Considering An Upgrade

[grendel]

12 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Gaps between handrails in "crew deck areas" must not exceed 1.5 metres.  I would think almost all traditional hire boats on the Broads, would fail on that one

I wwould think the bow and access to the mudweight would be the sticking point here, many are more than 1.5m from a grab rail

[RS2021]

2 hours ago, Vaughan said:

A centre cockpit boat with a big canopy, such as these, always has a long gap amidships when the canopy is open, where there is nothing to hold on to at all, just where you need it when getting off, or when getting out of the cockpit.  If there were clear regulations I would have thought this area would require a separate rail but as none of them have it, I assume the rules must be a bit vague.

I've noticed the odd new bathtub with sliding canopy starting to get handrails across the gap. e.g. Lady Victoria on the Thames https://www.kriscruisers.co.uk/cruisers/lady-victoria/ and I'm sure I've seen it on another one too. It does spoil to openness of the boat, but you can't argue with the safety aspect of it. Not sure how you would do it on a centre cockpit boat with the folding windscreen though.

[Vaughan]

14 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

Not sure how you would do it on a centre cockpit boat with the folding windscreen though.

I have seen an AF38 Pearl fitted with rails inside the sliding canopy, on the cabin side behind the seating, going up as far as the front steps on that side.  A similar arrangement on the port side, up as far as the helm seat. Looks to be a very practical addition.

[Vaughan]

33 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

but you can't argue with the safety aspect of it.

Especially as Kris Cruisers are operating on a river with locks.

[Davydine]

I love how threads on this forum can start in one place and meander off in an entirely different direction.

To summarise the answers to my original question, it sounds as though the Connoisseurs may offer a little more space than “Flash” but aren't a great step in terms of the overall quality. Having hired “Flash” before, I know what I am getting, basic but comfortable, so we may just stick with that.

With regards to the question of hand holds, I will add that we hired Astral Light last year which is an Aquafibre Lowliner 44. I really didn't like walking along the aft deck, because, although hand rails are fitted, the deck is very high, so the hand holds are hard to reach.

[oldgregg]

25 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

I have seen an AF38 Pearl fitted with rails inside the sliding canopy, on the cabin side behind the seating, going up as far as the front steps on that side.  A similar arrangement on the port side, up as far as the helm seat. Looks to be a very practical addition.

Is that a Ferry Marina one? Their centre cockpit boats all sprouted handrails pretty sharpish after the Yarco incident.

[Vaughan]

1 minute ago, oldgregg said:

Is that a Ferry Marina one? Their centre cockpit boats all sprouted handrails pretty sharpish after the Yarco incident.

Can't remember. The one I saw was 3 years ago and think it was a private boat.

[Meantime]

2 hours ago, andyg said:

I think we need to be careful here, I personally don't accept woods sent a craft out with the hand rails missing. In fact in all my years hiring I never witnessed anything like that. I've seen  Plenty of boats with hand rails bent squashed etc but never missing. That would be major H&S own goal in my opinion. Like Vaughan has tried to indicate, maybe the canopy was down that's a large chunk of the superstructure missing and could possibly give the impression of no hand rails. More importantly though I believe the ranger would of picked up on the missing rails and been straight on to herbert woods. 

This is where the name and shame policy becomes something of a farce in my opinion. We all know the style of boat being talked about. We all know the hire yard being talked about.

The handrails are either;

1. Never fitted.

2. Removed and not replaced.

3. Never fitted in certain areas.

There is a picture which factually would answer the above questions, yet instead let's potentially cause the reputation of the hire yard damage by speculating about whether they exist, never existed or have been removed, and whether the boat should be in service as it is.

Surely allowing the publication of the picture without any name or reg number visible ends the speculation and is no different to pictures that have been posted before that referred to the dangers of boats with platforms at the stern and lack of guardrails, or pictures that appeared of the RC45 with lots of discussion about the rear facing seat at the stern and its safety.

[grendel]

the team are discussing whether we can allow a photo, on the proviso that the boat name is not visible, and neither are the crew, as soon as we have a response we will let you know (or rather let the owner of the photo know) we already know the boat type and yard it seems, the question is, would that actually stop speculation, or just fuel further speculation based on the evidence seen?

[Meantime]

39 minutes ago, grendel said:

the question is, would that actually stop speculation, or just fuel further speculation based on the evidence seen?

I'm guessing the photo would end most of the speculation as it would presumably show no rails at all, or rails in some places, but not all, and the presence of screw holes if the rails had been removed!

[grendel]

which would lead to the speculation over why.

 

[Meantime]

Just now, grendel said:

which would lead to the speculation over why.

 

But would end the speculation about if and where they currently exist. 

[Smoggy]

My view would be forget the online harms stuff and consider the inriver harms stuff, sounds like an important subject regarding hireboat safety. 

[ExSurveyor]

Having discussed this with the mod team I am happy that the photo would not breach the name and shame requirements, providing;

The hirers are not identified.

The yard concerned is not subjected to unwarranted attack.

The discussion needs to focus on the handrail provisions of this or any other boat.

Please try and keep to this.

[Davydine]

He everyone,

It's funny how these things go, but having chatted about how much we enjoy our Norfolk Broads holidays to some friends, they want to come with us, so we have upgraded to Regal Light!

Thanks everyone for your help.

[andyg]

11 minutes ago, Davydine said:

He everyone,

It's funny how these things go, but having chatted about how much we enjoy our Norfolk Broads holidays to some friends, they want to come with us, so we have upgraded to Regal Light!

Thanks everyone for your help.

Good choice, we had Dazzling light last year, slightly newer. But had loads of space and great veiws from up top. 

[Gracie]

Nice boat, I don't think you or your friends are going to be disappointed. Now you just have that long wait (seems like forever) until the time arrives to set sail  Once again have a great time x

[PaulN]

On 04/10/2022 at 08:38, RS2021 said:

I've noticed the odd new bathtub with sliding canopy starting to get handrails across the gap. e.g. Lady Victoria on the Thames https://www.kriscruisers.co.uk/cruisers/lady-victoria/ and I'm sure I've seen it on another one too. It does spoil to openness of the boat, but you can't argue with the safety aspect of it. Not sure how you would do it on a centre cockpit boat with the folding windscreen though.

I believe the boat you are referring in the photo (Kris Cruiser) is one of the Alpha 36's fitted out by Haines. I am aware of 3 of these on the Broads, they all have this internal handrail and are all circa 2009.