DaveRolaves

Surely that's totally irrelevant given the maximum speed on the broads is 6 mph for the very vast majority of it , there is a person in brundall that has one already n he's making a name for himself n not in a good way . ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Well its unlikely that the rib will be used on the broads at 40 knots. River inspectors will take a dim view of that!!! The trader is basically a sea boat and besides being used on the broads it will also be used out at sea. The rib could be used on Breydon water or perhaps be used the same as coastal Voyager at Southwold when the trader moors at Southwold which is just a short hop down the coast from the broads.

2350 lit. If the tanks are low by the time you reach Southwold call in there and refuel at a competitive price. Fuel pumps are next to the lifeboat station. Harbour master (peter or Jerry) will refuel for you - call them on Ch 12...lDave R.

Robin, Great thread I wish you all the best. When heading north past Aldeburgh, Sizewell and Dunwich if you keep in 50 feet plus of water you will avoid the nets and pots positioned by the local inshore fishing boats. Dave R.........

Merry Christmas to all. The photo is of a Christmas card sent by my granddad from France in the 1st world war on the reverse it says BEST WISHES TO ALL - FROM ARTHUR.......

snowing quite heavily at southwold

Windfinder is a good weather site especially if you live near the coast https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/southwold You can put your own location in for a more accurate forecast. Looks like a gale will hit us tomorrow (Thursday) at about 9am

If you moor on the Walberswick side pontoon you have the option of two good pubs in Walberswick just a 10 minute walk away.

There is no water or electricity on the new Walberswick pontoon as yet that may come in the future. My southwold mooring is just 100 yards upstream from the new visitors moorings on the walberswick bank. Dave R.......

Southwold is a great harbour, Peter and Jerry will always help out and run the harbour very well. Fuel is available from a pump on the harbour wall near the lifeboat station. Contact the harbour office on channel 12 . Dave R....

Paul, Let us know if you manage to find a suitable mooring on the Yare in the position you want. Dave R.........

There was a mooring to let on The Yare about 300 yards upstream of Reedham Ferry on the left bank. There are some boats there and the moorings are quite long. The owner of the land may live in the cottage nearby on the other side of the road leading to Reedham Ferry. Dave R.....

I have one used it only once and been in the cupboard ever since. Not that impressed with it. Why Not Well lets see what it will do and others may well add to the list. Here are just a few things:- It will sharpen knifes, chisels garden tools. It will derust metal and remove metal burrs after cutting It will clean up those damaged threads on a bolt so you can spin a nut on to it. It will smooth off the edge of a wall tile after its been cut. It will plunge into a wooden door when you fit a mortice lock It will smooth timber, it will grind away fibre glass, metal and filler. It will grind away that part of the door that sticks in the frame. It will grind away that screw that protrudes and grind off the head if needed It will square off a length of copper tube that you have not managed to cut off square with the hacksaw. It will clean off anodes before the boat goes back in the water and smooth off a damaged prop It will enlarge that hole you have cut in the hull for fitting a skin fitting or bowthruster tube It will grind away that rusted and seized nut that you cannot remove with a spanner.

I have used the black and decker powerfile now for many years for boat building and general maintenance work. Its a good tool, well made and will last a long time. Its available with broad and narrow belt attachments. It can be bought from E Bay and other places for less than £40

Plenty of Herring to be caught off Southwold and all along the Suffolk and Norfolk coast at present, they arrived late October and will be around until March 18. Dave R.....

In all a good programme but as has been said it jumped about a lot from the northern to the southern broads. I would have thought that a stop at the Berney moorings and a visit to the mill would have been shown. It looks like that will be the only programme from the Norfolk broads. Its a shame that a whole series could not have been solely about the Broads

The tide was very high on The Yare at Hardley Cross this morning at 8am. Tide was over the top of the quay heading by about 8".

Hi JennyMorgan. Good to know that Robin is still on the broads and sailing. He may also view this forum. In his book he said that whilst he was thinking about buying the Alexander hire fleet he saw a Lochin motor cruiser on the broads which was an unusual sight (he once worked for Lochin) and he took that as a good omen and purchased the Alexander hire cruisers. The Lochin he saw may have been mine. I bought it as a bare hull in 1994 and fitted it out and whilst it was based at Southwold I did take it onto the broads from 1997 for a few years and normally visited Brundall Bay Marina. Photo of my Lochin (now sold) is attached. Dave R..

Snowy - that was quick - hope you like the book - perhaps you could update us when you have read it. My reaction is that with all the breakdowns, new engines and gearboxes, call outs, divers brought in to clear ropes from props etc - is that at the end of the day profits are not going to be large. Dave R........

I bought a book recently from the cabin at Hardley Mill, its called a Broad Experience by Robin Godber who was the owner of the Alexander Hire fleet based in Brundall from 1999 to 2006. Its a good read and gives readers an insight into the running of a hire fleet with running costs problems and call out to broken down cruisers etc. The book (287 pages) is still available either used or new and goes into almost day to day problems encountered with running a fleet of hire boats. Dave R..........

The gap is between the two 24 hour BA moorings. Each separate 24 hour mooring is marked at either end by information posts and reflective markers are positioned on the quay to mark the mooring posts within the BA 24hour moorings.

The broads authority now have two 24 hour moorings on the Berney Quay separated be a gap of about 200 yards. Ime not sure that the second lot of mooring upstream of the first ones are necessary but it would be good if the new 24 hour moorings could be provided with electric charging points and hook ups. A electric supply is already close by supplying power to the pumping station just a few yards away from the new moorings and the mill.

I would not say that the plastic tanks built by vetus or tek tanks are rubbish. They are well made and will last a long while. Stainless 316 tanks are also OK but are prone to leaking and cracking at the seams after a time. It depends on the skill of the welder. Most new boats are now fitted with plastic tanks.

Clive - DC marine would be able to make or supply a new stern tube for you and put the correct threads on both ends.Have a look at the prop shaft where the packing in the stuffing box has been rubbing against it. Sometimes after a lot of use the shaft can become grooved at this point. If it is grooved then you could consider ordering the new tube a few inches longer that would ensure that that the stuffing box and packing is located on the unworn part of the shaft.

Clive, what is wrong with your present stern tube, the stern tube does not normally wear out but the outer and inner bearings do need replacing from time to time. There is normally a shaft seal at the forward end of the tube which does need adjusting or repacking from time to time to prevent leaks. Dave R.

They will supply the complete stern tube to the length and spec that you need. They can make the stern tube up at their works, if you have the old stern tube they can copy that. DC marine have been supplying props , stern tubes, rudders etc for many years and they will be able to help.