JawsOrca

If you put a week into parkopedia it only flags the train station. It maybe worth asking who ever runs the YS there (They may have a set up with the Quay parking but not sure I'd leave a car their for too long out of season. Beccles facebook group shows its not all rosy). You may be best just leaving it on one of the side streets as much as that's a pain for the locals.

Those responsible handed themselves in, apparently as to not further waste the polices time. Hopefully they got laughed out the station and told not to do it again (or at least caught).

Be aware that to get from Stalham to Wroxham by river is the best part of a day and don't expect to get too far on your first evening aboard.

Google says: Thames: £23.67 per m2 for 2023 (Note that had a 4% rise this year) Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-thames-boat-registration-charges/river-thames-boat-registration-and-other-charges-1-january-2023-to-31-december-2023 Broads: £17.02 per m2 for 2023. Is a bit like apple and pears though (The Thames has locks and lock keepers for instance and I suspect the Thames has more free moorings to maintain).

From my following of this. I think a lot of assumptions are being made that it's a public staithe which is protected by acts to remain free to moor on. However I believe I saw that the BA own the quay now (is that really the best use of public funds if so?) but there was a covenant to state charges can't be applied. But covenants are only challengeable by the local council (and when challenged are typically successfully enforced). He's been smart but seems he may well have dug a hole here. He's suggested that he believes that there is no need for a new bylaws (I wonder if that would need a new act of parliament which may raise some difficult questions for the BA) and has hinted that he (or they) believe the criminal act of "Leaving without paying" i.e Thieft act 1978 is applicable so I suspect he will try to use that (at what point who knows) so Griff may well end up with a Mr Packman well and truly wasting police time further and sending them to him, it would be for the police to decide further but as mentioned Griff has already admitted he has done this today. Dr Pikeman will need to act if more people refuse to pay, he has two options obviously, pursue or backdown, my bets on him pursuing (Later and necessarily with Griff) and like I said before lets hope pursues someone who has lots of money as it certainly would answer lots of questions. Obviously he must had seeked legal advice (Or ignored it and gone his own way). There's never any blanket need to volunteer any personal details, BA staff appear to have the right (under the byelaws) to demand your details when you are on the boat when they ask you. You don't have to walk up to them and talk to them unless you want to pay. Anyway.. Packman must go.

I'm not sure it's the best option to go in like that. It's probably better to just not go in, it's a parish staithe which are free and it's unlawful for them to charge. There's no reason to freely provide your details. By providing you may personally have acknowledged the request for payment (in Law) and thus confirmed acceptance of such charge and now you have left without paying such charge and they have your details to persue you in a civil case and I really wouldn't bet on Dr Pikeman wasting lots of money to pursue a well known boat. Don't forget, any signs there may well just be a marketing material (Just like the rest of BNP signs) and may well be placed there illegally so thus can be ignored. Perhaps someone should follow Mr Pickmans lead and waste the polices time further and report such signage as lawful (At least it would be too hard to work out who put them there!).

If you have a Kayak and fancy a trek, The Black Swan a Homersfield (Near Bungay) has become our favourite. Bit closer to the broads, At Lowestoft The Hong kong Chinese buffet in the old town is our favourite (it has it's ups and downs but we like it). Waveney hotel at beccles for a riverside meal. Dukes head at Somerleyton was amazing but haven't been in there for years so not sure. Grosvenor fish bar in Norwich. Joyland American diner in Yarmouth does amazing milkshakes but foods average.

It is currently an open page, no one needs to sign up to facebook. On a phone it may use the app and thus force a login but if you use on a laptop or computer you should be able to read it.. I'm not sure if this links helpful to force it to use a browser on a phone though: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1402368430170302 Certainly worth trying to follow along as you do find more people get involved as it's easier to post and normally stays on topic which is helpful.

Looks good, used to love watching these when Robin was doing it. You seem a natural at it, shame to see you stopped (I guess covid got in the way), perhaps time to dig out the video editing software out again?

Personally I feel for Tom, he must have one the hardest jobs in the world! Imagine having to try and put a positive spin on this stuff! Of course, saying nothing can say a lot!

There is a bylaw which states the master should conform to a lawful direction given by the officer of the BA.. So as long as the BA staff in the centre is an officer of the BA and the request is lawful then you have to answer than. (Questions then rise is it a lawful direction to demand your address and are they officers?).. I suspect in the first year they will be all nicey and hope people will pay. I suspect in the following years someone will come to the boat and demand payment. I hope someone with too much money challenges this in court as I can't understand how this can be legally upheld without a bylaw and/or lots of trips to a small claims court. It feels mr JP is trying his luck here without full legal grounding.

I'm bored, I just had a quick flick through the Bylaws and Broads act and I can't find any bylaws saying you have to pay to use the yacht stations (and Ranworth).. Therefore is this just a polite request to pay? Of which anyone can politely refuse?

The BA certainly needs reforming, a 13% increase in tolls and then charging for previous free moorings (Thus removing free moorings from the system) clearly shows an authority which is unfit for purpose and a CEO who is incapable of managing the authority within a budget and he must resign immediately.

