teadaemon

I've just got rather a large problem. Our landlords have decided to give us notice, so we've got to be out of our current house in Ludham by the 30th of June. If anyone knows of a three or four bedroom house with a garage or workshop for rent in the Ludham/Catfield/Potter/Horning area, with a landlord who'd like some tenants who want to stay in the same place for several years (as this happened to us last summer as well, and we're getting rather fed up of it), then I'd be very interested to hear about it. We might consider somewhere a little further afield, but my son is in Ludham primary school and I really, really don't want to move him as he's well settled and they've done a great job of dealing with his (mild) special needs.

That's interesting Clive, if you don't mind me asking, where is the bowthruster fitted, and is it hydraulic or electric? Unfortunately, I was never involved in the rebuild of Fair Freedom, although I was working at Freedom at the time I was always keeping things ticking over on the yard while Pete and the others were busy in one of your sheds.

Martin, Fair Freedom would definitely be easier to handle with a bowthruster, unfortunately the Bounty 44 hull and interior layout doesn't provide very much space to fit one, and finding one that will work with a tunnel as long as would be required can be a bit tricky. There's also the issue that the engine and batteries are at the stern, so very thick electrical cables or hydraulic pipework would need to be run all the way to the front of the boat, at least 35 feet. As far as new builds being towards the luxury end of the market, that's because the cost difference between one with a high-end spec and one with a basic spec is probably only around 10%, but both will cost the same to toll, licence, berth, and maintain. The higher specification boat will probably also let better, and for significantly more money. I know that's a problem for people who want to go boating on a budget, but as putting new builds into a fleet is a major investment by any yard, it's understandable that they're going to go with the boats that generate the best returns for their business.

Is that report from BW available online, and if so, do you have a link to it? also do you have a link for that information from the RYA, as I'd like to take a look at it as it would appear to differ from a lot of the other information I've read on the subject. Yes this is a topic that keeps being brought up, and people keep making the same points (sometimes accurate, sometimes not), but we never actually get anywhere. As things stand, the yards already provide perfectly adequate personal flotation devices to hirers, and tell them that they need to wear them. If it became a legal requirement for them to wear them, we'd have no problem telling them that, and no problem refusing to let them out of the yard unless they're wearing them, but short of offering only skippered hire, fitting CCTV to the boat and monitoring it 24/7, or fitting the lifejacket in the yard and padlocking it in place, there's no way we can force people to wear anything when they're out on the rivers. Even if the yards provided self-inflating lifejackets then use would not rise magically to 100% (it might go up a bit, but personally I'd doubt that the increase in use would be significant). It may sound fairly obvious, but we don't actually want our customers to fall overboard and die, it's bad for repeat bookings. I'd suggest that all yards do their best to get customers to wear their lifejackets, and increasing numbers of them are doing so, based on what I've seen over the last couple of days when I've been back at work. At the end of the day though, we're not childminders, we're hiring out boats to adults, who need to take some responsibility for their own choices and actions, and those of their party members. I'm pretty sure I've said it before, but if I could make one change to the Hire Boat Code to reduce the (very small) number of deaths by drowning amongst hirers, it would not be to require the provision of self inflating lifejackets, it would be to beef up the existing (very loosely defined) requirements for a means of reboarding the vessel to include a proper boarding ladder, preferably permanently fitted and capable of being deployed by somebody already in the water. The provision of a powerful torch or spotlight capable of illumination all around the vessel would come a close second. Lifejackets certainly have their place, but they're not a magical suit of protection from drowning, and I think the current preoccupation with them is preventing people from seeing the wider picture as regards safety on boats.

Well we certainly have smaller buoyancy aids for children and babies, and larger ones suitable for people over 70kg, I'm not certain of exactly how much buoyancy they provide, but they comply with all of the relevant legislation and regulations. You seem to forget that the people who hire out boats do so for a living, and therefore are likely to know what the hell they're doing. If we were inspected by the Broads Authority and they found we were providing unsuitable personal flotation devices, you can be pretty certain that we would have our hire boat licences suspended until such time as we had the right equipment.

50N buoyancy aids are what we provide and are perfectly acceptable for use on inland waterways. As Strowager has mentioned, the newer ones are considerably better fitting and less bulky that they were in the past, and I'd suspect that most yards would have no problem moving over to them as they replace their older models. All of the hirers I've seen today have been wearing them, but that's probably because in this weather they provide a fair amount of extra insulation. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised that I had to do three dayboat handovers today, but they all claim to have had a good time out on the river.

