A Weekend Away...

[LondonRascal]

lastminuteboathire.com is affiliated to Herbert Woods - and as far as I am aware providing you book within 7 days of booking do indeed get 30% off.  However, I used  lastminutenorfolkbroads.com which (although not clear) is affiliated to Barnes Brinkcraft.  Though they are looking in to correcting matters, the price the website currently quotes is not the full percentage as advertised.

 

In short, if it says for example "25% off these dates" grab a calculator and take 25% off the hire cost yourself to see if that tallies with what is shown when you click 'book now' - if not, call them and book over the phone to ensure you would get the full as advertised percentage discount.

 

As I understand matters this is a glitch between the discount and 'proper' website and more than likely a mistake in some code between linking the two.

 

I have to confess feeling a tad guilty when I booked using the discount site because if everyone was to use such and wait till the last 7 days before going it would surely not be a good thing for the hire industry as a whole.  That said, at the end of the day I simply could not afford the usual prices that Barnes Brinkcraft charge – for what are in the main very high quality fitted boats with ‘all the mod cons’ so it enabled me to treat myself, give them some business which would otherwise have not been had. 

 

I would likely use such again for weekend breaks when you can think a few days before you are able to go and then get a deal as I guess as far as the consumer goes you get a deal, and as far as the boatyard despite not being as profitable as normal, something is surely better than nothing.  I do suspect these discount sites may be the first things to go by the wayside the moment business picks up to more usual seasonal levels.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

This has been a very interresting read Robin, but i can`t understand one thing. If the Ant is your favourite river (it`s also my favourite), why on earth did you hire something that has little chance of ever going under Ludham bridge. While i can see the advantages of this type of boat on the southern rivers, i would have thought a centre cockpit, or single level boat would have been far better for your trip, or was the discount scheme only available on the sedan boats?. Still a great read though, and i wish we could have as many trips as you do.

 

Regards to all ........................ Neil.

[LondonRascal]

Neil,

 

It is pretty simple – the boat will normally pass under Ludham Bridge, but at the time I went there had been a lot of rain and it was pretty much hovering at the 8ft mark at the Ludham Bridge – compare that to last weekend when there was more than 9ft!

 

Originally I had intended to book something cheaper (and smaller) Sonata – but then moved up to Ladymore – and then thought well if I am going to do that I may as well hire Belmore and get more space and a nicer internal fit out and 240v power.  In short it was this which swayed me. I had looked elsewhere – Freedom and Richardson’s to see what they had and for how much.

 

When I then looked at what I was able to hire at the price Barnes Brinkcraft were offering, taking into account a smaller £30.00 damage waiver and a £70.00 fuel deposit -  it was settled I’d go with them – the actual hire boat cost had the 30% off it, bringing it in line at that time of year with the likes of a Calypso – but of course Belmore is a newer nicer boat that one of those.

 

It is not just the hire cost I had to budget for which lead me to choose the boat but over all additional costs too. As it tuned out I spent £60.00 in fuel, if I had hired (let us say with Richardson’s), I’d have got the £60.00 back as a refund – but I would not have had the £120.00 available in the budget to pay that and £16.00 more for the damage waiver at the time of booking - not to mention taking into account over and above that extra money my food costs and train fares.  So all in all had it not been for the offer Barnes Brinkcraft had and their lower deposit and waiver costs I’d have never got to have gone.

 

I think because no taxi/bus is needed to get from Wroxham station to their yard, I’ll hire with Barnes Brinkcraft again, at a discounted ‘last minute’ rate and use them for weekend breaks only.  However, I‘m already planning for October which will be for more than a week - maybe 11 days - and will be with Richardson’s and more than likely see me heading back to the Southern Rivers.

[Hockham Admiral]

  However, I‘m already planning for October which will be for more than a week - maybe 11 days - and will be with Richardson’s and more than likely see me heading back to the Southern Rivers.

 

We'll look forward to meeting you in person then, Robin!  

[JimC]

Robin, where did you buy the Showroom Shine window cleaner from, it's a snip at £5, it's £8 up here in Durham, we use the polish on our caravan too brings it up lovely so would like to try the window cleaner as well.

 

                            Jim

[LondonRascal]

@ Jim: I have no idea but presume I must have bought it from Roys - in their 'DIY Building' - they also have a bunch of other vehicle related things so much cheaper than I am used to seeing and for boaters and caravaners’  in the household lighting section have 8w mini florescent tubes (the 12v sort) for a couple of quid.