| Frequently Asked Questions:
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Where do I find Ripples houseboats?
Ripples houseboats are are based at Sandbrook Inlet Marina, at 87 Brooklyn
Rd, Brooklyn. We're about 1 hour north of Sydney, just
off the F3 Freeway. Click for detailed
directions.
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Can I come by public transport?
Yes. Brooklyn township has a railway station called Hawkesbury River. Check that your train will stop at
this station because not all trains do. When you get to Hawkesbury River station, just phone
Ripples Houseboats, and one of our team will come and pick you up. Click
for CityRail
timetables.
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What if I come from overseas or interstate?
If travelling by road from the south or west, you should head for Hornsby
and on to Brooklyn via the F3 Freeway. If from the north then also use
the F3 Freeway, but turn off to Brooklyn before crossing the Hawkesbury
River Bridge. If coming from the airport,you can catch the train or you could consider using the door to
door service offered by North
Shore Airport Service.
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Where do I park my car?
We provide spaces for 3 cars per Elite and Resort houseboat
and 2 cars per Islander houseboat in our lock-up car park. Although the car park
is locked, we cannot be responsible for the safety of your vehicle so please
do not leave valuables in your car.
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How many people can I have on the boat?
The limits are set by NSW Maritime. The number of berths on the boat is the maximum number of people allowed
to sleep on board: 6 on the Islander, 10 on the Resort and 8 on the Elite. Children 1 year and over count as a person. During the day you are allowed to have 2 extra people on board.
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Can I bring my pet?
Pets, firearms and fireworks are not allowed on our boats.
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How long will it take to check in?
Allow one hour for loading and briefing prior to departure. Once your
houseboat has been loaded and you have watched the instructional DVD,
a member of our marina team will come onboard, show you how everything works and answer any questions you may have.
You will be piloted out through Sandbrook Inlet and then you will have your driving lesson. Once we (and you!) are
happy that you can safely control the houseboat, our team member will disembark
and you will be on your way. To allow sufficient time for this, please
ensure all your crew arrives at our marina no later than 3.30pm. If you
or any of your crew arrive after 3.30pm you may need to stay on your
houseboat at the marina for the first night.
What if I arrive after the 3:30pm check in time?
If you or your crew arrive after 3.30 pm you may be required to stay on your houseboat at the marina overnight and depart the following day. If some of your team can get there before 3.30pm they can take the boat down to the houseboat moorings at Brooklyn and use the dinghy to pick up the rest of the group from Brooklyn. Just bear in mind that the boat cannot be driven after dark.
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How do I go about paying?
A 50% deposit is required to confirm your booking. This can be paid by credit card over the phone, you can send a cheque or money order, make a direct payment into our bank account or you can book online. Cheques must be received
at least 14 days prior to departure, but are not accepted on the day
of departure.
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Is there a bond?
A Security Bond ($500 for the Islander, $750 for the Elite & Resort) is required
before departure. Cheques are not accepted. Normal payment is a credit
card imprint/voucher which is held until the boat is returned. Provided the boat
is returned clean, tidy and undamaged, the voucher will be destroyed on your return.
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I have not handled a boat before - will I need a licence?
No, you do not need a licence to drive our houseboats. You do need to
be at least 18 years of age. To ensure you do have a wonderful time we
explain navigation rules, brief you on the full operation of the boat
and then take you for a short drive on the river to make sure you feel
comfortable with the boat before setting off on your own. Ripples have
developed their own DVD to assist with initial training.
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What if I need assistance out on the water?
Although you are unlikely to require assistance, Ripples Houseboats are
fitted with marine radios, so you can contact our office (depending on
location) or local rescue services. It is also advisable to take your
mobile phone as an additional means of contact. Our office is open daily
between 9 am and 5 pm and we have staff living on the river for after
hours support. For your safety and security, all our houseboats are tracked by GPRS. We will ask you to give us several contact mobile phone numbers when you check in and to ensure your phones are turned on when you are returning to our base.
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What if I damage the boat?
The boat is fully insured but you are responsible for damages and losses
of equipment up to the value of your bond, providing you have met our
conditions of charter. Wilful or negligent damage is not covered, and
you are responsible for damage caused by you or members of your group
to other peoples property.
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What do I pack?
Our houseboats are fully equipped with cutlery, crockery, glassware,
saucepans, frying pans and other kitchen utensils. Pillows and doonas (with pillowcases and doona covers)
are also provided. You just need to bring sheets and towels, personal items,
food and drink. You can hire sheets and towels from us for $10 per person.
