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Wherry Yacht Charter

Enjoy sailing on a traditional wherry yacht. Bookings for up to 12 people for a day, week-end or full week.

Wherry Yacht Charter is a charity caring for four of the last eight wherries in existence, and we invite visitors to join us for both day sailings and free on-board viewings on given days throughout the season. Dates and details are listed individually as events here and on our website. Step aboard a historic wherry yacht for a glimpse of the way early holidaymakers experienced the Broads. With their sleek white hull, gleaming varnish, cosy cabins and spacious counter stern they point to the refined and stylish origins of holidays afloat. Sail with us and the distinctive clank of the winch and the sight of the huge sail being raised by the crew will create lasting memories of your trip. Enjoy refreshments on board as you slip quietly through the tranquil landscape of Britain’s only wetland national park, and keep your eyes open for wildlife such as otters, kingfishers and marsh harriers. On both sailings and viewings our enthusiastic volunteers will be happy to tell you more of these boats’ history and operation, and about our work in keeping them sailing for all to enjoy You are also welcome to book private charters of a single day or longer – please contact us or see our accommodation listing for details. Our skippered charters give you exclusive use of a wherry yacht. Accommodating up to twelve passengers, our historic boats provide a perfect way to get together with family or friends while enjoying peaceful sailing on the Broads. Charter details Charters may begin and end at any time within those specified above. For other arrangements, please enquire and we will do our best to accommodate you. Our sailing season is from May to September. To make a charter enquiry or a booking simply email [email protected], or you can contact us in other ways. Please enquire as far in advance of your preferred date/s as possible – as our skippers and crew are all volunteers, early notice of your dates makes it much more likely that we can accommodate you and your party. Our fleet currently comprises three Wherry Yachts: Olive (1909), Norada (1912) and White Moth (1915), and Pleasure Wherry Hathor (1905). Pleasure Wherry Ardea (1927) is currently reserved for corporate bookings. Please click through for full details including layouts. Day charters are particularly popular for special celebrations including birthdays and wedding anniversaries, but if you don’t need the whole wherry to yourself then you might be interested in our schedule of public sailings, with individually bookable spaces – please see our sailings page for details. All our vessels carry up to 12 passengers on a day sailing, and 10 on overnight charters (numbers include children). We offer our wherries on a self-catering basis and facilities include a fully-equipped galley with hob, oven and fridge, a toilet, washbasins and a shower (White Moth only). Each saloon provides both daytime living space and four berths, and features a yacht piano. For overnight charters please bring your own sleeping bags or duvets, sheets and pillows. However long you sail with us an experienced skipper is always provided, and day charters include an additional crew member. (For overnight charters, skipper accommodation is entirely separate from the passenger area of the wherry yacht.) The skipper will help you to plan your cruise, taking into account wind and tide to ensure the itinerary is manageable. Bookings start and end at our base in Wroxham, where we offer (limited) car parking.

Booking type / Cost / Details Day (Monday-Friday) / £400 / 9.30am to 5pm Day (Saturday-Sunday) / £420 / 9.30am to 5pm Weekend / £950 / 6pm Fri to 5pm Sun

Privacy Overview

Wherry Yacht Charter

History of the trust.

Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (WYCCT) takes care of the only surviving fleet of Norfolk wherries - Hathor , Olive , Norada and White Moth - and is the successor to the non-profit company Wherry Yacht Charter. You can read more about the wherries' history and current status here .

The Trust was established in 2002 to secure the future of the wherries and allow access to a wider range of funding opportunities. Its stated aims are to restore, maintain and preserve Hathor , Olive and Norada for public benefit, to foster skills related to these activities, and enable education on wherries' important historic and cultural importance in the Broads.

The original three wherries were acquired in 2004, following an award of £492,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards their purchase and restoration. In 2010 the HLF awarded a further £148,000 - however the entire award requires match funding at a ratio of approximately 2:1, that is, for every £2 raised and spent the Trust can claim £1 from the HLF money.

In 2012 the Trust acquired the use of White Moth for charter purposes, bringing a new source of much-needed income.

