Richardsons 2013

[Hemel_Dave]

Hi All

My Richardsons brochure fell through the letter box this morning the brochure has plenty of info in it with the cruising time chart loads of company history and some nice big pictures.Also new this year is the air draft for each boat and short breaks of 2 or 5 nights.

Dave

[donnygeoff]

Yes,

Rubbing salt into the wound......

Mine hit the doormat today as well......

Thames paid for or don't know yet....

But a good idea on air draft.......

saves me a job next year

[attachment=0]AIR DRAFT.xlsx[/attachment]

[Guest]

Brochure also hit the mat this morning, SWMBO says not next year so looking to 2014 unless i can persuade her for a short break, the new boats look stunning and nice to see a forward drive on the list,

Keep up the good work Clive.

[Dan]

Mine arrived today too.

Just had a flick throigh, nice brochure with lots of new piccies and a few changes from next year with Moonfleet & the 2 night breaks etc

Got quite excited by the two night break idea (Tuesday to Thursday) as I thought I could have even more breaks! On looking a bit further though I reckon the fuel deposit being £120 for a 4 berth (as with 3/4 night breaks) is a bit on the high side. If you pick up around 14.00 on Tuesday afternoon and have to have it back first thing Thursday morning however are you ever going to get through something close to that?! I know it is a deposit so you would get it back & therefore the cost of the holiday comes down to real terms in the end, but it pushes the intial/percieved cost up dramatically because as it has not been lowered for the shorter period/cheaper hire fee then the final cost of the holiday over the starting price is proportionally even higher than normal, and suddenly looks less appealing (even though as I say it would reduce as you would get a lot back).

Also, disappointingly the damage waiver is still £46 on a 4 berth, which is the same as weekly holidays and 3/4 night breaks. This being the same for 2 nights (or one and a half days of useale holiday time - however you look at it) as it is for a week is not right to my mind. If the fuel deposit was say, £75 and the waiver reduced a tad, maybe £30? then these would be good value breaks and a much fairer/balanced level of cost for the fact it is just two nights.

I was a little disapppointed to see so many sliding canopy boats with their canopies shut in the photo's too....

Dan

[Guest]

mine arrived

very nice brochure nice photos very informative also with the new moon fleet prices seem very fair aswel..

best of luck for 2013 Richardsons

Jonny

[C.Ricko]

Mine arrived today too.

Also, disappointingly the damage waiver is still £46 on a 4 berth, which is the same as weekly holidays and 3/4 night breaks. This being the same for 2 nights (or one and a half days of useale holiday time - however you look at it) as it is for a week is not right to my mind. If the fuel deposit was say, £75 and the waiver reduced a tad, maybe £30? then these would be good value breaks and a much fairer/balanced level of cost for the fact it is just two nights.

I was a little disapppointed to see so many sliding canopy boats with their canopies shut in the photo's too....

Dan

I see what you mean about the perceived value of the shorter breaks, I guess this is something we could look at, although I suspect the likeley period in which a boat will be damaged is the first couple of days on hire!

As for the canopy shots, we try and show boats with similar exteriors both with the tops up and down although I can see the Bourne 35 and Aquafibre 38 are not as well represented in the top down catogary.

[Guest]

ive noticed that quite a few on the centre sliding cockpits & other styles have had there colors changed which is very refreshing which is a plus ... i also notice plenty of new photos of the new & old fleet but there are still some interior & exterior shots that have been for a few years which could have been changed when doing the new photos.. but never the less a good brochure

with having my uncle having less mobility & being in a wheel chair if we hired a lodge would it have sufficient access for a wheel chair & would you allow a richardsons cruiser to moor near that wasnt to big as we dont do dayboats??

i like the history of richardsons page i notice you added the R kemp & co history which is alway nice to hear the story of a yard..

Jonny

just a shame i missed out on one of those richardsons hoeseason signs if i wasnt polite in asking you after the yard manager i would have gotten away with it richo's history there

[Broads01]

Really impressed with all the new photos and I like the air draft idea. I'm not convinced all the air drafts are accurate (e.g why would Serene Gem be 6ft 10 but Dominica 7ft) but it's a step in the right direction.

[C.Ricko]

Hi Simon,

not all the heights are super accurate although there may also be some differences due to ballast, who built the boat and wether the tanks were full etc, these factors may make a bigger difference on the smaller boats but a couple of inches may be added if it is thought that the boat needs a bit of extra protection

Glad you like the brochure, I will tell the Wife.

