New Hire Boats For 2022

[DAVIDH]

Before Covid turned everything on it's head, I used to notice that the boats left to sell in the shoulder months to the school holidays, were always the larger family types. Very difficult to get a a 2 to 4 berth cruiser then. However, in the school holidays, it was the reverse, with only the 2 to 4 berth boats remaining available. So RS2021 makes a valid observation.... however, the prices were never reduced for these weeks, so I wouldn't think that will happen now! 

[Vaughan]

7 hours ago, DAVIDH said:

it was the reverse, with only the 2 to 4 berth boats remaining available. So RS2021 makes a valid observation.... however, the prices were never reduced for these weeks, so I wouldn't think that will happen now! 

The charging of a premium price for the high season has always been a bit of a "chestnut" in the hire boat business and efforts have always been made to level out the prices over the whole letting period.  This would be a lot fairer on all concerned.  The practicality, however, is that most people are available to come on holiday during the school holidays only.  Add to this, the fact that there are only six months in a normal season and you have to charge as much as you can get during the "peak weeks".

All the same I am astounded to see that the advertised price of £3401 on this boat for a week in August is almost three times the off season starting price.  I cannot see how that can be sustained and I have a feeling a lot of last minute discounts will be flying about as the weeks go by.  The internet makes price adjustment very easy and this is why there are no longer brochures, with set prices.  All very well but bad for the business in the long term, in my view. 

I do hope they are not "killing the goose that laid the golden eggs".

[SwanR]

It’s interesting. I like a lot of the newer designs of boats having hired Silver Emblem and Zircon Emblem. But I will hold judgment on this one until I’ve seen it on the rivers somewhere. 

However on the subject of price this may not be as bad as it first appears. Two en-suite cabins with king size beds. Luxury designed for two couples. If you rationalise the price to £1700 each couple inclusive of fuel etc. that’s comparable to other boats for two. 

[RS2021]

58 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

All the same I am astounded to see that the advertised price of £3401 on this boat for a week in August is almost three times the off season starting price.

I think you will find this is just another trick of internet pricing and marketing. If you take NBD for example, pre Covid their low season ran until something like the second week in May irrespective of when Easter was. When we tried to book for this year I could only find one week at the low price and all others in new higher priced bands. Add to that the fact they hire all their boats out for short breaks and I think you will find the headline 'Prices from' figure is for a short break and you will find very few breaks available a that price. A marketing ploy and used by many companies.

I've not got a problem with companies investing in the latest luxury craft, it shows faith in the future. However, I do think the lack of new mid and low range craft is a problem for the Broads. If I want to stay in a hotel I can choose a five star luxury hotel, and maybe for that special occasion will. But, I can also choose budget hotels like Premier Inn and Travel Lodge. Both these budget chains build new hotels specifically for the budget market. Why does this not happen on the Broads where mid range boats tend to be 15+ years old and budget ones 25+ years. The nearest I can see at the moment are HW's new compact 2 berths.

[Mouldy]

53 minutes ago, SwanR said:

It’s interesting. I like a lot of the newer designs of boats having hired Silver Emblem and Zircon Emblem. But I will hold judgment on this one until I’ve seen it on the rivers somewhere. 

However on the subject of price this may not be as bad as it first appears. Two en-suite cabins with king size beds. Luxury designed for two couples. If you rationalise the price to £1700 each couple inclusive of fuel etc. that’s comparable to other boats for two. 

To my mind, it’s still a lot of money for a potentially wet week on The Broads in peak, on a boat that stands a good chance of not even getting past Ludham Bridge.

I don’t get the current trend of building more and more boats with a high airdraft that restrict access to the more scenic areas of the northern rivers.  Even with an airdraft of 8’3” there have been times when we’ve ventured north on Norfolk Lady, from Brundall, that we’ve not been able to cruise The Ant.  At 8’8”, Fair Regal is going to struggle fairly frequently, I think.

I’ll be interested to see Clive’s new build, when it’s finished - a centre cockpit cruiser, ideally suited to The Broads.  Older designs, like Connoisseurs, Alpha CC’s and AF Pearl 38’s remain very popular for a good reason, aside from cost.  Their ability to access all areas of the network, with the probable exception of above Potter, makes them ideal Broads holiday craft.

 

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, RS2021 said:

I think you will find the headline 'Prices from' figure is for a short break

I see what you mean.  On their website I read :

From £1285.

Duration : 1 week.

On looking again, the "1 week" is in a box, which can be ticked to check availability!

If this juxtaposition mislead me, I imagine it will also mislead customers.

[oldgregg]

Also am I the only one to think the shape of the flybridge seating is.... Strangely familiar 

[Andrewcook]

Hi as to this Wroxham Boat Launching this Style Cruiser how many others will follow a suit.  I'm aware Richardson's is launching a New One Next Year..

[tim]

3 hours ago, SwanR said:

It’s interesting. I like a lot of the newer designs of boats having hired Silver Emblem and Zircon Emblem. But I will hold judgment on this one until I’ve seen it on the rivers somewhere. 

However on the subject of price this may not be as bad as it first appears. Two en-suite cabins with king size beds. Luxury designed for two couples. If you rationalise the price to £1700 each couple inclusive of fuel etc. that’s comparable to other boats for two. 

The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same things!

I just don't like these new designs they just don't look right to me, but I suppose I'm a traditionalist, I live in a near  100 year house with a big garden, I don't want a box with my neighbors house in my garden!

I drive a big Volvo Estate, I really can't stand these new pretend 4 wheel drive lookalikes!

And I hire a 30 year old boat from Pacific Cruisers, a lovely small company where nothing is too much trouble!

