JennyMorgan

Talking of bubbles and squeaks I well remember a school boy joke that went something like this: Lord of the manor was taking his evening bath, his ever loyal butler stood outside the door just in case his lordship required anything. His Lordship called out and the butler went to the kitchen and returned with his tray suitably laden. His Lordship looked quizzically at the tray and demanded to know why the butler had brought it to his bathroom? 'But Sir, I distinctly hard your demand'. and he reeled the list off quickly,' a hot water bottle and two bottle of pop'! Geddit?

I rarely hire, last time was ten or twelve years ago, but I do see most if not all the various hireboats over the course of a summer season. Silver Line and Pacific Cruisers always appear to be well maintained and presented, even during the high season.

But a boat is a boat, not a cottage!

The throat halliard on the right hand boat could have been hardened up, everything else looks good!

Now, Marsh, if you relate that to boats, some folk prefer antique, sailing h.g.v.'s with black sails! My mid sized Dacia Sandero or a mega SUV when confronted with a crowded car-park, no contest!

Privacy, on a boat, especially when moored side by side. Ho, ho, ho!

Farmers, at least in Norfolk, have access to barns, tractors and low loaders, useful perks of the job!

The Broads in the Autumn can be a real treat, especially, as an example, for those of us who enjoy the walk across the Carlton Marshes at Oulton Broad and along the river bank towards Beccles. Now is a good time to collect sloes and here's how to make sloe gin: https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/foraging/how-to-make-perfect-sloe-gin-2/?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=CFIL&utm_campaign=Newsletter 18%2F10%2F18_125055_Countryfile_Newsletters

Is there any reason why she should not go to her new home by water? If it's possible, and it could be fun, take her home and arrange for her to be hauled out and stored for the winter, but makes sure that DIY is allowed on site, some places want to do all the work and charge a mouth watering fortune for doing so.

It's going to be an awesome calendar, the best yet!!

There used to be a Weston on Oulton Broad, one with an outboard well which was relatively low to the water. Come springtime moor-hens used to nest in it! Re the floor, it could well be a false floor so to speak but I suspect/guess that it also offered some support/rigidity to the bilges and bunksides as well as being waterproof. I wonder if the internal molding was originally in one piece? As Polly has suggested seek professional advice, that could be money well spent.

Although I know the boat type I did check on Google and I'm not convinced that Westons were ever hugely popular on the Broads, not that that matters. It's not an unheard of problem, I have a 1978 built boat and all the ply supports, even where they couldn't get wet, have decayed and I have had to replace them all over recent years. I wonder if there is a Weston Owners Club? Such clubs are generally hugely helpful.

My gut feeling is that she needs to be out of the water & dried out. It looks like you have a grp floor that is supported on plywood that is now saturated thus useless. Once dried out I would probably cut out the floor & rotten plywood and simply replace. Sounds drastic but is a simple job for a competent DIYer. As she's an old boat I would use epoxy resin such as West System products. Important thing is get her dry before doing the work. Please understand that these are just my thoughts based on the information supplied.

Just a thought, rather than a weight on the end of a long fendoff, how about a long rope that passes under the hull so that you can pull a fender as far under the water as required, if you see what I mean.

Re dropping a mudweight whilst single handing a boat, have a long rope that can be lead aft through the cabin to the cockpit, easy!

Re fender boards, such things are also useful as gang planks so well worth carrying.

Over topping, a mooring rope to the opposite shore in order to hold your boat off the jetty that you are moored to is one answer. Alternatively a couple of long poles, quant poles maybe, pushed into the bottom. However such poles are not always available so move onto a windward shore or one with a higher bank. Last time that I was in such a position I basically laid to my anchor whilst still having ropes ashore. In a nutshell if a mooring is unsuitable then move!

Re the pub being in a holiday area it might be just be closed for the winter. The loss of any pub is to be regretted but in this case it really is/was nothing special.

Another wherry picture of a wherry, the black hulled boat, but is she really a 'wherry'? Her name is Jester and she's on the National Historical Ship's list as an 'ice wherry' and it's suggested that she's a surviving wherry on Wikipedia. She was owned by a Cyril Richards for many years, a Lowestoft shipbuilder and Broads yachtsman. Cyril was a close family friend and I never heard him call her anything other than an ice barge. I believe that she was built by Chambers, not a recognised wherry builder. Still, she's listed as a surviving wherry! Another one for the experts!

Yet another Wherry picture, this time a wherry-yacht at Beccles, possibly 1930's. Anyone know the name of her, she must be unique with that clipper bow?

I have great faith in the principle of the Broads Authority and firmly believe that it could work but without mincing my words it needs to go back to page one. There are facets of the present leadership that have created a less than palatable legacy and that is going to be a hard one to undo. Before anyone asks, and in a nutshell, the Officers should be the servants of the Authority rather than the Authority being the servants of the Officers.

I note that in the wonderful world of Jayfire that time stands still!

If it had national park status then it would be one but it hasn't therefor it isn't! Like the good Doctor I too can play with words but the legal reality is perfectly clear.

Quite true but hasn't the good Doctor managed to ensconce himself into a position of some power within the corridors of power at NP Towers, at least for this year?

The ASA response represents a very real problem, let me explain. I complain to the ASA, my local MP & even the PM who then forwards my complaint to Dr John for his response. Now, Dr John is no fool, indeed he is a very clever, very persuasive, smooth talking individual & in other circumstances I would probably admire him. Dr John's response will satisfy both MP , PM & ASA. job done. I'm afraid any complaints made to a government department will be handled in exactly the same, lazy, easy way out way. The system by which any of us complain is seriously flawed. It should not be up to the subject of our complaints to respond, it should be up to those to whom we complain to dig a little deeper, sometimes to even bypass the subject of the complaint although I accept that they should have a right to respond but don't let that response be the final word. Being up against a brick wall is a tricky place to be.