ZimbiIV

A quick way to tell which way the tide is flowing if you are unsure is to put the gear into neutral, you will feel the indent before get into reverse, if you do not seem to be slowing you are going with the tide if it feels like you are slowing as if braking you are going against the tide. Looking at the way the ripples are going is also a help but the wind maybe masking the tidal flow. Stop worrying as has been said when mooring SLOW is the name of the game. People will always help. paul

Enjoy Ian, The southern dragons are not as bad as the northen bridges. Please give our regards to all at Cove. Tell Marina not grasp your wallet so hard it may ease her wrist! paul & jill

Bored with this topic will just mark as read! The need to blame somebody/organisation is just bread and butter to those that litigate. "I was not specifically told this was a danger who do I sue?" The only hope is the people who do not read/listen to instructions are high up for the Darwin awards. You cannot force intelligence, common sense, a sense of danger and respect for others onto people who will not respect the power of nature, for nature not to cull those who disrespect it. My main worry and fear is for the ones who selflessly try to save them from themselves. Is there a way on the forum I can just mark a topic as over done and suggest those that are arguing back and forth that they keep personal arguments to themselves. The, I said this but meant that and you are wrong argument, does not equate to a reasoned debate about serious subjects that need honest discussion. I am not trying to curtail freedom of speech, just trying to release the freedom of respect for others and curtail keyboard warriors from shooting from the single finger typing protest. paul

I see from the photos you now THING from the Addams family is you helping out! paul

Peter, don't beat yourself up about it, your not the only that looks for the complex solution. I have just spent 2 hours finding out why the new lights in Jill's dolls house do not work, I changed all 8 AA batteries but no luck, all the connections looked ok etc. Check the batteries are reading 1.5v, yup, put them all back in, the RIGHT way round. OOPS well I knew that was what was wrong. Dear! paul

Ian you are right. All, remember you can make anything idiot proof but a better type of idiot comes along eventually! What has been suggested is fine BUT how many would have suggested not to swim near the propeller, stationary or not because the blades are sharp and may cause deep cuts? If you want an example of ultimate safety advice, This is what I was told, on a H&S controller course- If you look at the figures the only common link to all deaths is that the deceased inhaled AIR, thus according to safety regulations AIR must be regarded as highly toxic, therefore employees must be safely guarded from it. That is not really tongue in cheek, you can make as many rules/regulations you like but the superior idiot will always succeed. Life is a balance between risk and a straight jacket. The main advice I would like given to all water users is:- This boat weighs tons. Do you think your leg can stop it? Do not step of the boat until it is stopped. AND You are here to enjoy a holiday do not do anything or take any risks, that may make it your last holiday! paul

Ian, get a fan heater, we had 2 on Zimbi and an electric blanket each (brought them home) BUT only get a heater that has auto cut off if knocked over. Lidl did a great one remote control, economical and quick but when it reached temperature it started blowing cold air, why?, I don't know. If your batteries are in tip top condition you could fit a remote control so you can phone it from bed to warm up the boat before getting up or arriving at the boat. I was too tight to spend the £50 to get that when we changed the heater, still regret that. Never mind warmth how are you? Hope the head is recovering. paul

Old time mariners didn't learn to swim because in the middle of the North Sea the nearest land is only about a mile away. Beneath your feet. Why prolong the agony! paul

It does not matter how big the boat is, it does not matter how powerful the engine/s are, IT is how they are used! I had a car that would do nearly 200 mph BUT I did not try that when public highways. We had a boat with a single cylinder engine and would not have tried Breydon in that one. Most of the speeding on the waterways I have seen, has been done by people who have been told X revs equals 6mph, NOT with the tide is doesn't it equals 6mph plus the tide rate. I have been guilty of speeding, when someone has done the total unexpected and it was safer to get the hell out of it than risk a collision. Now with so many apps available there is no excuse for not having a speedometer on a boat. paul

The most important safety equipment be it boat or car is, the nut behind the wheel. That nut is responsible for all safe practices on a moving vessel! paul

Sorry to hear you are suffering more woes. paul & jill

The thing I do not understand is, if this is required to happen, why wait until Monday? Shouldn't it happen now? paul

Ian, that's because they were avoiding being attacked by low lying bridges! paul

I bet your FLUSHED with success. paul

The trouble with you young'uns is you are too old to realise that living becomes an adventure. paul

Marina, No sympathy for his headache tomorrow, he is old enough to duck. Seriously that must have been terrifying. Ian hope it works out ok, but inside helming on the way back, maybe for the best. Jill sends her sympathies. paul Ps We know them well in case anyone thinks I am been nasty. Alan, look after them, we may not see them after selling Zimbi but still care about old friends.

The new cut is best taken with tide ( if you work out which tide it uses) that way you get it over and done with as cheaply as possible. The most boring bit of river imaginable! paul

Try Norwich camping at Blofield same stuff the chandlers sell but being aimed at caravaners it does not have BOAT premium added tax applied. paul

looking at those knots, is it a macrame convention? paul

YnysMon, After owning we would not be able to accept sharing a boat and not just going when we wanted. We are not fully finished with the Broads yet we have a flat booked for next March ( a covid carry over) and may hire a boat for the following week. paul

Strangely the hardest part was not to sell but to go round all the friends we have made at Cove and around the area that we are leaving. Then emptying Zimbi, nearly 7 years of accumulated STUFF, useful and the why did we buy this type. The amount of things in the spare bedroom is going to take some sorting. We left a full set of crockery/cutlery pots and pans and brought a full set of crockery/cutlery back? paul

Well that's the end for us. Zimbi IV went round to NYA today. Time, distance health, and wealth decreed, that the 280 mile each way trip was getting longer to recover from. So if anyone wants a 27ft Seamaster 820 in very good condition look for it at nya.co.uk it may take a few days to appear they are busy so we are hoping it sells quickly. May hire next year. I miss it already and we only left it at 6 am this morning. paul

A couple of spaces available at Cove Marina. Brundall, really recommend it. Toilets, showers, pump out and fuel. Plenty of parking and owner on site most days. paul

No drive in fast food in Norfolk Broads 'cos nobody drives above 6 mph so queues would be terrible. paul

It's the broads, boating, so you just need LOTS of money and cards! paul