2012 Brochures

[Dan]

Hi Everyone

I see the start of the new brochures has been kicked off by Le Boat, I thought Herbert Woods might beat them to it but it appears they are running a bit behind what they had mentioned.

I see they have the Continentale running and noted as no bridge restrictions apply - whoops - who needed that superstructure anyway!

Also the Capri TS do seem to no longer be running from Horning as someone mentioned on here.

http://leboat.s3.amazonaws.com/ebrochur ... index.html

Dan

[Dan]

After a bit more of a perusal it is clear that the entire fleet of Connoisseur sliding canopy 40 & 45 footers will be running on the Broads next year as their French equivalents ("Commodore" & "Commodore Plus") which they have been bringing back and adding to the Horning fleet have now disappeared altogether from their French fleets.

Also, as suspected, it confirmsthey will be offering one way cruise options between Horning & Somerleyton

Dan

[goodall_m1]

I see they have the Continentale running and noted as no bridge restrictions apply - whoops - who needed that superstructure anyway!

Their suggested cruises are a bit odd as well, a cruise from Horning to Horsey Mere and back

and it looks like the entire fleet listed under it, including the Continentale...

Also, as suspected, it confirmsthey will be offering one way cruise options between Horning & Somerleyton

Didn't Connisour once do something similar between Wroxham and Brundall?

Which side of Somerleyton bridge will their base be?

[Dan]

Didn't Connisour once do something similar between Wroxham and Brundall?

Which side of Somerleyton bridge will their base be?

Yes, it was between Wroxham and Harbour Cruisers in Brundall. The year was around 1997 as I recall

Their base is before the swing bridge, and currently signed as Crown Cruisers

Dan

[Broads01]

Not the worst brochure in the world, but not the best either. The photos are too small and they need far more interior pics. Ignore the prices and get at an online quote which is often totally different anyway - just allow for very inflated fuel and parking charges based on my experience! The one way thing could work very well for a one week cruise, although I'm not clear if all boats will be available from both locations.

[Hemel_Dave]

Herbert Woods 2012 brochure is now online.

Dave

[NorfolkNog]

Just got the Faircraft Loynes brochure in the post. Glossy affair with some good pictures. Nice to see crews particularly kids wearing lifejackets. However the top boat is thirty quid short of 2 grand to hire for a week in peak season

[Guest]

i received mine from faircraft this morning very nice ....

couple new boats in there fleet for next year

Jonny

[Hemel_Dave]

Hi

Herbert Woods have an ideal cruiser for first times next year might be a little cramped though at only 10ft long by 12ft wide called olympic light.

Dave

[goodall_m1]

Hi

Herbert Woods have an ideal cruiser for first times next year might be a little cramped though at only 10ft long by 12ft wide called olympic light.

Dave

10ft long by 12ft ? Not according to their web-site she isn't. http://www.herbertwoods.co.uk/hirecruisers/001/fleet.php?vid=109

Are you getting confused with 10 metres (or do they have a misprint in the brochure?)

She looks like one of the 35ft Alphacraft mini-Spitfire mouldings to me (35ft dual steer with a roof steering position)

Quite a "bling" fit out, Freeview Satellite dome, 2 TV's, bow and stern thrusters...

Bet she won't be a cheap one to hire!

(I reckon it might not be a good idea to hire a fancy boat for the first trip,

as the crew won't even let you think about a "budget" option from then on! :naughty)

[Dan]

10ft long by 12ft ? Not according to their web-site she isn't. http://www.herbertwoods.co.uk/hirecruisers/001/fleet.php?vid=109

Are you getting confused with 10 metres (or do they have a misprint in the brochure?)

She looks like one of the 35ft Alphacraft mini-Spitfire mouldings to me (35ft dual steer with a roof steering position)

Quite a "bling" fit out, Freeview Satellite dome, 2 TV's, bow and stern thrusters...

Bet she won't be a cheap one to hire!