[Hockham Admiral]

Mine arrived today too.

Also, disappointingly the damage waiver is still £46 on a 4 berth, which is the same as weekly holidays and 3/4 night breaks. This being the same for 2 nights (or one and a half days of useale holiday time - however you look at it) as it is for a week is not right to my mind. If the fuel deposit was say, £75 and the waiver reduced a tad, maybe £30? then these would be good value breaks and a much fairer/balanced level of cost for the fact it is just two nights.

Dan

Dan, Hi.

If you think that's high then don't bother to hire in Holland... whatever period you hire the damage waiver is 600 Euros or more (about £500) and you don't get a cent if you damage the boat... which includes scrapes and minor bashes...

And, yes, the yard we're hiring from is already pretty well booked up for2013.

Gosh, Clive, you'd be retired in a couple of years!

[C.Ricko]

Dan, Hi.

If you think that's high then don't bother to hire in Holland... whatever period you hire the damage waiver is 600 Euros or more (about £500) and you don't get a cent if you damage the boat... which includes scrapes and minor bashes...

And, yes, the yard we're hiring from is already pretty well booked up for2013.

Gosh, Clive, you'd be retired in a couple of years!

Thats a bit steep, I dont think I would retire, I would just have more boats or lower the prices

unfortunately we cant lower the prices too much at present as the 'Golden Goose' is being milked to extinction.

[Julz]

Hi Clive, please may I book Moon Voyger on a C period for 7 nights at £149 ?

I think you need to have words with your printer!

We have been scanning a few of your boats for an early break to introduce our 5 year old grandaughter to living life afloat, but most of the boats we have chosen are booked solid for the early part of the season

Looking for a newish boat with all mod cons, 2 adults plus 1 child, before the end of May, looked at Far Horizon, but only very early date available in March, Brrr! a bit too cold and possibly foggy then

Julz

[Broads01]

I like the 2/5 night short break options as well. This adds to customer choice by making both an extra short and an extra long option available as far as short breaks are concerned. It also means you can have a short break over a weekend that's longer than 3 nights, which has been a bugbear of mine. The 5 night breaks are great value I think being the same price as 3 and 4 night ones on the same boat.

[C.Ricko]

Hi Clive, please may I book Moon Voyger on a C period for 7 nights at £149 ?

I think you need to have words with your printer!

We have been scanning a few of your boats for an early break to introduce our 5 year old grandaughter to living life afloat, but most of the boats we have chosen are booked solid for the early part of the season

Looking for a newish boat with all mod cons, 2 adults plus 1 child, before the end of May, looked at Far Horizon, but only very early date available in March, Brrr! a bit too cold and possibly foggy then

Julz

Hi Julz,

Funny enough, that was the first mistake we noticed!! I dont think it matters how many times we proof read the pages, we see a mistake as soon as the first printed copy is opened.

In the words of Sir Fred Pontin. "Book early"

[Dan]

Dan, Hi.

If you think that's high then don't bother to hire in Holland... whatever period you hire the damage waiver is 600 Euros or more (about £500) and you don't get a cent if you damage the boat... And, yes, the yard we're hiring from is already pretty well booked up for2013...

Good heavens above... but whatever are you doing going boating there, perhaps it is the price you must pay for such crazyness?!

It is rather high, but then if it is a deposit I'm sure it will do the job of making you look after the boat & return it in pristine condition and with a bit less gay abandon than you might show if you'd hired one of Mr Richardsons and paid £46 to do whatever you wanted with! Still, we must be careful not to wander off onto the old waiver v deposit debate as the inevitable debarkle and full on slanging match that would inevitably follow wouldn't do on New Years Eve

Dan

[LondonRascal]

I’ll begin with what are in my humble opinion the let downs and general comments on boating hire, so this won’t just be limited to the new brochure – but a personal take on things, some food for thought...

I understand what the new icon of the bridge means (you know it is this small grey picture of a bridge next to some of the boats) – This basically states said boat may not pass under all bridges or will need things taken down like screens or canopies in order to go under them. Personally I find the icon as stands is not clear – it is a bridge - and it may be seen to imply this boat will pass under all bridges (as in the bridge icon is used to show this is a good boat for navigating bridges).

The same icon with an exclamation mark under the arch of the bridge however would draw more attention that this is a boat that either will not pass under all bridges, or greater care/action is required for the navigation of bridges.