The Wherries

As well as finishing the living accommodation to a standard suitable for charter, the electrical, gas and other systems must all meet current safety regulations - which can be something of a challenge on a historic vessel! On the outside, one of the larger tasks has been to replace the linoleum on the deck and coach roof. She is now operational for day, weekend and weekly charters.

www.wherryyachtcharter.org

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Register of Charities - The Charity Commission WHERRY YACHT CHARTER CHARITABLE TRUST

Activities - how the charity spends its money

(a) restore, maintain and preserve for the benefit of the public one or more examples of the Norfolk Wherry and in particular the wherries "Hathor", "Olive", and "Norada". (b) advance the education of the public concerning Norfolk Wherries and their historic and cultural role in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. (c) provide training in the skills necessary to restore, maintain and sail them.

Income and expenditure

Data for financial year ending 31 March 2023

5 Trustee(s)

75 Volunteer(s)

Employees with total benefits over £60,000

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The old-fashioned way: Exploring the Norfolk Broads by wherry boat

The wherry boats of Norfolk had their day and almost passed into history; now they’re bringing old-fashioned pleasure cruising back to the Broads…

Y o u can just imagine the parties that were held here,” said Andrew Scull as I gazed around in wonder at the saloon of the Ardea, its teak-panelled walls so highly varnished that I could almost see my reflection. A small piano sat invitingly in the corner, and a wall-mounted brass ship’s bell was just crying out to be used.

The Ardea dates back to 1927 and was the last of Norfolk ’s pleasure wherries to be built. I could just picture elegant women in flapper dresses pouting and posing in this very spot, perhaps spending the night here as I was about to. Oh, the stories that the Ardea could tell.

Andrew is her owner, and also chairman of the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (WYCCT). He filled me in on the history of Norfolk’s historic sailing crafts, designed to navigate the network of shallow rivers and lakes that make up the 300sq km area known as the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.

Wherries date back to the early 17th century, when they were used as trading craft to ferry cargo across the area. They were made redundant when the railways reached this part of the UK, but when the Victorians discovered the Broads as a leisure destination at the turn of the 20th century, some wherries were converted into pleasure craft; others were purpose-built for the task. The Ardea was the last of the pleasure wherries to hit the water.

Today there are only eight wherries left in existence, of which five are managed by the WYCCT. They are used for day sails and charters, to pay for their restoration and upkeep, and also to spread the word on this unique historic craft.

Learning the wherry way

Joined by some other guests, we drank Norfolk gin and tonic while Andrew told colourful tales of Ardea’s history. In 1947, she had been bought by Lady Flora Conway-Cutcliffe, who, according to the craft’s former skipper, hosted wild weekends on her with a host of celebrities in tow. Film star and ukulele virtuoso George Formby, who had fallen deeply in love with this part of the world and had even bought a house here, was known to be a regular.

the Albion was originally built for a firm of Bungay maltsters, and her first job was hauling coal – now she carries visitors (Alamy)

The Hathor lies moored on the River Ant by How Hill (Alamy)

In the late 1950s, after a couple more changes of ownership, the Ardea was taken to Paris to be used as a houseboat. By the mid 1960s, she had been bought by a Parisian madame and was being used by her “girls” for somewhere to rest. She was then owned by a Frenchman for nearly 40 years and used as a charter vessel around the canals of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, before being brought back to Norfolk in 2005 and restored to her former glory.

It was a warm August evening, so after dinner at a local pub, we headed back to the Ardea and sat on her roof. A few swans and ducks had milled around the boat earlier in the evening, but now a bevy of swans was gliding by – I lost count after 40 or so. I then realised that they were following a kayak that had stopped further up to throw out food for them.

It was then time to lie back on the sloping roof and look to the skies. The Perseid meteor shower was already at its peak, and shooting stars were leaving trails across the heavens. With little light pollution, and the only sound that of lapping water, we each sank into a spellbound reverie.

The Hathor (Wherry Yacht Charter)

Reluctantly deciding it was time for bed, I slept well in my wood-panelled state room, which was like a museum piece with its brass fittings, original wardrobe and cupboard. A hatch at one end would have been used for passing through drinks. A slightly raised area may have been where a cot lay, or a dog bed.

