What was your first trip on the broads?

[Chelsea14Ian]

Mine was in the sixties,we had boats from martham. Great times I remember Wroxham and Horning,also the locks.When My Mother and I returned to the Broads about 10, 11 years later.Things fell into place but we never went back to the locks.

 

Along time went by,until about ten years ago we started boating again.I told Marina and Alan about the locks,then Alan managed to find the pub and we paid a visit the following summer,as many of you will now the middle part of the pub is almost the same as it was all those years ago.since then we return when ever we can.

 

My question is what was your first trip on the broads?

 

 

Ian

[BroadScot]

SWMBO a day boat from Herbert Woods 1971.. £6 for the day hire. Then.... Sharmaine from Alan Johnston Boats, Acle. Me, with SWMBO on Porter & Haylett, SunGlory. A long time ago when a quid was worth summat more than it is today!

 

Iain.

[donnygeoff]

I HAVE COPIED THE FOLLOWING FROM A FRED STARTED SEPTEMBER 2012,

cos I didn't want to write it out again....

 

My first time was about 21 years ago.
The OH booked it as she had been before when a teenager...
We hired from Freshwater Cruisers, Brundall (no longer hiring)
We set off with no supplies, thinking we could get some en-route...
After arguing all the way to Reedham about finding a shop for food and stuff to keep my two year old son happy, I saw a gap between two boats near Sandersons yard, about 10 ft long, I just put the nose into it, got off, tied the bow rope with the stern sticking into the river, jumped off and shouted at the OH "here's a shop" she said you can't park it like that, I said "watch me" and told her to go to the shop.
A bloke from Sandersons came out and asked what I was doing, I explained that it was our first time and that we were just popping to the shop, he said that, that would be fine as long as I was not too long as the tide was changing and the back of the boat would not be held by the flow to the boat behind but would swing round. He then asked if it was our intention to stay for the night, as the boat I was "leaning against" was about to do the trial run, and if they wanted to go elsewhere for the night I could moor in their place. I said we weren't sure what we were doing, gave my thanks for the advice and went to the shop.
We were just about to leave the post office/shop when out of the doorway I saw him moving our boat into the vacated gap and tying it up. I waited inside the shop until this was completed, then walked out and asked if we were OK to stay the night. No problem, he said, You are all tied up safely, have a nice holiday......
After that we never argued again and had a great time...
Been back ever since..and have hired from Sandersons...

 

[deebee29]

My first trip was in the early 80's when we hired an old Brooms Navigator for a week after a family holiday the year before when we all (mum dad & brother) thought boating looked like an enjoyable holiday and we were hooked

The following year we had the same boat for two weeks then we had many different boats after that.

Mum loved (and still does at 83) just getting on board, relaxing and watching the world go by.

For various reasons we had quite a long break but returned again this year twice and it felt like we'd never been away.

Sadly we lost Dad almost 4 years ago but returning brought back so many happy memories of the times we had.

We have already booked two boats for next year so roll on April

David

[Gracie]

My first time was in 1990, mum and dad thought it would make a change from the usual bucket and spade holiday, they hired a Gold Gem from Richardsons, it was basic but to me it was a floating palace. I remember thinking how much I loved it and one day I would bring my own kids to this magical place. We were allowed to stay up (fishing) until it got dark which we do with our boys now.

 

When we took the boat back at the end of our holiday we walked round the boat yard looking at other boats and realised we really did hire a 'cheap' one and couldn't believe what was on offer, needless to say I still look at Gold Gem with complete affection, the memories from that first holiday on the Broads will stay with me forever

 

Grace

[donnygeoff]

 

 

 we really did hire a 'cheap' 

 

Grace

 

Gracie, being a tight fisted Yorkie (not as tight fisted as the Scots). I always hire a cheap one.....

 

My thinking behind it is.....

 

Cheap boat, sets off from hire yard....goes to pub

Expensive boat, sets off from hire yard... goes to pub

 

Cheap boat, sets off from pub moorings in the morning and heads for nice peaceful wild mooring....

