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Julz
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Posts posted by Julz
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A lot of Joiners do a similar thing on their woodcraft pieces Frank, before my husband retired, he used to sign his name in pencil and date all the tops of any doors he used to hang on sites, and lightly pencil his initials on things like skirting boards and architives, and even UPVC Windows got the same treatment along their top opening lights.
The reason for this was, that when the site quality inspectors came around to pass a joinery job as finished, before it was handed over to the decorators to do their job, and finally the owners, if any problems had occured, he could identify his work against any done by agency staff, and if heads were to ever roll due to expensive mistakes and shoddy workmanship, (some buildings could have 100+ doors and several miles of skirting boards) then he could easily identify if his work was to ever to blame, which im pleased to say was very rare.
Likewise I had an old friend who's served his apprenticeship down in the Cardiff docklands doing boat repairs, and he always did a similar thing, taking it to a point that he would make his idenification mark on any parts to be changed on his car service, so he could instantly recongnise if he had been fobbed off for work charged for but not done.
Julz
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You can buy replacement tent pole packs, complete with all the fittings which can be made up to fit most sizes, available from yeomans or any good camp shop. They are very strong and can be fixed to the boat by a simple ring and pin system, easy enough to attach to any firm surface in the boat.
Having had a fair bit of experiance with awnings, I can vouch for the fact that any plastic piping when under the strain of having to hold up a heavy weight will become mis-shapen and bent in the hot sun, and worse still its often prone to becoming brittle if its the type ment for indoor usage.
A good source of materials for such a project would be one of the camp shows that are dotted around the country, they often sell off for a song the poles and canvasses from returned damaged/faulty tents, especially if you call in on the day they are due to pack away and ask a member of staff. Theres often some nice quality material to be had, plus a selection of either fibreglass or metal poles, ideal for any DIY project. The Yeomans website often lists the dates and places where these shows take place.
Julz
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Jonny, please play safely and stick an earthing rod in the ground before using your genny, failure to do so may result in you hitting the earth with it at full 240v force and sizzling loudly!
People always think that this will never happen to them, but i have seen some nasty burns when working down in A&E on people who have been involved in accidents with using a genny
Julz
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Indeed, many thanks to Barry for his help in the past , and we are sorry to hear that life as not been so kind to you of late, I hope you have better times ahead soon, and look forward to seeing you and Olive again later in the season
Julz
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So what is everyone saying, that they would like a northern spring meet to take place in May?
If theres enough people that want to do this, then I may be around to help out on Saturday 19th May, as part of a Norfolk tour, before we head back north the next day.
Maybe people could post up if they would be inclined to attend IF we did get something organised
Julz
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Hi LadyL and welcome to the forum
To add to the equasion is the fact that your boat maybe ready earlier if its not just come back in from the previous weeks hire, and although the valeting team work very hard, sometimes boats can be delayed by needing repairs doing, or parts ordering for a replacement that can take a few hours to arrive from the wholesaler or chandlers. IMHO better to wait a while, and have everything five star, than to hurry out and break down a couple of hours later, or grumble and feel annoyed about the stain on the seating where someone spilt red wine the night before, and the team did not have enough time to shampoo and dry it
The best plan would be to ring the boatyard a few days before, and ask them if an early pick up would be possible, and maybe they would also give you some indication of bridge height clearances at the same time. What ever time they allow you to board the boat, you can add on about another hour or so for the tuition and trial run before your free to set off on your own.
If you are really keen to have a day upstream of the bridge, and can make an early start to Norfolk arriving at around 9am, then why not hire a day boat and explore the area whilst waiting for your pick up time to arrive? that way you would also gain confidence in boat handing a smaller craft, and you will be less nervous later of the larger boat
We will be around for the first few days of September, so we will look out for you, hope the weather is kind, and you have a lovely holiday
Julz
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Well we are fully 'winterised' and could indeed continue to be out and about throughout the winter months, but much prefare to head off onboard a really big ship to warmer and far distant lands complete with the luxury of having everything provided food, drink, and entertainment wise!
One of the reasons we bought a touring caravan over a river cruiser is that we can visit a lot more ports around the uk both saltside, riverside and canals, where we either hire dayboats or hop onboard a salty bottom as we regularly do with our friends crabbing boat out of Bridlington harbour. Then its over to Conwy, and their new marina where a family member keeps his ship, and again we get to put to sea for a few hours weather permitting, sometimes venturing out and around the isle of Anglesey, whilst we still spend a few weeks per year down in Norfolk, and some time afloat in broadland, usually with a block booking for a day boat, and all this without any need to have to do all the maintainance jobs of being a boat owner!
