Would You Hire A Boat Too Wide For The Ant And Chet?

[Bikertov]

In general , we have got used to having more space, and more personal space, in our lives

We no longer live with large and extended families in the same house as the norm, with limited or outside bathrooms, and consider space a luxury aspire to. This then reflects in our holidays where we want large bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, and other facilities, even if we don't use them.

[oldgregg]

27 minutes ago, dom said:

One of my family member's boats has two doubles side-by-side to the aft in just 10ft 6in, including hanging storage between the two. It's 33ft long, will take 4 people in relative comfort and passes under Wroxham and Wayford bridges. Only has a single head, but a pretty luxurious seperate shower compartment. It's a 40 year old boat, but in my eyes far more suited to the broads than the current generation of boats and it'd be really interesting to see a modern take on the design.

I'm intrigued now.... What is the boat?

I was thinking AF Ruby 33 but the 10'6 beam rules that out.

[dom]

5 minutes ago, oldgregg said:

I was thinking AF Ruby 33 but the 10'6 beam rules that out.

Good spot. I took the beam off an original Boatshed listing, so not particularly surprised to learn it's wrong. Looks like it's actually 12ft, but obviously still well within the unrestricted range, so the point remains valid.

I'm not a huge fan of forward helm designs, but the air draft is a massive advantage when it comes to getting to the best bits of the broads. I've spent huge amounts of time looking for something similar sized and a bit sportier looking which can get above Wroxham, but aft cockpits generally top out around 27ft, sedans are too tall and centre cockpits are often v.poor for winter cruising. My planned boat purchase fell through after survey, so I've got my eye on an old neglected Sancerre on the Great Ouse, but struggling to track the owner down thanks to modern data protection.

 

[oldgregg]

They are quite an unusual design, never that popular and they seem to change hands a lot - But another 80's Aquafibre design that thinks very much outside of the box.

There's a lot to be said for having a boat that will reach all corners of the Broads and which can be tucked into the mooring spaces which are left at the end of the day... You'll often never quite squeeze a 45-footer in, but ten feet less and it's a different story.

[Vaughan]

22 hours ago, dom said:

On 22/10/2023 at 16:00, RS2021 said:

(b) Vessels having a beam exceeding 3.8 metres (12ft 6ins).

I wouldn't mind betting that one gets breached fairly regularly.

 

Funny you should say that . . . . 

Some of the photos in the Hoseasons link posted above by the OP seem to have been taken on Surlingham Broad.       

[oldgregg]

I think the boat might have been on trade plates at the time?

[Vaughan]

10 hours ago, oldgregg said:

I think the boat might have been on trade plates at the time?

Still subject to the same regs.  A trade plate is just a commercial river toll, which can be displayed on any of the business's boats.

But not (unlike Perci Percival) on 3 at the same time!    

[RS2021]

Exemptions

(e) if the vessel has not since the preceding 1 January 
made on the stretch of water in question four 
passages and if also notice of the proposed passage 
specifying the start and finishing places has been given 
in writing to the Authority at least seven days before 
the start of the passage; or 
(f) while it is undergoing test or trials and is in the 
charge of a person bona fide employed by a boatyard 
provided that notice of the movement has been given 
to the Authority at least seven days before the start 
of the test or trials; or

 

Now, I wonder if any notice was given...

[Vaughan]

1 minute ago, RS2021 said:

Now, I wonder if any notice was given...

I still suggest that a trade plate does not negate any width restriction on the boat itself.

[RS2021]

17 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

I still suggest that a trade plate does not negate any width restriction on the boat itself.

Not on their own they dont, but those are two of the Beam Exemptions in the Vessel Dimension Bylaws, so if you are compliant with them they do. The bylaws also give beam exemptions for other craft such as maintenance craft, older craft and even replica sailing wherrys.

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, RS2021 said:

Not on their own they dont, but those are two of the Beam Exemptions in the Vessel Dimension Bylaws, so if you are compliant with them they do. The bylaws also give beam exemptions for other craft such as maintenance craft, older craft and even replica sailing wherrys.

Well, what I posted as a little joke seems to have got into a tennis match of legal definitions.

So let's put it this way, if we are being serious :

Is it reasonable for Hoseasons to publish photos in a boat description, which seem to be taken in a place where the the boat is not allowed to cruise?

[marshman]

Not going to stop me sleeping!!!!!!!!

[Vaughan]

1 minute ago, marshman said:

Not going to stop me sleeping!!!!!!!!

Maybe because you have not been a boat hirer, having to produce a brochure.

This sort of silly error, on boats costing a small fortune to hire, could well result in litigation.

It has done in the past.

[DAVIDH]

The boat images will have been given to Hoseasons by the boatyard. Hoseasons don't send a photographer out. That's why you always see the same images on the boatyards own websites. 

Just as an aside. First timers often have no concept of the distances anyway. So many call up concerned that the web page says they can't get under this or that bridge. Often, they're only on a 3 or 4 night break and need reassuring it won't be too catastrophic if they can't cruise the 3 to 5 extra miles above the bridges. (Ludham Bridge excepted)

 

[K2T]

7 hours ago, RS2021 said:

Not on their own they dont, but those are two of the Beam Exemptions in the Vessel Dimension Bylaws, so if you are compliant with them they do. The bylaws also give beam exemptions for other craft such as maintenance craft, older craft and even replica sailing wherrys.

Can i ask which replica sailing wherries ?

[RS2021]

7 minutes ago, K2T said:

Can i ask which replica sailing wherries ?

I think you have to build it first.

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, K2T said:

Can i ask which replica sailing wherries ?

Well said!   

And welcome to the forum!

There are no replicas since it would be impossible to build them now.

But there are very fine preserved examples, all of them a lot older than any of us!

[marshman]

Maid of the Mist up at Wayford still afloat????

[Turnoar]

Was afloat when I went past a few months ago MM.

Maybe NWDCT could put a mast and sail on their new tin wherry? Not sure of the beam though... could be a steel man fallacy.

[Vaughan]

8 hours ago, marshman said:

Maid of the Mist up at Wayford still afloat????

Oops, I forgot that one.

But I don't think she has much of a wide beam anyway.

[marshman]

The only similarity of the NWDCT  boat to a traditional wherry is the colour scheme methinks.

[K2T]

only two true Wherries left ! both 

[Vaughan]

13 hours ago, K2T said:

only two true Wherries left ! both

Lovely photo.

These are trading wherries but pleasure wherries, such as Solace and Hathor, are still true wherries.

[K2T]

Sorry Vaughan i mean Black Sail Wherries, and both 15 foot beam.

[Broads01]

4 hours ago, K2T said:

Sorry Vaughan i mean Black Sail Wherries, and both 15 foot beam.

I bet passing them on the Ant could get interesting.