Hampton's Grande Safari - Mk4 Walk-Around

Apart from the change of name since the boat was in the Hampton hire fleet, there are a few things subsequent owners have added. These include, on the fordeck, the hand rail rising from the mudweight chock, mudweight winch and, on the cabin roof, the flagstaff. The flagstaff is missing in more recent photos, replaced with a large solar panel.

At the stern, the aft rails, ladder and corner fenders were not original equipment.

One of the owners has had curtains made to fit around the cockpit that add further protection from the elements than the extended cabin sides and roof do by themselves. The small chest mounted against the transom not only provides some useful storage space but will also make access onto the boat much easier for those whose knees are showing signs of age!

The engine and hydraulic drive are mounted in the larger sound proofed port locker. Unlike many broads cruisers with an engine at the stern, it in not mounted transversely.

The slightly smaller starboard locker contains the gas bottles and batteries. As might be expected, by the time this photo was taken, the cabin top had a solar panel fitted and a charge controller is found in the locker.

From the cockpit you step through the cabin door. To starboard is the galley while, to port, is the dinette, ahead of which is the raised helmsman's seat.

Forward of the sink and draining board is low level storage with a small cooker having a grill and oven with two burners above.

Further forward are more cupboards and space for a refrigerator with an expanse of worktop above.

There is storage provided under the benches of the dinette which is of similar design to that seen on the three berth versions of the earlier marks. The table clips to the cabin wall and is supported by a single folding leg, while for sleeping, the table top drops down and is supported on runners fitted to the two bench seats. Once the table is lowered the cushions can be rearranged to form a mattress.

Unlike the earlier boats, where the dinette is opposite lockers and cupboards that run under the gunwales, here it is opposite the galley. As a result there is much less space available for the dinette and the table is significantly smaller than those on the earlier three berth boats. So although at first glance you might have expected this to be a four berth boat, it was only rented as having two to three berths.

Forward of the dinette is a raised helmsman's seat. While all the notices around the helm date from its days as a hire craft, a few of the switches are later, for example, the two sets of switches on the vertical panel to the right of the wheel, one operates the mud weight winch and the other is a recent type of Webasto warm air heating control.

This is one of the earlier photos of the boat, included to show the two steps down to the forcabin level. It also shows an earlier fridge but, probably, still not the original. At this point the location of the curtain is in the position seen in the 1990 Hoseasons brochure, where the doors to the toilet and shower compartment can still be seen. As seen in the photograph above, the next owner moved the curtain to hide those those doors.

Back with the more recent pictures, the curtain will, when drawn, now hide the shower door (to port) and toilet door (to starboard). The preferred location of the curtain will, presumably, depend on whether and how often the boat is used for overnight cruises and whether there are two or more aboard.

The original twin tap unit is still in place. In taking this photo the broker appears not to have moved what appears to be the headboard normally found in the forecabin.

Just visible in the picture is the handle in the floor used to lift the hatch that reveal the shower tray.

Not obvious in the previous pictures is the bathroom cabinet, believed to be an original fitting.

Perhaps surprisingly, there is no hand basin in the toilet compartment, but the compartment is very small and, given the way the door hinges, this may reveal why later owners moved the curtain aft of the toilet door.

Finally, we reach the forecabin. The photographer appears to have left one of the cockpit side screens, rolled up on the bed. To starboard are drawers that form part of a dressing table.

Considering its position, well into the bow of the boat, the bed appears to be almost rectangular, something that is not common in a boat of this length.

Here we see a better view of the storage space available. Also notable, is the slope in the floor, inevitable, when the cabin is so far forward and the companionway offset to starboard.

Another view of the dressing table, this time showing the mirror above.

And, finally, in this cabin, we see the wardrobe open.

Standing in the fore cabin and looking aft we can see all the way to the cockpit. This picture again accentuates the two steps up to the main cabin.

A similar view to the previous picture, this one is here to show how the hatch, seen in the very first picture of this tour, appears from inside the fore cabin.

Finally, we climb the steps to return to the main cabin. Given the range and quality of the fittings throughout the boat, which include a Hampton Boats Ltd branded bilge pump switch gear at the helm and a holding tank monitor control unit in the toilet compartment, it's likely that a car radio would have been an original fitting, but the one seen here includes a CD player so must be a replacement unit.

All Weather River Cruiser

At home on the Norfolk Broads

Wild Thyme - Hampton's Mk IV Safari

External

The Cockpit

Main Cabin

Shower and Toilet

Fore Cabin

Companionway