Broadsword

Amusing read this... Most amusing is MM's point about smoking not being illegal and, if the Guv'mint want us to desist they should make it illegal... Weeeellll, I can think of a few things we might do that are perfectly legal - but not if we do them in public!

I don't know what you did in the end Brian, but I would highly recommend them...

Giles Cartoon Annuals - original 6th edition and originals from the 8th edition to the present day, all the rest in facsimile... missing only number 5! Anyone? I would love to complete the original set and it is possible, but any of the first 5 or six can be pricey! I once saw 1-5 as a job lot for £600, but with three kids at the time, that was a bit too much to spend. I have acquired all of the others cheaply over the years. Of course, if anyone has my missing links, do get in touch!!

It's my new holiday let under construction...

Splendid suggestion... Let's also suggest webcams to show us if there are any sailing boats coming down the Ant, or on every pub mooring to show us if there is still room at 2.30 p.m. or at water points to show me if I will have to queue - or one that alerts me if I am going outside the posts on Breydon Water...

Delightful, very funny, thanks!

Fabulous film, thanks Carol!

I can't argue with your anecdote; but as I say, we can all testify to numpties on the water, that is not the point. The point is, there are reasons why yachtsmen do certain things - they don't all do it simply to annoy. I am sure you are not alone in your opinion of the enjoyment or otherwise of river sailing, but there are many, very many who find it a great joy and delight. I can't comment on racing yachts, it's not my thing and I have (occasionally) had similar frustrating experiences. A running yacht will use the river to best advantage, sometimes holding a particular course to avoid, or initiate a gybe, or to avoid the risk of a gybing boom hitting other boats. The helm is not choosing a 'side' of the river and is not obliged by the passing port-to-port rule. The more I read this sort of thread, the more it underlines my earlier point that there is very little grasp of either colregs or bye-laws among our contributors. So... from the bye-laws... The master of a power-driven or manually propelled vessel proceeding along a channel shall when it is safe and practicable to do so keep to the side of mid channel which lies on the starboard or right hand side of the vessel. My note: This does not apply to a vessel under sail When two vessels, whether power-driven or manually propelled, are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision the master of each vessel shall if it is safe and practicable to do so alter the course of his vessel to starboard so that each vessel shall pass on the port side of the other. My note: As above Further... The master of a vessel which is obliged to keep out of the way of another vessel shall, so far as possible, take early and substantial action to keep well clear. Honestly, the bye-laws are worth a read... and would if understood and applied, keep this kind of problem to a minimum.

There are rules that apply, even to a running yacht, but there is no such thing as 'the wrong side' even for motor boats...

Well said.

Leo, fair point (your first... the rest, well... ) however, some helms get very sniffy about a yachtsman telling them what to do... As I say, numpties is the issue... the rest of us usually get on fine.

Fine day at work actually, but thanks for asking. I know your OP was not sniping... Pity some can't resist...

P.S. What I guess I am trying to say is, after all this time, do we still need to descend to saily/stinky sniping? We can all testify to numpties in both camps... so what we are really talking about is numpties, isn't it? P.P.S. Broads yachts hired from local yards don't have any equipment on board for alerting you to the fact that the skipper is a)asleep motoring c) taking a leak d) at anchor or e) any combination of the afore mentioned.

So, I am on the Broads, in my little yacht and in deference to the wisdom here, I display the correct shapes... How many Broads Motor Boaters will have the faintest idea what they mean? Yes, sometimes sailing boats will leave their sails up and use the motor at the same time, for good reason usually. Frankly though, if you think they are trying to trick you when they do it, or they think you 'don't know the laws of physics', I can't really be bothered to explain why they do that. OK, I'll mention one reason, courtesy to other river users in motor cruisers at times where manoeuvrability under sail is limited or speed will be tediously slow (like on the Ant) - not for the sailor I hasten to add, but for the motor boat longing to get by... Thanks for the Colregs lesson...

'Always try and get hit by a yard' Made me laugh...

Cheap at £61 - whatever you say! I pay a little over the ton for the whole kit and caboodle, outboard included!!

I agree with Bill on this! Back in the day, I spent one or two happy days out at the boat jumbles at Wroxham, with the intelligence officer from North Walsham nick. Our main purpose was looking for OBs reported stolen from around the country. Although you may be confident that the OB was not nicked by the previous owner, I have to say, if there is no plate, chances are it was nicked from somewhere at sometime!!

I once took a line away with my sailing boat... unattended rod, light fading, on the river bank at Potter... Nothing I could do, but I felt sorry for the chap... he came out and reeled in the remains after the line finally broke, but he didn't even say anything! I would always do my best to avoid rods on a wide stretch if I am motoring, but it's not so easy in a place like that... or if tacking!

Mind you, if I see you out and about, I'm fitting my temporary 4' bowsprit :

I didn't think so, though others may have done!

You can lock it if you like - if that's how things work around here... But if this is 'heated' you need to get out more! Actually it wasn't really that heated at all - at least, not at my end! Challenging 'drivel' with 'nonsense' is just lively banter... I am not sure my comments were a 'blanket statement' - in fact they left room for the many thousands of boats on the Broads that can be driven enjoyably, within the speeds laid down in the bye-laws without causing excess wash or being unable top steer! I heard about a chap, let's call him 'Lewis' - he is stopped for speeding and dangerous use of a motor vehicle. 'But officer' he pleads, 'My car simply won't handle well on these narrow roads at low speeds... it accelerates so quickly and I am more comfortable when everyone is going in the same direction. Also, if I don't really open her up, the car tends to overheat!' 'Well' replied the officer, 'I wonder whether your car is really suitable for these roads?' - 'I don't know about that' answered 'Lewis', 'But it suits me!' If I have offended MY Littleboat by robust discussion of a boating topic - my sincere apologies. I'll stick to silly jokes or trivia in future - or to sites that can cope!

MY Littlewash, your point about old hulls is quite sound - but it does not excuse your continuing nonsense. Yes there are old (and recent) designs that tend to make more wash than other, often newer, low-wash designs. (See the BA website on this topic if you can be bothered) However, many of the old designs, including the bath-tubs can be handled in such a way as to minimise the resulting wash. Others who use them regularly may support that comment (whether they do or not I couldn't really care, I won't lose sleep over you not agreeing with me) as may the owners/helms of some of the old wooden beauties. The boats that create the worst wash are almost always the ones that are handled badly, driven at excessive speeds or are basically unsuitable in that they are not able to be handled at slow speeds. G'night

'that is exactly the traffic that kept the Broads alive and thriving' So? There are many examples of industries and methods that kept Britain 'alive and thriving' for many years... many of them were also dangerous, highly polluting and arguably against human rights - Let's bring 'em all back shall we? 'Some of the worst wash comes from traditional Broads Cruisers'... And you used the word drivel?

I can hardly wait...

If you use a boat that requires excessive speed (for the Broads) to maintain steerage, or if at legal speeds it creates excessive wash then it is the wrong boat for the Broads. If you were not speeding or creating excess wash then you were entitled to continue. I really don't think there is an excuse for creating the sort of wash that causes damage or creates upset (literally sometimes) to other users of the river. Our little boat has often been thrown around by the inconsiderate behaviour of a few - and you are quite right, they are not all hire boats by any means!