JawsOrca

If it's the same setup as the locks inn then I'm in...

Sadly no renaming on her, couldn't do that to her, she's full of soul :) We are just off to oulton broad to the chandlery to get the first tub of varnish. Jeckells as our closest chandlers isn't going to be fun!

We're all good thanks, Now living 30 mins from Beccles though and ashore... We rehomed 3 kittens this year so not much boating but hopefully next year. I'll keep the updates for Surprise coming as we go as long as you promise to follow :)

Good to see and hear from you Gracie and glad you got some fishing time afloat!

From what I understand the byelaws haven't changed since 1995. They are here: https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/180631/Navigation_Byelaws_1995-1.pdf I don't think there's such thing as "Anywhere" as exceptions apply (such as not to hinder passage etc). Page 26 details mooring I believe. (Note the bits about anchoring, nothing about time limits but it states you should move on when the danger has been resolved).

A couple of links google suggest: https://www.thornycroftengines.com/out-of-production-engines https://www.manualslib.com/brand/thornycroft/engine.html

How very tiresome and boring this all is... Was it really worth it?

Looks a very pretty picture. Well done! Nice to see wildlife living alongside people enjoying the broads in the way they want to.

Geez I'm really on a posting marathon at the moment! Webasto last long time, Eberspacer have a gauge that need frequent cleaning, Webasto doesn't. The cheap chinese heaters aren't safe and won't adhere to BSC standards out the box.. Best advise Talk to Tom at JPC direct. Meantion NBN for a discount. Click the advert on the right -> -> -> ->

If it's Toplac then no it's all good as is :)

I wouldn't have thought so (Not that I'm knowledgeable), just neve seen varnish over paint. Although it should say on the tin :) Also just check that enamel is ok on GRP as I'd be a tad worried it's a bit brittle for GRP and sadly may crack but have a good read.. Looks a good job though!

I must admit it would be nice to know what caused the sinking (Personally that's what I've been hoping to find out) and to know that the BA/EA/Network Rail whoever is responsible have done all they can to find that out and it's safe to navigate down there and marked etc. I'd guess that hull has a very strong layup (Far thicker than modern boats) and I for one wouldn't want to go down there until I know it's safe. This is what the NBN forum should be useful for (and once was).

Sad day. Needless to say, today was a very sad day but we didn't really want to sit in doors and watch the TV all day, not when there's a new boat outside. First job was to unload the launching trailer from the car and then roll "Surprise" onto the trailer as she was sitting on chocks last night, thankfully that was all easier than expected and with the use of two large fenders she rolled on easily enough. Although left over pond liner is doing well at keeping the weather off she really needs a winter cover, it's been some time since we last dabbled in covers and I've still got plenty of template material so thought first thing would be to quickly template so I can get material ordered. Templating a cover. I'm no expert at this, and don't aim to be, I've only done a couple of times. For template material I've got some clear tarp which is what's used, so I just laid this over the boat using squares of gaffa tape to hold down, cut roughly to size. I'm going to do the cover an easy way (In my mind anyway) so once the template material is reasonably tight (but not too much) I simply draw around the top of the boat, I'll then sew on a skirt under that and I guestimated about 30cm should be good. I'm going to do the cover out of lightweight pvc, there's many different fabrics, heavy weight pvc is better but I don't want it to damage the varnish work and I only have a domestic sewing machine, there is softer fabrics out there but I think lightweight pvc will do certainly as it's sheltered enough here. I also marked on protruding bits which I'll need to sew on reinforcing patches. Once all done untaped it and laid on the ground to measure how much material will be needed. Typically she's 1.6meters wide so the standard 1.5m fabric widths won't really work, meaning I'd need to join in the centre (which may leak) or go for 2meter wide which will be more “fun” to handle when sewing. I'll have a think... We then stripped all the floors and any rigging, brightwork etc leaving us with an empty hull, thankfully everything came off easily enough. Sadly the ribs on the port side will need doing as the hull is distorting on the trailer under her own weight. Although there's more cracked ribs on the startboard side, I counted 17 all cracked but not sure if they all need replacing? Finally I got the scrapper out and lightly scrapped away where the varnish was blistering, I've really only just scratched it and it will need a ton of scrapping and sanding but it feels we need to get these ribs sorted as the first step.. If anyone has any green oak to sister these ribs then please shout!

Yup I openly swore when I heard that, personally I think boat breaking and burning should be akin to murder! She's just what I want though and full of soul! The boathouse there are true custodians of these there's a yard full of them, I think they was so relived to see we had took here over too :) I just hope we can keep on top of it all.

