ChrisB

The RSPB have no shortage of numbers or cash. Membership is about 1085000. Income including grants £122m and the last figures for cash reserves that I saw was £93m (2010). Their promotional spend is in excess of £30m. All within a tax free charitable status. Powerful people with much influence in Government and the EU. Toll income has no guarantees associated with it. Revenue streams and expenditure can change, not overnight granted, but over time. The peaks, South Downs, York Dales, Moors etc have no such income and survive. One thing is certain the next twenty years will be an interesting time as the Broads enter yet another chapter in their long history.

The last three posts really sum up what most of us who love the Broads really want. That is an Authority that is seen to be impartial and can, if found necessary, impose balance should any single interest group be found to be out of step with the rest. Maybe full National Park status with powers to cap boat numbers, protect heritage, landscape and traditions is the sensible or only way forward. It would be the selection of the board members that would require the wisdom of Solomon.

I have just had another thought, quite frightening actually. Should some sort barrage be built to protect the Broadland landscape, properties and commercial interests. Then how would a non tidal Broads leave navigation. After all the definition of the tidal Thames depends what side of Teddington Lock you are.

I totally agree, but you can not take anything for granted these days. We do not seem to have men and women of principle in control any more, rather they bend like reeds in the wind if expediency dictates it.

Whilst Sandford may be unknown to most of the electorate, conservation is. It is also a good vote grabber. Away from this interest group, if asked, most people would say conservation is far more important than boating. One conservation group who are very active in wetlands have a million members and tens of millions in reserves. Who can say what could happen in a few years time! The EU could even get involved!

My discount letter was dated 18th November and came through immediately I mailed them.

When our boat was delivered with it's 20 hp Honda (same engine as the 15 hp but can rev a bit higher which you really do not need) it handled like trying to run with a tray full of marbles. The first service was carried out by Fineway in Wroxham who were then the Honda dealers and I mentioned it to them. Steve recommended the Honda Power Thrust prop which is much larger than the standard. The handling was transformed to the extent that I can cross Barton, when calm, hands off and even put the kettle on. The engine will now not reach anywhere near its maximum revs but the boat still easily comes up to hull speed. Consumption is about 1.25 to 1.50 litres per hour. Before the large prop was fitted going astern was also very difficult, now the boat steers astern easily. The low speed handling has also been transformed as you only need to put the engine in gear to move ahead or astern in tight moorings.

For use on The Broads I think you would find 20 to 25hp adequate, especially if fitted with a high thrust prop which improves low speed handling. Although the Hardy looks very chunky it still only comes in at about 1100Kg. I have always liked the small Hardy and the Bosun was very high up our list, as like you, we mostly day boat. In the end we bought a new Viking 20. The main reason was after years of small sailing craft full standing head room was a real help to our ageing bodies, also having the fridge, hob and oven below. We have never fitter a rudder because after trying a "Ruddersafe" on a similar boat I found the steering was alot heavier and I thought that it might not be doing the steering mechanism any good although one could steer out of gear. I thought about having hydraulic steering installed but as we had managed OK for a number of years gave up on the idea.

Is the list of exhibitors on the web site last years list or is it now who is planning to be there this year?

But it will give the cliff top a very welcome facelift and being self catering will hopefully secure the independent retailers future in Mundesley Village.

The figures quoted by the EDP seem a little strange. The £12m to buy out the third partner on a £7m turnover business. But then they are not known for accuracy. Holiday homes or full residential we shall have to wait and see.

Is that the remains of a flue in the burnt out bow section?

As someone said on another forum, if a significant number switch from the A12/A140 and the A14/Bury routes then Fiveways and the Thetford roundabouts will become the new bottlenecks. In other words the problem of the old lights will be moved to either end of the new stretch.

Cromadex will mix you a suitable paint and advise on application. The nearest to Norfolk is Bury St Edmunds but they are nationwide

I read your download with interest Robin. Especially the prices of the boats on test. For younger members I would like to put the £19000 for a Moonraker in context. In that year 1973 I had been married for two years and in the June we moved to a new four bedroom terraced town house in Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire. It cost £16000 about four times my annual wage.

There is some history on : www.moonrakerboats.com We used to have a sailing cruiser at Cobbs Quay in Poole during the late 70s and early 80s. There were a number of Moonrakers in Poole Harbour at that time. I seem to remember that after Colin Chapmans involvement a number of boats were built using both male and female moulds and a vacuum resin injection system. These particular boats were said to take on the appearance of a starved Greyhound after a very few years as the mat, ribs and strengthenings suffered from resin starvation. This could have been idle yacht club bar chat but the story certainly did the rounds.

I totally agree with you Dave on the subject o the Acle Straight. It would appear that a great proportion of the money will be spent improving the A11, Norwich, A47 junction and the Yarmouth A12 access near Breydon Bridge. But then there is a lot can happen in the five years until work is due to start.

Don't get too excited. The A47 is being improved but a number of stretches between Lynn and Yarmouth including the Acle Straight will remain single carriage sections. A large amount of the allocated cash is to be spent on sorting out dangerous intersections and improving rounderbouts

I pay to dispose of oil when my car is serviced. I pay to dispose of old tyres when worn out. So a few pounds on top of the annual toll would be a small price to keep the Broads clean. The Hire Industry should be paying anyway like a hotel or a camp site. If a levy was put on each holiday I am sure it would not be that much. The councils crow on about the tourist industry but nobody wants to come to a litter strewn destination.

We hired an Alpha 29 from Bridge craft at Ely for one week a few years ago. All the bottom end down stream of Hermitage is very quiet even in season. The tributaries Little Ouse, Wissey, Lark, Can and the lodes are delightful with very few locks all of which we passed through were automated guillotine type. EA moorings are for 48 hours and Bridge craft were corporate members of GOBA (Great Ouse Boating Association) who have about 20 privately leased 48 hour moorings. Being EA from an owners point means much higher licence fees. (Locks, automated weirs etc cost money) Marinas are also fairly costly compared with the Broads. Second hand boats on the other hand tend to be much cheaper. We have only cruised up stream as far as St Ives so don't know what it is like between there and Bedford. The section between Hermitage and Brownhills is tidal although about 30 miles from the sea as the New Bedford drains start just above Hermitage and seals are often to be seem there. Hireboats are not allowed to pass along these channels so cannot make the Denver Sluice circuit.

The Sea Otter company did build some cruisers about 15 years ago and I believe on was a centre cockpit. They were aircraft grade aluminium with water ballast. I think they did experience a few financial problems and now concentrate on narrow boats but still of aluminium rather than steel.

Forgot the link http://www.terrysfabrics.co.uk/cat/curtain-tracks/swish/

Try Terry's Fabrics. If you want track, the small stuff used on boats is Swish Furniglyde. He is very reasonable and service is fast.

The winter of 1962/1963 did what years of trapping and shooting had failed to do. They starved to death.

I have subscribed to Watercraft for a number of years. It is a low circulation very practical magazine for wooden boat lovers and builders. Run from the Helford River by Pete Greenfield one of the founders of Classic Boat it has a loyal following and keeps going year after year. It is all about small boats and I have never seen a copy on sale anywhere so a niche mag can work.