There are some lovely waterside sites, especially around the canal system, and we spend many happy hours watching the 'Locking' activities, Warwickshire being a favourite area, although last season we travelled up to see the engineering wonders of the boat lift just outside Northwich in Cheshire, and on our 'to do' list are the Falkirk ring, and a Sailing from Liverpool to Manchester via the ship canal, onboard one of the fine old steamers
So this gives us the benefit of being able to follow our 'boaty' intrests, the chance to look around various maritime museums, which is something of a hobby for Bill in his studies of shipbuilding and the history of famous ships and captains in history, with the freedom of being able to visit many areas, using the comforts of our own accomodation, which would be imposible by just owning a rivercruiser alone
Julz
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Well with the sun shining at last, and the service booked for 10th April, today we decided to unlock the doors and open her up from the long winters sleep, and start finishing the clearout which was done fairly hasty last autumn, mainly due to foul weather, and us both having bad colds at the time
Over the season, and sometimes due to the habitual visits to 'pound shops' with the grandchildren in tow, we tend to accumulate all sorts of junk, from toys and writing sets, to that 'must have gadget' thats still in its packet and has never been used for the two seasons its remained in the cupboard! Then there is the 'just in case' things, kids 'drynites' first aid kits x2, tool kits, spare fan heaters, spare kettle, one of those hang up solar showers (won at a show) and a mountain of pillows and cushions, which for us tend to fill several of the 'Bag for life' type of supermarket bags, and theres still more left with several trips needed before all nooks and crannies are emptied of the stuff!
Now, anyone that knows me will also know im a bit of a foodie when it comes to feeding family and friends, and theres always someting on the go, so no surprises then that i have just turfed out two dustbin bags full of unused catering disposables, several packs of various sizes of foil trays, mostly curtesy of Lathams, a full complement of baking tins, and enough large serving spoons to equip a pub carvery, a full set of catering pans, and no less than three large BBqs which were left over in there from doing a local family fund raiser late last season
Most of the stuff has survived the winter ok, no signs of the effects of damp or mildew, the fridge was washed out with Milton before being put to bed, and the door propped ajar with an unopened pack of kitchen rolls. The only casualty of the winter, which with hindsight is entirely my own fault. is a pair of rather expensive Memory foam pillows, these obviously dont like the cold, and have become rather solid and have lost their 'spring' so they are destined as puppy bed fodder for our daughters 12mth old golden labrador Charlie, whos still going through the 'chewing up' stage, and regularly requires new bedding!
Hopefully sometime next week we will rig up and try out all the onboard systems, try out the dozen or so internal light bulbs for any duds, and make a list of any faults found for the service guys. Yesterday we took delivery of a new cut to order high density foam seat pad from Easyfoam.com, brilliant service, and they arrived within 24hrs of the order being placed, and they fit perfectly. So it just remains now for me to make the loose covers for them all, the new pad is to replace the infill pieces which were rather shallow and uncomfortable when the dinette was made up into a double, and the extra covers are a washable solution to sticky fingers and drinks spillages when we take the grandchildren with us.
The sort out and spring clean will continue on now as and when time and weather will allow, the lockers and cupboards will be wiped out, windows cleaned, and the outside washed down with 'Fenwicks' using the GRP wash stuff first, then finishing off with a rinse in 'bobby dazzler' protector, which makes removing the bird poo, fly swatts, and black rubber marks much easier as the season progresses, and we would rather be out enjoying ourselves than dealing with the chores of removing the muck when it stubornly grimed in!
So what is everyone else doing in preparation for the years season ahead?
Julz
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An off-cut of the 'Cushion floor' type of stuff would probably work out better than carpet, which tends to bunch up and 'walk' when laid ontop of the fitted one, we have tried everything to stop this from happening in our caravan, including buying some of that rubber gauze stuff designed to keep mats in place on laminate flooring.
Most carpet shops will sell you an off-cut for the asking, if you lived nearer to me I would give you a piece, as we still have the remains of ours in the garage.
The other alternative is to buy some of that clear vinyl carpet protector which has the small spike anchors on the underside to help keep it in place, and is sold by the metre in places like Dunhelm mill, Carpet right and Wilkos
Julz
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It looks like it could have been a nasty accident, maybe the poor guy slipped on the icey sufaces and fell in, or blacked out for some reason and did likewise, in these low tempretures it wouldnt take long for hypothermia to set in and cause a heart attack even in the strongest of swimmers.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at such a sad time.
