Mouldy

We took Moonlight Shadow down there when we were on board back in April. EW had a few boats in, but we spun MS round in the dyke and reversed in. We wanted to eat at The White Horse, but when I tried to book a table, it was quiz night and they were fully booked. Got a table booked at The Lion instead, so sadly, we haven’t managed to eat at the Upton White Horse this year.

We hired a 45ft version back in 1995. I think they are great boats, but let down now by a lack of maintenance. I don’t mind the side door - it allows independent access to all of the other cabins, without passing through any. As Neil said, the engine is quiet at the helm, it’s just noisy to everyone following! Have a great time!

We’ve just had spring tides, so the river levels may settle down a bit by this weekend. Depends on the weather too, but don’t give up hope yet!

That is indeed the boat that was seen and deemed to be fire damaged a few weeks ago. Not sure what the plan is - it hasn’t even been fitted with an engine!

Sorry to have missed you again, Simon. We’re just heading back to the marina. It’s the Moonlight Shadow AGM tomorrow, so we need to be home to get ready for it. Thinking about staying overnight and trying The White Heron this evening and going home in the morning. Not sure yet. Have a great week! Currently on spring tides - very high today. Just passing Cantley at 10:45 and the water has already overtopped, with 2.5 hours until high water!

Shame she doesn’t look like that these days. Along with Summercraft and one or two others, they certainly had a distinctive and easily recognisable livery, albeit one that’s not easy to disguise if the craft ever went into private ownership.

Hybrid? Please don’t suggest more ruddy hybrids. We were sat at Ranworth yesterday (and yes, I grudgingly paid my £5). It was all quiet and peaceful, save for the thrumming of a not too quiet generator on one of the new Brinks Preludes. If this is the future of boating, I don’t like it! 😡

No, sadly. I was talking to Clive and thought it inappropriate. Externally, it looks exactly the same as the ‘private’ one he finished earlier in the year, with a grey hull and white superstructure. There are a few pictures on FB.

I was at HPC yesterday and the first Fleetline has been launched, with some finishing to do. The next mould is already in the shed, being worked on.

And does make syndicate ownership even more attractive for a regular hirer. Based on our subs on Moonlight Shadow at £1800 per year, even including say £150 per week for fuel and pump outs on top, that still only equates to £600 per week including for the ones in peak season. The weather is fairly hit and miss at any time of the year. This is the UK after all. We called into Horning Pleasurecraft yesterday to speak to the yard foreman about something on MS, but spoke to Clive instead. He showed me his empty hireboat quay, with all of his fleet out this week. Indeed, it seems to be as busy now as when we were here in mid July. Sorry David - thread drift!

Good to see that DHL are living up to their nickname - Drop it, Hide it, Lose it! 😉

When we bought our boat, the Eberspacher heater could be heard, but it wouldn’t fire. When we arrived at Swancraft, I spoke to Paul about it and he suggested that it may be the fuel pump. He investigated and found the pump at the stern, near the heater, but he moved it to near the fuel tank, towards the bow and it worked perfectly. The pump pushes fuel more efficiently than sucks it. Might be worth seeing where your heater fuel pump is located in relation to the supply.

I think MS may struggle to keep up . . . . . . . . although the new prop may help! 😁

Think the jewels may have lost their lustre last year! 😉

Get that, but what else are they spending it on. Court cases chasing people for planning issues cost multiple thousands, but is that best use of the cash. Does that come from the navigation budget? Our tolls are rising in line with inflation, but it looks as if what they want to pay for leases for moorings isn’t. Now inflation has fallen again to less than 7%, I wonder what excuse they’ll come up with to justify a toll increase we’ll over the rate of inflation? Are we, as toll payers, really getting value for money?

Isn’t it likely that landowners will want higher payments as a matter of course anyway? If the BA maintain their current policy of looking for cheap leases, without contributing to the maintenance of the quay heading, how many more sites will be lost moving forward. The quantity of moorings at the locations listed on their website aren’t accurate either. They state, for example, that Worlingham on the Waveney will accommodate six craft. Two is more like it, even double moored, say four, unless they’re moored stern on. This is 2023. They need to adjust their thinking in line with the 21st century.

Not on my watch either, Sam - a fork or spoon, but not my watch! 😉. And yes, ignore the stories of sea monsters, the southern broads do exist and are worth coming down for!

Boulters at Horning tend to be cheapest, unless you can get under Ludham Bridge, in which case Rob at Sutton Staithe is possibly a little cheaper. If you use Boulters, you need to book in, du to the limited space at their yard. Take care Jeff. We will catch up at some stage, I’m sure! 😁

I can’t see any way that the upholstery would last that long, especially in a hirecraft. It is, however, typical of the chintzy upholstery that featured in Summercraft’s fleet and does look in reasonable condition. I think it’s been reupholstered. We did hire that same boat in 2005, but having checked, I don’t appear to have any photos of the interior.

They don’t expire, so will still be usable if you return to The Broads at a future date. The only difference maybe the amount of electricity they buy you.

The saloon upholstery looks relatively new. But the mattresses may be original. The worst thing about the interior, to me, is the state of the doors on some cupboards and some internal doors, which appear to have been affected by damp and sun bleaching. Not a cheap fix, even if you can match the veneers.

Looks that way, sadly. I checked the Hoseasons website and there is only Gala Girl showing as available from Summercraft for next year. Given that the other Diamond 35 has been out of a fleet for a long time and the Summercraft livery would be hard to disguise, I feel the price may be a tad optimistic, but it have been well looked after.

Phone numbers for both Somerleyton and Reedham bridges are listed on the BA website, too: https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/bridge-heights-and-opening-times#:~:text=Bridge contact information&text=Reedham Swing Bridge%3A Tel 0330,Bridge%3A Tel 0330 858 4656.

There have been several posts on various FB Broads groups this morning, confirming that further talks regarding the renegotiation of the lease at Langley Dyke have now concluded, with no resolution and the moorings will remain closed. I guess that it’s no real surprise, with the apparent current attitude towards navigation and the dearth of moorings on the southern rivers. Granted, Cantley is relatively close, but they frequently overtop particularly during the winter months, leaving some distance between Rockland Short Dyke and Hardley Cross. So far, there has been no communication, (that I’ve seen, at least) from the Broads Authority. Perhaps Tom @BroadsAuthority would like to confirm and whether alternatives are actively being sought.

It must be a couple of years since the Whittlingham moorings were lost, so not that often, apparently. 😉