Admit it - Who did it?

[BroadScot]

 

 

So a more sensible approach that would not put off hirers would be say a £300.00 refundable deposit – not too high, not too small but enough – indeed frankly I am sure if you had it at £50.00 and said if you bring the boat back as you take it your get this money back you’d get people take greater care.

You can tell Robin is from London, the RICH south.! Sorry yer not non in my book £30/40 is more than enough for the Majority IMO.

 

Iain.

[BroadScot]

Ooops forgot Alpha Craft charge more Damage Waiver for certain boats. I think about £80.

 

Iain

[Jonathan]

We usually hire the bigger boats which are "past their prime" and therefore not quite as expensive as some.  Consequently thrusters and other gizmo's are less common, but we feel that we have "failed" if we arrive with anything more than a gentle nudge when mooring.  Usually (particularly at the end of a season) the boat has a number of scratches, scrapes and damaged trim when we pick it up, so I would feel obliged to take thorough photographic evidence of the "before" state so that we were not charged for that damage after the cruise if high deposits were held.

 

Interestingly one time, an employee hailed us as we neared the yard upon return.  He said that there were other boats following us and offered to expedite the mooring; stepping aboard, this he did by using lots of throttle and playing "dodgems" with other moored boats.  I admit it was quick, but not what I would have done with a hired boat and certainly not what I would have done with my own!  In fact, at the hand-over, when we are shown how to engage "forward" and "reverse" whilst still tied up, there is usually a surge and thump that makes me wince, although this is probably well within acceptable limits.

 

Returning to the point:  If we might be charged a large sum for damage we didn't do, how do we prove that we didn't do it?  Another boat we picked up (from the normal stern-on mooring) had several huge scrapes on the bow (at fender level) which we didn't see until moored up elsewhere. 

[kfurbank]

Have noticed in Richardsons terms and conditions that they operate both a CDW and security deposit scheme. I wonder what the take up is on either scheme? I bet the CDW is by far the most popular.

[dnks34]

Rather than the hireboat companies looking at new ways to improve this behaviour with their deposits and waivers I propose a large fleet of drones armed with CCTV cameras randomly operated over all parts of the broads. High risk groups of hirers and privateers with previous could be indentified and then covertly followed to see what they get up to.

Lets face it, the boatyards need business and I doubt they want the trouble anymore than the rest of us. Theres a lot more that could be done within the law to protect people on the broads and my drones would help "keep an eye on things".

[RayandCarole]

Well this post gets more interesting day by day

Having not hired for many years (sorry but I have my own boat but not a rich b*r*t*rd by any means)

What does the hire boat CDW actually cover in terms of damage and what are the limitations as from the posts the cover and premium seem to premium differs wildly

I dont have a brochure to check the small print but is it actaully worth anything?

We did have a hire boat hit us some years ago causing some structural damage, hire boat didn't stop but got the reg no.

Letter of protest issued to the hire company followed up with bills for repairs etc was promptly paid

But Still a little bit annoying

Ray & Carole

[RayandCarole]

Sorry about the extra premium in there could blame it on the ipad but prob the last g&t

Ray

Carole not impressed

[BroadScot]

Ah Ray,

 

Solution...MORE T! less......G!     

 

 

Iain

[RayandCarole]

Iain

that from a Scottish gentleman

Come on doesn't cut the mustard

Looks like an ipad spelling issue then

Ray

Carole justbdoesnt want to know

[BroadScot]

Hi Ray,

 

As my brother in law would say ONE Gordon's is better than TWO Beafeater's any time of the day lol... I am not a great G&T fan, sorry.

 

I have had my days of guid swally, but now only have the very, very occasional Malt. Or my doctor will come down on me like a ton of bricks !! 

 

 

Iain.

[RayandCarole]

Well actually Iain I prefer Tanqueray 43% its a lovely gin but only buy when on offer

Mmm beginning to sound a bit like a Scotsman

But isnt that a Scottish distilled gin ?

Ray

Carole has given up

[RayandCarole]

Oops sorry folks as usual this thread has gone completely off topic

Sorry sorry sorry

Ray

[BroadScot]

Hi Ray,

 

No worries, I will find a way of rethreading   While I am thinking, here read this.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanqueray    You are right it is produced up here nowadays.

 

 

Iain.

[Springsong]

Pink plymouth gin for me please with ice and water.

Bitters out.

[MauriceMynah]

Barry, you've confused me! It sounds like you are suggesting that there is some other way of serving a pink gin.

It HAS to be plymouth, and the water MUST be iced.

Only members of the lower classes leave the Angostura in!

[Baitrunner]

2 comments.

Try the adnams gin. Expensive but rather nice as a one off.

Robin. Good suggestion, but I suspect the irresponsible ones we are really talking about wont be back so 45 squid or even 100 squid won't make a jot of difference. They aint looking for a discount cause they ain't coming back.

[Oddfellow]

This seems to have drifted off top(hic)

 

Dragging it back, I would like to say that, in general, we get more trouble/damage from couples and families than we do from single sex parties, stags and hens. 

 

The only trouble we ever had at Thorpe bridges was one family going there on the last night and then getting trapped and being unable to return the boat on time. In fact, it was six hours late. The worst parts were that they knew this would happen as, in front of the incomming customer who was massively inconvenienced, the woman (who had sent most of the day taking the sun and product from the Rushcutters) told us that she wasn't going to get up at six AM just to get our boat under the bridge.

 

Most boatyards employ a late return charge.... Ours is £50 per hour.

[MauriceMynah]

You just can't defend against that sort of attitude Andy, and that's just the point.

When that section of society leaves the confines of their houses, we are all poorer for it. That was the "I'm alright Jack" attitude I was referring to in my earlier post.

We wouldn't hear so much about those sorts of people when they are boat owners, because their selfishness is a bit harder to spot. but when on a hire craft, they must be a nightmare for the boatyards. Luckily in my rose tinted world those types are few and far between. I'm sure, or at least hope Andy will confirm that.

[lampini]

 

 

Most boatyards employ a late return charge.... Ours is £50 per hour.

 

Note to self......   

[lampini]

Note to self......   

 

Also we wanna pick up on time, so  to late return fees!      

[Oddfellow]

Maurice, sure, these types of people are the exception, but as they stand out so much, it is sad that it is these problem people we remember more than all those holidaymakers who have a great time and are no problem to anyone.

[Hockham Admiral]

Did you actually manage to get the 300 quid off them, Andy?        

[Oddfellow]

You know what, HA, we did get some money from them. Naturally, they refused to pay up, but as I am an honest kinda person, I did say to them during the handover that they might save a few pounds by filling up the fuel tank elsewhere before returning to us as, as the time, I knew fuel was cheaper elsewhere. They dutifully did this and so I was left with a sizeable fuel deposit which I refused to hand back to them. It is amazing how their demeanour altered at this point. If memory serves me well, I also allowed our disadvantaged incoming customers a late return also. 

 

I always have to be careful what I say in forums like this as I might come across as some kind of manic who should be avoided; it's all to easy to remember the exceptional customers as I said above. Anybody that knows me in business will appreciate that I am very easy going most of the time and very philosophical. I just won't have people taking the mickey, abusing my property, business or good nature. 

[riyadhcrew]

Well said Andy!!!

[imtamping2]

Well to sum this topic up.......

 

"There is always one"  or in some cases a few.....

 

But its important to remember that these are a minority and long may it remain that way.

 

So I say to the majority "Well Done "

 

and to the minority " Have you considered a caravan"...................