Joshly

Dear Mrs Hylander, Sorry if I have been hard on you with my comments, but its all relative. When you start off with a small day boat, or similar, you want to go bigger, more space, a galley, a decent head, a couple of berths and so on. Eventually you realise all boats bigger than yours are potentially seen as Bling Boats, something you aspire to. When you eventually hit your financial ceiling and realise your considerable investment isn't getting used, the kids have grown up and doing there own thing, boats become like houses, you consider downsizing or giving up altogether. It seems that the most enthusiastic boaters are in vessels under 30ft, not what I would exactly call Bling, that to my mind is the large offshore vessels that travel from Brundall to Oulton Broad causing issues with their considerable wake and diesel fumes from under utilised turbo chargers! Or maybe I'm confusing Bling with Gin Palaces? When your landlord moved from Puddingmoor in Beccles to St Olaves I thought this would be good for him and our locality. St Olaves is ideally positioned with access to Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft/Beccles. A good selection of trips, both short and long. The trouble is the aspirations for the Marina were changed several years ago when the scheme was to add numerous large holiday properties on the various raised bank to increase income. This was never part of the original planning scheme or approved by residents. It has delayed the finishing of the Marina for what it was intend to be, and as a result 17 years on, battles continue between the owners, the Planners and Residents, shame, it could have been a real asset not a considerable liability! IMHO.

The pontoons on the river has died down until the landowner chooses to have another go, whenever. As for the Marina itself there are so many non compliance issues that affect local residents both in Haddiscoe and St Olaves, the view of passers by, the impact on the ecology, etc, etc. Pumping mud directly from the constructed basins into the river or burning old boats on the riverside banks is not considered by anybody as responsible. Richard's boatyard is an example of what can be achieved by hard work and awareness of his local neighbours. The Marina is a dump and it has been so for the past 17 years. If you need more evidence just stroll along the New Cut and see the Marina's moorings collapsing into the watercourse. Instead of funding river pontoon moorings it would be good to see existing moorings tidied up. We as residents have been told by unauthorised residential moorers to get off the public footpath that runs by the the New Cut moorings. They seem to think that they have a right to the public footpath land, sorry, incorrect, as confirmed by the BA! So you may be comfortable in your tidy moorings but the remainder leaves a lot to be desired. As for bling boats, where is that coming from, certainly not relevant to St Olaves moorings.

Its appreciated that you can't do everything at once, but this started back in 1997 when the planning application was agreed. Since then the site has gone downhill with significantly raised banks, dumping of various materials and a temporary plastic building that was built for one to two years use, but has remained. Looking at the site from the Waveney river side it looks like a boat scrap yard, from the road a builders dump, and the St Olaves village a sprawling mess. If you had invested good money on a property overlooking a tranquil natural valley then watched as this has unfolded then you would have a right to feel unhappy. It was supposed to be landscaped to reduced the impact and the bank where boats are stored, ruining the skyline, is not an agreed facility. It's our backyard and with the owner recently trying to spoil the navigation taking up water space, he has won no friends. You need to be careful Dave, your statement that people reside on boats in the Marina is only confirming what we know, but is contested by the Marina owners, they do not have planning permission to have residential moorings and what you are confirming is a serious breach of the planning consent!

As said in another thread re BA Planning application for St Olaves Marina, it all depends upon where you are coming from. Where you moor your boat is not the same as what happens in your back yard!

I see, its really snippets about trivia, sort of jumble sale of repartee. No more Ace Cafe instalments then? Back to the St Olaves Marina. Anyone know what happened to Fungus?

Marina on the Waveney had nothing to do with PHB but it drew some attention. Where do we go next, I'm a total novice, please advise? How about Fishing on the Broads or restoring a Freeman 33 sport?

My first Tranny in the car was a radio with a handle on the front that enabled it to be pushed into a carrier frame beneath the dash and pulled out when leaving the car to stop it getting nicked. Listened to Caroline all the time when in range until the Govm/t closed then down, spoilsports! Replaced it with BBC 1 but never the same. How times have changed!

The White Swan attracted up to 200 bikes on a Friday evening. all well behaved, a hot dog or a burger and a swift half. Bike and bikers of all ages, mostly older, up to 70's. With a helmet on they could rekindle their youth getting looks from the birds and concealing their true age. Shame there is nothing like it for sporting car enthusiasts, my first car was a Berkeley three wheeler, with a Excelsior Talisman 328cc three cylinder two stroke engine. Looked a bit like an e type from the front with faired in headlamps but the rear, a dogs dinner covering the single wheel. A four wheeled version was available and looked more presentable but could not drive on a motorbike license. Good old days courting in a three wheeler, watching Radio Caroline from Frinton on Sea water front at night with headlamps on to keep the DJ's enthused. Remembering the dream!

Were you there when the wheel and axle came off a car and bounced over the securing fencing smashing into the spectators, braking a woman's leg I believe? Good days with the gold tops (Champions) at the back having to work through the field. Speedway was good as well, the Witches roaring around the track, living in Kesgrave at the time, what a racket. Tiger 90, 350cc white and gold if my mind serves, great looking bike, a smaller Bonnie, but pretty useful! Those days of DB34 and 32's, Rocket Gold Stars, Dominators, and the like, great bikes now worth quite a packet. I have a Honda VFR 800Fi at the moment, Anniversary model. 17 years old and 2200 miles on the clock! Not used much, bit of an investment I hope, number 6 of 50! Also kitted out for er in doors. Touring, not posing! Getting a bit old now for such activities, trips to the Swan in Yarmouth in the Hay days.

Well BB a Beema tourer, do it with er in doors or like to carry waterproofs?

Heducated lot you are! BSA stands for 'Bits stuck anywhere', certainly down here in the land of plenty! (no references to oil you realise!)

Tiger in his tank or under his boot lid? I wish I could understand some of your posts Iain, 'Looks like somebody has done it'? Is it cryptic, advisory or a private joke? Or perhaps we should only speak when spoken to?

Wow, pretty cool vehicle, you must have read 'Custom Car' mag, came from the USA I believe! The days of 1650cc Ford Anglia, slope back window variant, around the Speedworth Foxhall Stadium in Ipswich. Running Ford DOHC with twin 40 DCOE's. Probably much the same up here, at Yarmouth Stadium, but not my neck of the woods then! A Suffolk git then, now a Norfolk old git!

What does that matter, there is another more long winded thread with 7000+ viewing elsewhere about the SOM! Lets stick to something different and pleasurable for a change! Your CB400ss looks great, did you do the restoration? Mine was a Triumph Tiger 100, pre unit, back in 1964, I have the 63 Bonney in the shed at present as a basket case for a rainy day! Unless someone has greater inclinations than me of course! ACE CAFE anyone?

Moggie Minor, This is a subject where size does not matter, its the experience that counts!