To assist we supply you with a complete inventory of what is included
on the boats when you book. Be aware when packing that storage and hanging
space is limited on all houseboats and soft bags should be used rather than suitcases. Non-slip shoes are recommended for safety on board.
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Is there any music on board?
All Ripples houseboats are equipped with AM/FM radios and CD players ( Ipod compatible). Our Elite houseboats have a TV and DVD player, but please be aware that there is no TV reception on the river.
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Can I arrange for provisioning for my trip?
Hawkesbury River Provisioning can arrange to provision or reprovision your houseboat.
Contact Ross (0411 443 944) or Pip (0422 883 609) for details.
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Are there any restaurants we can visit on the Hawkesbury?
Yes. There are several restaurants located around the cruising
area on the
river, some that are only accessible by water. Please remember that you will have to anchor
your houseboat and visit the restaurant in your dinghy, although some restaurants, such as Berowra Waters Inn have moorings available for clients and will pick you up by tender. See Links for details of the restaurants.
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How far can I take the boat?
You can take the boat into Berowra Waters and up river as far as Spencer, although most people
prefer to go down stream to Cowan Creek or Bobbin Head (24km). Your limit
towards the sea is an imaginary line between Juno Point and Challenger
Head. This means you can take the boat into Ku-ring-gai National Park
but for your safety and well being you cannot take the boat into Pittwater,
Patonga or out into Broken Bay.
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Can I travel at night?
No. Charter Boats are only permitted to travel in daylight hours and
must not move between dusk and dawn.
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Are there any shops in Brooklyn?
In Brooklyn township there is a general store that provides a limited
range of groceries, dairy products, newspapers etc. There is also
a hotel and bottle shop. There are no supermarkets in Brooklyn and we
recommend you bring all necessary supplies with you, or contact Te Papa
Provisioning (see above). There is also a small convenience
shop at the
marina that carries a wide range of fishing tackle and equipment for
sale or hire.
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Are banking facilities available?
No, however we accept cash, EFTPOS or major credit cards. Cheques are
only accepted 10 working days before departure. The convenience
store also has EFTPOS facilities.
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Do I need a fishing licence?
Fishing licences for four people (which allows you to have 8 lines in the water) are included in the charter
fee. You can buy more licences from the convenience shop at
the marina.
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What about water and fuel?
Water tanks on board hold between 600 (Islander), 2500 (Resort) and 3000 (Elite) litres
of drinkable water and will last for 3-5 days. Because of the limited
supply care should be taken with the use of water (particularly on the
Islander houseboat). You can fill up at our base free of charge.
Your boat will have a full tank of fuel which will be sufficient for
approximately 30 hours of cruising time. Fuel is charged at $15
per motoring hour for the Islander, $25 per motoring hour for the
Resort and $35 per motoring hour for the Elite - you are only charged for the time the motors are running. Most
people motor for an average of 2-3 hours a day, and we would suggest
you budget approximately $35 (Islander), $65 (Resort) or $85 (Elite) each day for
fuel. Tthere is an hour meter on the boat that registers motoring
hours so you can check how you are going at any time.
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Why do you charge for fuel by the motoring hour?
This allows us to just hold a credit card imprint for your bond – we do not take the money from your card. When you complete your trip we take a reading from the clock on board the boat, collect your payment and you are free to go as soon as you have unloaded the boat. If you have any concerns we can run a report through our tracking system to check the accuracy of the reading. You do not have to wait for us to refill the fuel tank, calculate the cost and then refund the balance of your bond money (which may not happen until the day after you leave). Also, in our experience there can be splash back when filling the tank, so the reading is not always accurate.
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Is there power on the boat?
Ripples Houseboats are fitted with 12 volt inverters with a standard socket. Mobile phones, laptops or portable DVD players can be charged from this
socket. They cannot be used for 240
volt appliances such as hairdryers, toasters or microwaves.
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What about keeping food cool?
The houseboats have gas operated fridges of either
460 or 660 cc depending on the size of the boat .
A large esky is also fitted to the deck. Block and crushed ice
can be bought at the Marina.
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What if I have to cancel?
If you cancel more than 1 month before your booking we will charge a
$100 administration fee and refund the balance of your deposit. If
you cancel less than one month before the departure date you will forfeit
your deposit unless we can re-let the boat.
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