loribear Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 hi all, don't know if this is the right section to put this lol, apparently according to my towpath paper, the first narrowboat for hire will be on the broads from chedgrave ,where it is to be based, it is a 40ft nb called whisper, which will sleep 2 to 4 people, & is being refurbished at the moment,& the prices start from £420 for a four night midweek break, although I wouldn't have that the broads would have been an ideal place for a flat bottomed boat, with all the rocking about that you sometimes get on the broads, just curious to know, what are your thoughts on this, lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExSurveyor Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Might be worth avoiding. The Chet on handover days, 40' of steel coming around the bends could be a challenge. 8-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Cant imagine they'd be very practical/viable when it came to a location that was stern on mooring only? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffbroadslover Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 I can imagine you will have to be careful crossing Breydon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llanigraham Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Just up my street, being a "ditch crawler" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Whilst being an excellent type of boat to bang around the canal system I really think that narrowboats are out of place on the Broads. In saying that, Potter Heigham Bridge? No problems. Bobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senator Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Can't be a good thing for the Broads, as they have not been a good thing for any navigation that is wide enough to take boats wider than 6'6. There is no getting away from the fact that they take up twice the bank space for the same accommodation. Time to look again at how the tolls are calculated and move to a £'s per linear meter instead of m2 area. What is the point in charging for width anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddfellow Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Is this a private venture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
650xs Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 more boats ...................... good ole narrow boots .................. great will be able to go down the north walsha canal for a visit !!!!!! up the narrow boats ......................... does it matter what it is along as it floats and brings some more people .............. i,m a supporter of all until yer pxxs me orf ................"orf me land" ............ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Well it is only 40ft long so not as long as a lot of boats, however, I can just see it tying to moor at Reedham in the wrong hands..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxwellian Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 These things are common on the Thames and Severn, both of which have strong currents. I have seen them several times going through London. I think the art is experience and preparation. So I agree that in the hands of the inexperienced Reedham could be dangerous.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 So who is hiring it out? How many berths? If it's a typical 40 footer, it may only sleep up to 4 people where a 'Broads' cruiser of that length would sleep around 6-8 people. That's a lot of side on space for so few people if that reasoning is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loribear Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Is this a private venture? hi freedom, it looks like it belongs to waterways holidays . lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxwellian Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Found this Article http://beacon-pr-travel.co.uk/2013/11/11/waterways-holidays-announces-the-first-narrowboat-for-hire-on-the-norfolk-broads/ And this http://www.waterwaysholidays.com/detail/maffwhisper.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loribear Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 These things are common on the Thames and Severn, both of which have strong currents. I have seen them several times going through London. I think the art is experience and preparation. So I agree that in the hands of the inexperienced Reedham could be dangerous.. hi max , the thing that would worry me would be the very narrow sides & how easily you can slip, & being on the broads that can be dangerous. lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loribear Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 So who is hiring it out? How many berths? If it's a typical 40 footer, it may only sleep up to 4 people where a 'Broads' cruiser of that length would sleep around 6-8 people. That's a lot of side on space for so few people if that reasoning is correct. hi bill, it does say 2 to 4 people , but you have to remember that they are alot narrower than a broads cruisrr. lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 What I was saying Lori is that it is a lot of side-on mooring per person than a typical 'Broads' cruiser. The width doesn't come into it. A quick example. 'Jamaica' if sleeping 8 = 5ft per person. Narrow boat sleeping 4 = 10ft per person . Or:- 8 persons on 'Jamaica' = 40ft side-on mooring. 8 persons on 2 narrow boats = 80ft side-on mooring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hylander Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 In a wind like today they are just like a leaf on the water - no control whatsoever. Will avoid like the plague if I see any narrow boats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trambo Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 I seem to recall a narrowboat for hire from Beccles in the past but it did not catch on. Canal boats are very manoeuvrable and easy to handle, more so than the traditional Broads cruiser as long as the power is there. I think the main problems are stern mooring as she seems to have a round stern and the amount of space taken on for a side mooring. Hope the idea is not emulated as 40 foot is rather short for a canal boat, even for two people and they really do look out of place on the Broads. Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffbroadslover Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 I'm pretty sure that I saw a boat similar to this on the Wroxham webcam some months ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlesprite Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 There is a small narrow boat that moors just along from me (stern on) and I'm sure there are about six moored somewhere along the new cut or in that area, variety is the spice of life so bring it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddfellow Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Waterways Holidays is a booking agency. Whilst I know the owners have holiday properties in Wroxham, a move into boat operation would be interesting; especially as they hail from Hampshire. Perhaps Maffet has some input given the URL that's been posted? I need to speak with John about other things, so perhaps I'll mention it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soundings Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 There are quite a few narrowboats scattered around the Broads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 On the plus side, if it is starting from Maffetts you would expect the relevance & quality of instruction to be first class Dan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broads01 Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 It does seem an odd choice of boat. I've never really been a narrow boat fan to be honest. I think its partly the tiller thing instead of a proper wheel. Its also because even though I love steering a boat outdoors I wouldn't want to have zero weather protection like a narrow boat helmsman does. And when you can have such a choice of spacious wide boats why would you want to hire a boat so, well, narrow! I know narrow boats have their fans so it'll be interesting to see what happens. It'll also be interesting to see it try to moor at Ranworth! Lets hope the stern on limitations don't encourage its hirers to moor side on where they shouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.