I'm backish!!

[Mowjo]

Ok Folks! first the bad news I'm back I'ts been a couple of years now and I/We decided it's time to get another boat and get back on the Broads, We've been looking at a Hampton Safari's MkIII's and II's, Not my idea of a boat as I like boats that look like boats, but the Old Girl is knackered as dosn't like the idea of climbing over the the side to get in and out and she like the room in Hamptons, so it looks like it's a mini bathtub for us, and if anyone has any info on these boats please let me know here, we have it down to two Hamptons at the moment a Mk II and a Mark III my preference is the III because of the door at the front, and as the old girl is crap at mooring up I have to do it on my own from a safety point the III would be better for me, We are looking at two tomorrow and if the boss can screw the price down a bit, we should be back on the water in a week or two, So hopefully I'll be there soon running you all up the banks and speeding past you, the speed limit is still 20MPH isn't it, or is that just around Horning, I just have to get my Hat and Flag and I'll be set,, :

Regards Mowjo,,,,

[jillR]

hi frank

thats great news and the summer looks like it might be a really good one for boating this year.

jill

[Mowjo]

Hi Jill! Been a while now, hope your keeping well and life's going good for you, looks like I have a bit of catching up to do but i'll get there,

Regards Frank,,

[Antares_9]

I'm sure Dan will be along soon Frank, then you will know chapter and verse on the things to the nearest 1mm, if not fractions of.

Good to see you back by the way.

[Dan]

You cheeking Charles David....

Good luck with your search, they are spacious boats for the size but I agree - not everyones cup of tea.

I think Richardsons have one for sale - at a good running standard I suspect, with orange bulkheads and there is a Mk3 on Broadland Boat Sales that has been up for sale for a while, though I haven't seen the laminates on that one, though I think it is ex Maid Boats

Happy Hunting, and welcome back

Dan

[Guest]

if anyone has any info on these boats please let me know here

Try http://www.shorebase.co.uk/boating/Hamp ... nboats.asp

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

You cheeking Charles David....

Good luck with your search, they are spacious boats for the size but I agree - not everyones cup of tea.

I think Richardsons have one for sale - at a good running standard I suspect, with orange bulkheads and there is a Mk3 on Broadland Boat Sales that has been up for sale for a while, though I haven't seen the laminates on that one, though I think it is ex Maid Boats

Happy Hunting, and welcome back

Dan

There`s one i`ve been watching at "Waterside marine" at Potter Heigham which is very cheap at just under £12,000, but looks like it needs some cleaning up on the outside, and the one that Dan refers to above is i believe at Beccles yacht station, and has definately been up for sale for well over a year now. There`s also one that has recently come on the books at NYA. The one that Dan mentions above is a mk3 with fwd cockpit, but the other 2 have sliding fwd cabin tops (mk1 or 2s). The Hampton owners association has fairly recently re-emerged, so google "The Hampton Safari Boat Club" where you might get all the info (and more) than you need.

They are popular little boats, and when i can eventually buy my own boat on the broads, if it`s only going to be for Karen and i, it`ll more than likely be a Hampton mk2. Whatever you get, i hope you have many happy times cruising her.

[Mowjo]

Thanks folks! one of the boats I'm looking at is the one at Beccles, seems tidy boat and what I'm looking for, trouble is the owner is a nightmare to get hold of , he's in Folkstone and didn't leave any Keys, but it's handy to know it's been on the market for a year could get a good purchase price on that one, The other one is on the Hampton Site, nice boat but no heating and a Porta-loo, And as I moor up on my Own I'm not sure about just the rear entry unless it's sunny and I have the Top down, But I'm sure I could get around that, I like the Idea of the well at the front of the III so I can fish, but if the price is right and I like the boat who knows, I tend to worry when a boats been up for sale as long as the III because they usualy sell quickly, anyway watch this space I'll buy something,,,

Regards Frank,,,

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

This is the mk3 (the one on the left) at Beccles that`s still on Broadland boatsales website. The mk2 "Claire" on the right was sold by "Waterside marine" at Potter Heigham last June. Karen and i looked over it, and went back to say we were interrested, only to be told they`d sold it that day. It had been for sale for about 7 months previous. http://www.pbase.com/daveyl/image/132645702

[NorfolkNog]

Good to have you back Frank.

We hired several Safaris in the 70’s and 80’s – cosy little boat for two and handled well and easy to moor as I recall. Shaft drive too. I’d certainly consider one when the lottery comes up.

