Speleologist

Vaughan, you are absolutely right for many boats, however provided it is visible it would be legal on a boat of less than 12m. It would be quite easy to meet the visibility requirements if the unit were mounted for example, on an A frame of a RIB, or on the Radar arch of a cruiser fitted with one. It would also be legal under IRPCS and is quite a common solution for small vessels.

Referring to the effects of a bright light, or spotlight, the MAIB report into the loss of the sailing yacht Ouzo provides salutory reading. A statement in ot from the Institute of Opthalmology identifies that it takes 20-30 minutes to gain full night vision after exposure to light. This not only means light from others' spotlights, but also light from going below in your own boat. If cruising at night it is sensible to have a red light for the saloon to avoid this problem.

Looking at this it seems that it would be legal on a vessel of under 12m provided the lights met the required specification (visible at 1 mile). From the Navigation Byelaws: It looks as if the white light in the picture is all round. For use at sea it would also have to meet the requirements for arc of visibility and for colour specification. (These are strangely not defined in the byelaws). It would also have to be positioned where the boat structure did not interfere with the visibility.

One good thing that came out of this was the setting up of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, which since its inception has done an excellent job of researching the causes of accidents but without seeking to apportion blame.Over the years much has been learned in both commercial and recreational seafaring from their findings. The Wreck Commissioners Report on thee Herald of Free Enterprise makes salutory reading and picks up many of the points that Vaughn raised. It also makes it abundantly clear that there were serious failures by senior management, not just by the crew on board.

As none of the river banks on The Broads are in Access Land then this is simply a matter between the angler and the landowner. In England D of E expeditions are restricted just like the rest of us. However in most mountain and moorland areas there are basic camp sites with minimal facilities. When I worked in outdoor education in the Peak District they were exactly the sort of places we used. I suspect that this is covered under separate legislation. However from experience of military activities on non military land in national parks I know that the MOD are responsible for making good any damage caused by military exercises.

Thanks Peter, this exactly summarisies my point. The right to roam in Scotland exists by default. In England it is restricted to designated Access Areas. Also in Scotland camping is OK,. In England it is not allowed. The Scottish code is here The English government guidance is here A comparison of the two shows how much more restrictive the English right to roam rights are..Key differences are: In Scotland access is by default, with exceptions defined, whereas in England the default is no access unless acces has been defined In Scotland inland water is included. In England it is not. (This is the one of key interest to boaters, canoeists etc.) In Scotland camping is allowed. In England it is not In Scotland horse riding is allowed. In England it is not In Scotland cycliing is allowed. In England it is not So the use of byelaws to restrict camping in a very small bit of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park really does not bear any relation to ENgland, where camping is not allowed anyway.

This decision bears absolutely no relationship to England. IN Scotland there is a de facto right to roam oon open moors, combined with permitting ild camping. In England no such similar rights exist. All that has happened is that in the Loch Lomond National Park byelaws will prevent wild camping in a very small, mostly roadside area. There will be no restrictions elsewhere. The situation will still be much more open than anywhere in England, where there is no right to roam except on agreed access land and no right to camp anywhere. If we had a situation in England similar to Loch Lomond it would be a huge stride forward.

I frequently cross the channel at night. On a yacht with only navigation lights the light pollution is minimal and on a clear night the skies are spectacular. The only down side is, being on a moving yacht (and also usually racing), there is no chance to take a photo.

This Observer article from 2009 gives a very good overview of the Donald Crowhurst story.

Although Wikipedia states that Teignmouth Electron was built in glass fibre, I have always understood her to have been glass sheathed ply. The most recent pictures I can find of the, now very broken, wreck on Cayman Brac would appear to bear this out.

The interesting question here, which would require more legal advice, is one of timing. There are indeed Traffic Officers, employed by Highways England, who are not police. They also do not have blue lights. However, they have only existed since 2004, and the reference aboce to Traffic Officer is in the 1988 Road Traffic Act. It therefore was almost certainly intended to mean a policeman on dedicated traffic duties. That raises the question as to whether a policeman traffic officer has the right to stop when in plain clothes. Although that seems moot as the common law right would seem to cover it.

All National Parks in England were created under legislation contained in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. To have the legal status of a National Park it must be set up under the terms of this Act. The Broads is not. It is set up under the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988. This is a vital difference as the duty to protect navigation is contained in this act. A true National Park does not have a mechanism for enshrining navigation duties in law. Furthermore National Parks are subject to the "Sandford Principle" which means that if there is a conflict between conservation and other duties, then conservation must take precedence. This could potentially be used to restrict navigation. Many features of how the Broads Authority is structured have similarities to a National Park and the Authority tried to incorporate becoming a National Park within the Broads Authority Act 2009. This element was rejected by Parliament.However they have recently been given the go ahead to use the term National Park for marketing purposes. The Broads is still not legally a National Park. There are, in the minds of many of us, two major problems with this marketing strategy. 1. It is not true. George Orwell had a term for this. He called it Doublespeak. All National Parks in England were created under legislation contained in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. To have the legal status of a National Park it must be set up under the terms of this Act. The Broads is not. It is set up under the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988. This is a vital difference as the duty to protect navigation is contained in this act. A true National Park does not have a mechanism for enshrining navigation duties in law. Furthermore National Parks are subject to the "Sandford Principle" which means that if there is a conflict between conservation and other duties, then conservation must take precedence. This could potentially be used to restrict navigation. Many features of how the Broads Authority is structured have similarities to a National Park and the Authority tried to incorporate becoming a National Park within the Broads Authority Act 2009. This element was rejected by Parliament.However they have recently been given the go ahead to use the term National Park for marketing purposes. The Broads is still not legally a National Park. There are, in the minds of many of us, two major problems with this marketing strategy. 1. It is not true. George Orwell had a term for this. He called it Doublespeak. 2. If the public believe it is a National Park, there is a risk that it will wear down resistance in any future attempt to change the legal status.