Let me use the example of my old friend San Julian; this now allegedly will pass under Beccles Old Bridge according to the brochure (we know it would not, but this has been omitted from the text) however on the website it states it will only not pass under Potter Heigham bridge – a simple error but to a newbie they would not know their Wroxham from their Beccles - it will in fact not pass under Potter Heigham, Wroxham, Wayford or Beccles Old Bridges.

Also at any bridge the lowering of the screen is required (correct) this apparently ‘leaves the interior open to the elements’. I think not.

I think errors like this have crept in somewhere between the brochure company and the website design people taking it upon themselves to ‘re-jig’ things and such jiggery pokery not being spotted before the final print run.

Another gripe (and to be fair this is not a Richardson’s issue) but ‘industry wide’ – Non-refundable security waivers: Now I understand why they are there but effectively what one is doing is indemnifying themselves against accidental damage done to the boat or its inventory – or indeed to a third party. However surly the risk decreases with less physical time spent on the boat – so therefore the ‘premium’ should reflect it – a short break attracting a lesser amount than a week, two weeks attracting more than 1 week.

Because it is not actually a real life insurance policy, it cannot be sold as such, nor regulated against (by say the FSA) but I am sorry to say there is a perception that if (and surly most hirers are) careful and return a boat undamaged and without third party claim against them, where does all the waiver monies go to?

If it is in a general pot to fund winter maintenance/boat improvements I think that is not fair, if it is held in trust for times where expensive repairs are needed to one of the boats due to accident damage (take Bolero incident or Challenger) fair enough but some transparency I think in time may be needed.

Personally I will be looking to try and save up more money and pay a £300.00 combined security and fuel deposit, and have the ‘security part’ of the deposit refunded upon return – keep this money and use again on another hire – as per clause 13, option 2, of the booking conditions – this would have equated to a personal saving to myself in 2012 of £138 had I taken this course of action over the non-refundable option. Credit is due however for Richardson’s allowing the ‘old method’ of deposit still.

This sounds like one big moan – no, because there are some real good things – the Platinum collection has grown, and hallelujah they now feature the much nicer ‘Holly and Teak’ wooden flooring and the red and orange lino has been banished – it has even made its way on to Symphony which is not a platinum class cruiser (though my pet peeve ‘tub chairs’ have arrived on board ruling this boat out as a choice for me).

Air drafts are included – though to some degree they vary within class which can be because of the placement of a particular hand rail, vent or ballast it makes choosing something that is more likely to get under certain bridges easier. Good on you for listening to many who asked for this inclusion.

The brochure continues to keep start days, price bands and pricing clear and with each boat – not separate thank goodness – and I do believe the prices have been frozen in the main (well done) and now we have 2, 3,4 and 5 night breaks – however this is not made clear in the price sections as they show 7 night or 3/4 night break prices. In the front of the brochure (page 7) it is headed ‘Choose your holiday duration’ this is where mention is made of the 2 and 5 night breaks an explanation is given about what Saturday (previous or following) such a start date would apply to. All fine and dandy, but it does not mention in the brochure that short break prices are 60% of the full week hire charge.

New pictures a plenty – continued improvements across the fleet go on, the – hmm how can I say ‘corporate colours’ of light blue and white are slowly spreading (nice) and it is nice to see more and more boats having small (but tangible) changes being made – a new fridge or cooker – inclusion of a DVD player and so on while the price remains the same. And those fridges are not cheap by any standards – so hats off there – my only comment would be a more ‘standardised fleet’ where the curtains are the same, upholstery etc so that one has pretty much a set single standard on a classic boat and a more decadent standard on a platinum.

Frankly it all comes down to three things which keep me not just coming back time and time agains with Richardson’s, but singing their praises too: Value, Service and Choice.

You simply cannot find better value than Richardson’s – take Clear Gem – it has had a refreshed paint job, and new touches inside such as the worktops, cooker and so on – but the hire charge begins at £311.00 for a week – amazing!

It sleeps up to 6, but say it was 4 people who split that cost – without fuel/waiver that is under £78.00 per person PER WEEK! And people say boating is expensive (all in that is £126.00 per person per week – or - £18.10 a night per person).

