ideas for broads

[mickey123]

afternoon all,

Just picking some brains really...... me and my mum have always been on the broads with family members and all sorts etc etc.

She now isn't in the best of health now and id like to do one last trip for her,  I only want to take her, so will only be us two, so I appreciate boating maybe difficult as I would be the only able person to deal with mooring and jumping off and so on............. UNLESS someone has any ideas as I kind of thought that you need at least two people for this? Is it totally irresponsible to have one person in charge as it were?

Can anyone suggest any weekend break ideas? Like myself, she loves the broads and boating but id effectively be on my own so any suggestions ??????????? and areas that are ideal.

Thank you

[deebee29]

Hi Mickey

we take mum who is 84 on boats and she absolutely loves it but there is myself and brother to deal with the boat. I guess it depends on how confident you are with a boat.

one possible idea would be a houseboat which would get you on the broads without having to deal with a boat. Or a riverside cottage (some come with a day boat)

whatever you decide I'm sure your mum will love it

[marshman]

Much will depend on what you feel you can manage but for just a weekend, I can see no issues. Boats are pretty easy ti handle and if you take mooring slow and steady, it is not that hard to do the maneuvering and the mooring on your own.

Whilst the numbers of smaller boats get less and less, there are still plenty of the smaller boats around, and some of them are quite modern too - what you probably don't need is a boat with an upper steering as you then have to move pretty sharpish to get ashore.

But the alternative might be to hire a riverside cottage and have a dayboat - loads of properties in Potter, or Horning, and elsewhere and dayboats big and small, cheap or more expensive.

 

[NorfolkNog]

If you are mooring on your own the centre or aft steering boats are easiest to get ashore quickly.

As Marshman says a smaller type craft would probably suit you best.  

[BroadScot]

1 hour ago, mickey123 said:

afternoon all,

Just picking some brains really...... me and my mum have always been on the broads with family members and all sorts etc etc.

She now isn't in the best of health now and id like to do one last trip for her,  I only want to take her, so will only be us two, so I appreciate boating maybe difficult as I would be the only able person to deal with mooring and jumping off and so on............. UNLESS someone has any ideas as I kind of thought that you need at least two people for this? Is it totally irresponsible to have one person in charge as it were?

Can anyone suggest any weekend break ideas? Like myself, she loves the broads and boating but id effectively be on my own so any suggestions ??????????? and areas that are ideal.

Thank you

Hi Mickey,

If you don't mind making up the bed in the centre cockpit and its only a weekend then look at Faircraft at Wroxham and http://www.broads.co.uk/boats/fair-ambassador/ This boat is centre cockpit and not too big, as Marshie says there are less smaller craft now. I don't know if Andy at Freedom Boating allows single handed as far as hiring is concerned. But he has an ex Aston Boats, Song of Freedom, http://www.freedomboatingholidays.co.uk/boat-songoffreedom.php?BoatID=9 that style I had many times, and they are very easy to handle. 

I wish you well, and hope you get your Mum back to the Broads.

Iain.

[NeilB]

I took my mum for a short break last year in the very similar circumstances.  We hired San Francisco from Richardson's which is a 35ft centre cockpit and didn't have any issues.

Depending on your mothers mobility a centre or rear cockpit boat may not be the best option as they will have internal steps.  Do not be afraid of a single level forward drive as they can be very easy to handle single handed especially if you request stern ropes long enough to reach the bow.

As you are helming from the bow it's very easy to judge the distance from the bank, grab both bow and stern ropes and step ashore.  You can secure the bow rope quickly followed by the stern, once secure they can be adjusted to suit the mooring.

Depending on location always ensure you moor against the tide and take account of the wind if it's strong.  Personally for a short break I would stay up north.  Some yards maybe a little concerned over singlehanded cruising but others have no problem plus it sounds like you have plenty of experience which helps.  I'm sure whichever yard you use would be happy to show you a few single handed tips and tricks as they single handle all the time.

 

[mickey123]

Thank you for your suggestions, I've been going for a long time but never dealt on my own. Mum only has ability to move from A to B and that's about it. On the boat she'd be fine, albeit slowly. 

thank you for ideas for the boats, it's all been very useful info. 

