Norfolk Broads Budget 2011

The Broads Authority has set its budget for the coming year, taking account of the reductions in its National Park Grant. The budget is based on a projected income of £6.695 million, just over £4 million from Government grant and £2.68 million from the charges levied on boat owners using the Broads.

It is hoped that a bid for €900,000 from Europe to support innovative approaches to dredging and a financial contribution to care for the How Hill National Nature Reserve will boost the Authority’s income.

The largest components in the expenditure of £6.9 million will be spent on dredging and maintaining the navigation area, over £1 million. The Authority is continuing with its planned programme to remove 50,000 metres3 of silt from the system per annum. Approximately £750,000 will be spent on managing the fragile fen areas for their conservation value and improving the water quality in isolated broads. Patrolling and looking after the rivers and broads and sites used by the public accounts for a further £620,000. The Authority’s grant-giving Sustainable Development Fund continues with £150,000 allocated for this purpose.

The preparation of the budget has been particularly difficult this year because of the scale of the projected reduction in Government Grant and the need to review the allocation of costs between its different lines of expenditure. The cutback in Defra's contribution to the Authority has consequences for the balance of activity within its work. A greater proportion of staff effort will be spent on navigation functions, and the contributions that National Park Grant and navigation income make to shared costs have had to be rebalanced. A system that favours navigation expenditure to the tune of around £30,000 compared to that set out in the agreement with the national boating organisations has been unanimously agreed by the Authority’s Navigation Committee and adopted by the Authority.

Historically navigation has been in a favoured position in that National Park Grant has subsidised navigation spending on the shared running costs. Now the Authority’s National Park Grant has been significantly reduced toll payers are being asked to pay their fair share alongside the conservation and recreation interests for which the Authority is equally responsible.

The Authority is planning to reduce the amount of shared cost activities, and staff, by more than the rest of the Authority's services, but has to continue to maintain them at the minimum level required to support both NPG and navigation functions.

A major restructuring involving moving from four directorates to two is under way. Thirty posts are being lost saving 10% (around £380,000) of the Authority’s annual salary bill. There are many more savings to achieve in the next 3 years as National Park Grant reduces as forecast.

The number of boats on the Broads has held up well and as a result navigation charges are increasing by just 2.5% for smaller boats and around 6% for the biggest boats on the Broads in 2011/12. The overall increase in toll income of 5% is less than was planned for in the Authority’s three year Financial Strategy for Navigation.

Broom 38

I was back in Brundall in Norfolk today Surveying this Broom Ocean 38 at Broadland Boat Centre.The 38 was designed by Andrew Wolstenholme to bridge the gap between Broom's Offshore and Coastal ranges, resurrecting the hugely successful semi-displacement Broom and Ocean 37s. Equally at home at sea or on the inland waterways the 38 incorporates a good size keel which protects the rudders and propellors, gives good steering at slow speeds and has the added advantage of allowing the boat to take the ground in drying harbours.

The wide beam allows for the usual spacious Broom aft cabin, with en suite toilet and separate shower stall, a raised deck lounge plus dinette at galley level. A compact forward V-berth provides comfortable accommodation for occasional guests, with a second toilet adjacent. A sliding door to port provides access directly to the side decks.

The 38 was available with a single 135HP Perkins diesel for displacement speeds, but most boats were fitted with twin Volvo or Perkins engines between 135HP and 265HP each. (This example had twin Yanmar diesels 250HP).

The Ocean 38 was renamed the Broom 38CL towards the end of its life to strengthen the Broom branding and bring it in line with the rest of the Coastal range.

Hampton Safari Survey

I was at Wayford Bridge Marina nr Stalham, Norfolk today carrying out a Pre-purchase Survey on this little Hampton Safari.

 In the 1960's, Alec Hampton's boat hire business 'Hampton Boats' at Oulton Broad consisted of a fleet of traditional mahogany cruisers. Alec then designed the mark one Hampton Safari for production in fibreglass. The length was increased from 22' 6" to 25'6" and the beam from 8' 6" to 9' 6". A plug was made from marine plywood, which was then used to form the female hull moulding. The boats were moulded firstly by Rydgeway Marine of Kessingland, and then by Bob Smith of Lowestoft.
 

This is the Mark II version with sliding wheelhouse/lounge. They are somewhat difficult to distinguish because individual boatyards completed the Hampton mouldings to their own spec. Mark 1's (usually) didn't have the integral molding for the gas bottle stowage under the afterdeck, or the moulded in mudweight holder on the foredeck. The control panel moulding was different and the keel was smaller.

 

Although a total of 256 Hampton Safaris were produced from 1969 to 1982, most were supplied to other hire-boat yards as bare mouldings for their staff to complete. During the peak years, Hampton Boats ran 14 Safari 25's in it's fleet, but this reduced to just two in the final season of 2002. Sadly, the yard has now ceased trading, and will surely be missed by the large regular clientele, some of which have been regulars for nearly 30 years.(Hamptons themselves only built one Safari for private use, in 1971 called 'Blue Tit' for John Jarrold, who was then the Mayor of Norwich.)

Broadland Boat Centre

I was carrying out a Survey in Brundall today on a Dawncraft 30. The most popular of the uniquely Dawncraft designs - almost 100 are known on the Broads. Many were built or outfitted by Brooms and are known as either Aquafibre DC30 or Broom DC30.

Todays boat.... still going strong at 44 years old!

Some new boats being prepared for the new season and others for Brokerage.... all the top yards in the area seem very busy at the moment.

Yacht Survey

I was at the Old Russel Marine Yard at South Walsham today.... Ive known Rod Russel since I started working on the Broads and hes always been very freindly and informative... hes now built a new show room in the yard and his son Daniel is in charge. Marine Tech (formely Russel Marine) have now been serving boat owners throughout the UK since 1987.

As main dealers for Yamaha, Honda and Mariner outboard engines.

Range of outboard engines Walker Bay, Avon, Bombard, Zodiac, Quicksilver, Sunsport, Seastrike, AMT and Westsport boats are available to view at thier new showrooms, with package prices to suit almost every budget.

They also offer boatyard and service facilities through thier fully equipped workshops, using an experienced team of boat builders, marine engineers and outboard technicians.

Todays Survey for Insurance.....combining the grace of the traditional Broads gaffer with the ease of maintenance of a GRP hull, the Easticks 28 is a very popular river cruiser.



Easticks sold out to a private company that got rid of the yachts, and ran motor cruisers.





Rod always has a good wooden boat project on the go!!



Opening Times:		Monday to Friday		8:30 - 5:00
		Saturday		8:30 - 3:00
		Sunday		Closed