Wanted,broom 30 Aft Cabin

[mikeyboy1966]

I think I’ve narrowed down my boat search,

im hoping to find a very nice ,broom 30.(aft cabin)

my wish list.

twin engines,

well maintained,(loved)

regular use.

im also not adversed to the green topside ones

or,

a Dutch steel cruiser,such as a Pedro 30/33 or similar 

must have a bow thruster though if single engine.

maybe a pontoon neighbour or family friend ,

anything spring to mind?

[mikeyboy1966]

Forgot,,,

mk2

[Smoggy]

Are you planning on using for sea?

[mikeyboy1966]

Maybe coastal hops from river systems at some time,so would prefer twin motors.

most likely use,depending on where I find my boat will be broads,and river Trent ( I had experience of a shaft failure entering the tidal Trent having crossed the wash the previous day,it was a bit unnerving,lol)

I’d consider a single engine,but only with a bow thruster,(which is unlikely on a boat of this age I guess)

this would be a more likely scenario on a Dutch cruiser with a bigger single engine 60+ hp

 

[Smoggy]

7 minutes ago, mikeyboy1966 said:

I had experience of a shaft failure entering the tidal Trent having crossed the wash the previous day

I'm intrigued, where from and where to?

[mikeyboy1966]

My 1st boat,

I bought a 1961 mk1 Freeman 30 from popes corner (fish and duck?)

after some servicing etc I cruised out of kings lynn,

Puttered about on the wash then into Boston up the witham,and the fosdyke.

iirc it took about 3 days.

as I motored out of torksey the port side prop coupling failed.

so I had to limp up to Cromwell lock on one motor.

took a bit longer than expected as I was nursing the remaining engine.

was a fine introduction to boating

[Smoggy]

I've done that route and found a submerged washing machine amongst other junk under boston town bridge while getting shoved in too early (grand sluice gave me the wrong times), gave the outdrives a good whack and lost reverse and steering on one side, got the steering ball welded and lashed a ratchet strap around the drive to keep it down when reversing and carried on to nottingham and back to gt.ouse.

When I got a new reversing catch I had the boat pulled out to find both swivel forks had shattered and it was only the pins holding them all together, I was very glad I'd done away with the crappy grub screws and drilled/tapped the pins for better security as it kept it all in place, very glad it was flat on the way back over to denver as the wash can get pretty lively, that was in an early 70's RLM31.

Did wells and back in the company of an old freeman 30, I think that was a 1966 one.

[BroadAmbition]

I’ve had weird reoccurring thoughts of taking ‘B.A’ to Boston before now for a visit 
 

I’m fighting the urge though, especially lacking local knowledge 

Griff

[Smoggy]

Boston is OK but get times from tables not lockie, for a lot of the tide grand sluice is high and dry.

I'd carry on up the Witham though as Boston itself is a bit of a dive, Lincoln is nice with cheap bar at the boat club in brayford pool, you can moor beside it.

You'd love going  through the glory hole (don't google in front of kids just in case).

If you get tempted hop via wells to break it up but remember that bit of Norfolk needs settled weather as there's no bolt holes unless the tide is right.

[ChrisB]

Also known as "High Bridge" said to pre-date Potter by 100 years or so. The water front and approach to the basin is lovely.

[ChrisB]

As is the historic area around the Cathedral and Castle.

As to whether I could still conquer the famous "Steep Hill"  to get there from the basin is open to conjecture.

[WherryNice]

2 hours ago, Smoggy said:

I've done that route and found a submerged washing machine amongst other junk under boston town bridge while getting shoved in too early (grand sluice gave me the wrong times), gave the outdrives a good whack and lost reverse and steering on one side, got the steering ball welded and lashed a ratchet strap around the drive to keep it down when reversing and carried on to nottingham and back to gt.ouse.

When I got a new reversing catch I had the boat pulled out to find both swivel forks had shattered and it was only the pins holding them all together, I was very glad I'd done away with the crappy grub screws and drilled/tapped the pins for better security as it kept it all in place, very glad it was flat on the way back over to denver as the wash can get pretty lively, that was in an early 70's RLM31.

Did wells and back in the company of an old freeman 30, I think that was a 1966 one.

Ah Silver Gem! She next door neighbour to my parents boat up at Wayford then she moved to the yard next door, where I had my Safari out on land for works. I then took her berth when she left to go to Horning where she was moored opposite my parents new berth! 

