“This was our 1st time doing a boating holiday.
Arrived on a very hot Friday and boat wasn't ready.
The boat was ok except a few points .
Shower very small couldn't stand up in it .
Tv couldn't get Itv 1 or 3 .
Handover very poor .
It wasn't pointed out to use about the toilet pump out .
Yes its in the handbook but with been our 1st time should have been pointed out .
Unfortunately the toilet backed up in the middle of the night.
Smell was horrendous.”
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We’re sorry that parts of your first boating holiday did not meet your expectations.
Our boats are prepared for collection between 2pm and 4pm, and our records show that you boarded within this advertised collection window. We do appreciate that waiting can feel frustrating, particularly on a very hot day.
Boating holidays do involve some compromises compared with accommodation on land, including more compact showers and variable television reception depending on location. We will continue to review our descriptions and photographs to help customers choose the boat that best suits their needs.
We were sorry to hear about the problem with the toilet. The need to have the toilet tank pumped out every two to three days, depending on use, is explained in the handbook and in the information provided to customers. Unfortunately, if the tank becomes full, it can back up and cause an unpleasant smell.
We appreciate that, as first-time boaters, there is a lot of information to take in during the handover. Customers are always welcome to ask for anything to be explained again, either before leaving the yard or at any point during their holiday.
Thank you again for your feedback.
“Third time with Barnes Brinkcraft. This was the first trip without our son so wanted something easy to moor with access front and rear. Lovely boat suited to 2. As a tall person the angled bed made such a difference as we could stretch out. Mix up with the hamper was a shame as we couldn’t get a mooring near a restaurant on the first night and it would have really come in handy but as it is an added bonus it will certainly not stop us rebooking.”
“I’ve tried a few boats and Sonnet is a very comfortable boat for its class, it’s easily manoeuvrable with the bow thrusters and low enough to deal with nearly all the bridges, even if the tide is higher
I found the bed comfortable enough, although 2 people could find it a bit of a squeeze
The only slight niggle is that storage space is less than some other boats, but if you’re careful with what you pack it should be fine
I’d definitely take it out again for another holiday”
Hi Alex
Many thanks for a really useful review
I like Sonnet too - you could consider Chorus if you'd like a bit more space and storage- it has a much larger walk-around bed and much more storage ... but being newer and in our elite fleet, it does come with the usual price difference!!
All the Best
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“Well appointed boat with a fine layout. All electric with 240v inverters. Did not use shore power, so relied on batteries. Our trip started on 24th October so dark nights was the norm. The lowest power percentage was 90%. Enjoyable holidays with he beauty of the broads all around”
“The Sonnet was the correct size for two complete novices, but it was far too small for a week's holiday (with or without two dogs) - it felt like being in a cupboard on water.
The main bed is ridiculously small, and utterly impossible for two people to sleep in it, so my husband had that one & I slept in the lounge which was like sleeping on stone due to the extremely thin foam topped ply.
I appreciate that space is very much at a premium on any boat, but the addition of numerous hooks on any spare wall space would be a massive improvemt to living on board during your holiday - there is absolutely no where to hang up dog leads, back packs, coats, hats, life jackets....
The shower is miniscule, and although it has a seat for a sit down shower, it is impossible for a normal sized person (I'm 5'7") to stand up in it so you spend your entire time feeling like you are in a cupboard.
In October the boat was very cold at night due to the sliding roof hatch not fitting correctly, and hence cold air flooding into the cabin through the brush edged gaps. The heater is very effective but the fuel pump makes a loud knocking noise that would be impossible to sleep through (esp if you are in the lounge) so we didn't have it on over night finding the boat to be full of condensation in the mornings.
My overall view is that Sonnet is very shabby and not worth the price, even out of high season; it needs a bloody good clean / refurb (the sofa in the lounge is disgustingly dirty & very uncomfortable), and it needs curtains for all of the lounge windows if you have to sleep in there.
The microwave was a bit of an issue because it blew the mains power most times it was used; and the speedomter system did not always come on, so we frequently cruised along not really knowing what speed we were actually doing.”
“This was our 4th holiday on the Broads using different boats. We found Sonnet 1 a nice boat to use. The layout was good and we both found the bed to be very comfortable. The heating worked really well and we were never cold. We felt that the welcome bag was a nice touch. The boat seemed well equipped with all we might need. On the downside we had issues whenever getting aboard at the bow. There is quite a drop to the steps and there were no hand rails to use. We resorted to holding the door or the GPS mast for balance. More hand rails could be added. Although we would not use Sonnet again we do not regret our choice of boat.”
“Sonnet 2 - 2 adults and a dog.
Well informed before and on arrival. Staff were helpful.
Bed was comfy and everything worked.
Spacious apart from the shower - my husband couldn't stand up in it. I'm 5 foot and I was ok. Sliding roof both or all was great in the good weather.
Sonnet 2 could do with some new draft excluders on the roof and a new door seel on the bow. (Reported to staff)
Note no boat over 6 feet has passed under Potter Heigham in several years as Broads authority have not dredged it. We asked the pilot! Also nothing much going under Wroxham Bridge to Coltishall - we went in the car on the way home.
Tips: Bring your own bedding as their pillows were rubbish. When you bring your own towels bring a shower / bath mat and oven glove.
This boat is suitable for 2 adults, It does sleep 4 but might be too cosy!
We would book with Barnes again but upgrade to Elite. We enjoyed our stay!”
Hi Mark
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review — we’re really pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay on Sonnet 2 and found the boat comfortable and easy to handle, and that our team looked after you well.
You’re absolutely right about the shower — many boats on the Broads are designed for guests to sit down while showering, as headroom can be limited in places. We’ll also be replacing the pillows and sorting out the draught issue you mentioned, so thank you for highlighting those. If you are looking for a slightly bigger bathroom lots of people rate Royall Swan. Its a similar layout but the bathroom is in the middle of the boat
All the best
Sara from Barnes Brinkcraft
