Old Hearts boats never die.....

[Broads01]

....they just fall into a state of disrepair over several years then get brought back to life as hire craft once again.

As one or was very sorry to see Hearts go back in 2002, I'm kind of cheered up by the thought of their boats coming back. Examples I can think of are Richardsons' Rio (860D, ex Lady of Hearts 2) & San Pedro (R733 ex Light Heart 3) & Freedom Boating Holidays' Tranquil Freedom (H814 ex Lady of Hearts 1). I'm sure I could find others if I trawled the Boat Database. Can anyone think of any?

[Dan]

Hi Simon

I loved Hearts too.. it was always our first stop after a 5+ hour journey (depending on who was driving!!) from home so it was great to feel you'd finally arrived, see the boats, and we normally arrived when the boats were ready and lined up to go out, and the sun was normally shining. With the green there, and the overhanging trees etc it always seemed a tranquil, ideallic setting (though I know operationally it was not without its complications!). We'd then do a relatively short drive to where we were starting from, normally Stalham... all very excited and ready to get out boating!

Sadly my Dad thought many of the names were a bit cringe-worthy, and a bit basic so we never hired from them, though I'm sure if they'd kept going we would as I was working on him, and in the last few years the boats seemed a bit better, and they were very good value... sadly they disappeared around the time I started paying & going without my parents every time!

Anyway.. get back on topic Daniel... a few that spring to mind are 965F "Natasha" & 961F "Christina" (also ex Ferryline) which was totally refitted into Star Gem 6 and then 961F became Olivewood and now with Ferry Marina. Pacific also have a couple... D717 - Ace of Hearts now Pacific Sunlight and for sale, and M713 now Pacific Shadow.

I think you've set me off now Simon.. I'm going to be sat here all afternoon thinking of Hearts boats! I can see me digging the scanner out!

When I was at Richardsons in November it was interesting to see a Brave Heart and a Sweetheart in the wet shed ready for a bit of love and a new owner... if funds weren't so tight I'd definately have not been able to resist!

Dan

[Dan]

Hey Dan,.... and the name was revealed as Peaceful Heart Rod

Good one!!

Here's a couple of piccies of boats then and now, well kind of anyway!

[Broads01]

I knew I could count on you Dan! Like you, I associate the Hearts base with a pre-hiring location (although I did hire from them once as well back in 1989).

Natasha & Christina - yes, not 'proper' Hearts boats in the sense they only appeared in the fleet briefly & didn't have a Hearts name, but they were Hearts boats nevertheless. The Natasha-Star Gem conversion just shows what can be done - an early 80's 4-6 berth became a modern 2 berth with a completely different layout.

I'd forgotten about the Pacific Cruisers ones - Pacific win the prize for the hirefleet with the highest percentage of ex-Hearts craft!

[Dan]

I knew I could count on you Dan! .....

Must admit I love a good thread on Hearts Cruisers! you've got me banged to rights!

You're right about them not being "proper" Hearts boats... but as I loved Ferryline and their base also holds some special memories for me I was glad to see Natasha appear briefly in Norfolk! Also, it was the only one I could find to do a before & after shot!

Back to thinking of others that live on... I;m hoping some more re-appear in the Richardsons fleet after a tidy up, but I guess the majority are already in other hands now... could the forum not club together to snap up the last few!

Dan

[Guest]

Hi all

I wish the title was correct but unfortunately it isn't.

I've seen very few of the old wooden Hearts boats on my travels. I heard the story of Queen of Hearts being broken up by her owner at Wayford a few years ago, and I think Ace also met its end there.

However, all is not lost.The owners of King of Hearts arranged to have extensive hull replanking done at Wayford. Work looked to be going well when I popped in last September, hopefully it will be finished for this season. As for the cost, it probably doesn't bear thinking about.The upperworks have already been rebuilt, with a fixed roof rather than a sliding canopy it had during its hire days.

I think those old craft are well worth saving but there is a price to pay!

Regards

Geoff Pethick

Johannesburg

[andyfish]

MY ocean 30, Bobella was light heart 2 no r732

andy

[andyfish]

Now freshly painted old hearts boat

[jillR]

a couple of hearts cruisers

cant guess the age of the picture but its a while back

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trambo/343 ... olk-broads

jill

[Dan]

Good one Jill! I see there's a Light Heart (Ocean 30) from Hearts there too!

I've had to dig out some more Hearts Comparisons of them then and now...

First here's R733, once Light Heart 3 it's now been totally refitted into San Pedro from Richardsons..

[Dan]

Here's H814 as Lady of Hearts 1 in 2001 and recently, in 2009 as Tranquil Freedom

[Dan]

Another Horizon 35. M713 - once Shimmering Heart (briefly)... now Pacific Shadow

[Dan]

and the final one... 860D.. once Lady of Hearts 2, now Rio from Richardsons (their credit crunch busting bargain boat!)

