Your favourite boat, and why?

[Dan]

Whatho folks,

 

A straight forward one here, I was suddenly thinking about how everyone had different favourite boats and all the different reasons attached and thought I'd post to see what everyones were

 

Personally I have not decided on a favourite yet, but have set about a robust system of trying to find one!

 

Dan

[Julz]

Of all the Hireboats we ever had out, the Haines sedan (Brinks Omega) when she was new was my favourite, and most memorable, as its the only one that Bill has managed to fall into the river off, as we were coming into moor on a windy day outside the Ferry Inn at Horning.

Just loved the clear view and good visibility from the helm, and fully protected cockpit for all weather cruising. We no longer hire the larger boats out due to us not being so nimble as we used to be a mooring up, but do have friends in North Wales who own a similar Haines Sedan which they use for short trips around the Menai straights and Angelsey, and if we are down that way when conditions are right, we sometimes are lucky enough to be invited onboard for a days ride.

Julz

[VetChugger]

Can we have categories please Dan? Purely as a hireboat my favourite is "Royall Commander", the Aquafibre Pearl for its superbly practical layout and, of course, Royall's meticulous presentation.

 

My favourite boat though, because it just looks like it belongs to the Broads and nowhere else along with its beautiful lines is the Broadland Heron Class from Ripplecraft who were at Somerleyton.

 

Especially this one!!!

 

[ExMemberBobdog]

No question, it's Colin Buttifant's Womack Classic, which we hired to sail for a week around a special wedding anniversary a few years back.  The most beautiful modern interpretation of a classic Broads design.  She sails beautifully and Colin has added features that take a lot of the effort out of living with her; that roof raises on hydraulic ramps, and the counterweighted mast is lowered and raised with a winch, so no backbreaking lifting to do.  I wish I could afford to commission him to build me one.

http://www.swallowtailboats.co.uk/bhwm1.jpg

 

http://www.swallowtailboats.co.uk/bhwm3.jpg

[trambo]

Well, your first love is always rather special, so it has to be for me the "King of Hearts". Looking something like the dock launches I was familiar with in Liverpool and Birkenhead to me she looked like a real boat. Not one of those mambee pambee river boats found all around Broadland but a sea going masterpiece. So what, a teenage boys imagination does play tricks! What I did not imagine though was the immaculate standards that the Ashby's had on their fleet. The King being the flagship. The paint work gleamed, the woodwork shone and you could see a reflection in the linoleum. At the helm you had a proper ships wheel behind which incorporated into the instrument panel was a large carved in wood, King of Hearts playing card. It must have cost a fortune. To the side of the wheelhouse was substantial built in engine gear lever, again beautifully finished in varnished wood and my memory might fail me here but I seem to remember the actual lever was polished brass as was the throttle lever on the instrument panel (no single lever control then) and the oval builders plate.
 The galley seemed huge, everything was built in when built in kitchens were only just becoming standard in the home. There was a chest ice-box that had two replaceable ice bottles to keep perishables fresh and a full four burner stove. The crockery was all embellished with a red line and Hearts motif.
 To the rear was the stateroom with two single berths and an en suite toilet and wash-basin. Us lower mortals slept to the fore in either twin bunk cabins or my favourite, the fore cabin with two single v-berths. Gas heating although introduced in the early 50s had been withdrawn by yards such as Windboats, I presume on safety grounds but the King did have heating provided by a portable paraffin oil heater with a safety device if it got knocked over. I can tell you the device worked! What would todays safety standards say about that! Between the bunk cabins and the fore cabin was on the port side a wash room. Just a basin and unlike the galley and rear stateroom, cold water only, needless to say we washed very little! On the starboard was the head. A proper sea toilet, we used to argue who was going to use it while crossing Breydon. If rough we used to see (by leaving the flap seal open) who could get their bottom wet. A sort of primitive bidet!
 I have been on many boats since and I suppose many much better boats, especially by todays home from home standards but for character the King of Hearts will  always be the King.
 
Fred

 

 

 

[Dan]

... A proper sea toilet, we used to argue who was going to use it while crossing Breydon. If rough we used to see (by leaving the flap seal open) who could get their bottom wet. A sort of primitive bidet!....

 

Good heavens!

 

I trust this is the sole reason sea toilets were outlawed on hire cruisers!

