Hire Yards Of Yesteryear

[Vaughan]

Hearts had a regular customer who took a week's winter holiday in a guest house in Thorpe, so that he could join us in the boat sheds and paint the boat that he had already booked for the next season.  Usually one of the 4 berths - the Five or Six of Hearts.

He did this every year for about six or seven years.  I think he must have been our only customer to be given a discount, in those days!

We also had regular groups of Sea Scouts, hiring 4 or 5 boats for a week in the late season.  They went off armed with paint and varnish and were always proud to bring the boats back looking better than they did before.

[Broads01]

13 hours ago, Wussername said:

However nobody has accused current hirers of anything. 

To say hirers in bygone years we're "more caring" and had "different values" implies current hirers are inferior. My point is that the vast majority are not.

[MauriceMynah]

Nothing to do with "hirers". Generally speaking there is less care about, less respect and less personal accountability.  More "who can I blame", "who can I sue" and "why shouldn't I " .

I'm just getting old.

[kpnut]

I had an interesting conversation with my son in law while he was driving the boat. As we came up towards Richardson’s where the river splits to go to Stalham staithe, he was within the speed limit according to his GPS. I asked that when he forked left he slowed down as some berth holders were saying some boats go too fast. I was surprised that his reaction was ‘ I’m within the speed limit so if people are affected, they need to ask the authorities to reduce the speed limit’.
I replied that we could just reduce our speed ourselves to be polite, but he didn’t get that. He was doing nothing wrong, but I was surprised by the point of view that it’s within the rule so it’s ok, rather than thinking of others as well. 

[jeffbroadslover]

It may go back to car driving lessons.

Both my stepson and stepdaughter when learning to drive were both told the same thing by two different instructors.

"If the speed limit is 30 then you should drive at 30. Limit of 40 drive at 40.

I was taught to drive to the conditions and with a thought for the other road users.

Jeff

[kpnut]

We must be showing our age!

[MauriceMynah]

Vaughan was told to make sure the horse had been fed.

[FairTmiddlin]

1 hour ago, jeffbroadslover said:

It may go back to car driving lessons.

Both my stepson and stepdaughter when learning to drive were both told the same thing by two different instructors.

"If the speed limit is 30 then you should drive at 30. Limit of 40 drive at 40.

I was taught to drive to the conditions and with a thought for the other road users.

Jeff

Not making decent headway during your test can mean a mark towards failure. But you also should drive to the conditions.

[PCL023]

4 hours ago, kpnut said:

I had an interesting conversation with my son in law while he was driving the boat. As we came up towards Richardson’s where the river splits to go to Stalham staithe, he was within the speed limit according to his GPS. I asked that when he forked left he slowed down as some berth holders were saying some boats go too fast. I was surprised that his reaction was ‘ I’m within the speed limit so if people are affected, they need to ask the authorities to reduce the speed limit’.
I replied that we could just reduce our speed ourselves to be polite, but he didn’t get that. He was doing nothing wrong, but I was surprised by the point of view that it’s within the rule so it’s ok, rather than thinking of others as well. 

Maybe not just an age thing? I was always told when passing moored craft especially in areas were there are lost of boats, mariners, yards and built up areas, not to create more wash that could rock a dingy.  

[Smoggy]

A mate of mine failed a bike test for not getting up to 60 in a national speed limit on a single carriageway, he was a fat git and a 125cc just couldn't get him that fast in the distance available. 

But we never took the wee, that would have been wrong... <end lie mode> 

I've said many times forget what speed you are doing and go by the effects it's having, if on a running tide don't worry about going over the limit if there's sod all wash and it keeps you in good control (more a southern thing, you northerners don't understand a real tide).

[Vaughan]

7 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Vaughan was told to make sure the horse had been fed.

While I was negotiating to start up my yard at Womack, in 1976, I took a temporary job driving traditional "black cabs" for Welles Taxis in Norwich.  Did that for 6 months and thoroughly enjoyed it.

At that time there was still a City bye-law which had not been repealed, which said that "cabs plying for hire" had to carry a bale of hay and a bucket of water for the horse.

[C.Ricko]

On 12/07/2023 at 08:57, Chelsea14Ian said:

I know it was an Italian  sort of name.Rember then.Dont remember  Kingfisher. Thanks Ian.

Jonny Cassanova?

