JennyMorgan

What folk get up to in the privacy of their own cabin is none of my business and I accept that there is a culture of boating and boozing, indeed I had one or two myself today. However, when a person's boozing involves dragging volunteer lifeboat crews away from their families then eyebrows will surely, and justifiably rise! A bottle of plonk, a warm evening, a quiet mooring, a fishing rod in hand, bliss.

Not too late to do it in his memory.

You'll be on a promise with a Belgian Bun

I took my wife out to lunch in Gt Yarmouth today, really splashed out too! Mushy peas, bacon roll and a bag of chips on the market, an iconic Yarmouth delicacy is that, washed down with a mug of tea and followed by a Gregg's Belgium bun for afters. I really know how to treat a girl well! Sat on the market with seagulls scavenging chips and staffies cocking their legs against the chair legs we enjoyed the sun and watched the world go by, chatting to a rum old couple who were on their annual holiday, once more to Gt Yarmouth! If you enjoy slumming it then Yarmouth has it all. As Steve O says a town with character and history.

I have never been charged when I have laid alongside and waited for low water slack but it was made clear that should I leave the moorings and head off into town then I would be expected to pay. As for going in with the tide under me I have done that too but it has relied on some pretty deft help from the ranger in making fast my stern lines which, with the cleat, have to be up to stopping four and a half tons of surging boat being pushed along by a three and a half knot tide, the joys of no engine!

When does a consumer of alcohol become a drunk? Me, I never get drunk, just tiddly! Well, I don't think that that is entirely true, when I'm under the influence of drink, tiddly, plastered or wholly incapable, I am drunk! Now in my advanced state of senility I can no longer see any great joy in laying on my bunk watching the ceiling spin round!

But it is relevant, either turn the boat with the tide and then go back to the land of nod or cast off for an early start and go with the tide.

The police seem well able to define and identify drunks in road traffic situations so why not traffic afloat?

Just a thought, John, once moored, bow onto the tide, I can sheer the boat away from the shore and tight against the mooring ropes by putting the rudder over and steering away from the shore, the tide working on the rudder. Much more comfortable than bashing against the fenders!

John, I would advise anyone, novice or otherwise, to come in against the tide or the wind, whichever has the greater effect on the boat. Got to say that I don't see a problem in doing so. Both bow and stern ropes ready and available in the cockpit, just step ashore and make fast, where is the difficulty in doing that? Using the tide against stem and rudder to sheer the boat in against the tide is simple and efficient, why make life less easy by reversing in? You haven't got to do it in any particular way, your choice!!

I do indeed. I have an experienced gardening daughter who has several elderly customers in the Lowestoft/Beccles area.

Because the tide acts as a break. It is possible to go against the tide with just enough power so that your boat is effectively stationary over the land. Allowing the flow of the tide to push on one side or other of your boat's bow will effectively move the boat sideways and into a mooring space, saves a fortune on bow thrusters. Going into a mooring with the tide under you means that you don't have the breaking effect that the good Lord provides for you.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/drunk-people-cause-coastguard-false-alarm-1-5552573

At the end the day, for someone knowing what they are doing and using the tide to their advantage, Reedham is one of the easiest places to moor on the Broads. For others it can be difficult, even dangerous and I'm sure that is when the rangers earn their money. Why help those that don't need it? The tide can be a good friend but it needs to be worked and taken advanatge of.

Panic? Nose into the mud on the starboard side? Leave it to the crew to sort out? Repeatedly throw a rope at the quay ranger chasing after you on his bike? Head between knees, prey and think of England? Go to the toilet? Duck? Get the dust pan ready to clear away the broken glass?

Interesting question and I don't know the answer. The quay rangers at Yarmouth are always helpful, five star, but at Reedham they have never helped me but in fairness, to-date, I have never required it. Anyway I thought that I'd check on the BA website, seems that rangers are there to guide you and to sell you ordnance survey maps! http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/facilities/yacht-stations

It's the baggy, calf/almost ankle length 'shorts' and white socks that give the game away!

Gt Yarmouth, you love it or hate it!

Indeed!!

Ray, bless you, thanks for taking our irreverence in the spirit in which it was offered! Actually I do see some logic in your request but maybe separate WAFI and MAFI forums might be a consideration? Broads aristocracy V the prolls sort of thing?

Being sensible surely all the main boat brands already have their own forums and facebook pages so whatever is offered here would surely be a duplication and probably a diluted one at that?

Only if we know where those Hamptons have been!

Not to forget a pointless public consultation for the purpose of being ignored, table top studies, vision creation and subsequent job creation!

Agreed, Yarmouth's heydays are well behind it now. Cromer is a delightful seaside town. Stokesby I do like, small but well formed so to speak.

Have just checked the facebook page and lifted this: Waves have been drafted and we'll have 3 waves of approx 30 swimmers. This suggests that the event has attracted slightly less than half of the hoped for entrants, I suppose that is good news!