JennyMorgan

How are they doing then?

Jill, lovely, delightful person, a privilege to have met and befriended her. Back in time too many would be top dogs, fortunately we have moved on from those days.

A bit longer than the NBN has! Both, like the Broads, have and are changing, perhaps better described as developing, one more than the other. As for the Broads, also constantly changing and developing, in most respects amicably moving forward, but not always!

Be good but for how long!! Be good if they went down, a lot, then they could do what they do best, thrash Ipswich Town!

We've long had hybrid boats, often referred to as 'auxiliary yachts' or 'motor sailors'. In the meantime how will cars that rely on 'on street parking' charge their batteries? Come to that, those of us who prefer 'primitive' moorings might also have a problem.

A laminated web structure perhaps?

Wise man! There was a cruiser pulled on Lake Lothing a year or two back that had been 'open planned' whilst she was afloat to such an extent that when she was lifted the engine's shaft couplings went way out of true!

A word of caution, bulkheads (walls) might be what holds the roof up and the sides apart, an integral part of the overall construction. Best befriend a handy, onsite boatbuilder!

Or a privy with a degree of privacy! My daughter's Spray had such forepeak berths, complete with bucket. Height of luxury! A friend of mine had the wherry-yacht Olive, good memories of that forepeak, apart from the aromatic aroma of the ancient cushions.

Pleasure Wherry 'Reindeer' on Oulton Broad with Swonnell's Maltings in the background. Built by Ernest Collins and possibly his father, Robert, in the late 19th Century at Norfolk Broads Yachting Company on the Hoveton bank below Wroxham Bridge. Described in August 1916, "Slept ten persons in four cabins and cost £14 4 shillings to hire for a week", and again in 1926 “Her accommodation plan is doubtless the best that can be produced for a Pleasure Wherry and she is one of the best fitted Wherries on the Broads." Pre-WWI. (Colourised by Russell Walker of Lowestoft & reproduced with his permission).

Black tar or https://www.international-yachtpaint.com/en/gb/boat-paint-products/topcoat-finishes/danboline

Plus the dreaded polyester-mite, strewth, I'm going back to wood before the bottom drops out!

Potentially thousands!

That's a worrying comment as not too many hire yards appear to anti-foul the entire underwater hulls.

A few cats might swim, a few cats might like water, but non of the cats that I have ever homed have shown any great desire to get wet. They might lick their nether regions for absolute hours but that is not the same as actually getting wet. Unlike a dog, a sensible cat won't bother to retrieve a stick, least of all one that is thrown into the river. If MM/John insists on taking Taxi afloat then may I suggest that lifelines and cat proof netting be fitted around the new Nyx. I suspect that a cat be fitted with a lifting harness but a lifejacket is probably a step too far, unless John wishes to be clawed to death! A cat overboard drill would be a wise precaution, perhaps with a large landing net near and handy. Perhaps dunking Taxi into a well filled, cold bath will give John the answer to his question. I don't envy Taxi his potential adventure afloat, or his dunk in a cold bath, brrrrr!

Tar varnish works well, cheap as chips, but nasty stuff when it comes to sanding it smooth and it's really horrid to remove.

Hempel Broads does the job perfectly well and it's made for the job.. Wait until after Christmas and Jeckells bulk buy and usually do it well cheap! I re-coat every two years but I suspect it might last three. Also available from Nearest & Dearest. Apply with a roller, easy, job soon done! https://www.norfolkmarine.co.uk/broads-a-f-2-5-ltr-black-configurable-1020162

On Oulton Broad that is. Indeed I believe she went down twice, mind you that was in a shallow dyke so she wouldn't have gone under.

I have to agree entirely with Finny on this one. I grew up with cats and had them in my life for just over fifty years. I really don't think you would be doing Taxi any great favours in taking him onboard, indeed I will repeat Finny's last line: as well as that from OBB. only I'd replace 'might' with' would'.

You'll be welcome back! Thanks for making contact and for the interesting update on the Golden Hind. During the 60's I spent quite a lot of time down at Pinmill. Spent a couple of summer there as an instructor at the sailing school, also became friends with Giles, the cartoonist who kept his boat there. I suspect that I would have seen Golden Hind down there amongst the house boats but afraid I don't recollect her being there, probably more interested in birds rather than boats, or pints in the Butt, despite walking along the foreshore several times a day! I do remember her being sunk though. Are you in the picture as GH was being towed out of the dyke? Here's her under sail: http://norfolk.broads.org.uk/wiki2018/index.php?title=Boat_Photograph&photo=_29898&BoatId=19004&BoatHistory=29898

I had a cat afloat and on one idyllic, calm morning the water was as smooth as a mirror, stupid mutt thought it was capable of supporting his weight and jumped out of the boat. Nothing more pathetic than a half drowned cat. Cats have been known to travel hundreds of miles in order to return to their previous homes. https://www.cats.org.uk/norwich/feature-pages/adopt-an-older-cat It is not easy to teach an old cat new tricks.

The present German Mini is hardly mini. I'm of the opinion that even the Huns are now missing a trick. The original principle of the Mini was right but BMW have left the mini market wide open to other very small car manufacturers. I remember the fun that we had with an original Mini Van, no trouble in getting sixteen teenagers in one!

If well applied that should be it! If not then lightly wire wool and recoat, If I were doing the top of a table, I wouldn't hesitate, West epoxy. Quick and will surely outlast varnish big time!

Is that for a tot of woodworm killer, Git Rot, Ronseal, fungicide, creosote or whatever?