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Well that’s a coincidence just got back tonight from a first canal narrowboat holiday on the Llangollen canal. We did Friday to Wed (should have been till Friday but the weather was turning quite bad and also had a few faults with the boat). Our boat was supposedly new in 2014 but it had seen better days, the new broads hire boats put these to shame. I have just left the boat yard with a list of problems, TV / radio didn’t work, engine screamed at over 1000 rpm, toilet door latch and lock broken (door swinging open all week, toilet wouldn’t flush proper, it wasn’t to clean inside or out. The boatyard said nothing was reported the week before so they didn’t know any thing was wrong , in fairness we got free fuel and nothing to pay for the dog extra. We were told to run the engine for 5 hours min to recharge the batteries. The general fit out of the boat was very poor, more oak filler than a b& q warehouse, no gauges what so ever for water, toilet fuel.. But after the above we enjoyed the canal and area going over the aqueduct at Llangollen was quite stunning. We met some nice people from all over the world infact there were more Aussies than English. On the whole I would give it another go (I just wouldn’t tell the wife were we were going !) also choose our boat a bit more carefully. John

Great day out today first on Indy saw the broads from much higher up not quite as high as Charlie though! brucie bonus an unexpected trip to Yarmouth from Lowestoft on MTB 102 John

What a great ignorant bit of mooring , I’m afraid if I would have found that On the back of my boat would have just untied it.

Hi Martin sorry for your loss We enjoyed the Saturday night get together in good company. A couple of photos from plastic fantastic side John

Thanks Peter but have the dog so need shore mooring any information on other moorings at Oulton would be appreciated John

Book your mooring quickly for next weekend as I can’t get a mooring at Beccles or Oulton anytime Friday sat sun this weekend ? John

Good choice Chris ive topped up bean supplies this morning for the delonghi machine which is simple to use and makes great coffee. I got that for my 50th birthday, 55 next week now we’re did that 5 years go? John

The Hains 32 is a lovely boat, very well fitted out but it’s a little small in length and width and with a £250k price tag much prefer the 35 Hull Hains, Broom, Westwood. A low hours 5 to 10 year old example for half the above cost would be my bet. Ive never bought an ex hire boat preferring low hours private but can see the attraction with a well maintained example from the likes a Richadsons but would stay well away from the likes of the recent old alpha models. John

Fair enough Chris enjoy don’t forget the recruiting seargent our favourite place at the moment John

Judging by those establishments you must have deeper pockets than most then Chris John

Sorry Chris don’t get your school of thought re it’s not the kind of place you would entertain if it’s important. It doesn’t pretend to be a fine dining experience. We had our daughter wedding reception in the thatched area 5 years ago after being let down badly by another local hostilely (no names mentioned but it was in Wayford ) I will say all the staff bent over backwards and we couldn’t have asked for a better venue by the river and and it was a great relaxing atmosphere. The food was also superb and I don’t say that lightly as my wife was a head chef in a past life at a large hotel. With the amount of people going through their doors in the season it would by virtually impossible to book prime tables out. John

Weather forecast looks great for the week apart from much needed rain tomorrow it should be a little more comfortable because it’s been very uncomfortable this last week. John

I just don’t understand people’s mindset with the roundabouts on this road as I use it every day every other car that uses the islands go from the first lane then when they reach the islands cut into the 2nd lane or even third to go straight across why!! If your in the left lane going straight across stay in the left lane around the island simple Whilst I agree it’s not the best design it’s mainly down to rubbish driving John

I called into Beccles this morning as I was on a job there also called to book a mooring for that weekend but was told fully booked, no chance ? John

Hi good to meet you Rachael at Reedham ferry, just spotted you coming off the ferry this morning in between jobs so didn’t have time to have a beer . Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip John

Very interesting Vaughan thank you for sharing ? John

Hi Vaughan I guess you know more about the hire boat industry than anyone on here but things are a changing regarding emissions the yards will have to sort out the battery situation sooner than later, I don’t have to start my engine to use the heating. cars won’t be able to run their engines in city’s much longer and it’s got to work it’s way onto the rivers at some point. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/norwich-city-centre-drivers-who-idle-engines-while-stopped-may-face-20-fines-1-5425046

Not vegetarian then I see ? have a good day may see you around Brundall if your around John

To compare a cross channel ferry to the broads is stupid. Any body who has a significant investment in a boat and it is their pride and joy like Cals looks like and so is our boat quite rightly concerned when moored in certain areas so don’t knock him for stating the obvious or are we going all politically correct with hire boaters now for fear of offending ? John

What a lovely romantic spot best not go a knockin?

Wow sutton Staithe slipway free from clutter ?

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/cameras-trained-on-broadland-northway-roundabouts-1-5609602

This really is beyond a joke, in fact it defiantly stoped me changing our boat a few weeks ago as not going under this bridge is a bridge to far as we stay down south these days so if you can’t get to Oulton ,Beccles and back without a lot of hassle it’s not worth it. At 8ft 7 we can get under most of the time without having to get the bridge to open. My personal view is I think most of the older experienced engineers have gone off into retirement replaced with people who have not got the hands on experience or common sense to sort these problems out. John

Great photos David thanks for sharing. What a difference a week makes most of the green has disappeared replaced with a brown landscape. John

As an every day user of the road it works very well for me but for some it would be better with flyovers than roundabouts, this was a new one last week. It obviously a speed issue leaving it too late to stop it seems to be mainly on the main Island near the airport so now named Kamakazi island