Setting sail

After breakfast, we transferred to a yacht wherry, the White Moth. Dating back to 1915, she would have been built with racing in mind, and was the last yacht wherry to take to the water. After a chequered history of mixed fortunes – as a charter, a houseboat, being sunk and then neglected – she was restored to her former glory in the late 1980s.

We headed off along the River Bure, and skipper Dean Howard instructed two of our party to get on the winch at the bow of the boat and wind until the sail was raised. We all smiled at the sight of the large white sail standing proud as Dean tacked along the river.

Our route was lined with holiday homes and desirable houses, most with characteristic thatched roofs made from local reeds. We even passed the mansion that belonged to the late George Formby. Pleasure boats went by, some with smiling passengers waving at us or taking a photograph; one or two impatiently tried to pass us despite the 4mph limit. Then the banks on each side got wilder and more natural, and we started to see herons, butterflies, wildflowers and dragonflies rather than other boats.

Swans gliding past (Wherry Yacht Charter)

Interior of the Hathor (Wherry Yacht Charter)

Sailing on the Hathor (Wherry Yacht Charter)

We turned onto Wroxham Broad, a lively wind blowing across its vast expanse. While people refer to the whole area as the Broads, a broad is the name given to the shallow lakes that pepper the area. It was finally proved in the 1960s that these were man-made rather than naturally occuring, and that they began as pits that had been dug for peat to provide fuel during medieval times.

In one area, dozens of children were having dinghy sailing lessons. In the distance, we could see another wherry, the privately-owned Solace. I found myself nodding to her. Dean manoeuvred the White Moth around the broad, using the wind to give us a taste of her speed under sail, and I marvelled at his handling of her as he stood braced against the tiller and seemed to be part of the wherry itself.

We headed to one side of the Broad and stopped for lunch in a secluded spot. As we munched on sandwiches, I kept watching the water between a fallen tree and the bank, curious at the ripples. A shape arced into view and I grabbed my binoculars. It was an otter, presumably fishing, and we all traced its progress for a while as the fish in its path jumped out of the water in an effort to get away.

The lost art of quanting (Wherry Yacht Charter)

We headed back to base but my weekend of wherries wasn’t yet over as I drove a few miles to How Hill, site of an educational trust and where another very special pleasure wherry was based for the summer. Dating back to 1905, the Hathor, named after the Egyptian goddess of love and beauty, was commissioned by the Colman family (of mustard fame). I hadn’t read up on her before my visit and, on boarding, I was startled by her dazzling interior, her sycamore-panelled walls embellished with Egyptian hieroglyphs formed by the use of inlaid teak.

The Hathor had been built in memory of Alan Colman, son of Jeremiah Colman, an MP and owner of the family company. In 1897, suffering from tuberculosis, he went to Egypt in an attempt to improve his health. The family chartered a dahabiyah, a traditional sailing barge, for a Nile cruise from Cairo to Luxor.

Alan sadly passed away a few days afterwards but his sisters, knowing how much he had loved the dahabiyah journey, commissioned the Hathor a few years later. Its interior was designed by prominent architect Edward Boardman, who married into the Colman family and lived in How Hill House, its Egyptian-themed symbols and fittings copied from originals on display in the British museum.

That night, I dreamt of young Alan Colman and his Nile cruise. And then the dream morphed into a sparkling party aboard the Ardea. I don’t think I was in a flapper dress, but I will certainly make more of an effort to look the part next time I have the privilege of staying on her.

Top wildlife to spot

(Shutterstock)

You’ll hear one long before you ever see it. The bittern (or “butterbump” as it’s known in Norfolk) has a sonic-boom of a mating call, which can be heard up to 2km away (March–June).

Chinese water deer

This tiny, shy deer was brought to the UK in the 19th century. Today it is faring better in the British wilds than back in its native Asia. It hides among the tall plants and is a powerful swimmer when required.

Swallowtail

The pale-yellow and black swallowtail is one of the UK’s most exotic butterflies, yet it’s increasingly rare since the 19th century. Look out for them flitting around the milkweed blooms.

Otters were in danger of disappearing from the Broads in the 1970s. Habitat loss threatened their very existence. Now they’re thriving and can be spotted on riverbanks across the area.

