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Richardson's launch a new boat to mark their 80th Anniversary.

Superline – our brand-new boat with an 80-year heritage.

Since 1944 when Robert Richardson Snr and his son Robert Richardson Jnr started hiring out boats the Richardson family firm has constantly developed and innovated, becoming the renowned leisure business it is today.

One of the key points in the company’s 80-year history was the introduction of the Superline 1. Back in the 1960s these fibreglass boats revolutionised Norfolk Broads boating holidays.

Speaking this week Greg Munford CEO of Richardson’s said ‘The original 1960s Superline 1 was the first class of river boat taken from the mould developed by Richardson’s Horizon Craft at Stalham. That mould would go on to be used to build and develop the Horizon Fleet at Acle’.

The boats would become loved by holidaymakers for generations. Now, as Richardson’s mark their 80th anniversary, the Superline is being reimagined for today. And it’s being brought into reality through a real Broads partnership. Two years ago, Richardsons Leisure Limited bought the boats of long established Brundall boatyard Silverline Marine and moved them to their charter fleet based at Stalham marina. Now, the son of Silverline’s founder is building the new Superline.

Robert Dye, Managing Director of Silverline Marine Ltd, takes up the story. ‘This is such a special project for us’ he says. ‘My parents Colin and Lesley Dye founded Silverline and built a very successful boat hire business. I’m so proud of their achievement. And I’m proud too that my new business is building boats for Richardson’s. Even the name ‘Superline’ has a lovely nod towards ‘Silverline’. It’s a Broads boating partnership that seems meant to be’.

The new Superline is the first complete boat to be built by Silverline Marine Ltd for Richardson’s, and it’s part of a new contract to build eight of the next generation boats.

The new Superline certainly looks the part. ‘It’s a fabulous boat’ said Robert Dye. ‘It delivers everything today’s holidaymaker could want. And it just oozes style. But the modern clean cut lines really draw on classic Broads boat design’.

Greg Munford added, ‘We are so pleased to be collaborating with Robert’s new company’. And, echoing Robert Dye’s point, went on to say ‘it just feels so right, and it’s with enormous pride that we continue to build on Mr. Richardson’s great legacy’.

Everyone involved feels that it’s so right to be marking Richardson’s 80th anniversary with the launch of a new boat. Paul Richardson, son of Robert Richardson Jnr, and Chairman of Richardson’s spoke with some emotion. ‘A new boat is the obvious and appropriate celebration of our anniversary’ he said. ‘But it’s more than that. To launch a brand-new boat conceived and crafted for today’s boating holidaymaker is absolutely what we’re about. To do it by drawing on our history and heritage is absolutely what we’re about too. Constancy and dependability blended with innovation – that’s Richardson’s. Always has been. Always will be’.

The Superline is a brand-new luxury family cruiser with seating areas both inside and out. The boat sleeps six, comes with bow and stern thrusters to make handling easier, and features a low wash hull to help reduce the impact on the riverbanks.

To book the Superline for your next Norfolk Broads adventure click here