BOAT BREAKDOWN SERVICE ON THE SOUTHERN RIVERS

[Hylander]

Has anyone any connections or recommendations of a boat yard that provides a recovery service on the Southern Rivers please.   I am just about to renew with Boulters for a further year but have often felt that they are so far away , we would be days waiting for recovery and then the agreement is that if the boat is not repairable there and then it would have to be towed up to their Yard for repair.     However saying all that I would rather have their protection plan than nothing at all. So there is an opportunity for a Yard to provide this service on the Southern Side of the Broads.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Monica,
 
Yesterday after Clive posted his message I set up in our information pages the companies that I knew of that offered recovery or diving services. 

Please see the following link to get to this information:-

http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/forum/forum/319-boat-recovery-diving-information/

On Ranworth Breeze we have purchased the Maffett Dive insurance for the last few years and will be renewing again this year. We called on their services last season after we had a issue with our bow thruster, they dove on the boat after we took the boat to their yard so they could confirm that we had nothing stuck in the bow thruster tube.
The bow thruster tube was clear but the bow truster was jammed. The boat was lifted and our spare bow thruster fitted.

Oh the joys of boating

 

If anyone has information of any other recovery or diving services please let me know by PM and I will add the information to the list.

Regards
Alan

[Hylander]

Now I emailed and telephoned Maffetts last year and was told that they do not operate a recovery service,  they only will rescue hire boats whose company they had an agreement with - but and a big but if that has altered I will go with them.    I will ring them again.

 

Thank you for the list.

[ranworthbreeze]

Over the years we have been coming down to the Broads we have seen the close knit help that the boatyards have with each other, we have seen boats that have had issues and other boatyards have offered help directly or have loaned engineers their boat to aid stranded holiday makers.

Regards

Alan

[C.Ricko]

Monica, 

We will cover the south rivers but only for boats which are based above Yarmouth..

Moonfleet have the same connections as our hire fleets and can generally get to you within a couple of hours..

Maffets will be doing our diving, but we would tow you to a safe place, it is all set up..

[Hylander]

That is good to know,  thank you Clive but we are based at St Olaves which is such a shame.

 

Just received this from Maffetts.

 

 

Hi there

Sorry we do not do  a recovery scheme 

Regards

Lynda 

 

 

Not sure but wires seem to have got crossed somewhere.

 

 

[imtamping2]

Same here....

 

"Hi there

Sorry 

We do not do a breakdown sheme  if available we will go out  but that is it

Kind regards

Lynda  "

 

Confused

[ranworthbreeze]

I will have a word with Lynda on Monday to find out exactly what they can and can't do, I need re renew our dive/prop insurance with them anyway.

Their web site said they provided towing services off of Breydon Water and salvage.

Regards

Alan

[Hylander]

I think in all fairness they do provide a service to the Hire Boat companies only.   There is a golden opportunity for someone on the Southern Rivers to provide this service.   I hope I dont regret saying this but in all the years and those are many I have paid Boulters we have never had to call them out.    That is good I know but it would give peace of mind for a Yard down South to provide a service to us who would rather be Darn Sarf.   

 

 

Any Takers ?????

[JawsOrca]

From what I understand, Maffetts have a dedicated tow boat which is paid for by the hire fleets so it's only used for the hireboats (its the primary boat used for "recovering" hireboats from the dry parts of breydon and surrounding areas!) Although as I suspect with many yards they offer ad hoc callout towage service as and when, so as such they don't offer a recovery scheme which is a huge shame as Graham et al at maffetts have been brilliant with the work they've done on my parents boat so I wouldn't hesitate to join such scheme with them.