It does not end there – you get discounts if you go mid week, you get a HUGE 20% off for a second holiday (no other boatyard comes close to that) you still get to save up your ‘loyalty rewards’ and you get the discount card for places you and your family may actually want to go to – and if you book wisely you can ‘add up’ these offers if a couple booked a 4 berth boat you get £50.00 off, book said boat mid week if it was available and save some more there, and if was your second holiday have 20% off that as well.

Richardson’s (Clive) honestly this is the sort of thing customers value and will attract new people but when you are met with a warm welcome and a ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude it keeps them happy and coming back - from reception team who genuinely are helpful and kind checking on take over times, boat engineers who are polite and help with things, not just about the greasy bits and a team of support people that getting an extra pillow or blanket is not a big deal – makes the difference.

I am sure Joininghttp://www.trustpilot.co.uk must have been a tough choice as no sign up is needed form those who contribute and people can say what they like, good or bad – but at time of writing 134 people have reviewed the service and 8.9/10 sure is not bad going.

So apart from the odd typographical error here and there, this brochure is better than last years and when you look back to years past really is good – it is clearer than many other boatyards offerings too. I just wish you had a small selection of boats that covered Valentines – I would not need to consider going elsewhere then with the misses lol.

Keep up the good work!

[Hockham Admiral]

Good heavens above... but whatever are you doing going boating there, perhaps it is the price you must pay for such crazyness?!

It is rather high, but then if it is a deposit I'm sure it will do the job of making you look after the boat & return it in pristine condition and with a bit less gay abandon than you might show if you'd hired one of Mr Richardsons and paid £46 to do whatever you wanted with! Still, we must be careful not to wander off onto the old waiver v deposit debate as the inevitable debarkle and full on slanging match that would inevitably follow wouldn't do on New Years Eve Dan

Well, Dan.... as it's now New Year's Day I'll try to explain!

(BTW, what craziness?). We want to go boating there because we just love Holland. It's totally different to here in that the Marinas are nearly all Club-Owned and are situated in the middle of lovely old Dutch villages and towns.

And yes, you do indeed return the boat as you received it or you also pay for them to clean it!

ps. Sorry, Clive, to get so far off subject!

[Dan]

....The brochure continues to keep start days, price bands and pricing clear and with each boat – not separate thank goodness – and I do believe the prices have been frozen in the main (well done) and now we have 2, 3,4 and 5 night breaks – however this is not made clear in the price sections as they show 7 night or 3/4 night break prices. In the front of the brochure (page 7) it is headed ‘Choose your holiday duration’ this is where mention is made of the 2 and 5 night breaks an explanation is given about what Saturday (previous or following) such a start date would apply to. All fine and dandy, but it does not mention in the brochure that short break prices are 60% of the full week hire charge...

Hi Robin

If I've understood you correctly then you'll find the 2 night price is shown by the boat in question UNLESS that boat is not available for two nights when you would then just see the lengths available - 3/4 & 7 in the majority as you say.

I am suprised a bigger introduction to the 2 & 5 night breaks wasn't featured, as it's new for 2013. I only picked up on that off here, and then had to go hunting for it as my first read was quite a quick flick through so I reckon it wont quite reach as many peoples attentions as would be good.

From what I can see Broadland Wave, Symphony, Majorca, San Carlos, Silver Gem, Concerto, Amber Gem, Gold, Magic, Sapphire, Madeira, Astral, Tideway & Fairway are the options for two night breaks.

The bridges is a funny one - for example brochures never used to list ones such as Thorpe & Wayford even when they were definate restrictions, and Wayford seems to creep in occasionally more recently, but the restrictions everyone lists does seem a bit inconsistent and therefore not always that accurate

Dan

[C.Ricko]

Hi,

There have been some interesting and valid points reaised here, some things are done for a reason which may only make sense to us but also some things will need tweaking which we can do, we like feedback, sometines telling us to do better but if we feel we can do something to improve what we do then we will try.

[RedRover]

Hi,

There have been some interesting and valid points reaised here, some things are done for a reason which may only make sense to us but also some things will need tweaking which we can do, we like feedback, sometines telling us to do better but if we feel we can do something to improve what we do then we will try.

Well said,Clive..

[C.Ricko]

Barry,

But as you may see, some of the useful additions which are already there are not always the ideas of ours or our customers but also from here there and everywhere, we just sort them out if we think they are valid..

one thing which has improved the brochure over the years is the photography, we use images from Clive R Caddick (Musiclive) and Broadland Photography which were found on this forum and do put a credit in the brochure for them but the credit is not very obvious so I better make that good or next year