"Posh" Bathtubs!

[BroadScot]

Morning all,

 

Whilst reading all your posts this morning, I came across a disgruntled ex Royal Navy type, I believe he zooms about Yorkshire on a Tiger (takes all sorts) and sticks tiles on floors and walls (well someone has too!) Anyway, I digress, he went what can only be described as ballistic when he discovered that a member had the audacity to hire Armitage Shanks's finest Bathtub, Star Gem6. A class of craft I have hired many times when Alan Johnson's yard was in business.

 

My considerable worry IS...I have hired what is termed a PLATINUM boat, or some would call, a Posh Bathtub. Just what will that said ex RN type, now ceramic tile fixer,say, when he reads MY Holiday tales in about three weeks time!

 

This gentleman (using that word loosly!) should show respect for us old codgers, (he will be one also soon) well one day! I prefer wooden boats, but my old legs and other parts of what is left of my body, don't!  I bet it was the same reason for Geoff and Wendy to hire a bathtub  So its a POSH BATHTUB Broadway2 this holiday, mostly because it will be forty years of married bliss come August (who writes this stuff) and its too busy on the rivers then in August!

 

So there you have it, bathtubs are brilliant, and so are woodies, its down to personal choice. BTW Griff, this is all in tongue in cheek  We ALL admire your Broad Ambition, and the way you look after it.   I just happen to like to navigating with a Bathtub!

 

 

Iain

[LondonRascal]

Well hold on a moment - I was going to try and stand up for this particular bath tub but some bugger had left some soap in it and I slipped over ;-)

 

Seriously Star Gem eh? You see I hired No. 4 in the class back in July of 2011.  Here is a photo of her:

 

You can blame that boat for everything you've seen since.  It was the first time I had hired a boat without my parents, it was the first time back on the Broads after a decade and it was actually really rather nice.  It has improved since, gone are the CRT TV's and the 'tub chairs' I personally found not stand - you've got a nice amount of space inside and the only negative on No. 4 was the rear cabin had no rear window making it a little less light as your No. 6 in the class would have been.  The bed too was a little short and I suffered 'Freeboard Foot' where your foot goes under the side deck of the boat and between it and the mattress at certain angles can become a bit stuck. 

 

I've been really enjoying the tales of your trip and I think you picked a very good first choice boat - but it might have lead you to become hooked and want to return again and again since that is what happened to me and the rest as they say is history.

[Gracie]

Although I had been on many hire Boats from various yards with my parents Star Gem 2 was the first Boat we hired as a married couple, it was two weeks of bliss and we have a great affection for her.To be honest I think all Boats are beautiful whether they be posh, budget, wooden, plastic and dare I say Sailie  which to me look absolutely majestic as they sail in a sunset. Not all Boats are to everyone's taste but in my opinion what ever Boat you choose to buy/hire they are your pride and joy for the length of that hire and for as long as you own it.

 

Big, small, ugly and beautiful, there's room for all of them, bring em on I say

 

Grace

[ExSurveyor]

My heart would love a Woodie, my wallet prefers a bathtub

My 43 year old Wilds Calypso is on the stands for an anti foul and bottom half paint. I knew what it would cost before it came out, I guess Woodie owners have sleepless nights before a lift and inspection.

Nothing nicer than watching a well restored woodie on the river.

Just a thought, are all woodie owners as thin as a rake like Griff and is this because it is a choice between new timber and food

[BroadScot]

Hi Mark,

 

My guess with the Navy's ex finest, probably eats like a horse and never puts an ounce of weight on..I hate him!  I have sleepless nights also. Its SWMBO...Snoring!

 

Grace dear lady, my post was very much tongue in cheek, kidding Griff, before I do my very short ditty about our holiday tale. I have already thought what I will write. It goes something like this. Got on Broadway2, yes, and now back in Scotland. The rest I leave to your imagination!  After all the wonderful tales written on here, I am in deep trepidation in hoping to half match their writing skills!

 

Seven n a bit days till we are there! Not that I am counting

 

 

Iain.

[SueH]

This type of boat appears to be the starting point for a number of us.

 

Our first one was an Alpha 'Shooting Star', the second one 'Star Gem 1'.  The same boat but from different yards.

 

The only difference being that Star Gem is still going and I haven't seen Shooting Star for a number of years.