You can see how streamlined the White Moth is when compared with the larger Ardea (Wherry Yacht Charter)

About the trip

Wherry Yacht Charter offers a programme of day sailings and also private charters. The season for both is May to September but trips depend on skipper and crew availability. Up to ten passengers can be taken on day sailings. The wherries are offered on a self-catering basis and facilities include a fully equipped galley with hob, oven and fridge, a toilet, washbasins and a shower (White Moth only). Each saloon provides both daytime living space and four berths, and features a yacht piano. For overnight charters you need to provide your own bedding.

The Hathor is in residence at How Hill for the summer (June to September), with staffed viewings from 10am to 5pm whenever volunteers are available and if she is not in use for sailing. Please contact the Trust to confirm availability if you are making a special trip. Viewings are always free, but donations are more than appreciated.

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Sailing a Wherry Boat on the Norfolk Broads

Mark bibby jackson chills out while sailing a wherry boat on the norfolk broads..

Mark Bibby Jackson chills out while sailing a wherry boat on the Norfolk Broads before having a go himself.

I am not a natural sailor. I was scarred for life by a boating experience as a teenager when a friend of my mother took her – and me – on a boating trip. I spent the weekend being barked at while sheltering from wind, rain and captain. So, quite how I came to be standing behind the tiller of a Norfolk Wherry on a Friday afternoon was beyond me.

The day had started pleasantly enough. We met on the wherry Ardea moored at Wroxham for some coffee and de-brief before our morning sail along the Norfolk Broads.

History of the Norfolk Wherries

The first thing to note about wherries is that these are no motorised pleasure boats chartered by unskilled drivers out for a day trip along the Broads. They are proper sailing boats and have to be hired along with a Wherry Trust specialist skipper and small crew, which makes it even more perplexing that I managed to get my hands on the tiller.

The original wherries were based on Keel boats, which in turn were based on a Viking design. The Keel boat design needed modification to also navigate the narrow, shallow waterways of Norfolk, under sail.

By the 1880s the first pleasure craft wherries were appearing on the now popular Norfolk Broads. The interiors were fitted out with all the latest Victorian and Edwardian luxuries for this very upscale holiday choice. By 1900 there were over 100 pleasure wherries on the Broads.

Stepping on board the Ardea, named after the Latin for heron, I am immediately taken by how luxurious it is. This is not the basic narrow boats I occasionally rode along while in my youth – normally crashing into locks.

Built for Hollingsworth of Bourne and Hollingsworth fame in 1927 in Lowestoft, the Ardea sailed up to Kiev and around Europe. The last pleasure craft wherry to be built, it once belonged to a Parisian madam and was used by her girls when ‘resting’. The most striking element of the lavish interior is the amazing amount of teak used. Clearly, no expense was spared. Rescued in 2005, she was brought back to Norfolk for renovation.

By 1927 the pleasure craft wherry had evolved into a wherry yacht which included a well for steering and a counter deck. There are only three of the at least fifteen originally built vessels remaining: Olive (1909), Norada (1912) and White Moth (1915).

Sailing a Wherry Boat Along the Norfolk Broads

Having assembled, we decamped to the White Moth upon which we sailed from Wroxham along the river Bure. Along the way we were passed by many a pleasure boat impervious to the 4mph speed limit. We laid back and watched the banks of the river pass us by while taking in the verdant views.

Stretching into neighbouring Suffolk, The Norfolk Broads are Britain’s largest protected wetland. The broads themselves are the vast manmade ponds were created by ancient peat digging . Eventually abandoned these had filled with water by the 14 th century, creating a perfect landscape for a vast range of wildlife, as well as sailing boats.

Almost immediately I settled into the natural flow of our journey. I am an advocate of slow travel, and sailing upon a wherry is nothing if not slow. Somehow all those niggling concerns that had kept you awake at night drift off with the current like debris from one of the pleasure boats. Time did not seem to stand still but go into reverse.

Taking the Tiller 

After an infinite while we entered Wroxham Broad. This is where local kids learn to sail in their small dinghies seemingly impervious to our vast vessel careering towards us, then veer off with the skill of Ben Ainslie. Fortunately for us our captain Dean Howard despite his tender years was an excellent navigator, and we passed safely to the bank of a small island when we had lunch, and a bit of fruitless otter spotting.