Homecoming Max at the boathouse had very kindly offered to lend us a trailer so we can get her home (sadly she doesn't come with a road trailer only a launching trailer). We left home again at 8 am for the 2 hour drive up to burnham to collect Surprise. We arrived just after 10am, Max and her husband has already loading Surprise onto the road trailer, all secured off we went back for the 2 (more like 3 hour) drive home. Back home she was ofloaded easily onto chocks on our own hardstanding area at home! The trailer they lent us is a funky tilting thing (I want it). Trailer reconnected back to the car off went for the 2 hour drive back! On the way I googled the nearest pub and found the "Hero" stopped doing food at 4pm but thankfully we arrived at 3, quickly unhitched the trailer and ran to the pub (10 out of 10, brilliant food, tad pricey but worth it!). Once refueled in the pub we threw the landing trailer on the roof of the 4x4 (To be honest it was pretty happy there!), we decided we couldn't drive back that same road again so a slow drive back via the coast road via Cromer was in order, although longer it's a nicer and recognisable route so it feels quicker! "Surprise" is all covered up and sitting happy. Tomorrow we will get a plan together, there's a few things we are aware will need doing but basically it will be a sympathetic restoration as I don't want to lose the dark varnish look but it will want a cover which I'll do myself, so i'll template tomorrow, it has delamination of the decks so they will need careful reguling, it has about 6 broken ribs which will want sistering (well atleast a couple) but will need some green oak for that, the transom wants proper reinforcing for an outboard as it's started to split but it's easy enough. Lots and lots of vanishing and braso'ing!

:) we spotted Waldringfield last year or so, certainly one of our favourite little places there! Hopefully we will get a few sails down there soon :)

So the last couple of years it's been more selling boats than buying boats due to moving up here but I can't seem to get the sailing bug out me; For my birthday last year we hired "Clipper" from Marthams and the odd walks around Woodbridge and the north norfolk coast hasn't helped! and I've been slowly thinking of trying to get a dinghy and ideally a timber one. We had last week off work and headed up to hunstanton and on the way home we drove back via the coastal road and randomly decided to head down a "Harbour road", parked on sea bed and had a wander around, Kinda looking for the usual for sale boards on the boathouse wall but didn't find one so after a little walk headed home. Back home on the laptop, googling I found a clinker dinghy for sale for a fair price. A few emails later and we headed up yesterday to view. "Surprise" was in the boathouses saillloft in Burhham Overy Staite, the yard manager invited us in and walked us around the boat (She had kindly stored her and listed for sale as the owner had no space and was about to "Burn her" :( ) advising she's in really good condition). The owner wasn't reachable but I left a fair offer and we headed over to Wells for lunch. After lunch, I spotted a missed call, offer accepted, BACS's done, back to boathouse, details exchanged and Max (The yard manager) very very kindly offered to lend us a road trailer to move her home! That's where it starts...

A couple of weekends ago we decided to take Orca out for the first trip of the year (We have recently rehomed three little kittens so they are coming first at present) We thought we would give it a good run and met up with my parents in thurne, grab an overnight mooring and some dinner at the lion (Having arrange a kitten sitter for the night!) The engine didn't feel right really the start and it felt like it was increasing the rev's itself but only by a little bit but enough I felt it wasn't right, we kinda just put down to that it needed a run and bit of a service. Just before thurne mouth the engine stopped and yup wouldn't stay running and we drifted into the reeds. I've had Boulters recovery service for a number of years and never used it but this is time to use it, I called up and obviously being stuck in the reeds with no road access, meant for the tug boat to rescue us. An hour or so later the tog boat was spotted, we all decided to be recovered back to their yard in Horning as we know they hold spares for Orca's setup and worse case they can at lease diagnose. Within no time we was gently tied up in the yard in Horning, the plan being Boulters would spend a bit of time to work out what's up etc, we could have stayed overnight but decided to head home. A couple of calls later Sonnys team diagnosed as an issue with a CAV filter, we decided to get them to do the proper and permanent job of changing it out and making it all good. We wasn't in a rush for her back so the guys just fit her in as and when, but we picked her up today and gently motored back up to stalham today. I openly admit I really don't trust tradespeople but the experience with Boulters have helped somewhat to restore my faith, the bill for the work was honest and fair for sure and the work too, professional. So top marks to all at boulters and it's nice for sure to have their service available, hopefully we wont need for sometime soon!