Maybe, I should move with the times but I just don't want to   

I've just paid the balance on my holiday in July, total price including dog charge and a dinghy is £1290 for a 40 foot boat with microwave, bow thrusters and electric canopy!

I looked at Ferry Marina, the nearest comparison I could find was  Royale Emblem, add dog charge and dinghy and the cost be be over 2K and is an older boat

Now I except I will be paying a bit more for the fuel when I get back from my week, but that's a £700 difference!

Even at today's prices that's a lot of fuel!  

 

[oldgregg]

2 hours ago, tim said:

Now I except I will be paying a bit more for the fuel when I get back from my week, but that's a £700 difference!

I don't think Pacific Star will be terrible on fuel... I've found the Bounty 40 a bit wayward but not terrible on fuel even with the hydraulic drive. And most newer boats are also hydraulic drive anyway.

[tim]

Thanks, we had her last September, didn't go north, but did Norwich and down to Beccles twice,  as we had to get people back to Loddon during the week!

We punched a couple of tides and went over our deposit by about £20!

It didn't break me!  

 

[DAVIDH]

Just got the email: Brinks Prelude, their shortly to be finished, hybrid powered addition to the fleet
https://www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk/hire-boats/prelude/?mc_cid=fc0c2637fa&mc_eid=eb82ea0ec7

[CeePee1952]

12 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

Just got the email: Brinks Prelude, their shortly to be finished, hybrid powered addition to the fleet
https://www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk/hire-boats/prelude/?mc_cid=fc0c2637fa&mc_eid=eb82ea0ec7

Even though it's a hybrid boat, I'm not sure that the £100 fuel deposit will cover a weeks holiday, especially with the galley equipment? I think the fuel deposit might be amended in due course!!

Chris

[andyg]

Damage waiver is low as well. I've just paid 65 pound waiver for golden bridge for a week. 

[webntweb]

With a draft (their spelling) of 8ft 2in I think they may run aground occasionally.

[andyg]

Not sure how old that pic is of prelude, but I'd of expected the build to be far more advanced than it is. She's been in the shed for some time now and Barnes don't normally hang about building there boats. Guess other work has had to come 1st. I've been abroad one of there tempos are they are fitted out to a very high standard and as you would expect with a Barnes new build they are crammed full of technology. The couple who were holidaying on her had only one grip. Shock horror surprise !! Electricity!! Most nights they had to fire up the engine as the oven set up just drain all the power. She was number 5 in the class and was only a few months old, they alway hired Barnes newest boats. So it wasn't a battery issue just a lack of anywhere to plug into. Herbert woods have the 2nd set of this new revamped mould be interesting to see what they do with it. 

[Graham47]

Herbert Woods have put pictures on their Facebook website of the new 46ft mould which they have taken delivery of this week. 
 

 

[andyg]

On 22/04/2022 at 10:06, Andrewcook said:

Hi as to this Wroxham Boat Launching this Style Cruiser how many others will follow a suit.  I'm aware Richardson's is launching a New One Next Year..

NBD are saying there definitely will be a 2nd one in the class built Andrew. If they prove to be popular they will build to meet demand. I can't believe they won't build a version with more berths onboard. 

[Cal]

On 23/04/2022 at 18:01, DAVIDH said:

Just got the email: Brinks Prelude, their shortly to be finished, hybrid powered addition to the fleet
https://www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk/hire-boats/prelude/?mc_cid=fc0c2637fa&mc_eid=eb82ea0ec7

Aside from the fact it isn't a boat we would hire due to the large number of berths, it is nice to see them bringing back some of their older hire boat names again.

[Mouldy]

On 23/04/2022 at 18:16, CeePee1952 said:

Even though it's a hybrid boat, I'm not sure that the £100 fuel deposit will cover a weeks holiday, especially with the galley equipment? I think the fuel deposit might be amended in due course!!

Chris

They must have read your post, Chris!!  The fuel deposit is now £200. 😉. Obviously not anticipating much running on electric alone, then!! 🤨

[Graham47]

6 hours ago, andyg said:

NBD are saying there definitely will be a 2nd one in the class built Andrew. If they prove to be popular they will build to meet demand. I can't believe they won't build a version with more berths onboard. 

Not so sure Andy. When Fair Regal was launched EDP did an interview with James Knight from NDP and he said - Launched by Wroxham-based firm Norfolk Broads Direct, the introduction of the Fair Regal cruiser was part of his company's drive to innovate and separate itself from its competitors.

[andyg]

1 hour ago, Graham47 said:

Not so sure Andy. When Fair Regal was launched EDP did an interview with James Knight from NDP and he said - Launched by Wroxham-based firm Norfolk Broads Direct, the introduction of the Fair Regal cruiser was part of his company's drive to innovate and separate itself from its competitors.

Yeah I did read that and to be honest what would a 8 berth version cost to hire ? The tariff for the 4 berth is probably pushing it a bit. 

[oldgregg]

21 hours ago, Cal said:

Aside from the fact it isn't a boat we would hire due to the large number of berths, it is nice to see them bringing back some of their older hire boat names again.

I'm curious to see how this one turns out.

I think the extra couple of feet and the integrated flybridge seating have improved this mould a bit, and the layout looks quite flexible.

Hybrid systems are also pretty mature now, with lots of canal boats being built that way now (some builders are now only accepting hybrid orders) so there are better off-the-shelf systems available than there were when Brinks Rhapsody was being designed.

[C.Ricko]

https://www.facebook.com/broadshols/posts/525576632594780?comment_id=1186777028801724&notif_id=1654702444133540&notif_t=feed_comment&ref=notif

another one joining the hire fleet 

[SwanR]

Looking forward to seeing the internal layout of this one. 👍