Wussername

I spy with my little eye The dash board camera, fitted on motor vehicles, seems to be favoured by an increasing number of motorists. On our rivers, each year, we read on the forums the trials and tribulations suffered by the saily, the private owner, the holiday maker. all of whome at one stage or another transgress the rules of etiquette which prevail. Salvation is at hand. How often do we read "if only my camera was ready". Now it is. Able to record every misdemeanour on your trip down river. Before you can say knife the video of that obnoxious little man will be winging it's way to BA control. Solicitors dancing like dervishes at the prospect of filling their coffers at the the very thought of legal action. Do not even think about speeding. The wrath of hades will descend upon you. It will become the panacea of all ills. Now. With the ever advance of technology, is this a good or a bad step forward. Will it help to improve the quality of the Broads experience. Will it stop river rage, those unpleasant moments which many of us have witnessed. Or indeed, that dreadful moment when you realise that your boat has been damaged whilst you were away. It is the year 2020. It is in the depth of winter. From 180 miles away an IP address is activated at a boat yard in Norfolk. A hatch on the deck of a very large luxury cruiser slides silently open. A small compact helicopter drone rises noislessly from the boat. It hovers over the craft, checks the security of the vessel, the state of the tide, the mooring ropes, the surrounding area. And after a few minutes, returns to it's lair. The owner snuggles down into his 20 tog duvet happy in the knowledge that all is well. Old Wussername.

A full wine cooler included I would hope!

Boring. Can we not talk about the 24 bottle wine cooler.

During my trips to Reedham I have noticed that on more than one occasion hire boats have been advised to secure the bow on the posts that are available and that both stern ropes should be tied onto the nearest suitable post. Both stern ropes on the same post. There is no mention of using a spring. Is the former good practice or should the use of springs be encouraged? Indeed, are both belt and braces and neither really necessary. .

Who won the best Forum award?

Mrs W is I'm afraid somewhat of a luddite. Technology has left her far behind. Good at ironing and stuff,struggles with the television set. So I bought her an iPad for Christmas. Like giving a cow a strawberry. So, I got to use it quite a bit. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together! Anyway, unbeknown to me, eldest grandson, wussername major, was surreptitiously teaching grandma how to use it. Now I don't get a look in. So, I decided to buy a new iPad. Regretfully let's give Grandad Wussernames pension another whack has taken it,s toll. All I could afford was a Hudl 2. £129 out of my meagre pittance. But. What a super bit of kit. Do have a look. You will not be disappointed. Really good value for the money. '

Perhaps it was me. I'm like the river Waveny, I wander about a bit, went a bit off topic, that may have been the reason.

JM Along time ago. All from Coldham Hall - may be wrong. Are you able to remember the names of the cruisers. Gold Fish, Evening Flight, Madie perhaps ......as I said, a long time ago.

It is the quality of life. Nothing more, nothing less. My brother lives in Esher. A very private road. West End theatre's, top restaurents. Great Night clubs. Parties every week end, a huge circle of friends, some very wealthy, some famous. Me. I'm a Billy no mates. Compared with him anyway. When I finally slip my mooring there will be only me and Mrs Wussername in the church. How sad is that! She is me only mate I suppose. If she goes first I shall be very very cross. Failing that, I feel very fortunate and privileged to be able to walk out of my door and in a few minutes I can be beside a river, on a marsh. See skeins of geese fly over my house. Hear the Bitten boom at Strumpshaw. Got to beat the M25, The rush hour (twice!) wherever you are. It is the quality of life. It really does not matter how big your boat is, how large and powerfully your car, how wonderful your house is. It is ones ability to appreciate Norfolk and Suffolk, it's rivers, broads and marshes. Just me and Mrs W I'm quite happy with that. Oh and the grandchildren of course, it gives me so much pleasure to be able to introduce these two very young grandsons 5 and 7 to a world outside television and iPads.

Lucky old you. Enjoy. I think that you will find that the weather will be good. Watch out for those spooky high tides. Seriously though, you have missed them, everything will be OK Having said that Mrs Wussername, many years ago, who was in charge of mooring up, tied us up to tight. At OB. The tide dropped and left us dangling. The cleat popped out like an old tooth at silly o'clock in the morning. And the moral,of the story is............................no, I'm sorry, I dare'nt go there!

The aftermath of the high tide http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/25_000_fish_dead_in_norfolk_and_suffolk_broads_1_3818600

How many people can remember Nobby Clark, the owner of a boat yard at Postwick, many many years ago, arriving at the Thorpe St Andrew's regatta on his floating bicycle called Nutty Slack?

