These next blogs are in the wrong order and I cannot find way to re-list them chronologically.
18th to 22nd March 2018
We took the Eurotunnel to Calais and drove to Friesland Holland to look at boats.
Day 1, we went to Pedro boats and the first one we stepped on (a Levanto 44 - 13.35m) was near perfect - the broker telling us there was a charter company interested in it and that they want to alter the interior considerably. The price was more than we wanted to pay and the length more than we had anticipated, so we continued on our search.
After viewing 7 more boats at Smelne; Vripack, Zijman's Eagle, 2 Stevens, Smelne Vlet, Reline, Smelne 1240, we came away disappointed in all of them for different reasons and thoroughly confused. A beer and steak dinner in the town where we were staying, Treherne, helped us cheer up and look forward to new days of further viewings.
The landscape is flat and zigzagged with small waterways. Our apartment was cosy and warm - just as well as it was snowing when we left England and temperatures were not above 4 degrees in Holland. The canal basin outside our room was frozen. It is quiet and peaceful, the town of Joure very pretty and Terhenre too. Steep pitched roofs distinguish Dutch housing, many in the farmland area being converted barns it seemed with roofs sloping down to near ground level with tiny windows along their length, generally with attached houses.
Day 2 we drove to Treherne's boatyard, Van de Veen. Here we looked at a Gruno40 and a Vrijon, both OK but not saying yes to us.
We went on to De Valk in Sneek, another pretty town with larger canals and an Amsterdam feel, lots of cyclists her. We saw a Valkcruiser like one we had seen in UK, having an open plan fore cabin with a sweep of seating around a table - not much use for guest's privacy.
Pete found a great restaurant: 't Vatican. Strange eerie decor of lamps, fairy lights, Madonna statues, antique furniture all making for a great atmosphere. We ate Thai curry and Malaysian Rendang, the owner telling us that her chef was Indonesian and his recipe authentic home cooking learned from his grandma. Pete's verdict was a thumbs up, he has had one or two rendangs in his time and is something of an expert on their flavor! A nice evening. Back to our room to fall into bed and sleep instantly.
Day 3 Sleeuwijk: a Brandsma, once again open plan. An Alm Kotter which Pete really liked as it's a 'proper boat'. My take was the inside layout didn't work for guests as the loo was off the aft cabin and I felt it wasn't roomy enough generally which P agreed with but his heart was telling him something else I think. An Aquanaut Drifter (12.75) here was acceptable but in poor condition, needing painting - the back deck was covered with blue fake grass carpeting hiding rust spots. Also this as many other boats we had seen had carpet throughout the interior and unfinished flooring beneath them, which we think is impractical. A Valk Voyager, Drait Renal. and 2 Doggers were equally unsuitable for us for different reasons. Another disappointing day. We had felt sure we would find something here in Holland with such a vast choice.
Exhausted by the end of the day, we ate pizza in Joure and talked all round our options for the hundredth time.
Day 4 We drove 2 hours to Kerkdriel. this we had intended to do on our way back, but Pete had luckily found out they would be closed on that day. 2 hours journeying was a waste of time as 2 of the boats we wanted to see were over-wintering at different yards. We viewed a Noblesse, which had been a charter boat for holidays and whilst pretty good on layout, had minimum storage space. another no.
Dinner in joule, Fred's Bistro, steak for Pete, spinach snitzels for me! Bed with a glass of wine and Tarantino film on Netflix!
The breakfasts at Mariahoeve where we are staying are a vast spread - ham, salami, cheese, boiled eggs, various breads, sweet bread too, freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, tea, cereal, spreads and one morning a strange kind of egg and bacon muffin.
Day 5 We journeyed home, stopping in Hattem to view an Aquanaut built in 2005, which was pretty good, but we still didn't feel it was right for us.
Onto the tunnel, got on an earlier train at 6.20. home by 8.30, fed up and astonished that we found nothing bar the Pedro, which was the first boat of 30 odd we viewed!