Expensive boat,  sets off from pub moorings in the morning and heads for nice peaceful wild mooring...

 

Cheap boat, sets off in the morning from wild moorings, and goes to pub for night...

Expensive boat,  sets off in the morning from wild moorings, and goes to pub for night...

 

You get my drift, yes the expensive boat may have a microwave, bow thrusters, wine rack.....

 

But on my CHEAP boat

I don't need a microwave (the money I have saved on the hire fee, can feed me in the pubs with luxury)

I don't need a wine rack, (the money I have saved on the hire fee, can buy me a bottle or two from the pub/shop)

I don't need bow thrusters, (the money I have saved on the hire fee) well that doesn't come in to it really cos I can drive a boat....

 

Cheap and cheerful

 

[Gracie]

Geoff, I couldn't agree more, that's exactly the way I see it......at the end of the day you're afloat on the Broads whether it's posh or budget does it really matter?

 

Excellent post

 

ps The Scots aren't tight fisted are they?

[donnygeoff]

Geoff, I couldn't agree more, that's exactly the way I see it......at the end of the day you're afloat on the Broads whether it's posh or budget does it really matter?

 

Excellent post

 

ps The Scots aren't tight fisted are they?

 

 

Clive as mentioned that....

cos when I just chug and tootle I get my fuel deposit back....

 

And yes, they are tight fisted, cos when they put their tight fist into their pockets, they can't get money out...

 

 

[Gracie]

Oh Lordy, you are going to be in sooo much trouble when Iain and Eric see this Lol  

 

Grace

[donnygeoff]

Oh Lordy, you are going to be in sooo much trouble when Iain and Eric see this Lol  

 

Grace

 

My mother in law is Scottish, 

 

Say no more.......

 

[Springsong]

April 1950 that is me the little one on an 'Aunts' knee. We were on Fairwind from Windboats.

[Springsong]

oops wrong photo.

[riyadhcrew]

On the Broads is on the Broads. If it's a cheap boat, the peace and tranquility is still good and the moorings are the same. If you're lucky enough to be on an expensive boat, you may have bigger beds, better hot water and a nicer galley, but the rest is just the same. I've been on boats without heating and a BMC engine shaking your bum for every hour cruised. I'm lucky now that I can afford a nice boat and I will continue to do so for as long as it lasts. As for being tight, NAAAAAHHHH, although I installed double glazing so the kids couldn't hear the ice cream van coming.

[Jim]

First visit was in March 1979 on Crystal Stream 8 from Southgates Lower Street yard. 

[SueH]

Ours was inn the early 80's.  Shooting Star from Alpha Craft, the following year Star Gem from Richardsons.  Then the addiction started, a small gap when we first tried private ownership with a 21ft cruiser on the K&A Canal.  Then back to the Broads - long may it continue.

 

SueH

[Arthur]

Late September 1973

 

Aston Elm from Aston Boats at Loddon.

 

The full tale of this trip and some of my others are on the excellent Broadland Memories Site,

 

http://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/page208.html

[unclemike]

SEPT 1969 SWMBO No1 complaining all the way there,got stuck in traffic at RAF coltishall air display, finally got to horning,nearly burnt clutch out in the traffic.once aboard SWMBO loved it.

for the princely sum of £22 we had azure spray from turners of horning for a week, glorious weather, shirtsleeves all week, being new was panicing when someones bows pushed against our transom in GY yacht station splitting the bolt away from one half of the door, thought i was going to lose security deposit,since then have hired regularly,both north and south,now finally got my own boat.

[ranworthbreeze]

As far as I am aware my first visit to the Broads was in 2001 and the second owner to go on our boat share boat Ranworth Breeze.

 

A brand new boat and even though we had been on narrow boats from 1974 of course everything was different, because of the height of the boat the effects of the wind, the tides and our first encounter with yachts.

 

We were shown how to do figure eights on Hoverton Little Broad, that was our training at the time, not even as good as offered by the hire companies and then let loose. I could handle the boat but the first time coming into moor was a task, fenders all down and very slowly moored to take on water at Acle.