With reference to the casualties last year (which was particularly bad, IIRC four fatalities compared to an average of 1 per year), at least two were private boaters not hirers. In the case of the one I know of who was definitely a hirer, they'd fallen in the day before (whilst not wearing the supplied lifejacket), and despite being asked repeatedly to wear one by the other people on board, they continued to work on deck without wearing a lifejacket. From an insurer's point of view, providing the supplied personal flotation conforms to current regulations and is fitted properly in the yard, and using it is mentioned in the handover briefing and the skipper's manual, then I can't see them having a problem, as I can't see how somebody would be able to make a successful claim against them. Indeed, the provision of foam filled buoyancy aids that are almost 100% effective when worn correctly is likely to be looked upon favourably by an insurer when the alternative is a gas-inflated lifejacket that needs care and regular servicing if it's to perform it's intended function when required. If somebody chooses to ignore what they've been told and not wear the personal flotation device provided to them, then the responsibility for that lies with themselves and the skipper, possibly also with the hirer (although that's a stretch). It certainly does not lie with the yard.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I've had a look at the seasonal ranger job and whilst I'd like to apply, I'm lacking in some of the essential requirements (mostly due to not possessing the right bits of paper rather than not being able to do the job, unfortunately).

Given the cost of even a DIY paint job if you want to do it properly, if the boat is in original gelcoat then getting the damage repaired by a professional (who should be able to colour match any colour), followed by a compound and polish is probably the most cost effective way forward. If the boat has already been painted (and you don't know for certain what paint was used) then all of the previous paint will need to be removed as part of the prep work (it might be possible to find some sort of primer that provides a barrier layer, but given the possibility of future damage and touch ups, that could be storing up a whole load of problems). This would have the advantage that you could choose whatever colour you liked. I was a little dubious about full gelcoat replacement, as it's basically painting the boat with a thick (by paint standards) layer of polyester resin (which does not bond chemically with the cured GRP underneath, unlike the original gelcoat). Having said that, yesterday Jason at Ludham Bridge showed me a boat where his team had done a full gelcoat replacement on the superstructure and the results were very impressive indeed - perfect, shiny gelcoat that looked like it had just come out of the mould. It's an expensive option, but then so is a full repaint.

I'm an experienced boatyard worker, based in Ludham (with own transport), and currently looking for work (available immediately). IIMS Level 1 Diploma in Yacht & Small Craft Surveying I can do (and particularly enjoy) handovers and river trials (total novices and non-native English speakers a speciality). Familiar with stability testing on both cruisers and open boats. Experienced in most general maintenance tasks, familiar with most boat systems (although not a qualified mechanic). 30 years experience of boating (mostly sailing) on the Broads. If you require a full CV and/or references, then please send me a message. I can also do work (cleaning, antifouling, general maintenance, project management) for private boat owners on a casual basis - very reasonable rates.

Well for all three of the canals mentioned (the Bungay Navigation, Aylsham Navigation, and North Walsham & Dilham Canal) there's a very good reason why the Broads Authority aren't interested in them - they're outside of the BA's area of responsibility, a fact that would require an act of parliament to alter. Certainly in the case of the NW&DC, a combination of private enterprise and volunteers have done sterling work over the past three years or so restoring the canal, but as far as I'm aware, there's no intention of making it navigable for vessels larger than canoes and small dinghies. One of the reasons why it was never particularly successful is that it suffered from a shortage of water, a situation that's worse now as many of the feeder ponds have dried out and been turned over to other use (not to mention that the last section of the canal has been filled in, and I think may have been built over). If/when the restoration is finished, I expect that the owner of the canal is likely to prioritise what water is available for powering his water mill (the reason he bought the canal in the first place) over allowing vessels through the locks on anything more than an occasional basis.

On the other hand, I may well be seen at a couple of local boat jumbles this year (with a selection of classic outboards and Stuart Turner engine parts if anyone's interested). There's absolutely no way that I'd take a cheque (unless it was from somebody who I knew very well indeed), as since the cheque guarantee system no longer operates, there's no way of knowing that it's going to be honoured by the bank when I come to pay it in. If somebody wants to make a large purchase from me, it's cash there and then or some other method and they get the goods when payment clears. Of course, whatever method they choose, I'm happy to provide a receipt with my name and address on it, to assuage any concerns as to the provenance of my stock. I'll certainly keep an eye out for the OP's outboard, as it's exactly the kind of item I buy and sell anyway and I have no intention of getting lumbered with stolen property if I can help it.

They're nice boats, and they don't half go fast. Is she GRP or wood? I hired one from Martham back in 2004 with the somewhat naive idea of teaching my other half to sail. I hadn't quite realised exactly how well they go, so after a couple of 'incidents' we spent the rest of our two days pottering around with three reefs in the main and no jib. (My other half doesn't like tippy boats very much.) If you're ever short of a crew, then let me know (although I'm already booked for this year's 3RR, I'm entering Liberty Song with a couple of mates far fitter than I am to do all the hard work paddling under bridges).

Oooh, what you got? Sailing is really easy, it's just the stopping that can be a little tricky at times.

Perhaps we should do it by Thames Tonnage (which I think is based on how many barrels of wine a boat can carry, IIRC)? That would suit me, as it measures the depth of the hull, but not the keel(s).