Julz
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Badgers also scream and kick up a hell of a noise when they are getting amourous lol, we often stay within the forests of the Sandringham estate with the Caravan Club, and its amazing the noises you hear during the hours of darkness there
Julz
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Indeed the same drill still takes place on the Celebration Roy, although in our case not until the following afternoon after boarding. The ship was also suffering from terrible engine vibration, so much so, that we questioned her safety, and will not be sailing on her again.
I hope you enjoy your cruise around Barbados Roy, and if you get the chance, a dive on the submarine is an experiance not to be missed
The place is very humid though, even on a dry sunny day, and a supply of light weight cotton clothing is a 'must have'
The long haul flights can indeed be rather challenging, but its rather down to 'Pot Luck' if the company in neighbouring seats are agreeable or not, but not nice being kicked in the back of your seat and wailed at by an unrulely child, or as happened on our return flight from Egypt, a teenager who had the window seat, and insisted in traveling sideways with her feet up on the spare in the middle, and was constantly fidgiting and kicking me throughout the 6 hr journey, and appeared not to speak English when asked politely to stop it!
We have now vowed to only do cruises out of UK ports, and return via the same route. P&O may have modern flashy looking ships, but TBH we found the food and service did not match the inflated price tag that their tickets comand, their baggage reclaim is a nightmare when re-entering via Southampton, a couple of thousands of suitcases dumped into a sports hall type building, in no particular order, and their owners left to search for them unaided, before clearing customs
We are now thinking of trying a cruise with a ship from the 'Saga' fleet upon several recomendations from friends who have sailed with them previously, and have been highly satisfied with their quality and care
I hope you and Diane enjoy a fantastic time out on your next cruise adventure, and that everything goes safely and smoothly during your voyage
Julz
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Julz ,Barry,
IIRC the requirement to have a lifeboat drill is that it must be carried out within 24 hrs of a certain percentage( I think 10% but dont quote me)of the complement changing. And then weekly.Its a pain for the passengers but these guys do really take safety seriously on a passy boat. The cruise ships that I do usually have a drill while I am still on board.
Julz,
There will be no change in the regulations before you go on your next cruise...honest
Maritime law takes ages to change
Thats interesting Rod, I have never been asked by any cruise line to attend a weekly 'Lifeboat drill' after the initial one, even on cruises of 26nights+ and even after a real emergency occured, with a fire in the electrical system in one of the bars onboard P&O Arcadia, whilst she was mid Atlantic, and which filled the corridors on that level with acrid smoke.
At the time, we heard the announcement over the tanoy of 'all staff code X' followed by the bars location, and loads of staff and senior officers dropping whatever they were doing and quickly scrambling along the decks to reach the area.
At this point none of the passengers, apart from those who had been on that level at the time, were aware of what had happened, and most mistook the code to be the one used for a medical emergency, to which there had been a few onboard since embarkation, mainly concerning elderly guests who had over indulged and had a fall, or for one unfortunate man who suffered a cardiac arrest at the side of the main Lido pool and died.
When we hit land in Barbados, they did do a full lifeboat drill then, but with most people out on day excursions, this was done for the benefit of the crew only, and lasted a few hours whilst they launched all the lifeboats and tenders, took them for a spin around the harbour, and had the maintenance men check over the davits and launching gear, and service the life boats/ships tender engines before they were hoisted back onboard into there correct position.
One thing that did concern me on the last cruise though, was the way that clutter was allowed to build up in the corridors around the cabin areas. They had decided to do some upgrade work whilst the ship was underway, and this included stripping out some areas of carpets and relaying new, but often the discarded rolled up old stuff, along with the room maid's linen trollies, and suitcases outside cabin doors awaiting collection, made passage along these difficult even under normal conditions, let alone for the less mobile/particially sighted/elderly guests if an emergency was to happen.
Some guests did put in a formal complaint about the issues raised above, but were very rudely fobbed off by staff, and if pushed hard enough, the best they could do was offer the passenger a voucher for a free bottle of wine with dinner that evening, which is not really the answer to a serious safety issue.
Well at least for the next cruise Rod, we will have our own pilot on board for most of the duration, as we will be sailing within the Norwiegen Fiords and as far up as the Northern Cape of Finmark, stunning scenery and no nasty smelly industrial ports to be berthed in, unlike our last cruise with places like Safaga which really was the pits!