[Guest]

Sorry, just bumping an old discussion thread here! I've just rediscovered this site, so am trawling through old messages.....

Hearts were always my fave yard in the 1990s, we hired from them countless times and just loved the whole ethos of the place! We hired loads of old tat that time had forgotten, and they always seemed to breakdown, but this was somehow part of the charm. In fact, one year the Braveheart that we took out broke down every day apart from one, from a week's holiday - funny, as these days we would just not accept that kind of standard, but at the time it seemed part of the fun. One of the breakdowns, we ended up at Brooms yard (ironic with her basically being a Broom as an AF30/Broom hull, as I remember Mrs Broom being deeply unhappy about us being there!) surrounded by floating palaces, and our little knackered Hearts boat sitting in the middle of them all.

I also remember one occasion, returning to the yard mid week for a pump out and not being able to find a soul - we wandered through reception (unmanned and the till and boat keys unattended), into the sheds (power tools etc all left lying around and unlocked) when we eventually found the 'old boys' (olive skinned from working in the sun over years) taking a tea break. When we asked for a pump out, it was like we had just descended from the moon with one of them in a broad Norfolk accent, friendly saying 'a pump out? We shut at five?' (this was about 3.30pm) and slowly rising to his feet, before talking to me for another half and hour about this and that, eventually pumping the boat out!

Oh and another occasion when we hit a stake on the approaches to Breydon water and seriously upset the stuffing gland and started taking on water - when we rang the 'out of hours' line to report it in a panic, the engineer calmly asked if the bilge pump was keeping the boat afloat, and when we told him it was, said he would finish his pudding at home before coming out! When he arrived, he sent us off to the pub while he did the repair into the night.....

I always remember the staff being totally superb, laid back and so friendly. Also, have happy memories of being ferried across to the island by a little diesel launch to the boats/reception and then being escorted round to Pat Moss' yard to park.

Finally, does anyone remember a picture being on the wall in the reception of a Hampton Safari 25 marooned in the middle of a field near Breydon - wonder what happened to the photo when the place closed and which 'Heart' it was - I'm sure someone had a story to tell?

Happy happy times of a great yard.

,

James.

[Broads01]

Great stories James, thanks. Actually the only time I ever did hire from Hearts we had no problems with the boat at all, but that may have been more from luck than judgement. There was something special about them being on an island though & I remember very well the experience of being ferried across to our boat on arrival. Happy days.

[Springsong]

Here is one I don't think has made it to the 21st century, I cannot read the name and Craigs site does not show the Reg. It is taken at the old (second) Acle Bridge in the early fifties.

[trambo]

Hello Springsong. Great period photograph. She is either the 'Five of Hearts' or the 'Six of Hearts'. I think the six but my only evidence is from memory.

Regards Fred

[Broadlander3]

Hi Barry...

Just love your pictures of the 50's...takes me right back to being a schoolboy again (I Wish)

I have to agree with Fred on this one...

I am 99.9% certain your picture at Acle Bridge of Y401 is the 'Five of Hearts'...a 32' 4 berth ....

All the Best

Terry B

[C.Ricko]

Finally, does anyone remember a picture being on the wall in the reception of a Hampton Safari 25 marooned in the middle of a field near Breydon - wonder what happened to the photo when the place closed and which 'Heart' it was - I'm sure someone had a story to tell?

Happy happy times of a great yard.

,

James.

I do have this photo somewhere but not scanned, I also think Dan may have copied it.

Dan, Are you there!??

[Dan]

Here I am!

Is this the same one as Hearts had on the wall?

It looks like a Little Gem from Richardsons before they were painted yellow & white to me rather than a Hearts boat, or Lion Heart 3 (ex Little Gem 6) but could be wrong... think it is from before the time I first visited.

Dan

[Springsong]

I am sure Fred and Terry you are right I just cannot read the name, the name plates were never that clear, red on cream as I recall.

[C.Ricko]

Thats the one Dan,

we were told it could not be moved without digging it out, My brother went down with an old seadog who worked for us at the time, they borrowed a big boat from whoever was doing some defence work and with a big 100m odd rope they kept on snatching until she dropped in!

[Broads01]

Makes you wonder how the boat got there in the first place as from the photo it looks as if the tide never got that high. Did Richardsons used to fit wheels to the botoom of their boats?

[Dan]

It does look a bit like the excelled themselves doesn't it! I was wondering if the hirers had done or a runner, or were sat reading a paper inside waiting for the call out boat and ready to moan about the inconvenience!

Dan

[Guest]

Hi Dan

there is an old hearts broom 30 thats moored at Clive's in the for sale part of the yard they do look nice. do you know if hearts had any DC 30's in there fleet some might find them awful looking but i think they catch your eye just nicely.

Jonny