After lunch I was casually passing from the front of the boat to the rear – nautical terms are beyond me – when Dean asked if I wanted to have a go.

For a moment I stood paralysed. I had never driven a boat let alone sailed one, and judging by my driving skills around the M25 I am hardly a Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel. However, remembering the advice I give others while travelling I left my comfort zone and joined Dean in the pit, soon to have tiller in hand or rather back.

That was the first lesson I learned. Handling a tiller is something you had better do with your back, unless you wish to catch your fingers, which anyway should be feeding the rope. Fortunately for all of us, Howard fed the ropes while I backed the tiller.

The second thing I did wrong was to stand on the wrong side of the tiller – you should be on the same side as the sail. The third was to instinctively point the tiller in the direction Dean instructed us to go which had quite the opposite effect. Sailing at Paris for the 2024 Olympics looks a long way off for me.

However, instructed by Dean who demonstrated a patience that my mother’s friend had singularly lacked, I soon learned the rudiments of how to steer the boat, and most importantly how to avoid the little kids in their weaving dinghies.

Before long I even found myself enjoying the experience as Howard showed that a quivering of the sail indicated we should change direction, which necessitated I had to do more than just lean on the tiller. It really was quite physical, but exhilarating as you feel the wind in the sails and suddenly take off.

Eventually, I handed the tiller over to another of our group. Afterwards we swapped our sailing tales just like Shaw and Dreyfuss in Jaws .

An Egyptian Connection

Dean took over the tiller on the way back to Wroxham harbour for the end of our sailing on the Norfolk Broads, but not the conclusion of our trip.

A short drive took us to the grounds of How Hill , nearby which another wherry was berthed on the river Ant.

Hathor (1905) was built Ethel and Helen Colman, daughters of Jeremiah Colman (of mustard fame), as a memorial and pleasure craft following the death of their brother Alan from TB. He had passed away in Egypt following a fulfilled last wish to sail on the Nile to Luxor. As a result, Hathor, named for the goddess of love and joy, was designed on an Egyptian theme.

If anything Hathor is even more ornate than White Moth and Ardea. Each room has different Egyptian symbols such as papyrus and scarab. It is also remarkably light with the wood a mix of ewe, sycamore and inlaid with teak.

Sleeping 12 Hathor would make for a great weekend away on the Broads. Unfortunately, I had to return home to Essex after a wonderful day’s sailing. Still, there is always next time.

If you are planning to spend longer in the county of Nelson, you could always try Rewilding at Fritton Lake , or staying at Backwater on the Norfolk Broads .  

Norfolk Broads Boating Holidays with Natural Britain

Natural Britain works in partnership with the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust and offers two ways of experiencing the Norfolk wherries. You can book onto a regular ‘scheduled’ sailing; available most weekends (and some weekdays) between May and September for £49 per person per day. Or, for your own private skippered charter – for a day or several days, prices are £420 per day or £950 for a weekend. The wherries vary in size and specification and have a variety of cabins, saloons, toilets, simple showers and even a small piano on board most.

Natural Britain has a strong sustainability ethos, and the wherries conform to this, mainly powered by sail apart from when a novice like me loses the wind. There is no motor on the Hathor.

For details visit www.natural-britain.com/ sail-on-a-wherry-norfolk-broads .

Main image : Wherry yacht White Moth from Ardea supplied by Natural Britain.

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Mark Bibby Jackson

Before setting up Travel Begins at 40, Mark was the publisher of AsiaLIFE Cambodia and a freelance travel writer. When he is not packing and unpacking his travelling bag, Mark writes novels, including To Cook A Spider and Peppered Justice. He loves walking, eating, tasting beer, isolation and arthouse movies, as well as talking to strangers on planes, buses and trains whenever possible. Most at home when not at home.

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Norfolk Wherry Trust

Home of the Wherry Albion

Welcome to The Norfolk Wherry Trust

Details of ALL Sailing experiences are here .

Welcome to the Wherry Albion, a 125yr old traditional Norfolk Wherry.  Known as a “black sailed trader”, she is one of only two remaining commercial Wherries built specifically for the Broads.  At their peak there were over 300 of these craft, but now Albion is the only one available for hire.

