ChrisB

I have long been a fan of Cornish Crabbers and did wonder why the original of them the 24 had been dropped from the range. A new 24 is now available to order and so with much interest I read the publicity. Gone is the fixed long keel to be replaced by a lifting one. That makes sense as it fits with the rest of the range. But now comes the interesting bit. This boat is a better looker than the old achieved (and remember this is a Cat B RCD craft) by a lifting cabin roof. Some American craft have done this but not Cat B, more like lake sailers. The boat is from the pen of David Thomas BUT the hull is from Andrew Wolstenholme. Now they say the Pop Up cabin roof was inspired by the Surfers Campers that they see all around them in Cornwall. But I wonder with Andrew being involved if it was not inspired by the Broads River Cruiser and the surfer story just fits nicer with their clients around Rock and Padstow. Guess we will never know.

I have just had my first feed, this season, of Norfolk grown asparagus. I don't think I have had it this early before, though Northern Italy and Switzerland are into their third week of the season. I do hope that the cold snap forecast for the next couple of days does not ruin my annual treat as I only indulge in the local stuff when in season, the supermarket bunches from Peru just are not the same.

I think they were mostly Volvo but Fairline were known to chop and change if a deal was offered. I have owned an outdrive ( Mercruiser ) and a saildrive (Yanmar) both keep the salty stuff out using a diaphram or bellows and can only offer one piece of advice. Never skimp on maintenance because when they go wrong it is eye wateringly expensive. Actually I have owned 2 saildrives the other was produced by Seagull and was fitted to later Corribees. I am pretty sure that the fitting of that engine more than hastened the demise of Newbridge Boats and with it the Corribee, the finest pocket cruiser after the Folkboat imho.

I quite like the idea of a stay in a Yurt. But leaf tea boiled in a "Billy" and served with a generous dollop of Yak Butter on top! I will stick with afternoon tea at the Seamarge in Overstrand.

Is that all! I thought it was some Broadland sequel to "The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow" Not the same class of "Mirror Odyssey" (Incidently brilliant book if you have not read it"

Glad I am not flying in for a vacation through that! Done that, did'nt like it.

Canal locks are not kind to old woodies, especially the rear quarters. Lot of work but could with time and money be back here, where she belongs, looking good.

I don't wish to start a technical discussion on all the merits and shortcomings as I am sure it has been done to death many times. But, does anyone monitor and use PMR 446 CH4 on The Broads anymore?. A few years ago it seemed to be used quite a bit. I always thought it quite a good idea as the power is so restricted it kept transmission local and you were unlikely to blot out another persons communication in a different part of the system.

I stand corrected, their technology goes down to 25hp. Certainly no oil changes, filter changes and 300 hour service intevals sounds very attractive.

I thought Evinrude e-tec were still 2 stroke but fuel injected in such a way as there is no pre-mix and the oil and petrol come together in the injector. They claim that their engines are cleaner than four strokes. However they are a little large for Broads use. They are also offering 10 years warranty until end of June.

Maybe they hit a bit of hard stuff when they were digging it out. Barton was dug in the Middle ages but the Ant passed to the East. The river was diverted in the 1700s (I think) to provide navigation along with Paddys and Lime Kiln. I think the original river was about Mud Point. So those Shoals are actually the bottom of a canal. Don't suppose the residents would like it named "The Cut"

I have never understood the "Bare Foot" brigade when sailing. You see it time and time again especially in warm water boating. When you need to act Now! Few things can fell you as quickly as a badly stubbed toe or stepping on a block or the like with a bare instep. I keep my mustos or Dubarrys firmly on my gout ravaged tootsies.

It is very nice above Wroxham Bridge. Except when some herberts make a nuisance of themselves at Caen Meadow.

The trouble Peter is there are not many petrol engines for boats if you exclude Outboards. Those that are around tend to be really designed for the performance market and have displacements of 5 litres or more and are typically mated to a stern drive unit.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/woman-taken-to-hospital-after-being-rescued-when-boat-ran-aground-near-great-yarmouth-1-4978075

Radio Norfolk are reporting a lady suffered a serious leg injury after leaving a vessel that had grounded.

But at least junk mail keeps the posty in work, spam is just a bl#@dy nuisance.

I assume from what people are saying that the Cator Estate has let the Ferry Inn terminate their lease? Or did they not have a lease? Or have I got it A#$e about face.

Around 2005 I decided that I had done my bit and wanted to retire even though I was 10 years off 65. We started to search the West Country for the right house and more importantly the right location for me to buy another boat. In just a few years it had changed alot, we were not so sure we liked the West as much as we had when the family was young and every weekend we would head to Ridge Nr Wareham and our sailing cruiser. Then Judith my late wife dropped the bombshell " I am not sure I want to go to sea anymore. We are getting no younger. If you have an accident or are taken ill I will never be able to get the boat back" "I used to sail on The Norfolk Broads with school friends, just before I met you" said I " would you like to have a look" and that is how we ended up in North Norfolk with a "Stinky" @ Stalham.

I was probably in my late 30s before I helmed a boat with a wheel by which time I was a yachtmaster and had covered a few thousand nautical miles all with a tiller in my hand. In fact my first wheel helm was as crew on a Nicholson 38 ketch from Brixham to Poole.

Maybe try a bowl of Special K, round of toast and marmalade, glass of orange and a black coffee next time. You have to work bl#$dy hard to mess that breakfast up! Actually I hate driving on too full a stomach, so it would do me.

Well, my accident at work claim, "That was not my fault" has come to nothing! What a wast of time! Having spent a good twenty minutes giving them a thorough background to this most unfortunate affair they put the phone down on me! Can you believe it? I assume they don't have the expertise in the area of INCONTINENCE.

Jungle formula Peter?

I hate that Booming when coming from cars. Some mainline manufactuers fit them now! There is a silver lining though, being mounted in the boot you can't get a spacesaver in so hopefully they can enjoy their chest rattling bass as they sit on top of some dale somewhere with gunk spilling out their sidewall. Mid-winter with a blizzard swirling would be a bonus.

And it is set to get even worse "All glass phones" will apparently be the next thing. My Sony Xxperia is glass on the back as well as front, it is like trying to hold a newly hooked trout, impossible without a case.