Hire Cruiser Sunk

[SwanR]

2 hours ago, Hylander said:

Surely it would stink. 

I had exactly the same thought. 

Whilst the hirers have been reported as ok and comfortably accommodated, I have pondered what a dreadful experience this must have been for them. 

[Hylander]

Well after just reading the latest post on here, the idea that this will be out on hire immediately is scotched.    Unfortunate customers expecting to go out on Sapphire Light have been told their holidays are cancelled and for one poor person no other boat available.    

[RumPunch]

Is it back at the yard yet ?

[NeilB]

38 minutes ago, Hylander said:

Well after just reading the latest post on here, the idea that this will be out on hire immediately is scotched.    Unfortunate customers expecting to go out on Sapphire Light have been told their holidays are cancelled and for one poor person no other boat available.    

So it seems, maybe the water damage is greater than we thought.

[Ray]

42 minutes ago, Hylander said:

Well after just reading the latest post on here, the idea that this will be out on hire immediately is scotched.    Unfortunate customers expecting to go out on Sapphire Light have been told their holidays are cancelled and for one poor person no other boat available.    

Don't the big yards have any reciprocal arrangements to assist each other in unusual circumstances like these? It would be good PR for both yards to save a customer's holiday.

[webntweb]

1 hour ago, Ray said:

Don't the big yards have any reciprocal arrangements to assist each other in unusual circumstances like these? It would be good PR for both yards to save a customer's holiday.

They did in the heyday of Blakes and I would presume with Hoseasons too, but even then I doubt it would have happened between the two groups. I agree it would be good PR.

[Andrewcook]

It is a shame of the past Boating Agency's did not still do that to help each other out as to this present day even the Private yards such as HW and a few others as it would do there reputation good in both ways Customers and the Boats Yard

[oldgregg]

1 hour ago, webntweb said:

They did in the heyday of Blakes and I would presume with Hoseasons too, but even then I doubt it would have happened between the two groups. I agree it would be good PR.

This is one of many ways where the old Blakes model worked very well for the industry.

[oldgregg]

2 hours ago, NeilB said:

So it seems, maybe the water damage is greater than we thought.

Well I think at a minimum

• The electrics (not necessarily the actual cables, but everything else) will be toast
• I would guess there's silt trapped between the outer and the contra mouldings and headlinings etc.
• Also the engine will probably need a swap (particularly if it was running when the boat went down). They may have a spare in the shed or they may not.
• Assuming the laminates and ply etc have survived, everything will need a REALLY good clean and then the boat will need properly drying out (dehumidifiers etc).

[Meantime]

1 hour ago, webntweb said:

They did in the heyday of Blakes and I would presume with Hoseasons too, but even then I doubt it would have happened between the two groups. I agree it would be good PR.

Going off at a slight tangent, I do wonder whether the sale of Brooms will ultimately mean the loss of another Hoseasons yard? Hoseasons boating is not going to have very many yards before long!

[dom]

24 minutes ago, Meantime said:

Hoseasons boating is not going to have very many yards before long!

Not many Broads yards, at least. I get the impression their "fleet" on other waterways outnumbers the Broads quite significantly these days.

The bigger concern for Hoseasons would probably be the loss of premium boats. I think if I'd just bought Brooms, I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to change anything, in case it creates an opportunity for NYA.

[grendel]

Not a great week for HWs, just seen one of their smaller boats go past under tow, obviously to get somewhere a repair can be made.

[RumPunch]

Looks like she's made it

[SwanR]

2 hours ago, Meantime said:

Going off at a slight tangent, I do wonder whether the sale of Brooms will ultimately mean the loss of another Hoseasons yard? Hoseasons boating is not going to have very many yards before long!

I think you could be right. I wanted to look at booking a Brooms boat for next spring. The website still takes you to Hoseasons but with no availability for 2025. 

[Meantime]

19 minutes ago, SwanR said:

I think you could be right. I wanted to look at booking a Brooms boat for next spring. The website still takes you to Hoseasons but with no availability for 2025. 

I did wonder since Horning Pleasure Craft are not with Hoseasons.

[twowrights]

23 hours ago, Andrewcook said:

Blimey that's bloomy good getting the Stricken Boar refloated and Towed all the way to HW Yard and redo her up duringthe winter.

I bet it was a pig of a job. 

[CeePee1952]

22 minutes ago, twowrights said:

I bet it was a pig of a job. 

Most probably will be a bit "boaring" as well  (I blame spell checker!) 

Chris

[Mouldy]

6 minutes ago, CeePee1952 said:

Most probably will be a bit "boaring" as well  (I blame spell checker!) 

Chris

Having been fully submerged, the engine may be short of grunt!  Getting it clean could be a pig of a job, but when recommissioned, it should be quite ‘sty’lish! 

[CeePee1952]

Just looked on HW's roving webcam and it looks like they're getting ready to lift it out.

Chris

[rightsaidfred]

4 hours ago, Meantime said:

Going off at a slight tangent, I do wonder whether the sale of Brooms will ultimately mean the loss of another Hoseasons yard? Hoseasons boating is not going to have very many yards before long!

Why pay Hoseasons a hefty percentage for not doing very much when most people book on line these days.

Fred

[NeilB]

5 hours ago, oldgregg said:

Well I think at a minimum

• The electrics (not necessarily the actual cables, but everything else) will be toast
• I would guess there's silt trapped between the outer and the contra mouldings and headlinings etc.
• Also the engine will probably need a swap (particularly if it was running when the boat went down). They may have a spare in the shed or they may not.
• Assuming the laminates and ply etc have survived, everything will need a REALLY good clean and then the boat will need properly drying out (dehumidifiers etc).

It was under for a couple of days, the one we had back on hire after a week was only under a couple of hours.  Apart from a good clean and giving the engine a thorough service and extended test absolutely nothing was changed.  The engine and heater were fully submerged.

I sincerely hope HW have a spare engine package ready to go, every yard should have at least one complete driveline for emergencies.

[NeilB]

On 14/08/2024 at 16:04, Andrewcook said:

Blimey that's bloomy good getting the Stricken Boar refloated and Towed all the way to HW Yard and redo her up duringthe winter.

Just rub some oinkment in….. 

[oldgregg]

17 hours ago, rightsaidfred said:

Why pay Hoseasons a hefty percentage for not doing very much when most people book on line these days.

Fred

Not remotely defending them, but their market presence is significant - They advertise absolutely everywhere and it's a name people will immediately associate with holidays so might even be the first place some people look.

Building that presence alone or with an agency that has a much lower profile would be challenging. Rolling your own website, ecommerce etc and building up your own marketing costs time, money and expertise.

And (and it pains me to say this) Hoseasons may also be more likely to perceived as a 'premium' / 'lifestyle' brand because of the way they market themselves, so are perhaps better suited to the sort of demographic willing to book some of the stuff that NYA or Broom have available.

I doubt an NYA customer is looking at Waterways Holidays' website...

[rightsaidfred]

1 minute ago, oldgregg said:

Not remotely defending them, but their market presence is significant - They advertise absolutely everywhere and it's a name people will immediately associate with holidays so might even be the first place some people look.

Building that presence alone or with an agency that has a much lower profile would be challenging.

You may be right but the majority I speak to book direct and the yards that don't use Hoseasons seem to be just as fully booked as those that do, Google and Facebook groups seem to be the first port of call these days for those looking for recomendations.

Fred

 

[DAVIDH]

Looks like Broom's boats have been withdrawn from Hoseasons for 2025. No availability search on their own website but perhaps it's still being written...that or the hire fleet isn't operating after November this year?