Many thanks Mark, pleased you like.

On the yacht class, whilst hugely similar, the yacht we are bringing out first, of the photos you see, is the Japonica class of hire fleet yacht. She is of a 30 footer LOD, whilst the Lullaby class are 28 footers. The wood and hustlers considerably smaller again.

Yes our model kits, are provided with every possible detail in fittings, all to scale and top quality at that, no scrimping whatsoever. That we can promise.

For her fully working rig, wooden blocks with brass sheeves the lot, she will be provided with the Gaff main, working Jib and Storm Jib. Both on the traditional Self Tacker Jib booms as for the Hunter Fleet.

Kind regards

Paul

Broadland Classics

http://www.broadlandclassics.co.uk

Mark,

Broads River Cruiser Class Yachts and Broads Cabin Cruisers have been our family speciality since the 50's. We have owned, rebuilt them and hired them many times over the decades. We remain hugely dedicated to every fine detail that went into the various craft from each yard, and so very happy to clarify any point you wish. No problems at all.

Traditionally, all of the era, a number of yards had their River Cruiser Class hire fleet, and private builds, with small single cylinder petrol engines, offset to the keel. One or two yards did not bother with the auxiliary drives, whilst others used outboards, though the latter not for too long for a number of reasons.

These yachts are titled the 'River Cruiser Class Traditional Broads Yachts, as are the Hunter Fleet, and of this particular design, the Japonica, had the petrol unit offset to Port. All our kits are taken down to the finest detail, spot on from original lines plans, and where none available, have been completely redrawn by us from the existing craft that were about around the old Broads graveyards – sadly no longer, though we were hugely lucky to have caught them in time during the 90s before they finally met their makers.

Hunters Fleet, {Percy Hunter and his Sons], opted to remain clear of aux engines, as did a couple of other yards. Hunters are just one yard Mark, and there were and are many others about the Broads, all with various takes on the River Cruiser Class Yacht, only very few without inboards I add [standfast quant poles], for when the wind drops and the hirers are 150 miles distant from their base in the Northern Rivers, they were and are often hugely grateful of the RC Yacht passing by with and aux engine, even though the practice of towing one another was not encouraged under hire fleet rules, and still isn't…. I digress, however we believe the decision to run with a model River Cruiser Class Yacht combining lovely traditional lines taken precisely from the real craft, and of a class with an aux motor, will give endless hours of extreme fun on boating lakes, whether a breezy day or of zero wind…. Both ways hrs of fun will be had rather than the model doing nothing when the wind drops.

We specifically chose a class of Broads River Cruiser Class Yacht that combines both methods of propulsion as for the real craft, indeed one which gives both a highly attractive yacht externally, and that of a little aux motor, which gives the options and excitement of both systems to the modeller.

Mark, to add, the Hunters Fleet and most other designs, owe it to the likes of Ernest Collins and a few others besides, where, from the turn of the century, their own River Cruiser yachts hire fleets were born, which is why the more attractive and similar lookers, such as this one we are doing and the Hunters cabin yachts are all very similar externally, for they have to be following basic requirements of being able to turn in their own length in the narrow rivers, and with long shallow keels, navigate the low medieval bridges with counter balanced mast lowered, and enable full head height when moored up with the lifting cabin/coach roof (some had canvas side screens/others with timber panel drop downs within the cabin roof, and are as safe and forgiving under the helm for the hirers. All had/have a full length awning which was drapped over the cockpit forward keeping them snug and warm at night, and of course allowed sleeping/cooking in the cockpit during adverse weather. Some had an awning over the forepeak where the crew would sleep and live caring for the hirers not wishing to do the donkey work themselves. Often the yards put a boy Broads Sailor onboard.

We will not be selling plans for any of our kits. All our kits are supplied with highly accurate hull, deck, cockpit and cabin mouldings ready to receive our pre-cut Mahogany Cabin side etc veneers, which are neatly overlaid onto the mouldings, finishing with the necessary trims and high quality fittings to make for a lovely working model and/or display piece.

Our kits are also provided with a scale rowing dinghy kit, within the main kit.

Hope that helps clarify some points for you.

Regards

Paul

Hi there Mark, and many thanks indeed. We are hugely keen on getting them very much lifelike, and so taking our time at this stage with every aspect is of course vital. We wanted to push out three different Broadland from the onset of trading to give people choices. As we progress so new craft will be making their mark.

You can view our forthcoming craft within our website, and the online ordering facility will become active from our trading start of Mayday, 2nd May.

Our website URL follows as **LINK**.

We are also running a Facebook Page as 'Broadland Classics' and Twitter as '@broadlandclass'

There are a number of outlets that we will be supplying our kits to, however these are located around the Norfolk and Suffolk regions.

To avoid the problems we all so often hear of delivery damages etc, we shall be delivering the kits ourselves to outlying regions of North London, Cambridgeshire, Lincoln, Suffolk and Norfolk, thereby ensuring the kits arrive in pristine condition.

Within our website online shop, we shall also being selling items [eg Speed controller] as trailed in the prototypes for those that wish, however, we will be supplying the kits with brass props, shafts, rudders, Servos, Motors and linkages, together with all the fittings required to make up the kits. Essentially all that will be required are the basic tools and paints to complete them, along with the radio receiver [though again all of these items will be clearly indicated through our online shop of what matches which kit].

For the yachts, fully working rigging and even down to the reefing tails will be provided.

All kits will be supplied with their hire fleet company flags/pennants/ensigns/burgees and Blakes/Hoseasons hire fleet decals as appropriate.

A fully comprehensive set of building instructions within a self contained A4 sized full colour document, laid out step-by-step will be included, together with references and photos of the real craft being modelled.

The little Broadland Scale rowing dinghy, will be packaged within the kit and be provided with it's own set of 'Easy-Build' instructions.