It's already turning in to a bad year: Overend Watts (Mott the Hoople) John Chelew (Record producer responsible for many fine albums) Maggie Roche (The Roche Sisters) Roger Williams (Trombonist with Home Service and many classical ensembles and mixer of the world's best Champagne cocktails) Mike Kellie (drummer with Spooky Tooth) Jaki Liebezeit (drummer with Can) Butch Trucks (drummer with The Allan Brothers) Graham Taylor, )former england, Watford, villa and Lincoln city manager) Lord Snowdon Rachael Heyhoe-Flint (pioneer of women's cricket) Gordon Kaye Tam Dalyell And many others. This year is off to a bad start.

It is an awesom team. Graham and Tom have gone now but Ian carries the flag. Hunters Yard is the most wonderful time warp, but also fully aware of how to promote what they do in the modern age.

What a lovely tale. It reminds me of the trip I made to the southern rivers on Wood Violet back on about 2002. We were the last Hunter boat still out at the end of the season and when we got back half of the boats were already out of the water. Anyone enjoying this tale may also enjoy the tale on my website of a trip in Lullaby, where we attempted to reach the limit of navigation on every river. Either click through the pages or click on the Printer Friendly Version to read as a single page.

I discovered the Broads, both in print and in real lif as a youngster. The print came first but was rapidly followed by the practical. In print, like Grendel, it came through Arthur Ransome, and it was through his books that my interest in sailing was first awakened. Then, aged 11, I made my first visit on board Peggy, a gaff yacht with no engine from Herbert Woods.This as the first of a succession of annual trips with the Scouts over the Easter holidays, and by age 14 I was skippering a boat full of younger scouts.We would even take the entire fleet (none of which had engines) through Yarmouth to the southern rivers. The educational value of these trips was beyond measure and required no formal syllabus. We would learn about the Broads informally as we chatted with leaders and old hands, as we saw the environment and wildlife and set out, for our own interest, to learn more and as we picked up valuable background reading, of which the most significant was the wonderful and much lamented "Hamiltons Navigations," a source of much more than navigational information, containing, as it did, much historical and environmental background. We also learned much about life as we progressed from a "Galley Boy" who was expected to learn to sail and to cook meals for the entire boat, through "Mate" with responsibility for planning menus and supplies as well as being a good sailor that the skipper could rely on. Then it was on to Skipper. This involved full responsibility for a boat within the overall sailing plan and also an expectation to develop the skills of the other crew members. This seems to me to have been far more valuable education than any formal syllabus and was the beginning of a process that has led me to offshore race helming and navigation and instructing in yachts, sailing dinghies and powerboats. It has also built in me a deep love of the Broads, so that despite sailing in many more demanding and distant places I still return to the Broads whenever I can and in recent years I have often raced in the Three Rivers and other Broads races. To return to Arthur Ransome, his influence went beyond the Broads. It was Ransome who inspired me to make my first forays up the Old Man of Coniston, thanks to Pigeon Post and to explore both Windermere and Coniston lakes.More recently I have explored the rivers Stour and Orwell, the starting point for "We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea" and Secret Water. This year, aged 60, I intend to follow in Ransome's footsteps again by exploring Waltoon Backwaters (Secret Water) and by making the crossing from Harwich to the Dutch coast.

Here are some photos of the wreck of Donald Crowhusrst's Teignmouth Electron, taken in 2008 on Cayman Brac, where it eventually drifted ashore.