Well done Dave (and anyone else involved). I'd forgotten this needed looking at but good to hear it's been sorted. No doubt you have the nbn teams support but I'm here if you need me just shout, I am a php developer (the language this is written in). P.s.. Hope you well and hopefully to catch you one day soon.

Sadly we sold her, but welcome to the forum and enjoy your time, they are lovely boats and I know I miss ours.

I would (I realise I'm late to the party!): - Certainly try the keyboard - Give it a good hoover inside, including power supply, make sure that fan is turning well. - Inspect motherboard for any swollen components. - As Bikertov suggested, try booting unplugging a RAM stick one at time. - Unplug SSD to make sure bios recognises (I doubt its a bios issue too). If you are feeling brave you can try and upgrade bios firmware but it shouldn't really need it. - I'd try a USB boot repair tool (I used to have a good one years ago but I can't remember and this day in age I have no clue whats a good one and whats not (Maybe try - http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html) run the hardware diagnostic tool. It may sound complicated and high level but it's really not.. This is what the "Professionals" do or used to before just trying to flog new machines. - Also try: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/repair-windows-10-using-usb-drive/35c9a8f8-dde5-4370-a8fe-5a84b9e00ebb

Indeed, No one is perfect, I've had to call on the services of our lifeboat services and paid the donation and still do as far as I'm aware. Thankfully not on the broads but similarly embarrassing (I learnt though and will never do it again!) I probably neglected to add that whilst they can (somehow) close to hireboaters I don't believe they can legally close it to private vessels because it's a tidal harbour of great yarmouth (of which they have guardianship over) but I believe there's naught they can do to restrict any boat motoring/sailing in (at present) and thus it's not part of the BA navigation byelaws (as far as I belive there's no bylaws so its just COLREGS?!). Also to add a private boat owner can refuse the services of the lifeboat crew (Although you would need a good reason and long story I know people and reasons who have) and it's likely the coastguard would ask lots more questions. So sadly there is a big difference between a hireboater and a private boater and thus far more easier to just restrict hireboaters if that's what "Someone" is trying to do. Personally I think if I needed help on breydon (and its not life threating, I'll call a company for help). Again my point stands thus being that if the safety of the lifeboat/rescue crews are being put at risk over running agrounds then this needs to stop.

This is getting silly now, it's a huge waste of charitable funds. I don't remember lifeboats and helicopters being called out before the BA took guardianship, who's calling the coastguard (The BA rangers by any chance?)? boats run aground (some on purpose; we've spent some of the best nights on the mud flats on the east coast some far more exposed than breydon), it almost feels someone is trying to make such a issue over Breydon to restrict passage and indeed if every week lifeboats and helicopters are being used then indeed perhaps it should be restricted for hireboats in someway.

Hi welcome to the forum. We lived on a boat for 15 years, we started with 10k and brought a kinda narrowboat 55ft long x 6feet once bored with that we sold it and brought a Broom Crown cruiser (38 foot ish), (which was still too small for us). We sold her and now own a house in north suffolk, (It was a bit of wanting to move closer, work relocation, improvement of life and Covid.. Although I personally miss the boat life the move has worked out.. We love our garden!). Now, the broads and liveaboards are sadly two things that don't go together, you can kind a understand why because I bet deep down most of us would love to call the broads our home but sadly it's really not practical you may suffer harassment from the BA themselves, no marina will accept you as a resident as there are zero residential moorings on the network (ok there maybe one or two used under the flag of "Staff"). Fingers crossed it will change but the only way you can do it is continuous cruising. I do know where people have brought land but still the mooring is not residential so post etc is done via family. Thankfully the boat we brought came with an official council recognised residential mooring, but was in Kent on the river Medway, if you did want to look at that as an option take a look at www.premierhouseboats.co.uk but you will need to buy a boat on the mooring. The canal systems is probably a nicer community and more practical. In terms of boat sizes. You will certainly need a shower and a loo aboard, a freemen 22 is probably a bit small for that but that's really a personal choice, ideally you want a washing machine too. I think I could live on our 27 foot cruiser if I had too (It maybe a bit harder since being in this big house though!). Good luck (It is a brilliant life in the summer but very very hard in the winter).

Welcome to the forum. Don't worry at all on the engine hours, it is high compared to a private boat (Our boat only have like 350 hours) but diesel engines obviously live forever when maintained and really run on tick over all day. It could also be that the engine was replaced at some point (Paul Richardson may know) and the hour clock wasn't reset. No doubt it will live well past the date we are forced to rip them out and put electric engines in.