A Mahogany on Oak stand kit is also provided with each yacht and cruiser kit. An example of the pre-cut stand kit you see in the photos within 'Japonica's' album, which follows for all yacht and cruiser kits.

Our email follows as [email protected] though throughout our website all our contact details are published.

Regards again

Paul

Colin,

I really did not realise of the advertising issue. Hugely sorry for that has not been my intention. Oooops and sorry again.

In future how are you happy for me to react in answer to people requesting info. As I too like to keep such down the line in fairness to all.

many thanks again

Paul

Many thanks Colin and indeed Paul, and I hereby promise to continue all things Broads Craft in this thread, no problems whatsoever. It's hugely enjoyable being able to part with such information on all things Norfolk Broads Craft. Together with photos of progress on the Model prototypes.

Kindest to you both, and All the model boaters out there.

Safe & Enjoyable Boating to you All

Paul

Cheers Paul,

To allow more insight into the real world of all things Classical Broadland Craft, I have just created another photo album of my recent works re-planking, and re-timbering the real 'Japonica 1' gawd bless her..

I have been hugely fortunate enough from leaving the Royal Navy, straight into Civvy Street with my skills in Carpentry, to go straight into works on the hire fleet about the Broads.

Within the photos can be seen where I took out a number of plank runs, and timbers besides, and replaced, re-caulked, puttied up, and faired in ship shape and Bristol fashion for Japonica to face yet another hire fleet season..

I will of course draft something out more detailed on the complete process of the works, from where I hammer test the hull, right through to completion of the works. and how to get it just right.

Within the photos I took, note the changes in general to Japonica over the decades from the late 40's, colours and style of coach roof etc from my model prototype which was as for her first build bang on, to that of now taking in new adaptions over the years for ease of use etc.

I will write in more as people like, though it's back to the little 1:18 scale Japonica prototype.

Kind regards

Paul

thank you Ian,

Indeed your quite correct of the Japonica class home ground. MBD still hire out little Jenny and indeed retain one of their old Clippers – that being of the last I showed out to Customers just before departing MBD last season. And again when she returned the customers having sheered the boom and scissor boom crutches, there I were straight onto producing replacements within the hour for the next turn around.

Yes a number of Japonica's have been sold onto private ownership, however MBD still retain a few of the class, in combination with their traditional cruisers and have taken on the complete yachting fleet of the previously run Norfolk Broads Yachting Company based at Southgates yard, Horning, and some more previous from the now gone Colin Facey yard of Horning.

Yes, it's funny you should mention the Greens in colour, for post WWII, many yards had their hire fleets painted up in Green, both on the anti fouling and decks, cabin and coachroofs and the cockpit soles – essentially besides a likeable blending colour scheme at the time [as you can see in our model prototype], there was a mass of surplus Army Green floating about post war…. little wonder the yards snapped up the opportunity of cheap lead based paints. A wee bit of history there.

Last season I helped clear away the old 30's houseboats along the Thurne, yes very sad though a necessary move in modern times, which has now made way for new moorings abound.

Thanks again, and it's lovely to hear from your sailing experiences aboard Jenny and Clipper [who did pretty well in the last Three Rivers race of the Hire Fleet entries – gawd bless her].

Kindest regards, and next time I pass the yard, which is only 1/2 mile from where we live here in Martham, I shall give Jenny and Clipper a pat on the Stems for you both!

Paul

Lovely, hardened memories indeed there Ian,

Yes it even hurts me seeing necessary changes, all through my childhood era, and onwards as I went through my Royal Naval career, taking my wife and boys back and forth about the Broads, to retirement 2 yrs ago… Lovely stuff indeed. Certainly living on boatyards for so long has helped with our family aspirations become a reality.

Yes Zoe, wow now there's an Icon. Cracking little 20 footer high peak gaffer. We had our honeymoon on Zoe, loved her, and still do of course. She remains to be the oldest Edwardian Counter stern Broads yacht in hire. Funny Ian, as last season before I left MBD, had to work on new decking on little Zoe, and even for my fit ex navy diver self, crawling inside her stern void area to replace her timbers, and not to mention copper nailing her up – phew that was a real challenge, but I find when one talks to the old Ladies of zee Broads, it comes together fine.. She is a very popular little yacht, as for Clipper and Japonica's in hire.. The biggy GRP 36 footers, America, Lapwing and Palace are luxurious and very large, though modern take off's from the turn of the century likes. The original America was bought up by an American, who actually sailed her across the Atlantic no less, and now rests in the Caribean…

Yes Hickling has a mass of History and is where the famous Herbert Wood's complete hire fleet were purposely partially sunk about Hickling Broad in an attempt to evade enemy aircraft from landing in Norfolk.. by the end of WWII Herbert's team of boat builders went about the massive task of re-floating his fleet, and rebuilding them, most only the bow portions were saved.. which then formed the biggy changes to the general design, opening up the portholes to elongated window frames, and upperdeck cockpit patended window frames in lieu of the sun canopy and canvas drop down sides.. and so much more. then the painting of yachts Mahogany timbers and planking to white, saving time in what went into them through their hire seasons. To my personal likes, I only really love the looks of the actual early originals.. But again change has to evolve of course for ease of all in turn abouts.

More recently, where the old Pitch Pine on Oak contruction was the norm, and Mahogany, for many reasons, which I will post later with more time, we have needed to put in Opepe, which Is a better all round timber, though still use Green Oak on the timbers etc. .

The 1/2 deckers you talk of are lovely little forgivers to experienced and new comers alike, evolved from the early White Boats of the Woods and Collins 20's/30's era.. Some now with cabins on, which became the 'Thurne Restricted Class…. lovely craft… 18/20 footers..

Kindest again

Paul