PCL023

It was perfect for us, had no clue it was on, came though the bridge just before they all started to turn, putting us with our “technically” an Aquafibre 🤔😜, at the head of the pack until we got to Salhouse. Saw a couple of cheeky glimpses of us in the video, though we were lacking the bunting, as this had been forgotten and left at home. You are quite right though Jean; my guess was that some of the bigger boats were not too happy with the slower tick over speeds, so if you were following at the back, you may not have been able to see the boats at the front💨🌫 😂. It was a great sight to see them all. Papaver looked very nice indeed, however the thought did stick in my mind that it’s now a much longer way around with a paint bush compared to the varnish brush used to be 😊. Cheers Paul

Our old MK1 aft cockpit Elysian 27, 13 years ago that we kept at Martham was good for 6’ on PH bridge, according to the BA indicator boards. I would think there is not too much in between the centre and aft cockpit versions? I guess time will tell, remembering it will be the yard that takes it through. Our current boat an Ocean 30 needs 6’4” at PH as per the pilots gauge, it’s tight but made it, (a very windy April 2015 after re launch at Martham), I would have thought given the extra beam and height of the O30, the centre cockpit Elysian would need less? Great to see a yard adding a boat like this, a fantastic modernised example it is too. There still appears to be a hire market for this size of boat which are a little thin on the ground elsewhere at present, again time will tell, however the small injection of similar sized original built wooden boats at MBDC appears to be working well. Cheers Paul

Well in the industry I work in often is the case some of our competitors get their small puddle jumper’s stuck in the most awkward of place’s, so groundings in general no matter the size or shape of a vessel or the amount of technical navigation aids on board will ever stop this. Our company too has had it’s fair share of this too at times, though we try and avoid blocking the main routes. As for broads training, it could be an idea to show folks the last episode of the Coot club. Took ages to get my wife to want to venture across Breydon after watching it. 😜 Had the same issue with a Cornwall beach holiday after watching Jaws. Cheers Paul

Got ours from Boulters in Hoverton just out of town on the industrial estate last year. Also there is the chance to sign up for one of their loyalty cards that offers some discount as well. best regards Paul

30’ twin engines; there has been a long standing debate about this somewhere I remember reading, (try google), between the projects/princess 31/32’, these appear to be slightly more common installed with drive legs, and the twin engine Ocean and Broom 30s which are mainly on shafts. Cheers Paul

Did our mop head replacement a few years back, had the same issue getting the old one out. Found the only way I could this, with the limited tools on the boat, was a pair of side cutters. Use these to dig in to the copper nail and rock the side cutters up while holding them tight, takes a while but seems the only way to get a straight enough pull. Good luck 👍🏻😊

I think that extra ring by the handle is a temporary place for the hook? I have one on one of my fishing rods, at least that’s what I use it for 👍🏻. Cheers Paul (ps: great minds 😄)

Most of the grills on smaller two burner boat cookers tend to be a little erratic I have found, you can normally squeeze in two slices of bread under the grill, this can seem to take an age to toast, you turn your back for just a second and the whole lot has turned to charcoal. At the end of the day you’re on a boat so the chances of a full sized oven and grill are likely less. 😊

Not from what I have seen 😊, maybe ok as a very temporary repair, as is a ply patch, But not long term as a joint.

Have to agree with the above. I was always told owing to the movement of carvel planks, not to use epoxy, or any other fancy sealants below the water line, (this was by MBBDC, they know a thing or two about wooden boats and some of the long term issues this has possibly caused). Corking cotton and white putty for the seams, a polyurethane based sealant is ok on the scarf joint surfaces. (No prayer books to be used, that you would never hear the end of). There are some products out there such as inter fill, for above the water line, however it all depends on how much you want to spend on these flexible fillers, and how often you intend to take the boat out for maintenance, along with where you intend to keep her when in the water. If it’s outside in the open you will be chasing your tail on the hull seams depending on the atmospheric conditions, especially during very hot summers and direct sun etc. a quick lift in and out to decorate can help once things are settled, (But not sure there is such a thing as a quick lift out and in with a wooden boat)😉 Cheers Paul

I quite like those pontoons that have been put in at Oulton Dyke, I wonder if they could catch on in some other locations as well? As mentioned the balance between free and chargeable moorings verses, maintenance, leasing etc. may be a hard one to stack up, that said a mud weight and dinghy takes some of the pressure off the moorings and finding one if left to late in the height of season. Compared to 20 years ago and much before; now a 30’ boat with a 10’ beam is considered small. You see it a many of the moorings where the mooring posts no longer line up with the length and width of many of the boats produced today. I wonder what the average length and width of boats built say in the last 20 years are, compared to those built 30 / 40+ years ago?

Fully agree in many ways; you can’t beat a wooden boat, pretty to look at full of character, handle like nothing else, they almost become part of the family, though no matter how hard you try as soon as they are in the water you never really know what’s going on underneath. 🤔. Keeping on top of the maintenance is something that can be an enjoyable process every year, (you tend to spend as much time and money in a cold shed as you do on the water in the main season), however if you are brave enough to skip a few years or turn a blind eye on one or two of those little areas that need attention/maintenance jobs, you can find yourself in a whole heap of it..... Are they all worth it, hell yes, but time and some outlay are required, when compared to their GRP relatives, which are still never going to be net 0 with regards to that. So when you see these wooden boats, privately owned or on hire, doff your hat, give them a wave and think of the days when wooden windows and doors were a thing until UPVC came a long, and what the up keep on these were like. There are some cracking wooden boats still out there, a testament to the owners hard-work, deep pockets or both, though you don’t see so many even compared to 10-20 years ago that linger unforgotten, likely destined for the big boat bonfire in the sky. There are still a few hidden gems out there though tucked away in far distance corners of dry sheds or other places that are waiting for new custodians to give them a new life.

