Whispering Reeds Boats Ltd was founded in 1962 by Jack Tusting, a Norwich builders merchant and Frank Chettleburgh, a local farmer. Both were involved with Hickling Broad Sailing Club, and it was always said that they bought the old Beales Boatyard on this site to ‘stop the big boys moving in’.
The boatyard was quickly established as a holiday business, letting houseboats, holiday cruisers and day boats as well as managing moorings and carrying out repairs and maintenance. This remains the company’s core business to this day.