I do hope I can get her there, she loves Horning to Wroxham and the surrounding areas. 

Will be looking at March time ish 

[Oddfellow]

There aren't many yards that offer single handed hires; Freedom does. 

Song of Freedom is supremely easy to handle, but if your mum isn't terribly agile, the steps and to and down from the centre cockpit might not be useful for her. 

In general, boats aren't great for people with mobility issues and, frankly, a bathtub boat all on one level might be the answer. As Neil says, they aren't necessarily difficult to handle; just different. All Freedom boats have regulation length ropes. That is to say that the BA tells us that the ropes should be 3/4 or so the length of the boat and they are. 

For March, I would recommend Tranquil Freedom. Tranquil is a more classic vessel with a modern galley and is ideal for anyone with mobility difficulties. All one level, there's a separate toilet and shower compartment, two cabins, easy walkways and a just a sun roof. This is important as most boats with sliding canopies sacrifice the ability to cruise in the sun for drafts. And, in March, you have gotta expect it to be chilly. There's also a good warm air heating unit on the boat. 

Tranquil is also easy to handle. The wheel is responsive and the large front well gives easy access to the wide decks. 

You can get 10% off the booking price or the full holiday right now if you pay either at the point of booking. Alternatively, secure a booking with just £50.

[LondonRascal]

Hi Mickey,

I should apologise in advance I do go on rather and this is likely to be one of those times, but try and not get put off by all this text.  

Reading your message it seems you’ve been in the past with others, so you will have some idea of the places you have visited and enjoyed with friends etc.  I’d be inclined to say because this would be your first time ‘alone’ doing the ropes and having to get on and off the boat it might be easier to hire on the northern rivers. I say this, because the rise and fall in the tide is less, and the current when the tide is ebbing or flooding is a great deal less powerful north of Acle.

 Having said the above I have been plenty of times single handed and moored just fine at even the more challenging spots like against an ebbing tide at Reedham Quay but then there are the lovely quite spots such as Rockland Staithe a mere few feet from a nice pub, or the tranquillity of Brammerton Common - close to Norwich. 

My tips to boat choice and handling coming from someone who has done a lot of thee solo mooring lark is preparation. Have your mooring ropes from the stern along the side decks to the front of the boat (if the boat you hire is forward steer).  Have your bow ropes tidy and ready to go at the front.  Plan well in advance what your aim will be – keep your mum in the loop too, for while she may not be doing things it is nice for her to know what you are going to be doing. 

As you come alongside the bank (and remember to always moor against the tide – that is to say if the water is flowing in the direction of travel you want to turn and moor against the flow).  In a forward steer boat, I tend to come in with the bow first – burst of reverse so the boat is stationary and about 2 to 3 feet from the bank, then wheel hard over to the right and a burst of forward.  These ‘bursts’ need to be just that, quick, powerful  blips if you will, not long or weak.  In so doing the boat won’t go forward but the stern will come into the bank.

Don’t dwell on things – walk into the forward well, take your left hand bow rope in right hand step up on deck and then take your stern rope that’s been laid on the deck – now step off the boat. 

As soon as you can, get one of the ropes around a mooring post and tied up (does not need to be perfect or tidy knot but something that can hold the boat for a few seconds is fine) – I tend to get the rope that is ‘tugging’ on my arm tied up the first so it is not always going to be the stern one first or the bow it can change depending on wind or tide.  

The mooring posts are your friend, use them – a turn around a post will also make pulling the boat into the bank easier than you just tugging and pulling at the rope. 

Sounds easy – and honestly, it can after a few goes get pretty second nature.  But what happens if it all goes pear shaped? Don’t worry, or panic...the first thing you need to do is get back on the boat - it matters not where, or how graceful this action might be.  Even if the stern rope is in the water and the boat is in an odd angle to the bank – all that can be sorted out once back on the boat – pull the rope in, lay along the deck again and then back at the wheel you have control of the boat again.

Although I have not got specific videos on how to do all the above, there are plenty of ones where you will see how I moor when I am alone over at my You Tube channel – see the link below.