So Near ... So Far

[Captain]

Thanks Jean,

The Shadow 31 was Swan's fit out of the Alpha 31, I believe Bella Donna is a Heritage 31 effectively Barnes fit out of the Alpha 31 now that they own the mould with the layout based on Brinks Sonnet. I will have to compare my photos of the various classes to see where they differ, it appears to me the issue maybe particularly with the entry and exit points. By the way believe you moored Infront of us in 2012 on Swan Reflection 2 when we were on no 1 in Langley Dyke one of our favourite moorings, also our first time on a Swan boat, certainly one of the best boats and yards I have hired (out of 55 hired).

Neil

[YnysMon]

We’ve been on the Yare in February and November and it’s been fine apart from periods where there have been classified storms, and those affected all the Broads.
I must admit I’ve been a bit of a whimp going out in strong breezes previously, but have decided I have been unduly cautious, and anyway, I would have been the same whether we were north or south.

During the season, as the Yare and the Waveney are so wide, and generally have far less traffic, I find they are much easier to navigate than the busier northern Broads. All in all, I love both north and south.

In a syndicate, where we have a home mooring with electric, it’s tempting to scuttle back home at the least sign of bad weather, and go places by car without the pressure of thinking we are wasting our precious hiring time. 

[Captain]

Jean, 

Sorry I believe Bella Donna is a Viking fit out still based on the Alpha 31 based on a Barnes layout though.

Neil

[PaulN]

13 hours ago, Captain said:

Jean, 

Sorry I believe Bella Donna is a Viking fit out still based on the Alpha 31 based on a Barnes layout though.

Neil

Yes, the boat was moulded and fitted out by Viking, who were subcontracted by Barnes Brinkcraft who own the moulds. BB commissioned and handed over the boat having taken the order from the original owners.

[DAVIDH]

It's interesting how the steering position seems to have been moved depending on who's mould was used. We were on Silver Harmony a few years ago, and on that you were positioned forward of the sliding wheelhouse sides, under the canopy. I didn't like it as you were effectively seated in a greenhouse, with non-opening windows. On Goosander, the helm is set further back. 

[PaulN]

57 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

It's interesting how the steering position seems to have been moved depending on who's mould was used. We were on Silver Harmony a few years ago, and on that you were positioned forward of the sliding wheelhouse sides, under the canopy. I didn't like it as you were effectively seated in a greenhouse, with non-opening windows. On Goosander, the helm is set further back. 

There is only the one mould I believe, just a different internal fit out.

[SwanR]

Bella Donna was indeed very similar to Brinks Sonnet, especially the use of space in the rear cabin, with the bed at an angle and a small toilet in one corner and a small shower in the other corner, either side of the door. I seem to think that the helm seat was further forward on that one as well. 

We were slightly puzzled as to why any new boat bought privately would be sold so soon but maybe the owners' circumstances changed. 

[LizG]

52 minutes ago, SwanR said:

We were slightly puzzled as to why any new boat bought privately would be sold so soon but maybe the owners' circumstances changed. 

Maybe they didn't like it for some of the reasons you mentioned?

[Captain]

Plus the second hand market is strong at the moment, likely to get more or less what they paid for it back, a good time to sell. Although as Liz says they likely had issues with it, although if it was my boat I would of thought some of those issues would have been obvious from the outset before they bought it, perhaps family or financial circumstances changed, who knows.

Neil

[DAVIDH]

Maybe going back to their villa in Spain now.

[SteveO]

Lovely holiday tale, thanks Jean.  You must have been out and about when we were up last and out paths probably crossed without knowing it.

 

 

[KevinB]

Lovely write up Jean, we saw her on the river a few times in July when she was still Mamma Mia and thought it was a lovely boat for 2.

We hired Fair Viscount in 2017 ( a last minute booking and it was definitely too small for 4! 😂 )  I had the same issue with visibility , wasn’t a big deal but just a pity there wasn’t small windows there

 

[SwanR]

On 23/10/2021 at 22:38, Captain said:

By the way believe you moored Infront of us in 2012 on Swan Reflection 2 when we were on no 1 in Langley Dyke one of our favourite moorings

Huge apologies Neil. I meant to reply to this at the time but it slipped my mind. And then niggled at me that I hadn’t!

 I don’t think it would have been us. I can still remember our itinerary from that week as it was the first one we did. I don’t think we discovered Langley Dyke that year. 

Day 1 Brammerton Common

Day 2 Reedham with a stop at Cantley

Day 3 Beccles for 2 nights

Day 5 Loddon

Day 6 a little shuffle up to Pyes Mill Common

Day 7 back at Swancraft 

I don’t remember any of our other trips in quite so much detail but that one stuck in my memory. 😃

[Captain]

No need to apologise. 

We regularly moor in Langley Dyke and I remember being on a Swan boat when Reflection 2 moored in front, then again that could have been September 2014 and on Romance in June 2015.

Neil