In the summer months during the Edwardian era, skippers scrubbed out the holds and took holiday makers for trips to make extra money.  If you want to follow in Edwardian footsteps and explore the unique Broads wetlands beneath Albion’s vast black sail, then go to our Sail on Wherry Albion Page to find out all you need to know – otherwise we would love to see you at one of our Free Public Open Days in the future (which you will find listed under Events .)

BBC Countryfile Magazine named Albion as one of the Top 10 Boat Trips in the UK.

wherry yacht charter charitable trust

Experience the unique charm of sailing on a restored Norfolk Wherry, a historic vessel that reflects a bygone era. You can join a day trip, charter a wherry for a day or more, or support the trust that preserves these priceless museum pieces.

The Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (WYC) is a waterway society and registered charity number 1096073, on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads in East Anglia, England, UK. They operate and charter 5 historic wherries, [1] those boats being 5 of the 8 remaining wherries. [2]

(a) restore, maintain and preserve for the benefit of the public one or more examples of the Norfolk Wherry and in particular the wherries "Hathor", "Olive", and "Norada". (b) advance the education of the public concerning Norfolk Wherries and their historic and cultural role in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.

Wherry Yacht Charter is a registered charity, established in 2002. We are run by a Trustee Board and supported by a team of enthusiastic volunteers, who all believe that the surviving Norfolk Wherries are an important part of local history and should be preserved for future generations. ... Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust.

There are just eight wherries remaining on the Norfolk Broads and Wherry Yacht Charter operates five of these. Each of the boats is unique and has undergone painstaking restoration to return them to their former glory. ... Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. No. 109607. WYC is supported by: Heritage Lottery Fund, RDPE, Geoffrey Watling Trust

The Norfolk Wherry Trust and the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust are responsible for the rebuilding, restoring and maintenance of five surviving wherries. Find out how you can experience a bygone era today. Norfolk Wherries are large-sailed, shallow-draught vessels unique to the Norfolk Broads.

Wherry Yacht Charter. Enjoy sailing on a traditional wherry yacht. Bookings for up to 12 people for a day, week-end or full week. Wherry Yacht Charter is a charity caring for four of the last eight wherries in existence, and we invite visitors to join us for both day sailings and free on-board viewings on given days throughout the season.

How Hill Trust, How Hill Rd, Ludham, Great Yarmouth NR29 5PG, UK. 26 Aug 2024, 10:00 - 02 Sept 2024, 17:00. ... Wherry Yacht Charter is a registered charity: Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. No. 109607. WYC is supported by: ...

Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (WYCCT) takes care of the only surviving fleet of Norfolk wherries - Hathor, Olive, Norada and White Moth - and is the successor to the non-profit company Wherry Yacht Charter. You can read more about the wherries' history and current status here. The Trust was established in 2002 to secure the future of ...

WHERRY YACHT CHARTER CHARITABLE TRUST. Charity number: 1096073 Charity reporting is up to date (on time) Charity overview. Activities - how the charity spends its money (a) restore, maintain and preserve for the benefit of the public one or more examples of the Norfolk Wherry and in particular the wherries "Hathor", "Olive", and "Norada". ...

Wherry Yacht Charter, Norwich, Norfolk. 1,018 likes · 200 talking about this. The Norfolk Broads' last wherry fleet: Hathor, Olive, Norada, White Moth and Ardea.

Wherry Yacht Charter operates, maintains and restores four of the eight surviving wherries on the Norfolk Broads. Wherry Yachts Olive (1909), Norada (1912) and White Moth (1915) are joined by Pleasure Wherry Hathor (1905). ... Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust is a registered charity, number 1096073. Click here to show Contact Information ...

Wherry Yacht Charter is a registered charity: Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. No. 109607. WYC is supported by: ...

The Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust is inviting adventurers to join five of their wherries, traditional sailing vessels, on a unique voyage to Malthouse Broad at Ranworth this week. These ...

Andrew is her owner, and also chairman of the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (WYCCT). He filled me in on the history of Norfolk's historic sailing crafts, designed to navigate the network of shallow rivers and lakes that make up the 300sq km area known as the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. Wherries date back to the early 17th century ...

