No frills cheap Norfolk Broads Boat Hire from Barnes Brinkcraft based in Wroxham

Budget Boating Holidays On the Norfolk Broads

pets welcome

life jackets supplied

Bedding provided

Budget Boating Holidays On the Norfolk Broads

Looking for cheap Norfolk Broads boat hire? The Barnes Brinkcraft “no frills” boats range is just for you. We’ve been in business for nearly 60 years and have some older boats in our fleet we classify as “no frills”. Please don’t be misled, they are good, all-round, well-maintained boats, and make for a really comfortable holiday on the water.

Just don’t expect to find the electric anchor winches or privacy glass you’d see on some of our luxury Norfolk Broads hire boats. You may also like our mid-range fleet of Norfolk Broads holiday boats.

All you need for your budget boating holiday

Our cheap hire boats have all you need on-board for a great holiday on the Norfolk Broads inc

Fully equipped galley (kitchen)
Bathroom(s) inc shower
Heating
Standard 3 pin plug
Shore Power Lead
TV
Life Jackets
Duvets, pillows, covers and sheets

All our boats now have at least one 240 plug so you can charge your phone if you no longer have a car charger.

Top tips for cheap Norfolk Broads boat hire

You’ll see we advertise our boats as Sleeping 2+2 or 6+2. The +2 means that you can make up the seating in the saloon (lounge) into a bed.
A boat sleeping 2+2 people is almost always cheaper than hiring 4 berth boat

Book a short break mid-week and get an extra day. For the same price as a 3-day break over the weekend, you can get a 4-day break mid-week.

Look out for of our special offers here

And don’t forget, if you are a returning customer. Booking direct with Barnes Brinkcraft and you get a free hamper

Favourite budget hire boats

Brinks Jazz. Great for a family or 2 couples
From £345 + fuel and damage waiver.
£87 pp based on 4 sharing
You can make Brinks Jazz’s cabin up as a double bed or twin bunks
The twin steering positions are useful in Spring and Autumn
The front well makes a great place for fishing
If you are bringing your canoe or paddleboard with you (or hiring one of ours) there is room to store them up top
She does have higher sides than some of our boats and internal stairs. That’s worth noting if you have seniors with dodgy hips or dogs in your party.

Brinks Emperor Ideal for a mates fishing trip where you’d like your own cabin
From £1006 + fuel and damage waiver
£126 pp based on 8 sharing
The roof on the centre cockpit rolls back, letting the sun and the air in
You can make both seating areas up into double beds
If you are tall or claustrophobic make sure you don’t get the single bunk in the middle! Its affectionately known as the coffin and we tend to use it for extra storage when we “borrow” this boat for a weekend

Peace of mind when hiring a budget hire boat from Barnes Brinkcraft

Before arriving at the yard, we’ll send you an email with links to this page. These short videos help you understand how to manage a boat safely
On arrival at the boatyard, a member of our team will show you how to use the boat, including a short trip downriver. This enables you to get used to the feel of boat handling, before venturing out on your own
The boatyard is a member of the Broads Hire Boat Federation and British Marine. and as such has to maintain strict safety standards
Each boat has a Boat Safety Certificate, Broads Authority Toll and a Gas Certificat

Booking cheap Norfolk Broads hire boats

Look at the layout of the boat carefully. Match the boat to the requirements of your party, and if you have any queries at all, please give us a ring. We’ll be happy to help

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you don’t need to have any experience or special licences to hire a Broads Cruiser. On arrival, we will give you a full demonstration of how to use, drive and moor the boat. You will also receive videos of how to handle a boat before you arrive.

We provide a manual (electronically and in hard copy onboard) to help you enjoy your holiday.

Our experienced crew will be happy to answer your questions before you leave the yard.

We would recommend at least one member of your crew have good mobility for moving about the deck and mooring.

On arrival at the boatyard, find yourself a temporary parking space outside reception.

A member of our team will direct you to your boat, getting your car as near as possible to the boat so you can unpack

Once you are ready, make your way back to reception with your car keys and paperwork for check-in.

We’ll book you in for your trial run at that point. We customise your tuition to suit your needs.

If the boat is not quite ready, we’ll take your mobile telephone number and contact you as soon as you can go onboard.

Boats will usually be available between 2 and 4 pm. We need them back at 9 am on your day of departure.

Some will be available earlier, but we can’t guarantee which boats will be ready early.

Each boat is

Pumped out (sewage removed from toilet tanks)

Filled up with fuel and water

Serviced by both the engineers and boat builders

Cleaned inside and out

Inspected by our head cleaner

We’re never quite sure what we will find when the boats return, which is why we don’t give you an exact pick-up time.

Yes, please give us a ring to let us know, and we’ll let you know where your boat is so you can go onboard when you arrive. We usually move the boat to just outside reception, so it’s easy to find.

In the morning, we will go through the check-in and trial run with you.

For safety reasons, you must not take the boat out of the yard until you have had a trial run.

Yes, by 9 am please, ready for our staff to get on board and sort her out for the next customers.

Yes, every member of your party gets a life jacket to use whilst aboard.

We even have life jackets for your dogs There is a deposit on dog lifejackets of £10 which is refundable on return.

Yes, you do. You can pick up supplies from Roys Supermarket and Department Store on arrival. The shops are a 5 min walk from the yard. This blog provides a handy guide to pubs and shops accessible by boat whilst on holiday.

Please note that not all boats have fridges with ice boxes on board, and none have freezers.