As she's about 50 years old and has a wooden superstructure, I hope anyone buying her gets a good surveyor - she looks good in the pictures, but a bit of filler and a pot of paint can easily hide a multitude of sins (of course she may be as sound as she looks, but I wouldn't guarantee it). I know two slightly younger Aston boats quite well (Song of Freedom and Rambling Freedom), and the interior fitout is generally good quality, with all the varnished wood giving quite a yachty feel. The galley is a bit dated on this one, but as we found out at Freedom, it's not hard to replace that with something more modern, which really helps to lift the whole feel of that area of the boat. Assuming she is in decent condition, she could be a good buy for somebody, as you definitely get a lot of boat for your money.

Surely if the regulator failed, the leak should have been within the gas locker, and therefore the leaking gas should have been safely vented overboard? Was there also a problem with the gas locker that allowed leaking gas to enter the boat?

I must admit I'd forgotten about those (which IIRC still have Stuart-Turner two stroke engines), although it will be interesting to see if they remain available now Martham have bought up the entire NBYCo fleet from Southgate's Yard.

I suspect that in order to get a definitive answer to that, you'd have to ask the Boat Safety Scheme office and Steve Birtles at the BA, between them they should have all of the relevant data. As it happens I can think of two serious boat fires this year, this one and the more recent one at Beccles, both of which were probably due to the explosive ignition of petrol vapour. It is notable that in the BSS a spark-sealed bilge blower is an advisory item for boats with petrol inboard engines, but it isn't a requirement for private boats (although it would be for a hire boat with a petrol inboard, assuming there were any).

Actually, IIRC Steve jobs himself admitted that he first saw a GUI with a mouse being used on a visit to Xerox's R&D department, he just borrowed the concept and commercialised it (and was lucky that Xerox didn't have the same attitude to intellectual property disputes that Apple has these days). In my years as a sysadmin, I've worked with hardware and software from pretty much all of the major computer companies, and quite a few of the more minor ones too. Apple kit is ok, but once you take the pretty box away (and quite a lot of the stuff I worked with is from the days when they came in beige boxes like every other computer), it's no better or worse than other decent quality computer equipment, it's just a bit more expensive. I do like OS X, but that's mostly because underneath all the pretty graphics it's UNIX (specifically it's based on NeXTstep, which was based on BSD), which means that geeks like me can administer it using a proper command line interface (harder to learn to use, but much harder to do the wrong thing accidentally, much easier to audit changes, and much easier to automate by writing your own scripts). Whilst the death of Steve jobs is regrettable, and he's certainly an important person in the history of computing, I do feel that the cult of Apple has raised him on a pedestal somewhat, when really he was just one of many people responsible for inventing and popularising the technology we take for granted today. As an example, this week also saw the death of Dennis Richie - not somebody I expect many people will have heard of, but as part of a team at Bell Labs, he helped to create UNIX, without which it's unlikely that modern computer networks or the Internet would exist in anything like it's current form (even Windows (since Windows 2000) uses a network protocol stack lifted from BSD, one of the early free UNIX implementations).

I don't think anyone knows for definite, and given that she burned out and sank, it's unlikely there's enough left to come to a definite conclusion.

According to a BA ranger (that I imagine quite a few people on here know, although I don't know if he posts here as well as somewhere else), it was a private boat that caught fire on the river, next to the upstream entrance to Wroxham Broad. Four people on board, who all got off safely. The boat later sank (I assume she burned to the waterline) and is about 50 metres downstream of the entrance to the Broad, marked with yellow stakes and lights.

Self-regulation of hire boats has ended. As I mentioned before, all hire boats have to comply with a hire boat BSS (which in certain areas is considerably more stringent that that private boats have to comply with), and hire operators must also comply with the hire boat code (written and administered by the MCA). This already covers things like frequency of servicing and inspection of engines and associated components, something which isn't actually covered by the MCA's various codes. Any operator that chooses not to comply is likely to be refused a licence to operate by the Broads Authority, and without that, they don't have a business. My comment about putting hire companies out of business wasn't because I thought many wouldn't comply (although applying codes intended for seagoing vessels to inland waterways vessels, particularly narrowboats and similar means that lots wouldn't comply for reasons that aren't actually relevant to their intended use), it's because the cost of the required surveys and paperwork is probably enough to render the boats too expensive for customers to hire (or at least for enough customers).

Only if you want to put the hire fleets out of business, with the consequent large increase in tolls for private boaters. I have studied the various MCA codes in the past, and I can't recall anything in them that would have prevented an incident such as this. Between the BSS and the Hire Boat Code, hire boats on inland waterways are already quite well regulated, and although I might quibble about small parts of both schemes, in general they're both fit for purpose and work well.

I can sympathise - last September I was out on Hustler 5 from Hunter's Yard, coming in to moor up at the top of Thurne dyke we got caught by a stray gust of wind (I think due to the disturbed air flow around the windpump) and before I could do anything (I was at the bows ready to jump ashore) we were sailing down the dyke in a howling gale with no room to turn head to wind. Fortunately there weren't that many boats moored up, and we managed to get the sails down and come alongside (with some help from a very nice chap on another boat) before I sailed an irreplaceable heritage yacht up the slipway at the end of the dyke. Normally when this happens the cable has come loose at one end or the other. I hope that's the case, as replacing a 40 foot long throttle cable is not an easy job.