JennyMorgan

I rather suspect that in real terms there are few 100 year old boats on the Broads. I have a thousand year old axe, as the saying goes, it's had a 100 new handles and 10 new heads!

Amazing what can be achieved with modern resins and techniques, all power to Alchemy's elbow, I like what they do.

I go along with you on that Charlie, especially if moorings were to become reserved for boats needing to hook up to the mains. On the other hand, as a matter of courtesy, I wouldn't moor on top of a post if there was another space available.

Perhaps if there were no need for electric posts?

I have an intriguing book written about a fictional family's life on such a boat and obviously moored in Chichester Harbour, a delightful read although written for children. The Broads too had it's houseboat communities after the war, so many boats being built locally and some subsequently not being used, landing craft in particular. Many were built just for the one way trip into Europe and most had disappeared by the early 70's.

I now have this image of one of Richardson's finest orange tops, complete with its 'stag' crew, bombing along complete with power cable still attached to a power post and dragging several private boats still plugged in via their lengthy cables. Since the boats were being towed and they were fast approaching the start line of the Three Rivers Race I just wondered who would give way to who?

Some truth in that so I don't like that one!

If it hasn't been allocated to another boat then I'm sure those nice people in the tolls office will help if they possibly can, as they usually do.

Just a though re the cat's cradles of power lines laying along quay headings, might they not be a trip hazard? That might explain why hire yards only supply short leads, a question of potential liability perhaps? I would hate to think that someone took a header into the tide because of a power lead.

Very smart but not enough masts!

There is, or was a magazine that had a supposedly light hearted competition to find Ugly Boats. Too good an opportunity to miss so I set off the the local yacht station & soon found some absolute monsters, it being a Bank Holiday weekend. Suitably photographed and snaps submitted I waited for my prize! No way, lots of criticism and severe humour blockages though! When it comes to boats the question of beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder. I still wonder at the aesthetics of some of the modern designs though, there are some absolute horrors out there, with one or two of them being in the top end hire fleets.

Perhaps the Authority's planning department will take note of that comment!

And very smart they are and good examples are very much in demand.

Back in the 70's & 80's there was an absolute boom of small boat building aimed at the masses, Shetland Boats for example. Boating has since gone somewhat upmarket in the quest for profit. People who can only afford an old and small boat won't be able to afford the moorings thus there are lots of very green small & old boats laying about, boats that are still sound and could have a life. Thankfully in places like Beccles there is a council owned small boat dyke, just that we need a few more. If I was to win the lottery, unlikely as I don't buy any tickets, I would built a few more such dykes..

I have just read some of the public comments after the EDP article, a couple hinting that only aesthetically pleasing people should be allowed to walk alongside the river. Could this ever happen? A worrying thought but at least I could, I hope, still be able to sit outside the pub and ogle the passing by of suitably approved eye-candy, on the superior side of the road.

In principle, Chris, you are entirely right. I do have some sympathy with the Parish Council on this one but then I look at the history of the Island and then I have some sympathy with those who moor there. It's not going to be an easy one, the Council will be criticised, of that I'm sure. I just hope that social cleansing fails to gain a toe-hold.

Not very long ago a certain Luke Smith had a minor skirmish with the Broads Authority regarding his mooring. At that time I had a planning application in and a very affable representative member of the planning office came out on the water with me. As it was a nice day we detoured around the North Bay at Oulton Broad. We chatted informally about things and whilst going past one of Broom's best, and one or two other opulent GPs, he commented something to the effect of, 'gosh, what an ugly boat! He further commented that in his opinion many boats on the Broads are poorly designed. Got to say that I had some sympathy with that last statement! Whilst I appreciate that the Parish Council are probably intent on ethnic cleansing, no live-a-boards, I do wonder at this one. I do suspect that friends of Councillors will inevitably have acceptable boats! Okay, so I would be fully supportive of a sailing boat only policy, provided they remove the bridges.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/go_to_hull_only_the_most_aesthetically_pleasing_boats_will_be_allowed_to_moor_in_thorpe_st_andrew_1_4884553

Delia loves Fanny

The strange things that some people think about before going to bed!

Seems that it a far greater problem than I realised. Some interesting reading here: https://www.tradeonlytoday.com/features/dealers/marinas-boatyards/the-dead-boat-disposal-crunch/

Re Martham, down Cess Road, there certainly was when I was last down there, quite a few old wood boats became rebuilds. Re scrapping grp, I believe that some old grp boats are now being ground up but that costs. The BA does allocate toll money towards old boat disposal but why should other folk pay rather than the owners? If I remember the average cost of recovering a hull, taking it to the BA's workshop at Thorpe, cutting it up and then disposing of the residue to landfill is about £5,000.00, a lot to ask of an owner who has no money. Once again I can only see it as a growing problem. Not so long ago I took an old pedello down to our local council recycling waste centre where they refused to take it. I ended up cutting it up into small enough bits to go into wheely bins and over several months, with the cooperation of my neighbours, disposed of it that way. I know of no formal way of disposing of old grp boats in the Broads area, despite it being a boating area.

I can find time on Monday if there is any way that I can help. Just don't ask me to run a mile though!

There can be no doubt about it, some boats are well past their prime. The over engineering of the 1970's means that there are some exceptionally durable hulls out there and some are now being stripped out and then refinished. On the other hand more than a few are plodding on as budget hire boats, despite the tired interiors and shabby external finishes. What happens when a boat becomes uneconomical or too unattractive for rebuilding? A walk around any boating centre along our coast will unearth once good sailing boats, still with stacks of life in them, up for sale at remarkably low prices. Boats that many people can afford to buy but probably wouldn't be able to rejuvenate or afford to moor and certainly won't be able to pay for scrapping. People who can afford the overheads want newer, smarter boats with all the trappings of home. Maybe not now but over the next ten years I suspect that we shall see many old boats heading for the knacker's yard. I wonder who will pick the tab up? Is there a scrap value for an end of life GRP boat? The Broads already has the problem of abandoned ex live-a-boards and other end of life boats, it's not going to go away. Perhaps we could emulate our forbears?

Please, no!