JennyMorgan

Andy, you admit to canvassing for votes. I'm sorry, but for me that reduces the credibility of the awards still further, to pretty much nil. Many years ago I held the licence for the Waveney Inn, we won the Pub of the Year Award several times, don't recollect ever having to canvas. Voting was entirely voluntary, not conditional on belonging to anything or any forum. Mind you, the scheme as a whole eventually collapsed because we did win so often, a pity but I do understand the whys and wherefores of that one.

The BA has no responsibility for tourism so perhaps this would be more suited to the Broads Tourism Forum, a formal consultative body. I have long thought that whichever forum is running the awards they are punching way above their weight by calling it the Broads Awards rather than the whichever forum Broads Awards. Strow wrote: 'The basic idea is fine, but credibility is everything, or the awards are meaningless, even for the winners.' Got to say that I agree entirely with Strow on this one.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/man_suffers_serious_injuries_at_brundall_boatyard_1_3822638 Hope the bloke is okay. Does rather raise the issue of hard-hats in boatyards, something I have never seen.

Frank, it might be cheaper in the 99p Shop in Commercial Road.

The whole awards saga is just that! No sour grapes intended but I really do think this one needs a wider base to be really creditable. Wouldn't it be nice if all three Broads forums could forget the past and unite on this one? The only real problem being multi-forum membership but I suspect that there would be a way around that. Maybe this is really one for the relevant tourist organisation rather than a relatively small forum?

DF, hope that you weren't gorged & trampled on or that you have now been downgraded to being a 'bullock'.

Perhaps, on a small boat, a folding one would be a good compromise, indeed such a modification could be designed to aid stern-on moorings, with a little bit of thought. Nevertheless I have seen some right monstrosities screwed to the backs of small cruisers, bathing platforms and davits in particular. In both cases a right pain in the transom when it comes to stern on moorings!

They don't, if the crew has a firm grip of 'em.

Soak it in steradent overnight & be done with it, just needs a soft tooth brush worked over it in the morning. Rather than using mastic to rebed it try poligrip..

A friend of mine refuses to call a cow a cow, rather he calls them 'meadow ladies'. Listening to ladies of Essex & they appear to habitually and seemingly affectionately call each other 'cows'. Up here on the Broads, us indigenous inbreds consider that being called a 'cow' is a great insult! First time my wife was called a 'silly cow' by a lady of Essex my wife was really upset, despite the LoE being, she thought, friendly. As for being bothered by cows, not normally, unless there are dogs running around and worrying them. In that case I'd be more worried by the dog than the cow!

Much of the globules, dust, bubbles etc. are actually congealed blobs of varnish lodged in brushes.

For less than a thousand pounds my wife and I can have a fortnight, out of season, in a top notch hotel on Ibiza. Crowds gone, sun shining, bit of boating, scenic walks, great swimming and a pocketful of spending money. Can't compare that with a Broads holiday though but I'm lucky, I don't have to choose.

Just a thought, this stern mooring lark, not good for bathing platforms

I thought that they were mallards

Perhaps you wrote a naughty word?

I hope that our rivers smell a tad sweeter than the open drains of Venice. Mind you, comparing the architecture of Venice to that of central Wroxham is something of an impossible task! Can you buy Adnams in Venice?

I've been a great fan of Epifanes varnish now for some years, leaves UK premium varnishes standing a long way behind in my opinion but at thirty quid a litre so it jolly well should! Actually I reckon some of the top end UK varnishes are poor, but not so Withams flexible Yacht Varnish. Under a tenner a litre, it lacks the high gloss of Epiphanes, but in all other respects I have found it to be a first class product and it is a joy to work with. Fortunately their paint works is just up the road from Oulton Broad & they have a trade counter there that sells to us mere prolls. They supply paint to Her Majesty, good enough for her so it must be good enough for me. By the way, a small, foam roller is a great way to apply varnish. I watched Ardea being varnished using rollers, once again, good enough for her then it's good enough for me!

Errr, did I say something wrong? Posts from myself & Old Wussername gone missing.

In fairness the skipper was spot on central to the bridge. What tickles me are the antics of 'Bouncing Betty'!

Bob, I reckon that bridge is doing pretty well as it is!

Old Wuss, Coldham Hall in the days of Harry Last. Can't remember the boats' names but can remember those of the ducks though! Gary, the Broads is the real world.

Do I really want to go abroad? It does rain and abroad is chockablock with English people, bit like England!

I took this snap over thirty years ago, Yare Navigation Race, for me it epitomises the Broads.

Old Wussername, touching stuff, sums it up perfectly, thanks for sharing your thoughts. My daughter & her husband are near the tops of their chosen careers, both working in London, living in Highgate which is actually a very nice area, just bought a house near Oulton Broad in which to bring up their family, can't say that I blame them. I worked in London for six years, hated it, walked away from my chosen career and returned home.

The Broads is undoubtedly the finest inland sailing area in Gt Britain, no doubts and no questions about that!