pks1702

Shotley Point Yacht Club had put on a full day programme called 'Ask The Experts' which was very good with the exception of the Marine Electronics 'Expert' from a local Chandlery (I am sure you can guess but Vixen might be a clue ) who ought to be done under the trade description act Presentations from: National Coast Watch http://www.nci.org.uk/ RNLI HM Coastguard Rounding the day off was a talk on flares and of course using them in anger We all hope never to but it is not the sort of thing you can practice. The RNLI had special dispensation to allow us to have a go I felt sorry for a couple of visiting yachts entering the Marina and channel with Parachute Flares being fired over the top of them and hand helds & smoke being used on the shore the must have wondered what on earth was going on Some very interesting stats from the RNLI but the most stunning to me was that in the last two years figures for the Harwich Station no rescue had been as a result of flares. With DSC now proving an excellent positional fix maybe the days of Parachute Flares are numbered. Our offshore flares are out of date at the end of this year, instead of replacing them I am considering keeping them as back up but investing in a couple of these for Tina and I: http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/products/produ ... t_sector=1 They are small enough to be worn and as bonus if you do take a trip in the Ogin there is a chance of being located. Flares rely on someone seeing it and then the right agency being alerted. In practice what often happens (and real life examples were given) is that a flare is seen by a member of public who dials 999, is not sure which service he should ask for so asks for the Police. The Police tend to send a patrol to see what resource is needed and then react wasting valuable time. If you phone 999 and ask for the Coastguard (which you can) they have all three 'normal services' at their disposal (Fire, Police, Ambulance) with the RNLI and Air SAR in addition. A PLB taps straight into this system and therefore the time taken for action is almost certainly less than via a Flare unless reported to the Coastguard from another boat. A very interesting day all in all.

Agree Dave but at over 7 tonnes already I don't need to add any more to our ships weight

We have Butane on Kiki and use her through the winter and have never had an issue. My Gas locker is 'precious' The Bottle was almost three years old when at the most inopportune time this summer it ran out That entailed a Taxi to Maldon and back so I am not having that again and fitted a regulator with a dial giving the status on how full the bottle is

Talking of Wells the Broads based 'Saltsiders' may soon have an all tide destination by turning to port exiting to sea. http://www.wellsharbour.co.uk/news.htm Nice to see Goodchild building the dredger.

Not sure what type you are after Andy but ASAP Supplies have most types. http://www.asap-supplies.com/

Mine to was ex Singapore before launched in Europe courtesy of a Christmas gift from a supplier Quality is good as you say and it is a 'pocket' size but just found it a bit fiddly and is now gathering dust. As you know it will also take stills from memory at 8MP but I found these to lack HQ - probably just me. I have a Canon HV30 now which is in a different league.

I have an early non waterproof variety of these. The quality was not bad and you could just slip it in your pocket but I found the zoom a bit fiddly which than gave a tendency to induce camera wobble. This looks as if they have made some changes and clearly looking at Dylan's work the quality is more than acceptable. Expect to see Dylan over the winter as he is Broads based.

For those thinking about their first foray saltside or wanting a bit more information or bedtime reading have a look at this. http://www.sailingissues.com/navcourse0.html Based on Greece and Turkey but the theory is the same

I could bore you about real Teak and its upkeep Lucky......... In the absence of any experience of the other two you might like to have a scan of this: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.ph ... ght=tekdek

Looks like you are getting to grips with that camera Jill

I think you are nearly there Ian; I actually think the road bridge is the M18 but the right area in Goole.

Now you do need advice Mark you would likely not afford a row boat

The CEVNI will also 'legally' allow you on the French Inland waterways provided you have all the other bits of paper you need with it. With regard to fixed bridges Kiki is 9 6" with everything folded and we went into her purchase knowing this. Above Wroxham, Potter & Ludham were off limits but it was a trade off well worthwhile when looking for a 'compromise' craft. I fear another couple of 'Totally unsuitable for the Broads' boats making an appearance in the not too distant future

That's how it starts Mark soon be doing your passage plan to Niewpoort for a future NBN meet. Simon should have his finger pretty well on the pulse of what might be available at the sort of price you are looking at having searched extensively for a 'dual' purpose craft himself recently. For what its worth I would be looking for Semi Displacement and Single Diesel which would mean the craft would be equally happy tootling on the Broads as a trip to sea.

Thanks for the inside track on the new Pilot Launches Rod and Goodchild. Having seen at first hand the attention to detail that Alan has you can be sure the new launches will be OK. He is not averse to having 'visitors' on the odd test run across Breydon or out of Yarmouth particularly if you are a pilot Having said that I guess you will have enough 'Taxi' rides in the future to worry about having a look. It was blowing circa 30 -35 knots mid morning at Languard and the cranes over at Felixstowe stopped working around mid day which I believe happens when wind speed reaches 45mph. Having been for a look down the coast it was certainly a day for exiting Shotley to Port and not Starboard!

SWMBO is back in hospital this later this week so she fancied a relaxing 'marina' weekend, and who am I to deny that. The wind started to increase in the early hours of Staurday morning and by the time David & Rachel arrived it was flexing its muscles quite nicely Not ones to be put off from a Yacht Club event at Ipswich Kingfisher exited Shotley to a pretty bumpy Stour & Orwell. The photo's are not very good as they are zoomed with a P&S I wished I had my proper gear to have done justice to Kingfisher kicking aside the chop. The distance I was away also flattened off the sea but it was a 'little' bit inclement for the rivers Tides were very high this weekend with the main Shotley Peninsula road near the Orwell Bridge part flooded, probably the highest tide since our time at Shotley. The floating ramp down from the Car Park to the Marina pontoons was horizontal rather than the normal 45 degree ish angle.

Thanks Ian, Sounds like the trip in the tender was excellent, I will go up the creek next time we are there. We are happy to hear more when you get time

Great stuff guys

Thanks Rod fascinating. I too could not find anything on the design life but they are fairly substantial structures but clearly won't last forever. The Thames Forts e.g. Re Sand & Shivering Sand are more lightly built and are in a state of decay. There are a group of enthusiasts looking to preserve the Red Sand http://www.project-redsand.com/index.htm Tongue Fort which was of the same ilk as Sealand (Rough's Tower) collapsed in a storm in 1996.

Next batch are up This one in particular is very atmospheric - Dylan showing us amateur video makers how it is done http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7kJyMEq9w Have not anchored in Pyfleet Creek but Hamford is a very similar experience to that shown - peace and lovely sunsets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=degkIfQkG7U Dear old Dylan really is not keen on 'Essex Man' At the end of the video you can see he has made it to Walton which is where I saw him a few weeks ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwrIA3JrLtU

The other leg is reputed to contain Lord Paul's Brandy stocks Pretty sure the data storage/internet business (Havenco) finished in early 2008 after a fallout between the Bates family and their American partner. I doubt the fire in 2006 did it much good as a 'secure' site'.

Thanks Roy.

You need a Photography walk Brian... don't believe that P is for Professional

Thanks Phil & Carron, Hope you are both well. You know how to pick your weeks on the boat

Very impressive. You would need to be looking down the other end of the Telescope ponky