My grandmother always used to say "From Hell, Hull and Halifax, good Lord deliver us"

One of the things that limits the value of any review, whether positive, negative or neutral is when the reviewer gives an indication as to how good their experience was without explaining why. What was good and what was bad.What is great for one person may be anathema for another. Similarly, the criteria by which we judge will be different.For example, a great pub for me with have a good range of well, kept ales, no television or loud music (other than live events) and food will have a bias to being local, fresh and different. I get really fed up with standard menus across chains. Other people's requirements are different. A good, descriptive review can encompass what the reviewer has both liked and disliked without being inappropriately judgemental. I also think that in the right circumstance, a negative review can be beneficial. Take beer quality for example. If I am served a pint that has not been well kept I will normally draw this to the barman's attention. It's easy to resolve, maybe that one is at the end and has sold slowly. "Can I replace it with a different one" or "Do you mind waiting while we change the cask" is perfectly acceptable and certainly no cause for a negative review. However denial of the problem is cause for concern and an expectation that the problem will recur and affect other people. In this circumstance I think a suitably worded negative review is highly appropriate. Another way of looking at it is this: If I can be warned in advance of an issue, it avoids me making the same mistake. There is also the question of others who are affected. A few years ago I was served (not on the Broads) a beer so badly kept it was undrinkable. The bartender refused to do anything about it so I requested to see the landlady. SHe responded with "It's supposed to taste like that". Having walked out (They lost the potential of a party of 6 for a meal and an evening of drinking) we were sufficiently concerned to post a negative review. This was picked up by the brewery, who did a blind visit and were so concerned by what they found that they determined to no longer supply this pub because of the damage to their reputation. In this case the negative review of the pub enabled another business to avoid a threat to them. Another arena in which I am very keen to see constructive criticism is in the suitability of a venue for those with reduced/damaged hearing. This is an increasing problem as most pubs tend to ne open plan and also in that it is fashionable to limit/remove much of the traditional soft furnishings.There is also the trend to loud and intrusive so called background music. I will happily post an opinion as to whether it is an easy or difficult place for someone with hearing loss to engage in conversation. This is the sort of information that helps me avoid places where I am effectively partially excluded. So overall I think what I'm trying to say is let's please have negative comments in reviews, but make sure that they are constructive and informative. That way businesses can respond, both on the forum and in addressing the problem and cliants can be better informed and make a judgement as to whether the issue actually affects them.

The usual route is from Horning, round three marks in any order then back to Horning. The marks are on Hickling Broad, The Ant just below Ludham Bridge and somewhere on the Lower Bure (Usually between Acle and Stracey Arms). In a typical year boats are flying around in all directions all day and drifting around all night (when the wind usually dies).

Now the date is out it's probably the right time for me to put in my plea. Is there anyone out there in need of a hightly competent crew member for the 3RR, preferably in the River Cruiser class (although I also have experience of A-Raters!). I'm a veteran of 8 previous 3RR's ass well as may other Broads races (Yare Navigation, Cecil Howard, Down River etc.). Also extensive alternative racing experience from dinghies to The Fastnet Race. Experience of all roles (Helm, foredeck, Main, trim etc.). My sailing C/v is here.

Robin, I think you miss a serious point. On a motor boat, hitting your head is unlikely. On a yacht it is much more possible and has led to fatalities without even going in the water. However there is another factor that is more important. Sudden immersion in cold water can lead to cold water shock. Water temperatures up to 15 degrees can cause this. The sudden intake of breath, loss of muscle control etc can rapidly lead to incapacity or even unconsciousness. If you are absolutely confident of the ability of your crew to get you back on board quickly then this may not be too much of a problem, but the reality is that man overboard recovery is difficult, requires regular practice and usually takes place in circumstances where the rest of the crew are already stressed and not able to function as well as normal. A good lifejacket, fitted with a crotch strap and with a suitable lifting point, particularly if combined with good crew training can be a life saver. At this time of year somebody going in to the water could be unconscious in minutes. And recovery is not easy. How often do we practice man overboard recovery/ How often do we do it with a full size and weight dummy? To do so is a salutary experience.

I'd definitely go along with the crotch strap. Without it any lifejacket is close to useless, I would still approach any purchase from the analytical point of questioning what it will be used for and choosing the best option for that purpose.

It always worries me to see an assumption that one type or another of lifejacket is the best. Whereas I'm sure that Baitrunner is both well meaning and also correct in the context he is addressing, it is vitally important to address the context. Let me explain a bit further. I have three lifejackets and a buoyancy aid. My choice of which to wear is an informed decision based on what I am doing. If I am dinghy sailing, or manning a rescue boat I wear the buoyancy aid. I can enter the water without anyting inflating and there is other support around. When cruising on the Broads I wear a Spinlock auto inflating with standard UML firing. This lifejacket is also my normal offshore choice, as it is also fitted with AIS, sprayhood, lights etc.. However when racing on the Broads I choose a manual one with no fancy gadgets. Light, simple and I can make planned entries into the water, (e.g. to push off the mud on a falling tide). Finally, on those increasingly rare occasions when I do foredeck offshore, I use a Spinlock with hammer action. It doesn't go off no matter how wet I get, as it's pressure activated. Horses for courses!

For me, the essential song, as specified in my will, is Ewan McColl's Joy of Living. The proceedings should also end with the entire bunch of mourners singing Meet on the Ledge, as is our funeral tradition. At the wake afterwards the following should be sung: Isn't it Grand Boys Poisoning Pigeons in the Park Dead Puppies The Scrotum Song (I would hope that Mike Bennett, being much younger than me, would be there to lead the singing of these latter two, as he has at several funerals of dear departed friends). It would also be great, if they outlive me, for my dear friends from Triangle to sing The Lyke Wake Dirge.