Back on the water, well for two weeks anyway.

[Guest]

Back afloat on a broads holiday first booked to be taken this time in 2020.

 

Weather iffy at the mo. so moored up before the heavens opened.

 

Guess the location. (Broads boaters will recognise it).

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by The Happy Nomad

[mrsmelly]

Norfolk? 

[Guest]

Just now, mrsmelly said:

Norfolk? 

 

Well yes....🤣🤣

[Guest]

Dog is not impressed with the weather...

 

 

[robtheplod]

Doesn't look very busy....

 

I live just up the road so if you want any blankets or heaters dropped off!

[Guest]

Just now, robtheplod said:

Doesn't look very busy....

 

I live just up the road so if you want any blankets or heaters dropped off!

 

Tis, very quiet.

 

Thanks but we are warm the diesel heater is going full wack ££££££££££££. The dog clocked the rain though.

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Tis, very quiet.

 

Thanks but we are warm the diesel heater is going full wack ££££££££££££. The dog clocked the rain though.

Just thinking!! Is fuel still included in hire rates? or are they passing the huge increase on to hirers? Specialy wiv heating on etc?

[Guest]

Just now, mrsmelly said:

Just thinking!! Is fuel still included in hire rates? or are they passing the huge increase on to hirers? Specialy wiv heating on etc?

 

We paid a fuel deposit. They then top you up and refund any difference or much more likely charge you more as presumably they will charge at current rates, not the rate that was in place at the time we paid.

 

I usually end up in deficit anyway because we like to move when hiring, so Im expecting a (big) bill when we take the boat back.

[Guest]

Well what an interesting 48 hours, we are now back home.

 

The crux of the issue was of course the weather, combined with a boat totally unsuitable for 'winter' boating. Had we been on the broads two weeks ago it would have been OK.

 

I'm fine with 'winter' boating, we have done loads but its predicated on being able to dive inside on an evening and get warm again.

 

The heating on this boat was unable to cope with the plummeting evening and night time temps. The doors, windows and canopy were so draughty and the boat just couldnt be warmed.

 

We were OK for one night, the first but it just got colder, expecially when the high winds blew the canvas back to the canopy in filling the cockpit with snow flakes. Not what you want at 4am. 

 

So we uped sticks this morning and took the boat back. It just wasnt workable. To be fair they did offer us another boat from their 'platinum' fleet at no extra cost but we'd already decided we were ready for home so we took up their offer of a partial refund.

 

The boat would probably be fine in warmer climes but in what really was effectively 'winter' its a no go.

 

 

[Guest]

1st mate not impressed as he was looking forward to having a go at driving the boat.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by The Happy Nomad

[booke23]

Sod's law that the weather should turn so cold the minute you start your boating holiday. 

Still, you can now give a first hand account to the occasional new forum member who wants to convert a cruiser to a all year round liveaboard!

[Tracy D'arth]

What you needed is a 12v electric travelling rug, snuggle and warm.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, booke23 said:

Sod's law that the weather should turn so cold the minute you start your boating holiday. 

Still, you can now give a first hand account to the occasional new forum member who wants to convert a cruiser to a all year round liveaboard!

 

I was about to make this same point, you beat me to it.

 

You would be mad to consider living on one of these boats year round. Especially one with a sliding roof canopy. No problem when warm summer air gently wafts through the ill fitting top but one heck of a difference when its 1 degree icy blasts blowing through.

 

Along with an ill fitting rear door through which further icy winds blew the heater was always fighting a losing battle.

[booke23]

9 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

You would be mad to consider living on one of these boats year round. Especially one with a sliding roof canopy. No problem when warm summer air gently wafts through the ill fitting top but one heck of a difference when its 1 degree icy blasts blowing through.

And even if someone managed to seal the canopy and door and put a big stove onboard, there would be major problems with condensation....no matter how much Celotex and expanding foam is involved, there will always be cold spots.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, booke23 said:

And even if someone managed to seal the canopy and door and put a big stove onboard, there would be major problems with condensation....no matter how much Celotex and expanding foam is involved, there will always be cold spots.

 

We did actually see a boat identical to our hire boat with a ruddy great stainless flue sticking through the rear cabin roof.

 

Yes condensation, that was something we expected, but not quite in the quantities we got.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

3 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

 

 

I would have thought that with the kit your 1st mate was wearing (Baltic) he would have been fine with the conditions (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=baltic), or was he just tempting fate?