If the one at Richardsons is still up for sale it would be a good bet as it will have been very well maintained.

http://www.richardsonsboatsales.net/

Good luck!

[Mowjo]

Thats it I'm Back! Went to Beccles to look at at Mk III, not a bad looking boat nice ans tidy just a good clean needed, But I found out why the boat has been on the market for over a year, we got talking to a guy that moors there and he said the owner won't budge on £16,5k price, he then told us that opposite him was a MII for sale and the guy was asking 10k for it again a tidy boat with just minor work needed so left a note for the owner to contact us, then off to Waveney to look at another MkII, the owner was asking £14.5 k But we got them down to £13k but after thinking about it decided it was no go as the boat needed a complete re-paint and by the time I had a pump out toilet fitted the re-paint and other work done it would have eneded up costing me over £16k for what would have been a pretty average boat, so that was it came home for a cuppa Hopeing to hear from the Beccles guy as he goes to the boat everyday, suddenly I remembered Waterside had a MkII in so off to Potter we go, One look at it and without even looking inside I said no, to say it was a heap of crap was an understatement, The rubbing strakes were rotten as was the rest of the outside, now totaly fed up we start back to the car when out the corner of my eye I see another Mk II, walking back to see it I said to the Wife thats going to be an expensive one, had a look on the outside nice and tidy nothing needs doing, off to the office to find out the price and get the key, , guy there said the boat only came in Wednesday and wasn't on their site yet but they were asking £14950 so off to look inside apart from a general clean it needs nothing and is ready to go for the Old girl it was instant love, for me it was up with the floors, in the cupboards, checking electrics and anything else I could get to, the engine was spotless, not a drop of water or dirt in the bilges, always a good sign for me as it means someone took care of the boat, I said to the wife I like the boat but no answer so I carry on prodding and probing, after half hour the only thing I found was a small bit of mould/fungus in the wardrobe, Wife appears again waving a bit of paper at me, while I'd been checking everything she had been in the office and actually bought the boat for £14k, I said you idiot I hadn't finished checking it what if it was no good, her answer "when you came out of the engine bay and bilges you were smiling, that was good enough for me", scarey that woman knows me too well, so now we are the new owners of Crackers a MkII Hampton Safari, picking it up and moving it Tuesday, I did a bit of checking and found out it used to be called Goya Girl and is ex Summercraft which was even better as I know they take real good care of all their boats even thought it's been a few years the boat looks as if it hasn't been used that much and been taken good care of, so be Warned everyone stay off the river Tuesday as I'm on the loose,,,

Regards Frank,,,

[Antares_9]

No messing about then, happy new ship Frank I hope you have many happy and safe hours aboard.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

Well done Frank, and a big well done to Mrs Frank too. Where will you be keeping her, and will you be out on the southern rivers in 6 weeks time?. If so, keep an eye out for Maffett cruisers "Swallow", as Karen and me will be cruising around on her. It would be great to say hello, and have a look at your new little ship.

[jillR]

thats brilliant news frank

jill

[Guest]

well done Frank

where you keeping her moored you going back to broadsedge or your coming to richo's

Jonny

[Mowjo]

Thanks Folks! Bill I'm a Northener the only time I ever venture South is for the end of year reggata, south side is too quite for me plus over the years I've found lots of hidey holes North side so I can be in the middle of it or hiding away in my own little spot.

Jonny! I think we will be back at B/Edge we spoke to David the other day and he has space for us plus I know lots of people there,,,

Antares! I think we had a meant to be moment, I don't know what made me look back and see Crackers sitting there, and the odd thing is I already scanned the place while we were looking at the Tatty MkII, the wife never misses a thing and even she didn't see it, it may seem an odd way of buying a boat but in some way the boats seems to pick me, this will be my 6th boat now and everyone has been lucky for me and I've even managed to sell everyone for a profit, so I hope i'm as lucky with this one and enjoy it as much as the others,,,,

Regards Frank,,,

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

Hi Frank, i was particularly interested in your comments regarding the other mk2 at PH, as i`ve been looking at it on their site for some time. It` looks a litle bit of a scruff on the outside, even in the pictures, which are often, shall we say "enhanced a bit"?. The inside looks reasonably straight, but you`d obviously need to spend £2-3,000 on the outside alone. Are you going to keep the name as is, or are you going to change it?.

