JawsOrca

from me. Please do do a blog. These are very very popular with everyone! Movies and pictures are icing on the cake!! Have a brilliant trip!

I've not got an email yet.. Doe's that mean I get free tolls?

This maybe of interest to people, I understand that southwold can be a bit tricky so the Harbor made this:

from me.. Are you a norfolk local (If you are kent/essex I can give you some leads)? You could try and call (or pop personally) to most boatyards.. Ebay, preloved, gumtree are all teeming with projects. Google "Project boats" too and you may hit some yards who have them buried in their websites. There are many people on this forum who will find you a timber boat project for nothing lol! £2k is plenty, I've never paid more than £50 for my boats* (*kinda)... Don't forget its a buyers market offer peanuts... "I'll take it away for you"...

Many Many Hundreds of boats moor every year at yarmouth and don't have issues (I guess). There are ideas of mooring up which helps limit the chances of being untied such as returning the lines to your boat and fastening there.. So those trying to untie would have to get on the boat to untie it. You could lower your mudweight but you would need to do this on a high tide as it will lift up if not done on a high tide (Or let all the line out perhaps). ( Personally I've never moored there overnight and never will.. It needs a marina on breydon water really... ). Moor elsewere and take other transport (But its worth going through and visiting the south).

I've just moved this to the offshore section. Let's see how the uptake goes and if popular I will certainly create a separate forum as so you can plan these. Have fun!

We do have an offshore section to this forum (http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/forum/forum/24-the-offshore-area/). If you chaps would like to organise CIC's in there I'm sure no one would mind. I'm sure we can do a new subforum etc. (I'm not quite up for taking Orca out but maybe if/when we get a twin engine boat I'll be up for some trips). (I'm with a yacht club here in the medway and they are worth looking into as they offer lots of chances for CIC or even crewing. Also for people new to coastal cruising it can be a brilliant way to learn these skills. Some clubs do have a motor boat sections, not sure of any local to the broads though but worth a google).

It also looks alot the new sealines.. https://www.sealine.com/gb/boats/sealine-f530.html Must admit I kinda like the new sealines. Although I'd rather have a classic timber cruiser on the broads

It maybe worth while John.

Bump... a couple of members are not sending private messages but are instead using the public status options.

Hi Fred, I think you need to put the apple device on a solid object, grab a heavy hammer and apply a continuous hammer action to the apple device . Go to respected computer shop and buy yourself a decent non apple replacement. That will resolve your problem.

I thought it was good.. I heard breydon water. Where's he viewing platform they went to at hickling?

It's on at 7pm.. so 15 mins

I dunno, I wouldn't buy one.. not sure of all the glass window in the summer but it's been well thought out.. One will end up on the broads though.

All, The link Iain mentions should work. Although I guess it's not visible on tablets and mobiles. I've had a quick look behind the scenes and it's something we would need to code. We will add to the list and try to do asap.

Good luck, I bet you can't wait to get afloat! You may want to check out: http://www.brianwards.co.uk/ if you mention "NBN" you should receive a 10% discount as they are sponsors of this forum. Another large chandlers is in wroxham "Norfolk Marine" they have cookers in store for you to inspect. Another local company is www.stalhamgas.co.uk/ You may have problems with that rangemaster too. Your electric connection may not be powerful enough to run it. Hopefully someone can confirm/deny this for you.

I believe rangemasters do need a 240v connection as they are electric fan assisted ovens. (also they will have a electric start to ignite the gas). Sadly if you don't have a 240v connection you will be stuck with boat and caravan cookers which cost a fortune for what they are. https://marinestore.co.uk/gas-cookers.html

Oh ****. That sounds potentially very serious. Can they plug it? Have we got any pictures?

£500k for three boats to be beaten within an inch of their life in the first few hours.. I don't know how the yards do it!

Does it not work Griff?

OK Robin. I think at present I'd like to at least keep the engine battery topped up so she can be started without worry if left for a bit (although it seems ok without at present). Yes it would be good to keep the domestic in good running order too. I don't think we have any plans to add another domestic at the moment and it's managing well. The bow thruster will probably happen later in the year so we can always add another panel later I'd guess. Any stories of these things causing problems with overcharging though?

We've had issues with seaflow (seaworld - I think it's the same company), it's not built too well and didn't last too long (although it was used in a commercial application really). Personally as it's the thing constantly connected up to the batteries I'd say it's worth investing in a good quality one. It's also the last defense against a big bill. We use whale quite a bit. The supersub is worth a look (https://marinestore.co.uk/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MTSS5012&Category_Code=whale_pumps-electric&Store_Code=mrst&gclid=CJ6rx6uc7coCFTgW0wodkSEMZg) Orca has the Whale "Orca" pump (Superstition not inferred) ...http://www.marinescene.co.uk/product/3833/whale-orca-500-gph-12v-bilge-water-pump/?gclid=CJ_p0sGd7coCFQ-3GwodPlgMtQ . Like JA I'd suggest you go with a separate float switch that way either are interchangeable if they go bye bye. (Rule switches are good. Beware of cheaper imitations though on sale everywhere: http://www.marinesuperstore.com/plumbing-pumps/bilge/rule-float-switch?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=pcn&utm_term=06973&utm_campaign=MSS&gclid=CPLtsuqc7coCFabnwgodyzYGfg) We also use the whale gulper pumps although that's a bit over the top for you.

Robin, how are you working out how big the panel should be?? We do have a big area so if we can make more use of it then I'm keen to do that. (Although I guess as our draw is so small there's no point??).

When we designed Orca's fit out I clearly defined three important things (excluding running gear), an electric pump out toilet which means the toilet issue isn't a concern, a good cooker and a good heater. It's the three core things which makes the boat more useable. Toilet is obvious. Heating means the boat can be used whatever the weather and a cooker makes the boat cheaper to use (although I've only used the cooker a few times!). Obviously living on a boat elsewhere I can't just sit on the boat in the marina as it would be like being at home so it has to move. I also use the boat to get away from the stresses and strains so I don't want mod cons and certainly not 240v electric on board so I can't bring my laptop. Typically on the hireboats we have just fished in the evenings with a beer in hand and hardly watched TV so didn't want a TV. As we started using the boat out of the season, it was clear that the heating was well worth it and although Orca is well insulated we have used it a couple of times and found it to be much warmer than being at home! We also noticed we are getting stuck in the cabin earlier and ending up a bit bored so we brought a small TV and that seems to be helpful (although I doubt it would get used in the summer). She doesn't have 240v systems and I can't find a need. We do carry an extension lead which we used on the weeks holiday but just to charge mobile phones (and upload pictures to the forum!). Orca also has hot water and a shower and good lighting, obviously she's very comfortable but she's not overly modern so effectively a well equipped tent! Perfect! There's nothing I can think we will be adding other than safety equipment for the boat. I.e a fitted VHF, I still want a bow thruster and a remote control anchor winch! I'm thinking of putting a solar panel up but only if it's needed. I've recently brought a mobile wifi unit although that's only so I can upload pictures to the forum!

I'd like to put solar panels on Orca's hard top roof which is huge. I'd like them to just keep both batteries topped up when not in use. We have a 110amp leisure battery and a 70amp engine battery. At rest Orca is a stern drive boat with no leaks (ok well just a little rainwater) the pumps should never run (and they are massive if they do, so nothing has much chance at keeping the batteries charged if they do!). So output should just be natural discharge from the battery. Can anyone suggest what panel we should get. I'd like it stop charging if the batteries are charged i.e be completely safe and ideally not requiring us to disconnect if the engine is running.