 

Been on the Broads even since, learnt a lot, only damaged the boat once by catching a protruding bolt at the 24 hour moorings at Somerleyton a couple of years ago. This was repaired during our winter service when we undertake any  gel coat repairs.

 

These days we hold a training day/days for all new owners dependant on their experience, I have taken many of these training days to coincide with our allocation dates. Plenty of mooring practice, with & without bow thruster, port on and starboard and stern mooring. general boat handling etc.

 

Down next week again, so if you see us on the river give us a wave.

 

Regards

Alan 

[deebee29]

Have a good one Alan

Hope the weather's kind to you. .... Don't think you'll have any problems finding moorings

David

[Oddfellow]

On Brooklyn Bridge at the age of about six months. 

 

Boats hired over the years include: Dawn Supreme, Connoisseur, Aston Thames. I can't recall many other names, but I know we had a sedan vessel from Womack, one Horizon craft, quite probably from Richardsons too (Clive, how feasible would it be to look up holiday parties from the seventies and eighties?). We had Elizabeth day boats from Maycraft, plenty of holidays in the chalets at Potter (including Kingfisher, Mindinao, Passtime and others I don't recall the name of).  

 

My last family holiday to Norfolk would have been around 1986 in a chalet on the Martham bank, within a short walk of where I now live. 

[boycee]

May 1964-myself & 2 mates hired Broadwave from Clifford E Allen of Coltishall.Got the bus from Blackpool to Manchester then overnight coach from Manchester to Wroxham arriving at 6.30am.Walked with our suitcases to Coltishall and as we get into the village we ask a guy with a roll neck sweater smoking a pipe the way to Clfford Allens Yard. "I'm Cliff Allen follow, me " he says, so we do & in no time we get to the yard which was on the site at the end of the short dyke at Anchor Moorings.We ask when the boat will be ready & he tells us we can have it straight away if we want,so after an instruction trip by him we are off down the Bure and its only 8am-you would never get that service these days.All we had to eat on board was tinned Salmon & Tinned Peaches & cream until we reached Wroxham to shop so we sat on deck with the roof down we wolfed down our unusual breakfast.I fell in love with the broads that day & truth to tell the stretch of river from Coltishall to Wroxham is to this day my favourite stetch of waterway.

Broadwave is still running having been completely refitted out and changed from petrol engine to diesel engine recently and was for sale on one of the boat websites-At 18 I promised myself I would buy a boat on the Broads one day and in 1994 I was fortunate enough to be in a position to do it. 20 years on Sandpiper is my pride & joy and my love for the Broads is as strong as it was that May day in 1964

Boycee

[16E]

September 1986.  A Calypso from Blue Line at Horning.  We did a lot in the week.

 

Having sold our narrowboat we went off boating on waterways we could not get to, or didn't have the time available to get to them via the inland network.  But it was the Broads that hooked us.

 

Back again on and off until 1999 when we brought our new boat here and have been Broads based for 15 years.

[BroadScot]

My mother in law is Scottish, 

 

Say no more.......

 

Hmmmm aint you the lucky one Geoff  I have hired a soooperdoooper posh job this year, but it is to celebrate a special year. I am more than happy on a old "grease bucket" sorry Clive only jokin

 

A beds a bed etc etc and yes they all have one forward one reverse gear, hopefully  . As they say say, you pays yer money and make yer choice.

 

Now then, to my fellow Scot, Eric, and any others that are lurking on here may I wish you all a very happy St Andrews Day       

 

Iain.

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

1960 and I was less than six months old - I remember it well -    I will have some old black and white photo's somewhere up the loft

 

Every year since (Thanks Mum and Dad) to date

 

It took me 42 years to start proper my life long Ambition and 47 years to realise it (Re-commissioning 'B.A')

 

Here's a photo from 1964 in H.W's yard with Mum Dad, Bro' and Grandma

 

 

Griff

[BroadScot]

Griff,

 

Looking at that pic, and the height off the water of some of the boats IF not all of them, I wonder how many sprained ankles there were then getting off at the bow, or was the water level much lower then. A very braw bairn by the way

 

Iain.