[addicted]

A somewhat bombastic acquaintance of my parents was telling me about his hire experiences during the 60s recounting how the yard recommended he mop the decks daily.He was indignant taking the view that he was on holiday and he wasn't about to spend any part of it cleaning their boat for them. The first few days were dry,  then it rained and he found out why he should have swabbed  the boat down as rain water poured through the shrunk  open planking below decks! He was also scathing about their advice to put the boat into reverse to stop!

 

Carole

[Turnoar]

12 hours ago, Vaughan said:

.... I took a temporary job driving traditional "black cabs" for Welles Taxis in Norwich.

Did you have to pass The Norwledge Test first?

Joking aside, were Welles also a funeral directors with a building contracting arm? If so I bumped into a retired member of the family many years back who had a broads yacht but was also into caravanning. He joked that a former Norfolk boatyard owner had taught him how to yacht whilst in return he’d taught him how to caravan. Pretty sure he was a car mechanic as well as a plumber.

[Wussername]

Well's Taxi company surely, or have I got wrong.

 

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[unclemike]

couple of old ones, dawncraft and george smith wroxham

also turners of horning run by a guy called dennis george, all boats had spray in the name

 

 

[Vaughan]

10 hours ago, Turnoar said:

Joking aside, were Welles also a funeral directors with a building contracting arm?

They were indeed Welles, with two e's and they did funerals as well. Their yard was on Chapelfield Rd (before they dualled it) close to St Stephens roundabout and opposite the big Rountree Mackintosh factory, which has now become the Chapelfield Mall.

[Boatingman]

We do not seen to have mentioned Vaughan's yard at Womack

Womack Cruisers or Womack Boats my memory fails me

Their was a small shop and hard their before Vaughan took over

I believe but not sure if was owned by someone called Gedge

I am sure Vaughan will put my sketchy details right

Ray

[Vaughan]

18 minutes ago, Boatingman said:

am sure Vaughan will put my sketchy details right

It was called Womack Boats and owned by a Mrs Golling, who ran the shop on the front.  We changed the trading name to Womack Cruisers, so as to make a fresh business start.

We ran the shop for a couple of years but it became far too much trouble for pretty well no profit.  If you run a small shop you have to be there, behind the counter, all day and you can't do that if you are trying to run a boatyard as well.

I believe the Gedge family had connections with the yard as it had originally been a wherry yard.  The slipway was very long and shallow angled, designed for hauling out wherries and there was the remains of a wherry sticking up out of the grass in a small cut beside the bungalow.  Jimmy Gedge said his family had built her but I forget her name, now.  Jimmy was a lovely man; a real old wherryman who came to help out on the yard on Saturdays if we had had any damage done.  At the end of the day I would always ask him to come and join us for a drink in the bungalow before he went home and he would reply :

"You're a gentleman, sir and so's your wife!"

[Boatingman]

Wondeful memories Vaughan

I meet Mr Gedge whilst in the shop one day

 

[Vaughan]

Jimmy Gedge, on the yard at Womack.

[Boatingman]

Certainly brings back memories

Wonderful photograph

[Gracie]

On 12/07/2023 at 22:48, Broads01 said:

Please don't tar all current hirers with the same brush. The majority, like myself, treat boats and people with respect.

I totally agree Simon, not all hirers are bad but we all seem to get labelled the same

I have treated every hire boat with love and respect. Mopping decks and engine checks every day, I take pride in it. Even cleaning them so thoroughly at the end of a holiday some were cleaner than when I picked them up even though I have been totally beside myself at the end of a holiday at having to give them back

I have values and respect for most things in life including moored boats, speed limits and other river users, even the ruddy flappy thingies  

Please remember when making posts we are not all bad and love the boats we hire thank you very much x

 

[MargeandParge]

On 13/07/2023 at 18:26, kpnut said:

I had an interesting conversation with my son in law while he was driving the boat. As we came up towards Richardson’s where the river splits to go to Stalham staithe, he was within the speed limit according to his GPS. I asked that when he forked left he slowed down as some berth holders were saying some boats go too fast. I was surprised that his reaction was ‘ I’m within the speed limit so if people are affected, they need to ask the authorities to reduce the speed limit’.
I replied that we could just reduce our speed ourselves to be polite, but he didn’t get that. He was doing nothing wrong, but I was surprised by the point of view that it’s within the rule so it’s ok, rather than thinking of others as well. 

Sorry but it is a limit and not a target. I am sure he would be cursing if he moored there 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[annv]

It's the wash caused by speed some boats are worse than others at creating wash. John