Another potential contact: https://shop.tnorrismarine.co.uk/ They helped us prop on a sailboat we rebuilt with all unique set up and got it bang on. They can also adjust and repair. +1 as mouldy mentions. Also be aware that you may not get it right first time, I'm still struggling with a prop for our boat and I'm on the second prop, we really need an in between, though I'm just being fussy. So someone like T Norris who can adjust may be needed.

Indeed and most of these "professional" you tubers do preach this to the viewers and often tidy up rubbish left previously, valid points for sure though but sadly I think the same can be said for any countryside users, you just need to look at the mess on all of the wild moorings on the river ant. I can't think for a moment these videos are encouraging bad behaviour they are more of the "Enjoy and respect", Simon does have shorter videos, well worth a watch and enjoy. The only thing he does do which I don't like for sure is light fires on the ground on the broads, that's a big no no 100%. Somewhat in defence he is generally out doing this out of season so I guess the ground is wet enough but yeah no defending such action there.

If it helps at all canoes and kayaks aren't cheap ;) and ours are proudly hand made in Norfolk. Indeed personally for me I get far far more enjoyment in the kayak than on the boat,(You obviously get very close to wildlife... the bungay loop is amazing too and even better it's outside of the broads national park and BA's "Jurisdiction" and not even a BCU is required!. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBaKoOCBePc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The BCU is a licence paddlers can pay which allows to paddle on most waterways removing the need to line the Pockets of the BA etc (and it's cheaper than the BA's absurd canoe tolls, it's also well worth just to see the rangers disappointed look when shown!) *I'm sure Simon has a heathy bowl movement and is able to use the loo in the morning and evenings at public convivences just like day sailors.

Simon is somewhat local to us here, I've not met him but come very close (Like in the same bloody shop!) he's one reason why we got into Canoeing and kayaking (and even why we moved here as the canoe parts of the upper Waveney are pretty close!). From recent videos he does have a BCU licence and well practices the practice of leave no trace. He is a carpenter by trade (and I think a tree surgeon) so he seems to respect the land he camps on. He's certainly not of bad character and whilst I somewhat agree that it's not fair to squat on owned land I kinda see a valid point of enjoying the land for as long as no mess is left and the land is respected. Like meantimes comments I envy his trips big time! and I see no difference between canoe wildcamping and wild mooring lets face it these places are pretty remote, if I was the land owner and I didn't know it happened (and it's being done for the right reason) I wouldn't care at all. (Simon you are more than welcome to bring maggy and camp in the garden!). Jean take a look at KentSurvival and EastAnglianBushcraft (he's a tad more eccentric though) also Divum is good too (He's East anglian ambulance pilot).

I don't mind paying for moorings to be honest. In fact I'd rather more private land owners were encouraged to open up their land and charge for moorings, it would answer the problem of limited moorings and somewhere nice to moor. Futhermore I'd be happier to pay private land owners than continued increases in the tolls to the BA at least that way you have some control on costs.

They had a job advert on facebook which closed 8th March so perhaps its set for easter time.

Oh no :( Sleep Well Alan. He was posting on facebook until very recently, mainly his distaste for french cars! Very sad indeed, I'm shocked :(

Update: Ok I can't believe it's been five months since an update. Unfortunately winter is a pain. Not a lot has really happened on Surprise's hull. We did a bit of decorating in the house if anything and just hunker down! We did grab some some odd parts of a road trailer for her and Dave did build a bit of a lean too shed up the end of the garden and has been putting that together slowly and the other weekend we swapped her onto that.. He needs to cut down the rollers and will probably do more rollers when it warms up. I'll grab some pics when the snows melted. We have been shopping though. the suffolk jumble was just a waste of time (but it would have bugged me if we didnt go). Last weekend I finally found an industrial walking foot sewing machine. Surprise needs a cover and probably a spare. Orca also needs some bits, so it will quickly pay for itself. Today we finally found the time to go to a timber yard, this yard (Frank a Aldridge & Sons, nr Snetterton, Norfolk), was suggested to us by the yard when we brought Surprise. The yard is purely green oak, bit cool to see, we think we found a board and dave grab some smaller beam sized offcuts all for the price of a mcdonalds so it's worth a try. Dave needs to cut it down first and then we need to pester the other David for more advise, but at least we now have the wood! It will probably be a couple more weeks before we do any more with the timber. I may measure up for the cover tomorrow though and get some fabric ordered for the cover but I may need it to warm up a bit as the kittens may make it hard to mark the fabric in doors at present. More updates soon.

I just got a reminder that there's a Boat Jumble in the lovely Suffolk town of Ipswich tomorrow at 10am, Trinity park, ip3 8uh (wherever that is, hopefully the nicer side). Worth a wander at least I guess.

(So tempted to get some red emulsion paint just to see his reaction)...

I'm surprised he's not painted it green and covered it in Broads national park stickers.

Very pretty indeed. Good luck with finding a new home. (Reminds me of the work yet to come when the weather warms up).