kadensa

That'll be meat from cows with BSE, then?

Easy to make Robin's dinner using two pans and one ring - heat water in pan until boiling, add packet of rice, cover with lid, set aside. Using a large saucepan, brown mince, add sauce and simmer +- 10 minutes, then drain veg add to pan and simmer until hot. Open rice stir into saucepan, check seasoning and serve.

I agree with the argument that speed is just a measurement of distance/time, but what people are really talking about is velocity which also involves direction. As far as the enforcement of speed limits go, this isn't a problem when one is travelling against the current, but is when one is going with it. For example, supposing the current is travelling at 3mph, then in a 4mph limit that would mean.that the engine would have to be run at whatever revs produced a velocity of 1 mph. or less. (I am, of course, assuming that the instrument doing the measuring is stationary). As a matter of interest, what happens in the case of sailing vessels? I would have thought that a boat with a decent amount of sail, running before the wind on an ebb-tide could easily exceed the limit.

We, too, are in the process of cutting up a fibreglass boat at the moment (broke its back on the trailer) and I suspect are disposing of it in the same way as JM.

I agree that Loddon is a lovely place to visit. We mostly moor at Pye's Mill, as it's quieter and I like the walk into the village from there - that is if the cows aren't around!

And that is the only reason that I would wear a lifejacket provided by a boatyard; without it you are entrusting your safety to someone else and you really have no idea whether or not the required checks have been done.. At least with the old buoyancy aids, cumbersome as they are, you knew that they would work.

Marina, I know exactly how you feel. I have been known to sit down on the side deck in order to avoid having to jump - all very well if things go to plan and I can just slide off on to the mooring - not so good when you are left hanging onto the roof rail whilst the boat drifts out into midstream as happened on one never to be forgotten occasion at WRC.

That's why you have to get them young!

Harsh - not at all. To give a bit of background to my way of thinking..... My children grew up in a country where we had, more often than not, a swimming pool in the garden. The very first thing they were taught (and we're talking about from the age of one upward) was 'you don't go near the pool without an adult being present'. Then they were taught how to swim (but the previous rule still applied). Once they were of an age for us to take them sailing, the rule was - 'you don't even touch a boat without wearing a lifejacket'. These were rules and not negotiable. You don't have to be an experienced boater to know that any activity around water is potentially dangerous. A little intelligence is all that's required.

I doubt whether any parent who actually thinks that it is safe for children, unsupervised or not, to play on the top of a boat (moving or otherwise), has the mental capacity to form a rational judgment about anything.

Yes, we get our personal ones checked, too (and we have crutch straps - what a pain they are - right up there with thongs in the comfort stakes! ) As for people wearing them ashore - what else are you to do with them? Getting on and off the boat is when the vast majority of accidents happen and carrying them on your person beats having to hold them, especially if you also have shopping bags etc.

Yes, but at least with a buoyancy aid you know it will work! The problem with the auto-inflate ones is that if it doesn't, then it's too late to do anything about it.

There are two lovely moorings not far from Beccles. One is private - it was £3 to moor last time we were there (an honesty box on the fence), the other is a small inlet on the other bank with a couple of convenient trees. I agree with JawsOrca about Oulton but there is an inlet on the starboard side a short way along Oulton dyke which is one of our favourite places to mudweight. I, too, love Bargate (which is what I presume other people mean when they mention Surlingham), although, it seems to have become a little too popular recently. Brundall Church Fen is also a favourite, with a lovely walk through the woods up to the main road. In the North, Black Horse Broad is probably my favourite mooring, Ranworth is far too.busy, even for mudweighting so we tend to use South Walsham instead. Having said that - if you can get in, Perci's island is great if you want a bit of peace at the moorings, but like plenty of entertainment.

Glad you got fixed up. Have a great time.

I hate to think how much it cost, Clive! .Oh, and thank you for saving me money. I was going to have to replace the firing mech on ours,as we are bringing our own sailing dinghy with us, but now it can wait till next year!

We've actually just changed the boat we had booked for our holiday, as one of my sons and his wife are now spending a week with us and we decided we needed two dedicated double cabins and two bathrooms. We managed to get Gold Gem for an extra £100 for two weeks (we were originally booked on San Bernardo, which was ideal for the two of us), but then we're not going until the middle of September. I would imagine all the cheaper boats will have been booked up well in advance for the school holiday weeks, and as Broads01 says, short breaks are always more expensive pro rata.

I hope you're not referring to myself and Gracie!

I couldn't live with that upholstery!

Thanks very much for the help, guys. As a matter of interest, would the requirements be the same if we were under sail?

Unless it has a 'disclaimer', something on the lines of 'photograph to illustrate type of craft only', I'd say it would have to be the actual boat for sale.

I suppose it very much depends on what you're used to. We spent the majority of our adult life 6,000 miles from family, brought our children up and then returned to the UK. At first we settled in our home area, but moved away after two years, leaving our children behind. Needless to say, that didn't last long and we now have three of them living locally (not with us , thank goodness!) To me, having been used to much vaster distances, everywhere in the UK is 'close', but I have a friend who bemoans the fact that her family lives so far away and they are only on the other side of the city..

Welcome Polly . Brilliant is well......, just brilliant!

On the subject of navigation lights, what are the regulations regarding dinghies? We will be bringing our 14ft sailing dinghy with us, together with a 2.3hp Honda outboard, in order that we will be certain to be able to get above 'THAT' bridge. Bearing in mind that it will be late September/October it may be that we will be sailing back to Potter, hopefully, not in the dark, but perhaps in the evening twilight.

You wouldn't want to venture down here at the moment! Typical summer holiday madness on the motorways. I love where I live - the vibrancy of the city, the culture, the shops PLUS the boats, the harbour, the coast less than an hour's drive, beautiful countryside ditto. Don't get me wrong, I love the Broads, but for me it will always be a holiday destination.

If you move to the Broads, then where would you go on holiday?