Taking Over Hiring Boat

[Andrewcook]

What can we mainly look out for to take over the Hiring Boat for one or two weeks? Damages to the Boat? Are fenders Flat? Ropes knotted up? Are Inside Gas Hobs working ok? Loo flush and seat fine? Is the tv working? Enough Hangers? Two Round Anchor's there plus Hammer? The last thing about the Bed is ok the Smoke alarms working ok? So what is the first important thing should the Hirer look out for? I know there is one thing Fuel is full up and have not run the Engine for a while at our expense for the Batteries to be charging up.

[MauriceMynah]

Do you buy a dog and then bark yourself?

It has always been the case regarding any industry, that one pays for goods or services and then has to trust the vendor to have provided said item/service to a marketable quality.

You take your car in for a service. Do you then check that the oil was changed? No! You trust that certain jobs were done.

There is no difference between that and boat hire. Some yards are better than others. Some will have different policies from others, especially on things like fuel and battery state.

Yes you can check everything from how many knives and forks are on board to how good the antifouling is. Or you can just take over the boat and if things are found wanting, complain to the yard and vote with your feet.

The better the yard, the better its reputation.  This is frequently, but not always, reflected in the prices.

As someone once said, "In life, you get what you pay for". However,  someone else once said, "it pays to shop around, don't it". A third person once said, "you pay your money, you takes your choice", and as my father always said, " Well there you are, where are you !" ( I used to worry about my father.) 

What this all boils down to is that if people stopped saying things, we wouldn't be nearly as confused as we are now.   Just saying !

[Gracie]

Extra bedding is something I would make sure I have before underway, one or two pillows is not enough for me, some extra blankets for the chilly nights and for wrapping around oneself whilst out on the bow with a glass of wine in the evening.

I never really check anything else, just trust that the yard has done it's job properly which 9 times out of 10 they have.

On Tobago we had a faulty loo, the engineers were on it (not literally ) as soon as I reported it and even gave me a bottle of wine for the time and inconvenience.

Kitchen stuff, ropes etc have always been first class whenever I have hired, hiring budget boats for two weeks rather than a floating apartment for one.

The hire yards get such a bad rap sometimes but I have never had cause for complaint, they have always gone the extra mile for me

Well done to all of them  x

 

[YnysMon]

I didn't used to check the inventory of boats we hired either (with Ferry Marina and NBD) and the only problem we had was a faulty caffetiere one year. I did used to take a sharp knife with me though, as I generally found the ones supplied hopelessly blunt. 

If you have essential items missing or faulty, I would have thought that it's quite acceptable to call the Yard and ask for them to be supplied. The boat should have been checked by them before you took it over anyway.

[Gracie]

I did inherit taking a non stick frying pan, sharp knife and decent wine glasses from my Mum. The pans always stick and the wine glasses are certainly not big enough. Not a complaint though, just a preference.

The point I also would like to make is the service has always been first class whether budget or posh, especially from Richardsons x

[Smoggy]

38 minutes ago, Gracie said:

and the wine glasses are certainly not big enough.

We've noticed....

[Mouldy]

We also always used to take a sharp knife (or two), a decent nonstick frying pan and my pillow - which was nothing to do with cleanliness, but more my preference for a memory foam one.  As for wine glasses, I actually find it relatively easy upending the bottle and refilling the ones supplied!

I often read folk’s recommendations for taking mattress toppers, their own bed linen, duvets and all manner of other things when they hire a boat and wonder how they squeeze it all into their car!

[CambridgeCabby]

We used to take a frying pan (non stick) , decent bottle opener and corkscrew (bottles still had corks then), sharp knife and a couple of larger glasses .

We never checked inventory , or for damage as we trusted the yard we hired from and if we found something to be missing during our holiday we let them know and never had any problem .

The only thing I got in a habit of checking was ensuring the previous hire had not unattached the mud weight rope from the cleat , having witnessed the result of this a couple of times on other hirers boats .