Now known as Silver Jewel and up for sale at NYA.

S'funny how some boats seem to haunt you!

[Smoggy]

Once saw this little gem of broads boats heading across the wash in towards boston Griff so yours should be fine, it turned out they had been given it from a swinging mooring in kings lynn where it had been left for ages, they had a phone and a handheld gps, kicked one of the screens out so they could see where they were going as they were yellowed plastic and chucked some diesel in and off they went, half the decks appeared to be peeling away.

As we anchored to await the tide they just carried on, "ah local knowledge" we thought "make a note of the route around the bar", nope, bow shot upwards as they came to a sudden halt, that'll be the bar then.....

I later found out it had been abandoned at denver cruising clubs mooring for several years before being moved down to the kings lynn swingers to get it out of the way.

7 minutes ago, WherryNice said:

Ah Silver Gem! She next door neighbour to my parents boat up at Wayford then she moved to the yard next door, where I had my Safari out on land for works. I then took her berth when she left to go to Horning where she was moored opposite my parents new berth! 

Back then it was moored in OVRC on the gt.ouse in the ownership of Deano.

[addicted]

Some friends of ours took their Fairline Mirage, Ac soft top up to Boston  from Ely marina back in the nineties. they said it was a pretty boring cruise with little or nowhere to stop and moor for long stretches which made it hard going and very tedious. Further to the discussion re: Broom 30. My husband had one of these back in the 80s with a single engine and green topside and  he was not particularly enamoured. He says the saloon was very small and not very comfortable and the galley seemed to have been fitted as an afterthought. We used to see it about the Gt. Ouse regularly during the 90s She was called Shirdar. However the last time we saw  her was  10 or more more years ago on the sales pontoon at NYA Horning. She  was in a right old state. I suggested he buy her back as  a project. His reply is unprintable!

 

Carole

[BroadAmbition]

Smoggy and ChrisB - Your comments and photo's are far from helpful is assisting me fighting the urge!

Just thought I'd mention that

Griff

[Smoggy]

York is nice Griff, a night in wells followed by a run straight up to Hull, you could be in York for day three....

If it helps put you off wells to hull took me 11 hours at 6 knots.

[Smoggy]

Here's a little york tempter for you Griff.

Apologies to OP for hijacking his thread....

[ChrisB]

A really nice cruise from The Broads would be:- Overnight at Wells on to visit historic Kings Lynn. Enter RGO at Denver Sluice and Visit Ely and St Ives plus some of the tributaries of the main river. It is a while since I have been, so not familiar with how it is to visit Cambridge these days.

 

[YnysMon]

Minimal List - canal boaters vlogging on YouTube - have recently completed their four-year long exploration of all the linked waterways in England and Wales. The final bit of their tour was exploring the Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire waterways, following a crossing of the Wash (guided by a pilot).

 

 

 

[Smoggy]

15 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

A really nice cruise from The Broads would be:- Overnight at Wells on to visit historic Kings Lynn. Enter RGO at Denver Sluice and Visit Ely and St Ives plus some of the tributaries of the main river. It is a while since I have been, so not familiar with how it is to visit Cambridge these days.

 

Ah my old stomping grounds.

Tempted yet Griff?

[BroadAmbition]

Chuffin Eck 

Anyone would think you lot are trying to get rid of me. 

Boston, Trent, Humber, Hull, Witham, Fosdyke, Wells, Lincoln, Gt Ouse, York, Kings Lynn, Ely, St Ives, Cambridge

Am I tempted?

Hmmmm, Maybe but not this year, too much on in both our social and 'B.A's diary

Griff

[mikeyboy1966]

I’m not bothered about a bit of thread hijack,

 

keeps things interesting,some great photos as well

[OldBerkshireBoy]

On 14/03/2022 at 20:50, mikeyboy1966 said:

I think I’ve narrowed down my boat search,

im hoping to find a very nice ,broom 30.(aft cabin)

my wish list.

or

a Dutch steel cruiser,such as a Pedro 30/33 or similar 

must have a bow thruster though if single engine.

maybe a pontoon neighbour or family friend ,

anything spring to mind?

Pedro 30 at NYA

[mikeyboy1966]

It’s sold

[OldBerkshireBoy]

16 minutes ago, mikeyboy1966 said:

It’s sold

Is it, it was included in an email alert this morning.