[BriJan]

Hi 

 

If cruising the Southern Broads 

 

Rowan Marine at Geldeston advertise a breakdown service should you need one

 

.Breakdown Service: We can reach you either by boat or river as required if you have a problem with your boat. We do not charge a call out fee, just time taken at our usual labour rate to get you under way again and any parts that may be required.         - See more at: http://www.rowancraft.com/rowan-marine

 

We have always found Ian a very helpful chap..and very reasonable prices

 

Brian and Jan ...(Maytime Safari )

[BroadScot]

Hi Brian and Jan, welcome to the NBN Forum

 

 

Iain.

[Hylander]

Yes and a big welcome from me too.    Thank you for the link.      We live in Worlingham near to Beccles so these folks are not that far away from us by road or by boat.      How is it up there for weed at the moment.    Can a boat over 30 foot turn up there,  I really cannot remember , such a long time since we went up that far.     We are a 30 footer.

[BroadScot]

Hi Monica,

 

I turned a 32ft Bathtub just before the bridge at the yard entrance last May. Its tightish but more than doable.

 

Iain.

[Hylander]

Thank you Iain.

[JawsOrca]

and  to the forum from me too.

 

Many thanks for the info it's good to know.

[SweetKingfisher1]

Hello Brian and Jan. Welcome to NBN  .

 

Regards

Marina  

[Oddfellow]

I have turned Absolute Freedom (a Aquafibre Pearl 38) around at Rowan Craft.

 

The breakdown service at Rowan is similar to any offered by any other boatyard by the looks of it. What people are asking for is a pre-pay plan for breakdown recovery similar to the AA that covers the south.

[Guest]

....The breakdown service at Rowan is similar to any offered by any other boatyard by the looks of it. What people are asking for is a pre-pay plan for breakdown recovery similar to the AA that covers the south.

 

That's my impression too Andy.

 

I guess something comparable to the AA, guaranteeing a reasonably quick response over the whole of the Southern Broads area requires quite a large operator, like Clive on the Northern rivers.

 

Its all a question of scale. To have the staff, tow boats and/or vans immediately available, yet gainfully employed while standing by, needs either a large business or a consortium of smaller businesses.

 

It's always possible that several breakdowns could occur in the same day....

[Oddfellow]

You have a point, Strow. I wonder how Boulters deal with this? 

 

However, you must also bear in mind that Hire Operators are already in this business one way or another. 

[ranworthbreeze]

I have just spoken to Lynda At Maffett's, she has confirmed that they will not continue with the Dive/Prop insurance that they provided in the past. A few lucky old customers will still be able to take advantage of their services.

Maffetts will still offer the services of towing or diving on a none insurance basis dependant on their workload. As with most boating companies on the Broads they will help you out when they can.

Regards

Alan

[Hylander]

Thank you for clearing that one up Alan.     So if in real trouble we could call Maffetts and if they could they would come out to us.   Just hope and pray it never happens.

[JawsOrca]

Just to add to this.. considering we had a little breakdown last weekend and we will venture north soon (and I'm dreading breaking down so far from the marina).

 

Near Beccles.. Call Rowan Craft - 01508 518208

Near Reedham/Loddon Call Maffetts  - 01508 520344

Near Brundall/Norwich Call Kingfisher - 01603 858453 (Is that OK Andy?)

 

(Do we suspect these companies would tow us back to our marina - Obviously at a charge?)

 

A southern based boat broken down up North..

 

Richardsons - 01692 668 981, Boulters - 01692 630498 (anyone else have a tug boat?). 

 

(Aside does anyone know what we should do if we break down up north, should we try and get the tug to bring us back to or home marina? (would they even tow over breydon?) or will a yard find a spot for us to either to do the repair or let us stay until we fix it.. Sadly for us any breakdown will probably be an order in part as we aren't using common parts.. yup bad decision that one).

 

[Hylander]

Can I just say that , as you know we are having to sell our boat due to ill health I was not impressed that having just paid £131 odd to Boulters they WILL NOT transfer this to the purchaser despite having been with them and never claimed for many many years.

Loyalty counts for nowt these days.

[C.Ricko]

We say the opposite to the AA, its the boat which is covered, not the person..

 

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