Ferry Marina Discount For October 23

[Hylander]

Speaking of bridges.   I saw a Youtube video taken a few days back of Ludham Bridge and the guys from Richardsons were there at the Bridge with water barrels to assist getting their boats through the Bridge.    This reminds me of Potter Heigham Bridge some years ago.    

[SwanR]

Monica I saw that video as well. Looked as if they were helping boats going in both directions. If so then that proves that Richardson’s do have boats that won’t always go under Ludham Bridge. And if they help them out then they may have to help them back. 

[Hylander]

53 minutes ago, SwanR said:

Monica I saw that video as well. Looked as if they were helping boats going in both directions. If so then that proves that Richardson’s do have boats that won’t always go under Ludham Bridge. And if they help them out then they may have to help them back. 

Let us hope it is a one off with this storm we have just had.   

[floydraser]

23 hours ago, NeilB said:

They may not pay £3K which is what you would pay for a Broadsman style boat, pretty much all Richardson's Bounty 37's are £1,400 including fuel for a week in high season - would they pay that?  Or £1,900 for an Aquafibre Pearl 38?

 

I have got back to them and they feel it's still too much to risk their kids being bored, compared to the alternatives.

I think it significant that although Dad has a boat on the Broads they still never considered it as a holiday in the first place. We have hired a day boat on the canal a couple of times so it's not that they are against boats. But within their social circle everyone goes abroad. One parent has expressed the view that when a teacher asks young pupils where they went on holiday, most of them answer abroad and they didn't want their kids to feel second class. Not a view I share! But whenever I think about holiday ads on tv they all seem to be overseas apart from the odd Park Dean ad. Maybe the Broads needs a TV campaign.

[MauriceMynah]

There seems to be two trends.

Firstly,  the further away from the UK you go, the more impressive the holiday,  and second, ....

You have to have the holiday of a lifetime every year.

Personally, I live on the Broads so I don't need a holiday. 

Living the dream ..... still.

 

[Hylander]

9 hours ago, floydraser said:

I have got back to them and they feel it's still too much to risk their kids being bored, compared to the alternatives.

I think it significant that although Dad has a boat on the Broads they still never considered it as a holiday in the first place. We have hired a day boat on the canal a couple of times so it's not that they are against boats. But within their social circle everyone goes abroad. One parent has expressed the view that when a teacher asks young pupils where they went on holiday, most of them answer abroad and they didn't want their kids to feel second class. Not a view I share! But whenever I think about holiday ads on tv they all seem to be overseas apart from the odd Park Dean ad. Maybe the Broads needs a TV campaign.

Crumbs is that how people think these days.  Having to worry about what the Jones's are doing or thinking about you and kids have to be able to say they went aboard.      

[Jbx5]

27 minutes ago, Hylander said:

Crumbs is that how people think these days.  Having to worry about what the Jones's are doing or thinking about you and kids have to be able to say they went aboard.      

No the majority don’t certainly not in our family and circles! 

[MargeandParge]

A lot of parents find boating a stressful responsible experience and I think that it is more of a holiday for them in a resort designed for holidays in warm weather 

We did both but when they were younger only boating and relatives at Christmas and they boated into mid teens. 

We even tried a UK holiday camp once but abandoned ship after about 18 hours  not for any of us

It ended up two weeks on our boat in the summer and a half term abroad. We both worked me between 70 and 90 hours a week plus a stand by so holidays 5 weeks a year where holidays. Only ever taken in school holidays. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[Gracie]

I or my children have never felt the need to keep up with anyone. Boating holidays have always been the children's choice when discussing our holidays. If families want to go abroad that's fine, if they want a boating holiday that's fine too in my book.

What I do find heart wrenching is the amount of children that can do neither because their parents are struggling. They are the ones I truly feel for and consider myself very lucky to be able to make that choice x

[Hylander]

37 minutes ago, Gracie said:

 

What I do find heart wrenching is the amount of children that can do neither because their parents are struggling. They are the ones I truly feel for and consider myself very lucky to be able to make that choice x

I agree whole heartedly Gracie.      I have two granddaughters and they and my son and daughter in law seem to have the most lavish holidays, it seems every 5 minutes and I always think to myself there must be some poor soul in that class room having to listen to all this.    As much as I am grateful beyond belief that they have got a good lifestyle I do wonder in the future what chaps will have to achieve to keep up with all this.    This is being written by someone who has been there and definitely worn several T-shirts in the past of having not a pot to p.. in.

I give a Broads holiday 5 stars every time.

 

 

 

[floydraser]

6 hours ago, Hylander said:

Crumbs is that how people think these days.  Having to worry about what the Jones's are doing or thinking about you and kids have to be able to say they went aboard.      

Yes, and it probably started with a caveman wanting more paintings of buffalo on his walls than Ug Jones next rock!

I saw grown ups doing it in the early sixties and don't tell me you haven't noticed the race to get the modern house to show several shades of grey, along with a flat grey coloured car? It's in our DNA.

[Broads01]

I'm blessed that both my children first accompanied me boating when they were babies and continued to do so throughout childhood and I have lovely memories of those times. I'm similarly blessed that both now in their 20s they still want to come with me (albeit alas not every visit!). I think it's easier when your children are brought up with coming to the Broads than it is if children are introduced at a later age.