Julz
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Whats worrying for me and we have been on about 6 cruise ships is that it does not appear that they did a lifeboat jacket drill that same evening.we have had a drill within 2 hours of boarding the ship. So this question of hitting a reef etc does not tally up. I do not think this captain or his no 2 will get another job.
Indeed, on the cruise we have recently returned from, no lifeboat drill took place until aproximatly 24hrs after boarding, the only safety information given to passengers was that on a DVD playing on the TV as they entered their cabin.
Being as some people only return to their cabin to sleep at night, and not many want to sit in there watching Tv when there is glorious sunshine to be had out on deck, plus food and drinks galore to be enjoyed, there is no wonder the safety DVDs often get switched off and ignored. One of the survivors from this latest disaster has been speaking on another forum I fequent, and said that the problem with ships who carry a wide range of nationalities, is that in an emergency the life boat drill and any further safety instructions have to be relayed in so many languages, that people panic and make their own desisions whilst waiting for instructions to be given out in a language they understand, hence a number jumped overboard into the sea.
We will wait and see if any changes have been made to the safety proceedures when we sail on our next cruise out of the port of tyne this summer. although we are sailing with the same cruise line as before, in the past, departures out of a British port have always included a Lifeboat drill before we left the harbour mouth, and in the case of it being foul weather, the drill has taken place in the entertainment theatre with the aid of a large screen video presentation and staff assisting passengers in the correct way to wear their life jackets upon entry.
Julz
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Jonny, I would not try taking the covers off to put them in a washing machine thats for sure
As the leather/vinyl is only on the undersides, I would just wipe it over using a well wrung out damp soapy cloth, then leave exposed to the air to dry out completely. The tops and sides I would use the 'vanish' dry foam type cleaner, then vac it off when completely dry, you may need to do it twice over if they are very grubby, but it is good at shifting dirt, grime and stains. If you wet them too much, you risk either sending the insides mildewed due to the foam sucking up the wash water, or you could accidently shrink them and they may split at the seams as they dry.
Good luck with the task anyway
Julz
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Whatever you do Jonny, do not wet leather until its soaking wet. You can wash the surface of leather with Saddle soap available from any Equestrian store,just follow the instructions on the box, but i dont quite know what you mean by it having a cotton layer, is this an inner cover over the foam, or is it sewn together and attached to the leather?
If you wash the cotton covers separately and off the foam, and they are made from pure cotton they maywell shrink.
Its difficult to advise fully without seeing them or at least a few piccys, but in the caravan we do an annual spring clean of the fabric upholstry using a couple of cans of the 'Vanish' foam type upholstry cleaner (comes from most supermarkets and is in a bright pink aerosol can) that you spray on, work in with a small sponge, leave to dry a few hours then vac off, and it works quite well at lifing out the everyday dirt and grime and leaves them smelling nice too. However, i would not use this on leather
Julz
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No Barry, you just get your boat seized and impounded by the customs guys for the funny smell and brown smoke thats coming from your engine bay as you chugs back under Haven bridge!
Well thats what happened to the last ship we sailed back from Amsterdam on anyway
Julz
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Hi Jonny, a lot of the 'outdoor world' type shops have big sales both in their stores and online, there good if your after things like sleeping bags, torches and specialist clothing, i have just bought Bill a couple of pairs of waterproof trousers (the type worn by sailies) for half price out of one of their online mega stores. Also good for buying up last seasons stock at bargain knock down prices with things like BBQs, folding chairs, tents and awnings going for less than half price, the only difference is mainly in the colour schemes, they tend to have a clear out before they release this seasons new ranges of fabrics.
Julz
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Not really finalised our plans yet, last summer we had three daughters Marry, and next summer we have got three new additions to the family, with grandchildren due to arrive between March and July, and our daughter Gina due to graduate from Law School Mid July also!
We are hoping to get away in the caravan and be Norfolk bound mid April, probably staying on the Broadlands CC site with a dayboat moored closeby, Likewise we would like to be back down on the Broads late August and over the bank holiday for a couple of weeks, again hiring a dayboat, or possibly us with the caravan, and our daughter and her husband on a hireboat, us meeting up with them by day to help them crew, as Tom is a pure novice when it comes to boats!
