I really enjoyed that. I had many holidays mainly on the Herbert Woods yachts that all had petrol engines as a backup. I was only just thinking that perhaps the hunters boats could have an electric motor to give that extra option and now I know at least one of them has. 😊
Hi from Norfolk. So glad you enjoyed your time with us. A very good video. I live near Ranworth and sail at Horning. We may not have Londons eye or museums but we do have big ole skies.
It would have been great if you had mounted your camera aft and let us see some edited highlights of you dropping the mast to get under the bridge, then setting sail again. It’s the part of hiring a yacht on the broads that is very different from my usual sailing, hence the interest.
Absolutely Dennis. We never set out to make a film, but next time we will definitely work on better shots of everything that makes Broads sailing unique.
I was reminded of Sir Francis Chichester's efforts back in the 1960s? Not sure he wore gardening gloves though! Enjoyed watching the video and was reminded of my youth work days when I took a party of young people from inner London to the Norfolk Broads - I can't remember much about it except that their behaviour was scary
I did the same from Nottingham with the late and incredibly enthusiastic Rev Charles Hall .. the kids just sat in the cabin playing on their Game Boys!
In the early 60s, university sailing clubs regularly took out fleets just before Easter before the reeds had started growing and there were few leaves on the trees. Exhilarating sailing. No cruisers, just yachts. I saw the Broads in mid-summer many years later and vowed never to visit again unless out of season.
I was surprised this year to find out Hunters yards boats now have electric motors, they did not used to, total sail and quant power. Also not enough Broads Authority moorings these days.
Loved the film. Me and a bunch of mates used to hire traditional Broads yachts from the Martham Boatbuilding and Development Company in the eighties. They seemed neither to build nor develop, but had a fleet of trditional yachts that were past their best and were equipped with unreliable Stuart Turner auxiliaries. The quant pole was indispensable! We had a lot of fun with those boats. And they were CHEAP to hire. Thanks for bringing the memories back.
Thanks for all the comments… for those who wanted a bit more detail, Hunters put out a series of instructional videos a few years back. Take a look, for example, at this one featuring Vicki who makes an appearance in the final frame of this video.. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U9mSDLxi5Y4.html
Fascinating! In 1970-71 I owned an ex-Norfolk Broads trailer sailer in Fiji that had been brought to Fiji by an ex-pat. It had the pivoting mast but because it was not much use there I bolted it in place. I also have print of St Benet's Abbey which was painted by Henry Bright, my g -g uncle. I've been to the Broads but unfortunately only briefly.
We were joking with another crew at the end of the hire about 'range anxiety'. In fact we used it every day, sometimes for more than an hour at a time, and still had 83% left when we returned to Hunters Yard.
@@creative45630 Yes, speed limits range from 4-6 mph for powered craft. The only way to legally go faster is under sail with a good wind on a broad reach.
1965, a sailing friend together with our two girlfriends, hired a 30+ ft sailing yacht, 'Perfect Lady 3. We'd had experience of dinghies, this was our first 'command'. Driving up to Potter Heigham in my first car, Mk 1 'Frog Eyed Sprite.. No engine on the boat, we had to 'Quant', involving a long heavy pole and ''walking' the boat beneath us. We suffered all the usual disasters, including another boat putting his bowsprit through our cabin, something of a surprise for our girlfriends sitting down below, a mainsail that jammed fully up as we turned into Thurn Dyke, my friend John on the helm not anticipating any problems I might be having with the halyard, allowing the huge boom to swing out to port, it then proceeded to attack a number of boats moored up along the dyke. Wonderfully simple days, the monochrome photos are a small treasure, four fun teenagers, our lives yet unfolded .
I love this story James. Not recorded on the video but we also had a jammed mainsail … caused by twisted halyards. A call to Hunters and following expert instructions over the phone it was quickly sorted. The electric ‘quant’ is brilliant!
@@johncarter8574 I sailed one of these back in the 1990s. They were proud that the only concession to modernity was the gaz cooker, which replaced a spirit stove for safety reasons. They still had the spirit lamp, baby blake, and a full set of willow pattern crockery! And no engine, of course.
I think it’s just to give false confidence that you’ve made an effort to reduce sail. Luckily we never had to reef though a bit more wind on Wednesday would have been nice!
I hired one of the yachts, like yours with my dad 20 years ago, my first time sailing a large yacht, I was 15 at the time, my dad can't sail but had 2 pretend as we left the boatyard!
Tacking up a Norfolk river is a special art. Get it right and you make amazing progress, get it wrong and you go backwards. Tacking a wherry yacht takes that to the next level!
I was as sad as you must have been when your time on Hustler 3 ended. What a lovely cruise, though! Those cruisers remind me of Arthur Ransame's Hullabaloos -- some things never change, eh? Oh, and one can always identify the lubbers on rented motorboats; they do the unspeakable and keep their fenders out when underway. Shiver me timbers!
The 1984 BBC Production of Coot Club & The Big Six was filmed from the Yard and our Lullaby starred as Teasel. We still have her transom and the dinghy Titmouse, which Ezra lovingly restored this year, plus Dreadnought around the Yard to see. We love showing our 'ole gals' and history off, so should you find yourself our way sometime, do drop in for a chat and a cuppa.
Hi John, just a quick question for you. Do you and your partner have previous experience sailing, or is part of the charter learning how to handle the boat? We've hired motor cruisers on the broads many times, but recently I've begun to wonder about trying sailing. I am however a complete novice!
Martin, thanks for your question. Different yacht hire firms require you to have at least some experience, and in some cases RYA qualifications. But Hunters and others like Eastwood Whelpton offer courses as part of your holiday so that could be a good way to go. Check out huntersyard.co.uk/sailing-holidays/learn-to-sail-holiday/ or www.eastwood-whelpton.co.uk/courses/
@@johncarter8574 Thanks for that reply John, much appreciated. I forgot to say that I loved the video by the way, it's inspired me to think more about trying something I've only ever seen from the other side.
Beautiful. The tea towel on the roof is a particularly evocative Broads memory! We hired Wood Sorrel from Hunters in June and had an amazing week exploring. One of the crew practically grew up (in sailing terms) at the Yard and so I can throughly recommend hiring from them It’s an incredible experience.