18th to 22nd March 2018
We took the Eurotunnel to Calais and drove to Friesland Holland to look at boats.
Day 1, we went to Pedro boats and the first one we stepped on (a Levanto 44 - 13.35m) was near perfect - the broker telling us there was a charter company interested in it and that they want to alter the interior considerably. The price was more than we wanted to pay and the length more than we had anticipated, so we continued on our search.
After viewing 7 more boats at Smelne; Vripack, Zijman's Eagle, 2 Stevens, Smelne Vlet, Reline, Smelne 1240, we came away disappointed in all of them for different reasons and thoroughly confused. A beer and steak dinner in the town where we were staying, Treherne, helped us cheer up and look forward to new days of further viewings.
The landscape is flat and zigzagged with small waterways. Our apartment was cosy and warm - just as well as it was snowing when we left England and temperatures were not above 4 degrees in Holland. The canal basin outside our room was frozen. It is quiet and peaceful, the town of Joure very pretty and Terhenre too. Steep pitched roofs distinguish Dutch housing, many in the farmland area being converted barns it seemed with roofs sloping down to near ground level with tiny windows along their length, generally with attached houses.
Day 2 we drove to Treherne's boatyard, Van de Veen. Here we looked at a Gruno40 and a Vrijon, both OK but not saying yes to us.
We went on to De Valk in Sneek, another pretty town with larger canals and an Amsterdam feel, lots of cyclists her. We saw a Valkcruiser like one we had seen in UK, having an open plan fore cabin with a sweep of seating around a table - not much use for guest's privacy.
Pete found a great restaurant: 't Vatican. Strange eerie decor of lamps, fairy lights, Madonna statues, antique furniture all making for a great atmosphere. We ate Thai curry and Malaysian Rendang, the owner telling us that her chef was Indonesian and his recipe authentic home cooking learned from his grandma. Pete's verdict was a thumbs up, he has had one or two rendangs in his time and is something of an expert on their flavor! A nice evening. Back to our room to fall into bed and sleep instantly.
Day 3 Sleeuwijk: a Brandsma, once again open plan. An Alm Kotter which Pete really liked as it's a 'proper boat'. My take was the inside layout didn't work for guests as the loo was off the aft cabin and I felt it wasn't roomy enough generally which P agreed with but his heart was telling him something else I think. An Aquanaut Drifter (12.75) here was acceptable but in poor condition, needing painting - the back deck was covered with blue fake grass carpeting hiding rust spots. Also this as many other boats we had seen had carpet throughout the interior and unfinished flooring beneath them, which we think is impractical. A Valk Voyager, Drait Renal. and 2 Doggers were equally unsuitable for us for different reasons. Another disappointing day. We had felt sure we would find something here in Holland with such a vast choice.
Exhausted by the end of the day, we ate pizza in Joure and talked all round our options for the hundredth time.
Day 4 We drove 2 hours to Kerkdriel. this we had intended to do on our way back, but Pete had luckily found out they would be closed on that day. 2 hours journeying was a waste of time as 2 of the boats we wanted to see were over-wintering at different yards. We viewed a Noblesse, which had been a charter boat for holidays and whilst pretty good on layout, had minimum storage space. another no.
Dinner in joule, Fred's Bistro, steak for Pete, spinach snitzels for me! Bed with a glass of wine and Tarantino film on Netflix!
The breakfasts at Mariahoeve where we are staying are a vast spread - ham, salami, cheese, boiled eggs, various breads, sweet bread too, freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, tea, cereal, spreads and one morning a strange kind of egg and bacon muffin.
Day 5 We journeyed home, stopping in Hattem to view an Aquanaut built in 2005, which was pretty good, but we still didn't feel it was right for us.
Onto the tunnel, got on an earlier train at 6.20. home by 8.30, fed up and astonished that we found nothing bar the Pedro, which was the first boat of 30 odd we viewed!