Bed linen (sheets, pillows, duvets and covers) will be on board when you arrive

Please fill in the arrival form before you arrive so we know how many single and double duvets you need

Towels are only provided on the Elite Fleet boats.

All boats will have a hob and an oven or microwave. For full boat details, please check the website or give us a ring

All boats have a fridge on board. They are sometimes smaller than domestic-sized fridges. Please bear this in mind when shopping for supplies! Some fridges will not have ice boxes.

Every boat will have a toilet and shower on board. The toilets are different from your domestic ones, but they are flushable (not a portaloo).

The shower gets hot water from a freshwater tank on board. The freshwater tank is small and will need topping up regularly (we recommend every day).

Quite a lot of moorings have bathroom facilities, and you may want to take advantage of these too.

We recommend a pump out every 2 to 4 days. Boatyards will charge for this.
The sewage tank will be empty when you collect your boat The rate it fills up will depend entirely on how much it is used. You may find it helpful to use shore-based facilities where available.

You will leave the boatyard with a full water tank. We recommend you top up the tank on a daily basis to ensure you have enough for showers etc. The tap water is safe to drink if boiled.

You will leave the boatyard with a full tank of fuel (tank sizes vary). With normal cruising, this should last for well over a week’s holiday.

Fuel usage increases if you use heaters, generators or speed. It is also affected by driving against the tide and wind.

Most people returning to the yard receive a refund on their fuel deposit. In colder weeks, you will use more fuel to keep the boat warm.

Yes, all boats have onboard heating.

All our boats have 240v power, so you can charge your phone and use a hairdryer
But, the power is limited, Which means you may not be able to use a kettle and a hairdryer at the same time

Yes, all boats are fitted with at least one 12v (car charger) and 240v socket (home socket). Elite Fleet boats have 240v sockets in each cabin.

A trip to Horning can take an hour and fifteen minutes or a day or two if you stop off and enjoy yourself on the way.

Please look at our itinerary page for advice on distances and itineraries.

Yes. There is a rise and fall throughout the broads. It’s small at the boatyard (usually less than 20 cm).

The tide and currents get stronger the closer you get to Great Yarmouth and the southern rivers.

Please take care at Great Yarmouth and ask the staff at the Yacht Station for advice. Tel 01493 842794.

There are no locks on the navigable bits of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, and you can turn a boat around almost everywhere, making finding your way around the broads both easy and hassle-free vs some canal trips.

You can, provided you visit during the fishing season and have a “trout, coarse fish and eel licence”, which can be purchased online here or from your nearest post office. The closed season is between March 15th and June 15th.

You can check if a boat will pass under a bridge by checking our website, app or skippers handbook.

If your boat goes under Wroxham or Potter Heigham bridge, you will need a pilot to drive the boat for you. At Wroxham, give us a ring, and we will send one of our team to help (at no charge). At Potter Heigham, you’ll find the pilot just by the bridge. (small charge)

Watch this video here to learn how to navigate bridges safely

If we have (or are predicted ) high tides, it may prevent boats from passing under a bridge

Please look at our itinerary to see suggested 7-day routes to help you plan your holiday.

A holiday aboard a boat on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads can be as planned or relaxed as you wish.

We would recommend building some time in to chill out and slow down. That way, you have time to catch the best of the Broads National Park when you least expect it

Children over the age of 14 are allowed to drive whilst under the constant supervision of an adult.

We welcome up to 2 pets on all our boats. Some boats are easier than others for larger dogs to get on and off, and we have listed these as pet friendly. We even have dog lifejackets available in reception if required.

You are welcome to sensibly and safely moor, providing there are no signs asking you not to

Each village has a parish staith where mooring is often free, and the Broads Authority provides many more facilities.

There are lots more moorings available in other spots, and these may be chargeable, especially if they provide services.

You can also moor in any Hoseasons boatyard free of charge, provided they have space.

We provide a basic map, and you can buy a really detailed map from reception. Our app is also useful for navigating

Yes, for a refundable deposit of £5.

Why might you need a mallet on a boat? They are useful for knocking in rhond anchors.

What’s a rhond anchor? They are large angled pegs with a hoop at one end. You knock it into the bank you want to moor on, and you can then attach the mooring ropes to the rhond anchor.

It works really well unless it’s pretty windy or the land is too wet to hold the peg! Just like pegging a tent.

We only ask for a security deposit for single-sex parties, and all under 25 mixed parties.

If we charge you a security deposit, we will ask you to check for any bumps and scrapes before you take your holiday. In the same way, you do when taking a hire car

Barnes Brinkcraft provides pots, pans, dishes, plates, crockery, cutlery, mugs, and glasses. Plus knives, bottle openers and spoons for prepping serving and stirring. Small chopping boards, tea towels and pan scrubs are also included. We even add a fruit bowl. We don’t supply champagne flutes (they fall over on boats if you get a bit of boat wash)

Norfolk Broads Boating Holiday Information

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Norfolk Broads Boating Holiday Information

❮ ❯

"Very helpful we moored up here and if the give them a call ahead they'll defo fit you in"

- Darren Thorpe

"Excellent service, great staff brilliant time"

- Wallis Meech

"Brilliant boatyard acle Norfolk. Great boats and great value for money. Staff very helpful. A great holiday, thank you."

- Terry George Arthur Charles Fairhead

"Always friendly and obliging, offering great boats and holiday homes."

- Dave Lock

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