(I reckon it might not be a good idea to hire a fancy boat for the first trip,

as the crew won't even let you think about a "budget" option from then on! :naughty)

If you view their 2012 brochure you'll see the error Dave mentions - on page 67 - the length in feet is 25 too few!

http://www.herbertwoods.co.uk/brochure2 ... dium=email

Also, on the same page they have a picture of the forward saloon of an early 80s Alpha

The pictures are quite authentic, complete with fenders and the odd little scuff, but taken in great weather

Dan

[VetChugger]

As mentioned on another thread, I was looking up a NBD boat and was taken to the Hoseasons site where all NBD boats are now listed. Same applies to Sandersons and DRL. Does this finally mean an end to Blakes as a brand?

Trevor

www.normanboats.co.uk

[Broads01]

You may well be right Trevor and that doesn't surprise me. Just had a look on a Hoseasons search though and no Blakes yards came up - am I looking in the wrong place?

[NorfolkNog]

We’ve booked with DRL for February and just received the confirmation blurb all headed up as Blakes – address quoted as Sunway House, Lowestoft.

[NorfolkNog]

Well my new Hoseasons brochure has just hit the doormat - it states "including Blakes" on the cover and includes DRL, BB, Faircraft Loynes etc. Makes a bulkier read!

[Hemel_Dave]

My Hoseasons brochure arrived today the print and price panels are very small and fine compared with last years its as if you are reading the T&C page from cover to cover.

[Dan]

My Hoseasons brochure arrived today the print and price panels are very small and fine compared with last years its as if you are reading the T&C page from cover to cover.

Hi Dave

Mine arrived today and I see what you mean... it is a bit small, though I do quite like the mass of nice broadland and general shots that this new format has allowed, though this said there is the odd 'shocker' (such as pg81 where there appears to be a boat jam!).

I will look forward to seeing what they do with the two websites and if these are soon amalgamated too. I guess they will be as the only address seems to be the Hoseasons one which currently doesnt show the Blakes fleets.

The amalgamation of the two has also highlighted some pricing inconsistencies that existed between Blakes & Hoseasons. For example Brinks Duet is rather scarily priced compared to the near identical Richardsons Siesta's... which if anything I'd rather hire as they have been re-engined with smaller, quieter engines!

Good to see Silveline's 'Haze has become a class now.

Disappointing to see the Somerleyton fleet from Le Boat not featured.

Good to see a few new boats.... and an interesting forward layout on Richardsons new "Broadlander", though I am not too keen on their exact same pricing across Carousel, Broadlander & Broadsman... but I suppose it makes it straight forward.

All the best

Dan

[C.Ricko]

[

Good to see a few new boats.... and an interesting forward layout on Richardsons new "Broadlander", though I am not too keen on their exact same pricing across Carousel, Broadlander & Broadsman... but I suppose it makes it straight forward.

All the best

Dan

Hi Dan,

Unfortunately I have not seen a finished version but the pricing is as such because we dont know what is more popular and they all cost virtually the same to build except we expect Broadlander to be a little cheaper and that price will be ajusted in 2013 when we see how many of each class have been built.

have you arranged your calender for 2012 yet, where do they fit in?

[Broads01]

Received my Hoseasons brochure yesterday. I've always loved getting new brochures, especially the Hoseasons one. I love those bright boat pictures that can cheer up a grey November day. In the pre-internet days it was the main means of hire boat information of course.

A few thoughts on this year's brochure:

The layout is a mixed blessing I think. I was never a fan of the previous layout which separated the boat plans from the photos and this one is much clearer and easier in that respect. However, the boat photos are ludicrously small, especially when set against the comparitively oversize marketing-mans piff paff photos that sit alongside them! The boat plans are practically microscopic - thank god I'm blessed with good eyesight. Take page 29 for example - large photo in the top right of models posing as a family driving a boat which is around 6 times the size of the photo of Bronze Emblem sitting next to it. There are some nice shots of Broads scenes mixed in, but still frustrating nonetheless.

