actually their riverfront is also a great place to spend your last night. Just my view. 

That makes sense, I understand now. In that way Acle is also good, albeit for the last night there's only Stokesby or Stracey downstream.

[Cheesey69]

It’s more about space to moor. Options. 
If you’re at Acle, no problem, massive banks. 
Wroxham? Unless you go under bridge you’re probably spending your last night in yard. 
Horning? Limited unless you go wondering a bit and blast back. 
Stalham? Loads more place’s within an hour easy travel. 
Potter? Better than Horning as you got Womack, silent zones and wild mooring at The mouth. 
And a lot depends on time of year. 
Ive had to spend last night in yard in the past due to lack of mooring. 
Sort of felt cheated. 

[vanessan]

Thinking more about this and remembering our hiring days, I never used to mind where we started from. We were on a boat, on the Broads and that’s all that mattered! 

[SwanR]

6 hours ago, Cheesey69 said:

Horning? Limited unless you go wondering a bit and blast back

Not sure I understand this. Salhouse, Cockshoot Broad, Ranworth and Ludham Bridge are all in easy reach. Fleet Dyke and St Benet’s too. Lots of choice. 

[YnysMon]

The three times we hired from Ferry Marina our final nights were spent:

1. Fleet Dyke. 

2. Womack Staithe

3. Wild mooring in Womack Dyke.

All quite dooable if you don't mind an early start, and you have time to do your packing on the way to the yard instead of the night before. 

[Cheesey69]

5 hours ago, SwanR said:

Not sure I understand this. Salhouse, Cockshoot Broad, Ranworth and Ludham Bridge are all in easy reach. Fleet Dyke and St Benet’s too. Lots of choice. 

 

5 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

The three times we hired from Ferry Marina our final nights were spent:

1. Fleet Dyke. 

2. Womack Staithe

3. Wild mooring in Womack Dyke.

All quite dooable if you don't mind an early start, and you have time to do your packing on the way to the yard instead of the night before. 

Yup, but really depends on time of year and level of experience.

 

[YnysMon]

We'll, the first one was our first cruiser hire ever and the first week of the season before the clocks changed to BST, so starting off at dawn. The last one was an October break, so just about enough time to get to Horning if you started off at dawn.