[MauriceMynah]

As far as keeping up with the Jones's goes, try this for a line...

"We think we might have to have a holiday abroad next year, Norfolk is becoming so expensive "

[dom]

31 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

I think it's easier when your children are brought up with coming to the Broads than it is if children are introduced at a later age.

Another easy angle to exploit in advertising. Target young families on the basis that you can drive up and step straight onto a boat, rather than having to drag young kids through check in, wait around, amuse them on a flight, etc. The TV ad virtually writes itself - A/B comparison of two families. Family A relaxed and cruising down the river pointing out wildlife to the kids, dad driving, mum with prosecco in hand - whilst family B's kid chucks a tantrum on the plane and other passengers look on disapprovingly.

Has a double benefit - winning the initial booking, plus the kids will probably love it and use pester power to come back again in following years.

 

[Gracie]

23 minutes ago, dom said:

 Family A relaxed and cruising down the river pointing out wildlife to the kids mum with prosecco in hand 

 

You've just described my holiday in that one sentence  Absolute bliss x

[Troyboy]

3 hours ago, floydraser said:

Yes, and it probably started with a caveman wanting more paintings of buffalo on his walls than Ug Jones next rock!

I saw grown ups doing it in the early sixties and don't tell me you haven't noticed the race to get the modern house to show several shades of grey, along with a flat grey coloured car? It's in our DNA.

This made me smile. 

My passport ran out two years ago so no flash holidays here. I have got a flat grey car though. 

[ExSurveyor]

4 hours ago, floydraser said:

and don't tell me you haven't noticed the race to get the modern house to show several shades of grey,

What are you saying Pete

I have just finished painting the outside. 😁

[floydraser]

58 minutes ago, Troyboy said:

This made me smile. 

My passport ran out two years ago so no flash holidays here. I have got a flat grey car though. 

 

15 minutes ago, ExSurveyor said:

What are you saying Pete

I have just finished painting the outside. 😁

I rest my case! 

[Hylander]

12 hours ago, ExSurveyor said:

What are you saying Pete

I have just finished painting the outside. 😁

I like your wall decoration.

[YnysMon]

On 24/10/2023 at 13:58, Broads01 said:

I'm blessed that both my children first accompanied me boating when they were babies and continued to do so throughout childhood and I have lovely memories of those times. I'm similarly blessed that both now in their 20s they still want to come with me (albeit alas not every visit!). I think it's easier when your children are brought up with coming to the Broads than it is if children are introduced at a later age.

Our two thankfully are not in that camp. We didn’t discover the Broads until they were adults. 2015 Harry was 25 and Alec 23. They don’t join us on every trip, but are still interested. 

[Mouldy]

Just seen an advert on FB offering up to 20% off Le Boat boating holidays in 2024.  Seems a novel concept - wonder if it will catch on over here?

[Broads01]

2 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Just seen an advert on FB offering up to 20% off Le Boat boating holidays in 2024.  Seems a novel concept - wonder if it will catch on over here?

What, Le Boat setting prices artificially high and then immediately discounting to make it look like a good deal, surely not! 

Joking apart, Le Boat are terrible at loading on prices for add-ons. Fuel is charged by the engine hour (so the total can bear no resemblance to what you've actually used), they charge for cleaning and their damage waiver and parking charges are ridiculous. 

[Vaughan]

10 hours ago, Broads01 said:

What, Le Boat setting prices artificially high and then immediately discounting to make it look like a good deal, surely not! 

Maybe by now, they are wondering why more than half their fleet on the Canal du Midi has been lying in off hire, every single week for the last two years and more.  Sometimes, they have only had about 5 boats out.  I am really surprised that they are still in business.

10 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Fuel is charged by the engine hour (so the total can bear no resemblance to what you've actually used), they charge for cleaning and their damage waiver and parking charges are ridiculous. 

Ah, so you have noticed!  On the French canals, unlike the Thames, you have to keep the engine running when in locks.  So in some places you spend probably half the day ticking over, whilst being charged by an hour meter as though you were doing 8MPH down the canal!

They call all these charges "local income" and we were heavily criticised if we didn't sell enough bicycle hire, tee shirts, parking and the rest of it.  When I asked how I was supposed to sell car parking when over half my customers came in by air from America or Australia, this was not appreciated by the Yuppies. When I then asked how I was supposed to prepare boats for hire, when the hirers had paid a "late return" supplement up until midday and the next hirers had paid extra for an "early handover" at midday, I think that was another nail in my coffin!  Sometimes the new hirers turned up before their boat had even got back into the yard.

The cleaning charge is another supplement, which waives your obligation to clean the boat yourself.  This, of course, means they simply bugger off and don't even bother to do the washing up from breakfast - just leave it all over the table.

All I can say is - I am well out of it!

[BroadAmbition]

This, of course, means they simply bugger off 

Oh if only.

Joking aside I'd feel guilty forever

Griff

[CambridgeCabby]

In August I saw myself the state some hirers leave their hire boat in , not only was the sink full of dirty crockery and pots and pans but half eaten takeaways left in the microwave including up the sides of said microwave, the fridge half full of uneaten supplies including a yoghurt which had spilled and no attempt made to wipe down the spillage ,bed linen soiled and dumped in the wet room , makes one wonder what their homes must be like .