Mid June we are off cruising the Fjords again, and salt side around the North cape, enjoying the midnight sun, and out on smaller craft Whale watching for a couple of days when we reach the top of Finmark
Hopefully we will be able to pull in about 8 weeks in total away visiting different waterways around Britain whilst staying in the caravan during the summer season, but during the winter months we will be busy decorating and doing some refurbishment work around our home, we have just completed a couple of bedrooms and the dining room, and will start on the lounge after Christmas by raiding the January sales for some new furniture, and getting the decorating tackle out once more to keep Bill occupied!
Julz
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We have been learning a few things of late regarding the traditions of the Eastern block countries, as one of our wedding guests, Jan, ( pronounced Yan, and a brilliant photographer) had recently married a girl from Russian decent.
They prepare Pike and fresh water river fish in a similar way to which the Americans prepare Turkey, using brine baths to marinade the fish, and then cook it with lots of seasonings, and strong flavoured vegetables to be served with it to help mask the 'earthy' taste, a sweet tasting fish it is not, I was informed that it tasted a bit like very strong mackrel in its natural unbrined state, but with darker coloured flesh.
They also eat carp rather than poultry to celebrate festive seasons such as Christmas and Easter, but if a carp cannot be found available for families living in the UK, then a pike will do. They also eat Zander and a lot of Eels, and indeed we have been invited over for dinner one day but to be honest im not too sure i would want to sample the food on their menu lol!
Julz
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There is also the fact that in some cultures Pike are a popular food fish, and as we get more imigrants into the Uk, and as Pike are not available commercially from a local fishmonger, then these people are more likely to catch their own for the pot as they make traditional dishes for their families adding to the pikes population decline.
Julz
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Wild camping, whether in a caravan or under canvas is actually illegal in the Uk, apart from some parts of Scotland which are covered by anicient rights designed to allow shepards camp out with their flocks on the rugged terrain.
Its also far from cheap, expect to pay anything from £12 a night for a basic pitch with no electricity hook up, to over £60 a night for a site with full facilities. Unless you are talking about the provision of 'Traveller' sites then no council that I know of provide utility services for free, you also need a licence to run a campsite and most councils stipulate a maximum stay of 28nights before a unit and its occupants have to move on. Even if you own the land yourself, as we do with our caravan when its at home, we are not allowed to live in it there as it would be against local bye-laws.
Contrary to popular belief, its not cheap to own, maintain and live in a Caravan, when you factor in running costs, servicing and repairs, deprieciation, bottled gas and electricity fees, insurance, and the extra fuel to tow it, site fees and storage costs for those without a space at home, it certainly works out more expensive than running a fairly large family car from new!
Julz
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I have been looking at the tide tables for the Whitby to Spurn head stretch of the coastline, and its indicating one of the highest tides of the last decade is due on the equinox during the last week of September.
We have been around that part of the coast when they had a very high spring tide before, and it takes the floating pontoons in the marina up to their highest limits, it also floods the road in the South bay which is a very rare sight, so what this whopper of a tide will do, especially if any Easterly winds are blowing at the time is anyones guess!
I love seascapes, especially when im watching them from a safe distance, as i will be for the next couple of weeks, perched ontop of a cliff at Flambrough head.
Julz
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Thats the last thing i wanted to hear, were off upto Yorkshire towing our Caravan on Sunday, and a strong headwind is a caravanner's nightmare, despite having top notch gear fitted, and doing everything by the book, not only from a stability point of view, but also because it makes the tug drink fuel by the gallon as it battles in its power!
Once we get on pitch, we will be spending some time with our salty bottom friends who have a crab and lobster fishing business, so it often means that we get to put to sea with them a few times during the visit, but it rather looks like our chances of that one have been dashed for next week, and we will just have to be content with watching the seascapes breaking on Filey Brigg and around the bays from the safety of a dry land vantage point
Julz
has somebody sliped in
in Broads Chat
Posted
According to that link the poor woman suffered a dislocated shoulder, not really a serious life threatening injury, but very painful indeed, as our daughter found out during the winter of 2010/2011
Its mostly caused by putting an arm out in front of oneself to help break a fall, rather than landing flat on your face. Its normally a hospital job with strong pain relief drugs whilst the sholder is reduced back into its socket, but for some people, our daughter included, theres too much damage been caused by the injury to the ligaments around the joint, and the dislocation then repetes itself very easily with normal daily activities such as carrying a shopping bag, or even twisting over during sleep, and when this happens, the only way to treat for a more perminent cure it is with surgery as a day case, followed by a few weeks of physiotherapy.
I hope the lady makes a speedy recovery
Julz