 

SueH

[Gracie]

Completely understood it was tongue in cheek Iain, just wanted to mention that the Star Gem Class are one of our favourites, in fact all Boats are, our first proper family Boat with the boys was Classic Gem from Richardsons and yeah you guessed she was fantastic lol

 

Grace

[alexandlorna]

Griffs only fearful of  his planks being stoved in lol!

The yellow and orange varieties of bathtub are considered by most authorities to be the most dangereous :)

Seriously though , many folk will have had great times on them and went on to hire again

they do ad a bit of variety to the rivers too I guess

I think the type of boat is not really related to mishaps and crashes , in fact many of the worst we see at our moorings are "posh hire boats " - they don't look so posh after a clout on Ludham Bridge though lol

[GeoffandWendy]

I agree with what has been said about Bathtub type boats, they are not as graceful as most other types, but for us old codger's they are ideal, being all on one level. Star Gem 6, like Robin has said, has the large rear window, which allows more light into the rear cabin. All the Star Gem Boats were out during our holiday, except Star Gem 2 and we saw all of them during our travels. 

If they had a slightly longer bed and some controllable heating that had a thermostat, they would be much better. The only other disadvantage is the internal engine, that can get on your nerves on a long run. But other than that, it suited our purpose, had plenty of room and for the price of the hire £485, not including the fuel deposit, was pretty good value for money.

 

For our Sept/Oct holiday, we have booked one of three Barnes Brinkcraft Topliner's, which seem a bit more posher than the Star Gem boats, having a walk round external deck on the same level as the cabin and a decent patio area at the stern, for sitting out accessible  through full height sliding doors. The bed can also be accessed from both sides, instead of one side being up against a bulkhead. They are a bit shorter than other bathtubs and the cabin area is not as wide, because of the outside walkway deck. They do have bow thrusters, but won't go under Potter or Wroxham bridges. We saw one of them whilst on holiday and they look quite nice. So once we return from that holiday, you can read what we think about it.

[MauriceMynah]

There is something rarely said about the finest advantage of the bathtub design of boat.

When moored stern on, one sits in the saloon looking out on the very thing you've come all this way to see, the broads.

[BroadAmbition]

Correct MM, the occupants can also look out to Port n Stbd too, BUT ask them to look aft or even the stern quarters - Not a prayer.  Whereas a centre cockpit gives one 360 vision all round (Well most of them do)  a centre / aft / sedan will also enable one to see above the reeds - most important on the lower Bure and a lot of the southern rivers

 

Ian - Tiger - correct, (Been out on the mighty Tiger today after finishing giving it a service) walls n floors - correct (Sometimes ceilings too) i too digress.  I have been on some fine and very well appointed and maintained Armitage Shanks - thankfully I got orrrrf before they sailed with me onboard and not too many folk that knows me saw me!

 

I'll let you into a little secret, I once hired one of them - Whispering reeds - but the Gods were on my side and blessed me with very high water levels at PHB so said AS type craft couldn't pass through so the yard arranged another boat from Wroxham - centre cockpit and the day was saved! - That was a close shave.  we hired a huge one from Richo's for 'B.A's commissioning do, was supposed to be using it as a hotel boat and just leaving it alongisde in Richo's basin but ended up taking it down the river with 'B.A'  there is photographic evidence somewhere or t'other bu not with me on it  he says optimistically

 

'Ceramic' tile fixer? if only, nowadays it's more porcelain and natural materials, I dream of a nice simple ceramic job - Er that doesn't sound quite proper now does it?

 

My original post was indeed also tongue in cheek, glad to see it was received the way I intended it.

 

Now a true fact - I often when discussing bath tubs with others defend them saying they may not be a proper boat and don't look boaty like at all BUT they do a great job of getting newbies, familys and our senior citizens afloat and for that we have to be grateful they are amongst us.  Just don't ever expect me to hire / own one.  I've piloted a few through Wroxham bridge before now for those of a nervous disposition so I have helmed them - they are not the easiest of vessels to helm and often you will see them impersonating saily's snaking down the river quite merrily

 

Photo was taken on 'B.A's first river trip during the ceremony Oct 07 from said bath tub it was called Bahama major or some such thing.  At least the deck totty brought it up a peg or two

 

 

Griff

[alexandlorna]

Danm I am fresh out of likes for today , who is the hot looking bird in the pic , Griff ?????

[BroadScot]

Hi Griff,

 

I hired Aston centre cockpits till they closed down. I agree what you say there regarding the reeds. However being that bit lower I can see into the reeds closer with the camera for bird life, feathered type!

