Polly

For good measure, here is Brilliant's fore hatch, aka 'coffin lid' all pretty with three coats of Brava.

Soddit they have reversed again! For first, read second etc!

Just a couple of pictures. It's not of the whole cover, because at about 15 feet long and at least 10 wide it's so flipping big! As and when we get it to Brilliant I will post an 'in situ' picture. The first picture is of one of the mini-tabs put on for reefing up the awning allowing light to the cabin portholes. The second is an inside view of the folded awning, showing two tie down tabs and the inside counterpart of the reefing tab. Hope that makes sense.

Finished! I will sort some pics tomorrow. Alan, I may take you up on supplying some zips when I get going on Phase 2...the Cockpit awning..

Have fun!

Off topic sorry! Windermere. I am playing Devils Advocate here but the first time we used the ferry from Bowness in 1971 I was horrified at the evidently oil laden water. The water quality nowadays looks pretty good. We were on the lake one day at the height of the protests. We had hired a 17ft keelboat from Bowness and were sailing when a large powerboat with a 'for sale' sign on it came out from the shore, right at us and opened up both engines, he circled us a couple or three times to create a vortex with us at the centre, and then peeled off. I believe one more circuit would have sunk us; we were sucked down quite a way as it was. The boat was rocking violently the boom was banging about and the whole thing was very dangerous indeed. Novice sailors would have been at even greater risk.

I am picking up on Brilliant's cover, long set aside. The current task is to make a set of eyeletted tabs for tying the cover down. I am using fabric backed vinyl for this job as it is strong and has a bit of stretch to it. This is what was used on the original cover I am replicating so should be right. I got a beefy eyelet machine from eBay for £56. This is a lot but rubbish eyelets would ruin the whole project. This thing is cast iron and weighs a ton so I am careful when I move it! The picture with many holes was just my experiment with the machine. The pictures have loaded in reverse order. (Doh)

But of course I am expecting a serious answer! Thanks Robin for treating my question with more respect than it deserved!

Why the crabs?

Well a day on the Broads always feels like a weekend, a weekend like a week........ more is always better.

Given that style is frequently presented as, and eventually becomes substance in today's battles for public opinion; and that the Broads NP is firmly based on style; there is every reason to be concerned that the Dr's vanity/legacy project will succeed in becoming a 'fact'.

Martham have Classic, which goes quite fast. What hasn't been said as far as I can see is that the 3RR is an invitation race so entries for this year are already done and dusted. You could offer yourself as crew on here, NBF and maybe on the local sailing clubs notice boards, so as to get a taste of the race?

We regularly use The New Inn, mooring there overnight with no problems experienced.

Loathe Windows 10, bought a Mac. Grendel, I was about to run a course when my notebook on Windows 7 pulled the same stunt. Two other laptops were produced by the clients, and they were doing the same flipping thing. Nightmare. I watched an interesting C5 programme on Stonehenge recently, looking at why it was located there at all.

Why not? Just take plenty of bacon sarnies.

Yes it will be her, Martham hire out their fleet for 3RR, I don't think here is a another Zoe in the Green Book?

Oh no! How very sad, we will all miss Jill, her talent and her good sense. Condolences to Lisa and the rest of her family. I think we need a Jill Photo Gallery as well as a Broadscot Lounge?

Nowt wrong with that, just needs a bit of sawdust!

Oh I thought Bob Kett too? Is it Kett, where is Richard to set me right?

Really Barry, I had no idea! I've never seen Zoe on the 3Rivers Race Q, the others, yes, but not her.

At first we planned to stay at an hotel and come to the meet by car. Then a very rare flash of inspiration came to me, hire Zoe! A quick check of the Martham Boats website confirmed that she was available, this was looking good! Zoe is a pretty little 27ft, 2 berth saily, and is the oldest hire boat on the Broads. It seems she was first named 'Jubilee' in honour of Queen Victoria, because she dates back to the nineteenth century; she may be old but we have seen her zooming about on Hickling in a proper high wind- she can go! Ellen Mc Arthur hired her once, and discovered that you needed a quant pole on the Broads, unlike in the Vendee Globe. i have had two sailing ambitions for many years, and sailing Zoe is one of them, hiring White Moth being the other; so I am really excited to be bringing this lovely piece of Broads history to the meet. If you are at Salhouse, do drop in to see her. Here she is on Craig's database.

Oooh dramatic! Thanks for sharing.

An elderly gentleman brought in a sword he bought as a 12 year old, 70 years ago at Ranworth in a jJunk shop for 7/6d. He said it was in an umbrella stand , black all over and he bought it to show off with it at school; which he was not in fact allowed to do. On cleaning it he revealed inlaid metal hunting scenes which he thought was brass. It turned out to be an inlaid gold sword worth thousands.

An elderly gentleman brought in a sword he bought as a 12 year old, 70 years ago at Ranworth in a jJunk shop for 7/6d. He said it was in an umbrella stand , black all over and he bought it to show off with it at school; which he was not in fact allowed to do. On cleaning it he revealed inlaid metal hunting scenes which he thought was brass. It turned out to be an inlaid gold sword worth thousands.

Really excellent! thanks Tim!