 

Funny stuff

 

Dan

[loribear]

I think my favourite hire boat was the two astons we hired, aston crossbow & longbow, they were so easy to drive & plenty of room on them too, I feel rather sad that they are not around any more. Lori ,

sent from my samsung tab2/ on tapatalk2

[LondonRascal]

Dan,

 

I have to say that the Aquafibre Pearl 38’s are in my opinion the most practical, graceful fibreglass centre-cockpit boats.  However, it is not just the look of the boat; it is the way these boats seem to have packed in so much in to their 38ft (although some are 35ft and slightly different in layout).

 

Of these Sunlit Horizon has to be the best – It only sleeps four people, in two proper width/long double berths.  It has three wash basin’s and two toilets – but then has the addition of a ‘proper bathroom’ (as far as you can get in the confines of a boat) but to have a shower and sit bath and wash basin in its own self contained cabin Is great.  The raised stateroom with plenty of storage – the fact when the canopy is close, you can still open the sliding glazed ‘door’ above the helms seat which you can (if nimble) use to exit and enter the boat.

 

The galley because it is arranged across the width of the boat gives another real sense of space. All of this plus an aft well to sit out in at an attractive price?  It has to be my favourite!

 

It is layouts and designs such as this which sadly seem to be forgotten when new built boats come along.

[Dan]

Dan,

 

I have to say that the Aquafibre Pearl 38’s are in my opinion the most practical, graceful fibreglass centre-cockpit boats.  However, it is not just the look of the boat; it is the way these boats seem to have packed in so much in to their 38ft (although some are 35ft and slightly different in layout).

 

Of these Sunlit Horizon has to be the best – It only sleeps four people, in two proper width/long double berths.  It has three wash basin’s and two toilets – but then has the addition of a ‘proper bathroom’ (as far as you can get in the confines of a boat) but to have a shower and sit bath and wash basin in its own self contained cabin Is great.  The raised stateroom with plenty of storage – the fact when the canopy is close, you can still open the sliding glazed ‘door’ above the helms seat which you can (if nimble) use to exit and enter the boat.

 

The galley because it is arranged across the width of the boat gives another real sense of space. All of this plus an aft well to sit out in at an attractive price?  It has to be my favourite!

 

It is layouts and designs such as this which sadly seem to be forgotten when new built boats come along.

 

Hi Robin

 

I too rather like the AF38... a really great boat design, along with many others that came from that stable (I also really like the AF Sapphire 32).

 

The layout on the Sunlit Horizon's is very good, and I think it offers a good layout/space for two couple's, as you say - to beat it in 38 foor you would be doing well on I think.

 

The main reason I have not hired a Sunlit Horizon is I do not think the red stripe goes with the very light blue, and at that sort of hire charge that matters to me( I am weird, as everyone knows)! 

 

For these reasons I have long toyed with hiring Sensation which I will perhaps get round to one time. 

 

I think all the AF38's from all yards are still quite expensive for their age and standard, but I guess the design is so good that they let well, but I think they sort of sit between two price brackets for what I tend to do (either go for mega cheap to get away more, or occasionally go for something really new).

 

You have got me wanting to hire one now though!

 

Dan

[VetChugger]

I too like that variation in layout Robin. The difference between "Sunlit Horizon" and "Royall Commander is that the bathroom space is a sleeping cabin but we use it as a stash cabin which is great to get things out of the way! This makes it a 4 berth with storage space!

 

Trevor

[Dan]

Can we have categories please Dan? Purely as a hireboat my favourite is "Royall Commander", the Aquafibre Pearl for its superbly practical layout and, of course, Royall's meticulous presentation.

 

My favourite boat though, because it just looks like it belongs to the Broads and nowhere else along with its beautiful lines is the Broadland Heron Class from Ripplecraft who were at Somerleyton....

 

I agree.  The AF Pearl 38 seems to be doing well so far on the thread!  Great Broads boats.  I quite like the Royall's ones, especially Commander 2 which was ex Brister's, as I always thought this looked fantastic at Brister's in the red, and when Royall's first had it (I am not keen on the orange though).

 

I used to like the Supreme Commander's & Yeoman's, again maybe it was the colours and immaculate presentation.  Sadly not enough of them stayed on hire....