An eighth wherry listed on the Register is Jester a motorized ice wherry of 1923. In April 2011, Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust opened their restored base in Wroxham , where work on the restoration and maintenance of the Edwardian pleasure wherry Hathor and wherry yachts Norada and Olive can be undertaken in all weathers.

Become a Wherry Friend. As a charitable trust, Wherry Yacht Charter relies on the generosity and support of our Wherry Friends to survive and ensure that we can keep history sailing. ... Wherry Yacht Charter is a registered charity: Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. No. 109607.

Charges for WHERRY YACHT CHARTER CHARITABLE TRUST (04552637) More for WHERRY YACHT CHARTER CHARITABLE TRUST (04552637) Registered office address Bankside 300 Peachman Way, Broadland Business Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 0LB . Company status Active Company type Private Limited Company by guarantee without share capital use of 'Limited' exemption ...

Enjoy a relaxing sail on the Norfolk Broads with a wherry yacht, a historic and spacious boat with a skipper and crew. You can choose a day or multi-day charter, and customize your itinerary and activities.

You'll also have the opportunity to meet the Trustees from time to time and ask questions about the aims and progress of Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. All Wherry Friends membership fees directly help to keep these beautiful boats operational. Minimum donation to become a Friend: Individual Friend - £25 per annum. Family Friend - £50 ...

Ardea was soon bought by a Parisian Madame who allowed "her girls" to spend their spare time relaxing on board the wherry. In 1970 Ardea was bought by Philippe Rouff and travelled extensively on European waterways. The "lost" wherry eventually returned to the Broads in 2005 and was bought by the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust in ...

Olive was the first Wherry Yacht built by Ernest Collins in 1909. She has a loyal following and is very popular with our customers. Her internal layout has 11 berths over four separate cabins, all with washbasins, making her a great space to hire for family groups -. kids in particular love sleeping in the bunk beds on board.

Wherry Yacht Charter. Please email enquiries to: [email protected] . Telephone. We're often out on the water or in the boatyard so please leave a message on (01603) 781475 and we will return your call as soon as we can. Wherry Yacht Charter is a registered charity: Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust. No. 109607.

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Olive 'The Family Favourite'

From our Guestbook

"A really lovely peaceful trip.

What a splendid afternoon.

Thank you for an unforgettable day on Olive."  

Name: Olive Length: 56ft Weight: 21.15 tonnes Type of Wherry: Wherry Yacht Built by: Ernest Collins  Launched: 1909 Maximum capacity for a day sail: 12 Suggested capacity if sleeping aboard: 8  

Why sail on Olive?

Olive was the first Wherry Yacht built by Ernest Collins in 1909. She has a loyal following and is very popular with our customers.  

Her internal layout has 11 berths over four separate cabins, all with washbasins, making her a great space to hire for family groups - kids in particular love sleeping in the bunk beds on board.  

In 2021/22 she was extensively renovated by our expert craftsman and now has been fully returned to her former glory.

Key features of Olive

> Kitchen with large gas cooker, refrigerator and sink

> Traditional five octave yacht piano

> Four separate cabins  

> Toilet

History of Olive

Launched in 1909, Olive was the first new wherry to be built by Ernest Collins and was named after his youngest daughter. Olive later appeared in the second issue of Blake's catalogue in 1909, where she was available for hire with a skipper and steward for between £10 and £14  14s depending on the time of the year. 

Olive continued to sail on the Broads until the Second World War, when the Broads were closed by the Government to prevent their use by enemy seaplanes in the event of a German invasion. Due to years of neglect throughout the war, many yachts either sunk or were beyond economic repair and didn't return to the water after the return of peace in 1945 - Olive featured in the 1947 brochure alongside only three other wherry yachts. Olive was still available to hire until 1958.

She changed hands multiple times after the war and became a static house boat for four years before she was bought by Peter Bower, in 1974. Peter fully restored Olive  and she became available for charter again in 1975. In 2006 she was purchased by the Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust, where she took  Norada's  place on the WYCCT's slipway in Wroxham.

Olive Gallery

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Would you like to charter Olive?

Please email our friendly team to discuss your requirements.

Wherry Yacht Charter is a registered charity:

Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust

No.   109607

WYC is supported by:

Heritage Lottery Fund,  RDPE,  Geoffrey Watling Trust,  Town Close Estate Charity and others .

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