[Broads01]

I tend to trust everything is in order and I'm rarely disappointed. The only exception to this is hangers which I check for because yards have a habit of under-providing.

[Wonderwall]

I usually just check its floating , then can t wait to get on my way 😁.

I usually take my big mug for my my morning coffee hit, and these days , one of the plugs which has multi usb chargers are handy. A squishy for the Windows is good.

And plenty beer vouchers 😋

[ranworthbreeze]

We always took a sharp knife a small non stick frying pan and a few other items in our boat kit when hiring narrow boats.

 

[Chelsea14Ian]

We always took a few knives,frying pan.Corkstrew,hot water bottle,extra  bedding.I would pre cook two meals.For hiring or since on our own boats,if on the boat for a two week stay..

PS where did that very large wine glass come from?

 

[Mouldy]

21 minutes ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

We always took a few knives,frying pan.Corkstrew,hot water bottle,extra  bedding.I would pre cook two meals.For hiring or since on our own boats,if on the boat for a two week stay..

PS where did that very large wine glass come from?

 

Don’t know about that particular one, but this one on Amazon holds a whole standard bottle: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Giant-Wine-Glass-glass-bottle/dp/B000HT1YSG/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?crid=1TSTDL0SZW2TE&keywords=one+bottle+wine+glass&qid=1677240775&sprefix=one+bottle%2Caps%2C68&sr=8-10

@Gracie

[floydraser]

No experience of hiring boats but I have hired static caravans - well it's the same isn't it? 

While I get what MM says above, I would never trust a previous hirer. Things break and people don't like to admit they've broken something, so they try to hide it. If they're clever enough they'll get it past the hand back procedure. We've had a broken bed which colapsed nearly trapping legs and a broken teapot cleverly reassembled on a shelf which disintegrated when picked up. To be fair, hire yards and can see so much.

[Bikertov]

14 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

Don’t know about that particular one, but this one on Amazon holds a whole standard bottle: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Giant-Wine-Glass-glass-bottle/dp/B000HT1YSG/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?crid=1TSTDL0SZW2TE&keywords=one+bottle+wine+glass&qid=1677240775&sprefix=one+bottle%2Caps%2C68&sr=8-10

@Gracie

... but I only had one glass of wine 

 

At least that is Gracie's Secret Santa present sorted ...

[Chelsea14Ian]

I'll  see what I can  do Christmas 

[PaulN]

I do think hire boats should be sent out with their blue polyprop mooring lines knot free. Whenever I take ropes from mooring hire craft they have knots in them pulled so tight that they can't be undone. This is a problem when mooring to rings. It's best practice to pass the rope through the ring and make fast onboard, so that casting off can be done without stepping ashore. This is prevented when the knots foul the rings. 

[Gracie]

Honestly, why is it that lots of topics seem to end up being about wine, beer and even gin 

Any newbies considering joining will think you lot have got a drink problem  (hic)

6 hours ago, Bikertov said:

 

 

At least that is Gracie's Secret Santa present sorted ...

Awww thank you Biker, I have a Secret Santa gift for you in mind.......a tea cup  

(preferably one that doesn't spin)  x

[Smoggy]

I don't have a drink problem,  I've got plenty! 

No problem....

[grendel]

1 hour ago, PaulN said:

I do think hire boats should be sent out with their blue polyprop mooring lines knot free. Whenever I take ropes from mooring hire craft they have knots in them pulled so tight that they can't be undone. This is a problem when mooring to rings. It's best practice to pass the rope through the ring and make fast onboard, so that casting off can be done without stepping ashore. This is prevented when the knots foul the rings. 

a knot also reduces the strength of the rope by about 50%

[Chelsea14Ian]

Not all about wine ,beer ,Gin.Theres also whisky. Hic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Smoggy]

Don't forget rum! Mmmmm rum....

A nice dark spiced run at that.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Some may say we have a drink problem. Don't think so.No problem it's easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Smoggy]

So what's all this about a drink problem?

With this  choice Where's the problem? And I've not covered "the fridge of doom".