[Mowjo]

Hi Bill! the MkII at Potter Needs all new Rubbing Strakes as they are Rotten and I mean beyond repair, probably not that expensive Job if you do it yourself but if your paying a yard Expensive, it needs a repaint, also my spy at Potter tells me it's even worse inside, I think he means a tart up to sell it, cosmeticaly looking good but don't touch it without a good survey, he says he knows the boat quite well, at nearly 12k I think it could work out an expensive boat for someone, The other one at Beccles, Karoliner Jane is owned by an older couple and been well looked after from what I was told, it's a nice tidy boat outside and from what I saw just the decks need a bit of tidying, I don't know the actual price but It's just going on with Boatshed and should be on their site next week, I was told the owner would take around 10k for a quick sale, I love my spy's, and found out the other MkIII at beccles might have been partialy flooded at some point as there are water marks up the wall 4 or 5inches, If I hadn't found Crackers I would probably have gone for Karolina, as for the name I'm keeping it, I'm not superstitious or anything like that but I don't change names unless it's a stupid one and I think the way I do things Crackers suits me well,,,

Regards Frank,,,

[jillR]

this will be my 6th boat now and everyone has been lucky for me and I've even managed to sell everyone for a profit, so I hope i'm as lucky with this one

knowing the time and work you put in to your boats frank i know that luck does not come into it

jill

[Springsong]

Hey Frank I have just caught up with your great news.

Have plenty of fun with her and I will bump into you

soon.

[Mowjo]

You may have something there Jill! But I went for this one because it dosn't need anything doing to it only minor stuff, I think I've actually spent more time re-building my boats than I have on the water, the first one took me 4 years but I'm getting faster Dragonfly took me two years and Whitestar only 18 months which wasn't bad as I completely gutted it, I really enjoy getting boats how I want them but now I just want to enjoy my time out on the water, I have a few small jobs on Crackers like make a new rear door and re-varnish the inside, but nothing that won't wait until the end of the season,,,,

Barry! nice to hear from you, the kettles always on so if you see us about on Crackers drop in for a cuppa, I havn't spoken to Jock since we moved but it's about time he was back on the water. last time I spoke to him he said he was hoping to have his boat all done for this season but he said that for the last few years,,,,

Regards Frank,,,,

[mbird]

Well done Frank! I'm a great believer in gut instinct and "fate", so it sounds like that is definately the boat you were meant to have. As for Mrs Mowjo making the decision for you, that's even better! Being an Ex-summercraft you just know it has been well looked after.

Congratulations on getting back on the water

[Mowjo]

Picked the boat up today and even though it's only been two days the boats looks even better than I remembered, the Mrs started cleaning it before we even left Potter and the inside has come up a treat, I didn't realise how dirty it was inside but the Mrs said it was minging and she knows dirt when she see's it so it's 2 nil the the Wife, I havn't laughed as much in a long time because all my other boat have had a central steering position, but this steering from the front was a whole new experiance, I now think that those so called drunks all going over the place arn't really drunk they just have a front steering position, because I came out of Woods yard like I had just had 15 pints, all I heard from the wife was where the hell are you going, I was watching the front and the back was doing it's own thing, well that was my excuse! plus I told her I was testing the steering to get used to it, by the time we hit St Bennets I just about had it going in a straight line, we stopped at Ludham and I actually managed to turn the boat around, get into the mooring space "well it was about 50 yards long" and moor up one my own first time, but here's a little tip for you all! if you ever ask your other half to throw you the rope, make sure she's not on her mobile phone, because her phone ended up on the bank and the rope ended up in the water, anyway got Crackers back to B/Edge and I even manage to reverse it into the mooring space first try, and as my usual rate is around 1 in 20 i'm not sure if it was beginers luck or I'm getting better, what made it so amazing was because I'm not use to the boat I asked the wife to watch the back of the boat as I reveresed in, Now you will see why the name Crackers fits the boat and my wife, most people will shout to you go left a bit or right a bit, stop, go forward, just generaly shout instruction at you! but no not my daft Bat of a wife, she stands on the rear step and points where she wants me to go, Yup I have x-ray eyes and can see through the back of the boat and around corners, then she has the nerve to say why are you swearing at me, so if todays little venture was anything to go by we are going to have plenty of fun on Crackers,,,

Regards Frank,,,,

[jillR]

and the weather was perfect for you to

jill

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

When you read back through the posts above, you can`t help but notice just exactly how lightning fast this whole adventure has gone. From anouncing you were looking, to asking advice, to seeing a few boats, then actually buying one and getting back to your mooring, and all in less than a week . I think Karen and i need a lesson on how to spot the right boat?. Congratulations Frank, you and Mrs Frank are going to have many happy times on Crackers, and i have to admit to being a tad envious .