Topping off fuel tanks, topical 😊, we should all rush out now and get them filled. I can see the news now, boats queuing out from either side Horning for fuel 🤣

We moor at Landamores, so often during what ended up being an unplanned short season for us, we have come across many of these new floating bikes. So far no issues at all, it has actually been great to see a new venture take off. Now slightly off topic…. Now on the other hand if we are to mention Wroxham bridge navigation; this will set my foot tapping. Day boats manoeuvring down stream right in front of the bridge, right opposite the public key the bridge pilots have taken over, where boats are often 2 even 3 abreast. How planning permission was allowed for these activities when there is often loads of room in the basins behind NBD, is beyond me and many others too. Still each event near miss etc. is reported to the BA still it continues. B/pilots and day boat operators, which this season seem to have changed, maybe it’s pressure, however who feel they have right of way over everything and everyone, no matter a what stage you are at in negotiating the bridge, even if you’re half way through it! (rant over 😊). Cheers Paul

Right close to the viaduct are the pontoon bikes, new venture. The remaining sheds hold nothing but air, one may have the old green lifting crane if it’s not being stored outside? The offices are the same all empty, these have been like this since the hire boats left. Landamores use their other sites for the maintenance of any boats. There are lifting facilities at the Bridge Broad site, were the yard will undertake some minor jobs such as anti fouling. The Landamores web site gives plenty of details of their services they offer. 👍🏻 Cheers Paul

Engine load most likely has the largest contributing factor to fuel consumption, then tides depending where you are, followed by hull design. There are those that will say most broads boats are all displacement hulls and this makes little difference, however I would beg to differ. There are some boats that would appear to glide and cut through the water much better than others, where at the end of a long trip, 3 boats with almost the same BMC engines, two used a lot more fuel than the “pacemaker” we were following. Also depends if your towing a water break.... 🚣‍♂️ Cheers Paul

Hi Andrew That is correct; in England and most of the UK we have fewer public holidays, however unlike some other countries if ours fall on a weekend, they default to the next Monday, where in some of the other countries they don’t and are therefore part of the normal weekend etc. If they fall on these. Though I would agree never to knock more public holidays, (as long as the weather is good of course). Cheers Paul

Just how nice is it that someone goes to such great efforts in arranging all this, with maybe a little help here and there. would have been nice to see them all or be involved having a fully biodegradable in the family, see pic. but for other plans etc we could not make it. what makes a classic in car terms, it tends to be when it becomes tax exempt, don’t see that happening any time soon on some of our boats. 😜 anything boat wise built pre - 1980’s I would punt for as a classic. But it’s a little bit more tricky, what about such things as have they been heavily restored like Triggers broom? So what, this is what they all need at some point to keep them going. Also what abut some boats that have been completely redeveloped where they look the same as the originals but have been built more recently? There are a few day boats and yachts we know of where this has been done. Any way just killing some time at the moment, however I fully agree with floydraser above. 👍 cheers Paul

Sounds like there was an air lock in the tank, this could percolate it’s way in to the keel cooler over time. it was a very long time ago we had this issue on Nice One. I seem to remember we may have ended flushing the system the other way around, as the stat will shut when cold water hits it. So from below the engine water pump flush the hose through the keel cooler through the tank, until it runs clear out of the top of the header tank, (cap removed), Then remove the water hose and put it in to the header tank and connect the disconnected lower keel pipe. Are you loosing any coolant when running? if not it’s a tricky one which I’m thinking pressure cap or water pump? Most likely it could just be a bit of air left in the system that’s not been flushed through. Cheers Paul

It’s the best way to get any air locks out of the keel cooler. The engine water pump will not be able to push it through in some cases. Once water is flowing nicely from the return, pop the hose in the header tank while you quickly remake the connections, a spare pair of hands is very handy when doing this. cheers Paul

As we call it in the shipping industry: “MacGyver” tape. 😜

Had this in the past with dads boat, also installed with a keel cooler. They can be prone to air locks normally if there is a small leak or if the pipe feeding the clarorfiera has dropped. If not tried already flush it through with a hose pipe, so there’s only water coming from the feed back to the engine. With quick hands remake the connections.

We use EVA boat flooring. It has a very strong self adhesive backing which is stuck to boards, it to can be lifted taken home and pressure washed if ever needed. It’s mainly for outside deck use such as fly bridges etc. Inside the boat it’s great and soft under foot. Any impressions from items like chairs disappear. Water proof and wipe clean etc. Plenty of the stuff on the supplier’s of choice sites, such as the bay, many colour options and roll sizes. We did the lot with 5 rolls at about £38.00 per roll. (120x90) Very easy to fit, and cheap enough if it fails after a few years, though it’s holding up just fine after the first year of abuse. Just did the last part in the cockpit the other month. ( alloy edging trims also now installed). it could be worth a look? Cheers Paul

You could try IRCM. We have used them for over 12 years, (never had to make a claim). They may require a valuation report, you would need to check. The policies are underwritten by Lloyd’s or Axa, I cannot remember who is the under writer this year? Cheers Paul

Actually and as stated she is an original Judith, though by original she would have had the elongated windows, it was the original similar shape Janet’s that had the port holes. Juliette’s are quite a bit different, longer for starters and not so much of a rake in the midships, the hull too is different, turning up at the stern. Cheers Paul