Good to see a few examples of the new Alpha 35 centre cockpit, e.g. Amber Emblem - likely to be nice boats I think.

The expected departures have happened of course - no Whispering Reeds or Topcraft.

The return of Buccaneer Boats (after around 20 years I think) to hiring cruisers was a surprise! Not sure they're going to be impressed with it being hidden away in the houseboats section though.

2012 early bookings - 'Save up to £50' - what the heck does that mean? Is it £50 or £5 - there's no way of telling!

Surprised to see Le Boat Somerleyton not included - I wonder if it came too late to include in the brochure. I thought maybe Waveney River Centre would be there as Horning Ferry still is but that's not the case.

Retaining Blakes as a kind of sub-brand makes sense I guess if they want to retain Blakes loyal customers. From a new customer point of view though I think it could be confusing as they might wonder what Blakes represents and why they're differentiated.

If you're thinking about booking DRL's Flowing Time on page 100 bear in mind that the photo is of a completely different boat!

[Dan]

I think it is probably quite a good holiday brochure, but as we are more interested in the boats than the majority of its targeted market are it is less brilliant in our eyes as boating peeps!

Some of the internal pictures which have been pulled out for enlargement are a bit frustrating by not having a boat name caption, and I think they have missed a bit of an opportunity here and it is a bad move.

There's also a few cases of similar boat but with no comment attached. Simon mentions the biggest (Flowing Time), but also I notice Brinks Merrymore 3 is singled out for a seperate entry - a sensible idea as the layouts slightly different, but so is the exterior and interior finish/colours, yet they have used the same pictures which really therefore doesn't give a very accurate representation of the accommodation to my mind.

Overall I quite like it, great to have so many internals - something thats moved on brilliantly in just the last 7 or 8 years, but feel the accuracy of the information has slipped a bit as the last ten years has passed.... overall though a good brochure I think and I'm sure will meet its aims of getting people to get a boating holiday booked up

Dan

[Dan]

....have you arranged your calender for 2012 yet, where do they fit in?

So far you are losing out to Le Boat Clive!

I was going to hire a Broadlander as I quite liked it when I saw the plug under construction, but to be honest I expected the single level 4/6 berth would be a bit cheaper than the Broadsman 6/8 berth centre cockpit, and also it was weekly hire only and I didnt think my body could stand up to all the late night work needed to scramble together enough cash!

Dan

P.S Good to see Broadsman on the front cover & a number of pages inside

[Broads01]

Yes those Broadsman pics look fab, especially the full pager near the front of the brochure.

I too was irritated by the lack of labelling on the interior pictures. Take Richardson's Jamaica for example, good interior pic, sat near the exterior pic but the exterior is actually Monte Carlo. But there's an exterior of Jamaica itself elsewhere on the page!

Staying on the Richardsons subject interesting that some of the pricing has shifted a bit. One or two boats have taken a big drop in price, Contessa now only £965 in peak season, Broadland Mercury well under £800 in line with Major Gem. Cmon Clive, get the Richardsons brochure out! (Even though I've booked Jamaica already)

[C.Ricko]

Our brochure should land on your doorstep over Christmas, we see little point in having brochures land at the same time..

some of our prices have been ajusted as we have done away with the spring and autumn savers.

You will just have to wait!

[Broads01]

Clive. Always like receiving the Richardsons brochure as well. With or without the soring and autumn savers, the prices on your website for 2012 tend to be less than Hoseasons anyway - Petite Gem £259 for a week in late April - fantastic value.

[Broads01]

Received a Herbert Woods brochure today. Ordered it online the night before last so full marks for promptness. I have to say I think it's a superb brochure which Woods must have spent a fair bit of money on. As last year the external baot shots are large with only one or two boats per page. I think every boat has been rephotographed for this brochure. There's internal shots of every single boat and the layout plans are colour and very clear. And best of all there's no silly marketing nonsense photos to clog it up - Hoseasons please take note!