 

Dan

[gancanny]

  i go along with the theory that your first time boat always seems to stick in your memory,  my first hire was from windboats which, at the time, very early 70s were operating from wayford bridge.   our boat was called CONCORDE, a ferrocrete 25footer,  4 adults and we tried to do the whole system in 1 week,  it would not happen today,

             after several other small boats we them hired a 30ft centre cockpit from norfolk broads hire co, (i think) ,  george smith is there at present, in wroxham but i cannot think of the boats name,  and the, which is almost my favourite boat, we hired  RUBY EMBLEM from ernest collins, a 35ft bourne,  what a lovely boat that was or possibly still is.

             but on the practical side of things and taken everything into consideration, easy mooring, size wise,  compact and a great all round boat i must go for a bathtub type craft,   i have owned a safari, i have had a broom skipper, and a 37ft bounty,  for looks the skipper has got to be my favourite but i am going to go for the good old  HAMPTON SAFARI

[Oddfellow]

The Pearl 38 is a brilliant boat. Despite the design being 20 years old, it dosen't look dated. It handles very well and in the 6/7 berth layout is a great family boat. 

 

I'm a real fan of the Bourne hulls too. These were well designed and handle well. I know that our Aston Thames class vessel is in need of some real TLC this year, but as a boat it handles superbly and the layout with five cabins in a 40ft boat is (i think) unique.

[Hylander]

Gancanny I do believe a Hampton" Safari" is for sale at St Olaves if I am not wrong.

[gancanny]

   no  M,

               i aint looking to buy one

[LondonRascal]

Dan, 

 

We are so alike in some ways – small little tiny things to most, sway us from one boat or the next.

 

You don’t like the colour of Sunlit Horizon – I don’t like the squeezed in seat in front cabin and ‘old style’ incandescent lighting on Sensation.  Same boat, same price tiny differences you go for one, me another.

 

I have to say while i may not like a 'bath tub' in some respects, I was really taken in March by San Selino.  Really cosy and warm with the Eberspacher heating, spacious and practical layout – cheaper price, but nice finish. 

 

I would say therefore that these make good ‘out of season’ boats because they have no drafts unlike centre cockpit designs where that is inventible.

[Dan]

Good points well made Robin

 

I agree - the Bounty 37 prices off peak are absolute bargains and great, cosy boats - ideal for an extra little break to normal, in fact you'd have to be stark raving bonkers to not take advantage!

 

I can see me hiring one again next April to lose the boating withdrawal symptons and to enjoy a bit of solace

 

Dan

[Swift]

That this boat was one of his favourites.

 

 

 

You are obviously a gentleman of impeccable taste, Trevor.  

 

A small point, however:  Swift is the seventh built of the Broadland Swan class. The fleet consisted of ten Swan class boats.  There were two more similar looking thirty-five footers - the Plover class - and a single 35' 6" boat called Broadland Lapwing.  Personally, I think the additional few feet makes the boats even more aesthetically pleasing.

 

Broadland Swift (W945) is still being restored at Potter, but progress has been very, very slow of late due to more important family commitments taking precedence.  Swift's little sister, "Lucy," will begin her all over re-varnish this week.

 

Apologies for the new user name, but I couldn't remember my original password, so had to re-register.

 

David (Expilot)

[jillR]

hi david

 

good to hear from you and glad to hear swift is getting lots of petting and patting

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello David,

I am sure Jonzo can sort out your original account and give you a new password.

Regards

Alan

[BuffaloBill]

We had a Pearl 38 (Avalon) but we always wanted a Sheerline 950 CC and now we have one!

The AF38 was a great boat and handled extremely well and the old Perkins used about

1.25 ltrs per hour cruising. Only downside to the design is the constant slap-slap of the 

water against the low wash hull profile on the bow.   Now we have silence 

The Sheerline is also a classic design and still in demand for good ones.

[Matt]

The 38's really are lovely fine weather boats but we found Evening Shadow rather drafty around the sliding roof in the colder weather. Obviously work can be done to improve this.

There was a lovely that has now been sold at NYA with an asking price of £90k. Yes 90.....

http://www.nya.co.uk/aquafibre38-2.html

[BuffaloBill]

Matt. I may be wrong.......... but I think he's the owner of the new Sheerline Kingfisher.

[petersjoy]

I think my favourite hire boat was the two astons we hired, aston crossbow & longbow, they were so easy to drive & plenty of room on them too, I feel rather sad that they are not around any more. Lori ,

sent from my samsung tab2/ on tapatalk2

Hi Lori, Do you mean Astons, or the two boats, because they are still about.

[goodall_m1]

David,

 

Martin (goodall_m1) has been trying to contact you to reset your password. Please can you check your email / PM's and come back to us so we can get you up and posting again?

 

Thanks

 

John

 

David / John,

 

 I will be off-line for the next week, so you may have to sort this out between you.

 

Martin