Strow I will try again

Oops! Where have me pics gone. Have I transgressed?

I thought he said Black Suspenders! Must get to Spec Savers.

Hi Strow To answer your request please see attached photo's of the boat mentioned. Hired from Buccaneer Boats, Brundall. The boat itself was immaculate, the service provided by the owner of the boatyard was, as ever, superb. We hired the boat for two days, and had hoped to moor at Loddon. However only stern on moorings were available. Not to be denied our visit to Loddon we moored side on at Pyes Mill. A most delightful place. In the evening we dined at The Swan. A jolly good meal it was too. I consumed the best part of a bottle of Australians finest, from a Creek I think, owned by a bloke called Jacob. Anyway, I led the way back to the mooring, in the dark, without a torch, across a boggy field full of cows. What a challenge that turned out to be. Not the cows, Mrs Wussername. Whinged all the way back. Thank god the old SAS training clicked in. (I have read all the books!)

Wellie time?

I have just this minute had a look at the high tide, Oulton Broad, outside the Wherry mooring. A challenge I suspect for boats without bathing platforms, particularly challenging for those with, I would imagine.

As a matter of interest I hired a boat from a Brundall boat yard some three weeks ago. This particular boat had a bathing platform. One of the hire conditions was that under no circumstances was this boat to be moored stern on.

Thankfully the fire was contained. It was fortunate that the Cutty Sark was not completely lost during the first fire. This second incident could have resulted in her loss for ever. Old Wussername

Here we go. A silly question. Why can't we have a silly question Topic. Where we can all post our silly questions. Or is this a silly proposal. Silly Old Wussername P.S. I have got loads of silly questions. I can't wait!

Matt I live locally, thankfully, to the best of my knowledge the answer to your question is that there seems to be very few serious incidents. No doubt the hire industry would, individually, be able to offer information concerning damage to craft. What the financial implications are I really have no idea. I suspect that they factor the cost into the hire charge. Regarding accidents to individuals, I suppose The James Paget and the University Hospital would have information on boating related accidents, but it does not seem to be an issue. Minor accidents, dealt with by the local GP. Records if any do not seem to be collated or published. The walking wounded who limp home.........dunno! I like to think that a holiday on the Broads is a safe and enjoyable place to be. I have no reason to think otherwise. However, one should not be complacent and it is sensible to take care. The other issue of course is that boating can be quite demanding on the older generation, a generation with a disposable income who can enjoy thier own boat. As I get older I find myself increasingly challanged by the design of some craft, grab rails in particular and the ability to board a boat or disembark from a boat. But perjhaps that is just me! Very Old Wussername

Oh dear! Sorry about the duplicate post, ignore the first one with the duplicate pics. Would a friendly mod delete for me please. (you are of course all friendly, so don't all rush!) Old Wussername

I was prompted to post this topic because of an incident which occurred at Ranworth earlier this year. An incident which could well have resulted in a fatal accident. By chance I met a relative, an experienced helm, who was staying at Ranworth on his own boat on this particular day. I did not witness the incident, however I do not doubt for a minute his graphic description of events. A hire boat, with a bathing platform was attempting with some enthusiasm to execute a stern on mooring. A member of the crew, a lady, was standing on the bathing platform holding a mooring rope. There were no grab rails for the lady to offer support. The helm, on the realisation that he was reversing to fast, blipped the throttle in forward gear which resulted in the lady loosing her balance and falling into the water. Having arrested the backward motion of the boat, the helm proceeded to place the boat into reverse gear at a more respectable speed. He was unaware that his crew member had fallen overboard. The depth of the bathing platform, to all intents and purposes a ledge 4 to 5 inches thick, some 8 inches above the water line was level with the crew members head, behind which was the wooden piling of the staithe. It was only the quick action of my relative, who sprinted across the green, shouting at the helm, that avoided the most dreadful of accidents. Could this incident have been avoided? Allow me to show you some photographs. None of which I hasten to add were involved, to the best of my knowledge, in the above incident. No grab rails. An individual on this platform, I would consider to be at risk. No Grab rails. An individual on this platform could be seriously disadvantaged. Would the helm be able to see the crew member was in difficulty? Has much to recommend. Grab rails, and good visibity for the helm. For me, this ticks all the boxes. Sensibly placed grab rails. Mooring ropes easily at hand, and I particularly like the way the ropes are stored. To my mind designed by a boat builder who was aware of the demands that can be placed upon the unwary. Old Wussername

The bathing platform, or swim platform. Notwithstanding that it is not used for the purpose for which it is intended. Seen on many new builds, and not so new. A good idea, or are there disadvantages, indeed are there safety issues? Old Wussername