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Winter Maintenance


andyg

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I follow a few hire yards on FB not all on the broads. it's good to see all the posts from the yards showing us what there upto over the winter months, upgrades repairs etc. An interesting post last weekend from bridgecraft, showing us them lifting Tay bridge out, on the face of it she didn't look to bad a few scraps and scuffs. Well apparently not a sizeable lump of the toenail ( I think that's the right term ) needed cutting out and repairing. To me the sheds these guys work in all winter look cold and damp places, I bet they dread winter. Saying that I'm aware of two yards neither on the broads that do the winter maintenance on there car parks. Kris Cruisers and bridge boats at Ely. Sod doing that in the freezing cold. Re painting a boat out in the open must cause a few difficulties. 

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5 hours ago, andyg said:

I follow a few hire yards on FB not all on the broads. it's good to see all the posts from the yards showing us what there upto over the winter months, upgrades repairs etc. An interesting post last weekend from bridgecraft, showing us them lifting Tay bridge out, on the face of it she didn't look to bad a few scraps and scuffs. Well apparently not a sizeable lump of the toenail ( I think that's the right term ) needed cutting out and repairing. To me the sheds these guys work in all winter look cold and damp places, I bet they dread winter. Saying that I'm aware of two yards neither on the broads that do the winter maintenance on there car parks. Kris Cruisers and bridge boats at Ely. Sod doing that in the freezing cold. Re painting a boat out in the open must cause a few difficulties. 

Not many of their boats are painted now but quite a few were when I worked there, we tried to get them all done before Christmas as the weather was often better.  After Christmas I tended to concentrate on the engines, I could run them up and sit on them to keep warm!

 

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1 hour ago, NeilB said:

Not many of their boats are painted now but quite a few were when I worked there, we tried to get them all done before Christmas as the weather was often better.  After Christmas I tended to concentrate on the engines, I could run them up and sit on them to keep warm!

 

I forgot you worked there Neil, they really do have a cracking fleet now. The prices are looking quite favorable compared to the broads at the moment...

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Andy,

I recommend the Fens and Bridge boatyard. The rivers are quiet and very scenic in the main, the locks are few and far between and easy to operate, some of the tributaries make the Chet look wide and the pubs are generally good, mooring tend to be free and for 48hrs. On the Cam you can moor directly outside the Fives miles pub on a decent quay heading for upto 48 hours without booking all for free with good food and beer on the doorstep. Cambridge is also free however for some reason the quay heading has fallen into disrepair with bolts sticking and unmown grass, personally I would rather pay a fee there and get a better mooring.

The 15 boats tend to be compact and date mainly from the 70's and early 80's although they have 1997 Alpha aft cockpit and 4 relatively modern narrowboats I still tend to hire the old favs Sunseeker and Sunquest as they can fit into the moorings easier. They are all solid, well cared with updated fixtures and are decent value. Black Prince have 4 narrow boats running from the yard as well.

Neil

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