 

The bathtub with a bow on it, they appeared overnight in their dozens all painted grey along Acle about 1978 ish handle ok ish in the wind. Also are good through Wroxham Bridge or were by me till the the powers that be stopped it!

 

Me taking Silver Gem through!

 

Sorry nae totty just a boat!

 

 

 

Iain

[SteveO]

We hired one of these for years, when we first started boating.  Personally, now I prefer to have something with a centre cockpit, so you can get your head above the reeds and see the views, but I can see the benefit of having everything at the same level, the more so as I get older.

 

 

Steve

[MauriceMynah]

My point was the view from the saloon when moored stern on. At Salhouse for example, a better view.

[GeoffandWendy]

It's a good thing really, that there is such a variety of boats to choose from when hiring. Don't get me wrong, we saw some real beauties whilst on holiday that we would have dearly liked to have hired, but being older, we would have struggled getting on and off. It's the same with cars I suppose, I used to own a Triumph GT6 many years ago, but would have difficulty getting in and out, now I am older and I am not as slim as I used to be. We have gone for economy with our latest car, the new Hyundai i10, it is only a small car, but is the roomiest city car you can get, with the largest boot and four doors, making it easy to load shopping on the back seat. It does around 55 mpg, has a top speed of 90 and will cruise at 70 with no effort. Cheap to insure and only £20 a year road tax. 

 

    

[BroadScot]

Hi Geoff,

 

Friend has one of them. He loves it. Its really his wifes, he has a Ford Mondeo, uses the Hyundai most of the time though. 

 

Iain.

[GeoffandWendy]

Yes we love it too. We were going to have a brand new one, then saw this car on the forecourt last September. It was a six month old ex demonstrator, with just 1500 miles on the clock and we got it for £2000 less than a new one. It is a top spec Premium model, with cruise control, day time led running lights and blue-tooth connectivity for hands free phone. Price new £11,995. We got £1,995 trade in for our 6 year old Renault Clio, so all in all it cost us £7,995. with five years warranty and they gave us a 5 year annual service pack normally only available, if you buy a brand new model, for £8.95 per month over four years. We have had it just over six months now and the present mileage is just coming up to 4,000. It's very comfy, easy to park and will turn almost on a sixpence, as the saying goes.

[alexandlorna]

Yes, I agree and  getting on and off Braveheart can cause a few trouser ripping issues

You have to be quite tall or very bendy due to the high freeboard of this sort of hull design

We'll need some sort of crane older !

[Gracie]

'Braveheart', what a lovely name for a Boat  back on topic (I didn't go off it this time lol) we also have grown to love Centre Cockpits and Sedans, Broadland Mars and Melody 1 being a couple of examples, all have different qualities for different reasons We hired the Sand Martin from Sandersons (lovely people) one year, she was pretty damn basic but really cute, loved taking the canopy down and sitting outside, so you can just about throw any Boat at me and I'll be more than happy, as long as she floats and she's on the Broads, who cares

 

Grace

[alexandlorna]

Gracie , I just want to be clear its a boat name lol

No  Nationalist Cr*p affiliations of any kind

Do hate when folks think Im one o' them lol  :)

[BroadAmbition]

Alex- Jock-in-a-Frock with warpaint on   I can just see it now

 

Mind you I reckon Lorna will you if you dress up like that again!

 

 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

 

 

My guess with the Navy's ex finest, probably eats like a horse and never puts an ounce of weight on..I hate him!

 

 

 

Join the club, I'm quite capable of hating mysen some of the time!  But yes you are correct I'm at my fighting weight and have been for years.  And I do eat / drink what I like when I like and never seem to put an ounce on, not strictly true of course but I have a very physically active job, that helps and the refusal not to think I'm in my 50's physically (Even though its obvious I am)  I'm quite blessed actually - no health issues, no pills taken, all my own teeth, full barnet 32" inch waist . . .  Er I'll stop there

 

 

Griff

[ExSurveyor]

Enough already Griff.

You really can go off some people

[BroadScot]

Alex- Jock-in-a-Frock with warpaint on   I can just see it now

 

Mind you I reckon Lorna will you if you dress up like that again!

 

 

Griff

Oh I am tempted to delete or edit this post!

 

32" Waist!!! I was about 10 YO when that waist!

 

Iain