JennyMorgan

Certainly shall, plumbing or not can be absolutely critical to success for those of us who go fishing! https://www.google.com/search?q=plumbing+depth+float+fishing&rlz=1C1DVJR_enGB819GB819&oq=plumbing+fishing&aqs=chrome.5.0l8.24768j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Google seems to suggest that they are still trading as part of JD Sports.

There's a Millets in Lowestoft, or there was a week ago!

I won't gloat, honestly, but I believe that you are

Millets: https://www.millets.co.uk/?utm_campaign=ML00292&utm_source=google+listings&utm_medium=organic

The Yarmouth Stores in Lowestoft is top notch for foul weather gear, fair prices too. As for Milletts, still good to go! Camping gear is ideal for Broads boating and Milletts is as good as any. May, brrrrr, the Broads looking at their best though, best buy a hot water bottle. For a one stop shop that might be on your route to the boat Go Outdoors at Norwich could be useful: https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/stores/norwich

Seemingly the big boys are going into a relatively immediate survival mode, just as will a great many privateers and hirers. If the High Street is anything to go by then it seems that a return to normality is further around the corner than maybe many of us had predicted. It's going to be a long winter, especially if there is a second spike of Covid 19. Better start building up my stock of toilet rolls and flour again!

I have just had a look at Sanderson's website, seeming they might have three boats for hire but for whatever reason they don't appear to have any vacancies. https://www.sandersonmarine.co.uk/booking As for Andy's summery, I'm afraid that he is probably bang on the money although I'm not quite certain where his predicted spurt is going to come from. I'm quite confident that the likes of Richardson's will weather the storm but as their boat building is now on hold for however long I suspect it might be a year or two before they re-invest as they have in the past. My doom and gloom prediction is that I rather fear that Europe will be awash with pre-owned boats.

Apparently Maffetts is no longer hiring, Brooms is no longer building, Freedom is winding up, the BBC is no longer, not sure about Sandersons. 2021 will be an interesting year.

I vaguely remember that a number of the BBC boats belonged to Richardsons who, presumably, will have taken back their property.

Andy, I am so sorry to read of your decision to finally wind up your business after thirteen hard years. We both know that the industry is a lifestyle and that you were never going to be able to step back and relax, landlords and customers won't allow that! However, having thirteen years of hard work snatched away from you is tragic. Whatever you choose to do I wish you well.

I do sympathize! A great deal to get your head around. Regretfully you won't be the only one forced into making unwelcome decisions that you had never planned for. Here's to our unexpected futures !

Not unique to Brundall. Oulton Broad is no different, several boats taken root so to speak, never see anyone onboard, ever. Granted that a number of boats are nothing more than homes from home but at least they being used, not like those that are seemingly abandoned.

When do they?

Could you not wear a visor of some kind, such as we see on TV? Failing that a welders mask with clear glass fitted, I'm sure that you could adapt one pretty quickly!

St Olaves, should have recognized it sooner! Somewhere in my files I have a picture of a wherry unloading at the same staithe as well as a picture with the same tripper with her 'chimbly' down having presumably just passed under the bridge. Name wise Mayfly is a possibility.

I'm sure that you are right although I'm not convinced that it is the best way forward. I base that on my wife's recent experiences when she had four consultations with four different diagnosises, non of which was correct. Thank goodness I have a daughter in the industry who just happens to have suitable colleagues on which we could call. In the end we bypassed our more usual doctor and his telephone, useless individual, and entered via the back door so to speak and hey presto, sorted, no thanks to phone consultations. The months of pain that my dear wife went through, grrrrrrr, I could swear with much deep feeling.

Is that Coldham Hall on the right?

In some people's minds that might be true, but not mine. I've met a good few residential boaters during my lifetime and the vast majority have been seriously decent people who just happen to live on a boat. Some 'live-aboards' do make good. Richard Branson used to live on a houseboat in the Chichester canal, fifty years ago, and he's done moderately well for himself!

As has happened in the past. Mind you, one of the 'big five' (at least one of them), has taken to leasing out surplus boats to smaller yards thus retaining some control should the leasee go under or cease trading.

The disposal of end of life boats is a growing problem. Those who have bought a boat cheaply are unlikely to be able to afford the cost of scrapping. The BA is well aware of the problem. Perhaps a time has come for the creation of an official 'graveyard' for old boats.

Does the owner also own a small, camouflaged off-white motor cruiser which he tends to moor near pubs?

Nowadays hire boats are being built with the view of selling on after so long. Alec Hampton soon realised the wisdom of that when he built his Hampton Safari's so it's not a new approach. Despite that many hire boats were absolutely churned out without an eye to the future, witness Caribbeans. It always amazes me as to what prices are sometimes being asked for, and got, for forty or fifty year old ex hire boats that effectively are well past their sell-by dates and value wise were written off years ago. On top of that these old boats need moorings and servicing, tis an absolute win-win situation for those who have made it their businesses!

There are some really unsightly boats costing many tens of thousands of pounds moored across Broadland, it's not a problem limited solely to those who choose to live aboard! Indeed a planning officer once commented to me, in jest, that it was a pity that planning did not apply to boats. Perhaps he had a point!

Buy by all means but I suggest that you hang on until at least October, prices traditionally drop before Christmas when people off-load their once loved hole in the water before the winter costs start kicking in, next year's mooring fees start looming their ugly heads and the sellers become increasingly desperate to sell. During the lean winter boat salesmen also become keen to sell a boat or two, even if it means a drop in commission. Become a fender kicker and prepared to barter hard!