Rincewind

My apologies, Keith and Iain. Rincewind and The Luggage are characters from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. My previous incarnation 'Patrician' is also a character from the same novels.

I'm no expert, Iain...it's a red to which I was introduced some years ago by a friend. I've supported the cause ever since. Though the occasional single malt from God's Country has to be sipped too...

It's almost inevitable that you'll be poorer, Jim, at least financially, but the benefits of owning your own boat are likely to make the expense fade into the background. To be able to go to your boat whenever you like, work and other commitments permitting of course, is priceless in my humble opinion. Nobody is trying to say that boating is a cheap hobby..it's most certainly not...in fact, it's horrendously expensive but the payback is immense. Late evening cruising with the sun setting in the wake, therapeutic swirling water, glass of Chateau Neuf Du Pape in hand...tempting innit?

Stunning pictures as always, JM. Thank you.

What a glorious shot...and an empty staithe at Womack! Funnily enough, back in 2006, day after Guy Fawkes night in fact, we managed a similar photograph, though not as good, at Ranworth Staithe with us being the only boat there. Same sort of winter light, lots of contrast and some brilliant sunshine. Happy days. The only downside of that day was that the boat decided it was the perfect time to throw the port heat-exchanger... ££££££££££

Spider, thanks for the welcome...the Luggage has too many legs and moves too fast for me these days! Alan, thanks for the welcome. No worries regarding the previous account...it was 100% my fault for allowing it to lapse. I'll just have to build up the magic 50 posts again as best I can.

Lord Paul recently sold his Freeman 23 after many years of happy cruising. That had a petrol-engine, Ford Watermota if memory serves. Considering that Paul did hundreds of miles in that boat (the engine sometimes didn't have time to get cold), I don't think the type of fuel posed a great problem for him. Petrol engines do need a little more attention than diesels in general but, the rewards are worth the effort IMHO. Petrol boats are usually lovely and quiet too...it's just a pity that the Broads infrastructure doesn't afford them a little more support. Guess I'll just have to continue 'glagging' along with two 'mature' Penta MD40A Leviathans...

Used a 2-stroke 2.5hp Mariner for a couple of years on an inflatable dinghy and it did the job perfectly. A little noisier than the ultra-modern units available but simple to maintain and reasonably cheap to run. Sold it and the dinghy together. New owner still happily chugging along with the same combination.

Hello again... Formerly full member "Patrician" but forgot my login...d'oh!