JennyMorgan

So you came to Norfolk, Chris B!

My Welsh son-in-law speaks Welsh, finds it very useful on the Broads. Nobody knows when he's cursing them!

Thought that you might like that one, Marsh. Clearly the sail is scandalised and there appears to be a set of parrels about two fifths up the mast and I'm guessing that they belong with the gaff jaws and that would suggest that the peak is either low or the gaff is upright to the mast. There is no suggestion of the bulk along the foot that suggests a reef but maybe there is one tuck in hence the tack is high. Got to say that the detail is not clear but I think that there is no doubt that the skipper is holding the tide and that the sail is balanced accordingly.

Worry not, Robin, locally it varies from Bow-chump to Beach-um and everything in between.

Never understand why folk feel the need for heat during the night when all that's needed is an extra jumper! Must be Southern softies

There is legislation regarding emissions from boats on the Broads, only no one yet seems to want to apply it. Probably because it is poorly drafted legislation with no standards to adhere to and nor means for Rangers to measure the offending cloud that's fouling the atmosphere and discolouring my sail!

Charlie, back in the Sixties we often had to use a blowtorch to warm up a diesel engine before we could start it. Technology has moved on since those halcyon and innocent times of our youth!

As was once pointed out to me by a seemingly irate member of Her Majesty's Plod it is an offence to leave my car engine running whilst parked. An engine, surely, is an engine, especially as many, such as Nanni, are generally marinised vehicle ones. It isn't necessary to run up, nor run down, a diesel engine fitted to a four wheel drive so why is it when a similar engine is fitted to a boat? The point I am trying to make, in total agreement with Poppy, is that long warm ups are really not necessary on the Broads. Indeed, so it seems, that running without a load can be deleterious to an engine's well being so why do it? Just curious, are hirers told to partake in these ritualistic, extended warm ups before setting off? Surely a couple or three minutes whilst mooring lines are singled up is all it needs?

Two wherries at the Wherry, Oulton Broad, 1920. Noting the horse & cart suggests that wherries loaded and unloaded at the Wherry, does that mean that it was a public staithe I wonder?

I woke up just after six this morning and bugger me gently but someone was running their errr-hem engine! The joys of living near the water!!

Not a problem, each to their own, until their activities impact on others. Perhaps I have got it wrong but apparently there are some 10,000 private boats on the Broads, thank goodness that so many of 'em stay tied up! That getting on for a hundred boats per mile!

For those of you who missed it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08r89xt/countryfile-suffolk

It's not usually hire-boats that are the problem!

That makes sense but, so I'm told, motors need to be run, which I suppose they do. So why not go for a trip? Actually I have a theory about that, some folk are actually scared rigid of their boats hence they rarely, if ever leave their moorings!

Glad that you are sorted. On most boats that I have been on the weight of the chain has been more than sufficient to prevent twisting. On the Waveney last summer a very salubrious Gin Palace had lowered its anchor, a very posh CQR, and laid there for the night. I was fishing and had watched with some fascination. He laid out more chain than he needed to have done and during the night the tide had obviously turned and it had carried the GP over the anchor and it looked like the skeg had picked up the chain as he was by now laying stern on to the tide. I called across the river and suggested caution. On went the anchor winch, the chain went taut and I expect that things went expensive! Let's put it this way, as he went away he was running on only one motor, or so it seemed as only one exhaust port was spewing out water and fumes.

We have people moored up at Oulton Broad Yacht Station, for example, who will run their engines for hours on end whilst moored up, amazing. Why not cast off and go for a correspondingly long trip, after all, it's what boats are for?

Brave and wise words, Carole, I too just don't understand the rationale of leaving motors running. It's just plain thoughtlessness in my opinion. We had a huge GP moor up wind of us a couple of summers ago, it was awful! I asked but they refused to turn their engine off! Grrrr!

Errrrr, wrong sort of bottle! Well placed for the right sort though.

Please, please don't think that I am anti conservation, that would be far from the truth. However, how boaters, anglers and dog walkers treat the environment should be down to education, not legislation. Both Hickling and Horsey have 'voluntary; agreements in place by way of winter exclusions and refuges for wildlife. Credit to those involved, by and large, these refuges are being respected. However, if Sandford had been available then I have no doubts whatsoever that it would have been gleefully and speedily invoked and indeed extended. I have mentioned dog walkers because, if the experiences of my local reserve wardens are anything to go by then dog walkers can be a major problem too.

Tinted windows. on a classic woody?!?! Personally I'm no fan of tinted windows at the best of times, in both cars and boats. Darn things are both antisocial and a barrier to the outside. Sailing along the river and along comes a boat with 'black' windows, is my wave being returned, is there anyone aboard even? Horrible things! In a classic woody, terrible!

http://www.marthamboats.com/sailing-yachts-for-hire/zoe

Plenty of classic boats for hire at Martham Boats so who is copying who?

The winch, even if it;s hidden from view, is surely accessible. On this winch the clutch mechanism is the three pronged bath tap looking affair on the right. You might also have a cut out switch that just needs resetting. Before hubby ruins his love-life suggest that he breaks the suction of the mudweight by reversing the boat.

DNKS, 'nearest & dearest'? The old boy, presumably the boss, is well known for being a miserable old sod but in all honesty I have never had bad service or silly prices.

Some anchor winches have a 'slipping clutch' by which if the load exceeds the required amount the 'gypsey', the drum over which the chain rides, will slip. The means of up or downing the tension is sometimes a star type ring between the gypsey and the housing over the winch motor. You won't be the first person to have unwittingly loosened the clutch and then been unable to raise the anchor or mudweight. In my experience an easy mistake but one that is easily righted.