Vaughan

Precisely. And that is exactly where hundreds of day trippers who have never driven a day launch in their lives before, are let out from the boatyards, like fledglings "flying the nest". How are they supposed to know on which side to pass a paddle boarder, standing there in the middle of the channel? Actually, I don't think it's just dangerous - I think it is utterly ridiculous. MM, I know you like a rhetorical question, so here's another : Does a sailing vessel now give way to a paddle board? Is the board a vessel "having difficulty in manoeuvring? Is it a vessel "not under command"? At least it is not a vessel "constrained by its draught"!

I did mention perils - in the plural - as safe navigation is another one. I can't think what regatta racing will be like when it starts again, on Wroxham, Black Horse, or Oulton Broads. If they were actually running the Diamond Jubilee Gold Cup race at Wroxham this year, what would it be like, with over 40 starters and the broad full of day trip paddle boarders? I don't suppose they know much about the rule of the road and they don't keep to any side of the river, let alone the "right" one. It is all very well for us to have a little discussion on the forum about it but it won't be so funny when the first paddle boarder gets driven under by a motor cruiser on the main river between Horning and Wroxham. As usual, that will be when safety regulation comes in after a fatality or two. I think this is a dangerous thing to allow on a crowded waterway.

Nice and dry for harvesting the barley though. . .

I see in the EDP that the Whitlingham Gravel Pits are now infected by blue-green algae and visitors are being warned about keeping out of the water. This doesn't surprise me, as it is not what the EDP calls a "waterway" but simply an abandoned and flooded mine working with no thought of a connection to the tidal main river. I am only surprised it hasn't happened several times before. An "Environment Agency spokesman" is quoted as saying "We suspect this is blue-green algae". So much for science, then. . . Which brings me to another question, since paddle boards are now selling like hot cakes and disappearing up all the little abandoned, non-tidal, partially stagnant inlets that they can find on the north rivers : How much "social distancing" is recommended to protect them from Weil's disease or botulism when they fall in the water? After all, according to the BA, we are not supposed to swim on the Broads. Are we?

Some of the wherries on Surlingham Broad, at low tide. There are seven of them sunk in that corner and I remember walking over their decks, in the late 1950s.

I have also read somewhere that they often arranged to change horses when they met and then set off again, so that each horse ended up back in its own stable.

The plastic interloper looks like a classic Freeman 23, from where I'm sitting.

I very much agree with you there!

And so what do you recommend, in this case? Driving yourself into the trees in order to stop. Waiting until everyone else has passed on their philanthropic way. Extricating your rigging from the overhang in the hope that there is no damage. Sweeping all the twigs, leaves and birds nests off the deck and then carrying on in the happy thought that you are part of the carefree wonderland that is Broads boating. Sorry, but it would be a lot better if the authorities concerned engaged themselves in the removal of overhang and the maintenance of a legal navigation.

So maybe the BA - or the EA - or the local council - or Natural England - (whatever that is) should have properly maintained a legal navigation where, in the old days, there weren't any trees overhanging the bank in the first place?

Thank you for your post Bill, which I have read with interest. I think it is a good summary of the situation from the point of view of the "normal" Broads cruising sailor. Racing, of course, has it own rules, but they only concern those in the race! Other users of the waterway are left even more confused, during regattas! One thing I would mention, is your reference to Colregs (international rules for the prevention of collisions at sea) since on the Broads these are superseded (although closely followed) by the BA's own byelaws. In the old days, the Yare up to Norwich was controlled by Gt Yarmouth Port Commissioners and was "pilotage waters" in terms of Colregs. In other words a restricted channel, often marked with navigation buoys. Nowadays that is not the case but the Broads are most definitely "restricted" waters! The subject of the byelaws and wherries has come up and in this respect, there are some other ones to note : 23 (1) (a) The master of a power driven vessel . . . . . . . shall keep his vessel out of the way of : (1) (a) (ii) A vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. (iii). A sailing vessel. (iv). A quanted vessel. It also says (C) (1) : The master of a vessel . . . . . . .(shall) avoid his vessel impeding the safe passage of a vessel constrained by its draught. I would guess that Albion in her present condition draws about 5 feet and some of the larger racing yachts draw 4' 6'" or more. You may have seen that Albion always tows a dinghy these days, usually lashed alongside the aft quarter and with a small outboard motor. This is actually because of a tragedy which occurred many years ago, on a night passage, when someone fell in and the dinghy was not immediately available. You can't stop a 40 ton wherry, running free with the tide, when someone falls in. When she is on the Bure on a reach with the wind ahead and too narrow to tack, then they will give her a "prod" with the outboard dinghy to keep steerage way and get her round the next bend. But is that "motor sailing"? I would prefer to call it "mechanical quanting" since there is no way you are going to stop Albion, or alter her course, with an outboard dinghy! But does that then mean she is being towed by the dinghy? In which case, other byelaws say you must keep out of her way anyway! So I agree with what you say, as the point you make is that, on the crowded narrow waters of the Broads, it is a question of common sense, and "give and take"!

It is good, on these occasions, to see informed opinion from the "coal face".

You'll need rather more than that to call yourself a wherry, old chap. I can assure you that when a motor cruiser, whose skipper thinks he has room (or even priority?) glances off the 3 inch galvanised Binn Iron around the shoulder of her bow, the Albion doesn't even twitch. It doesn't even put a shiver into the set of the sail. If you wish to contest your rights with a wherry, based on some sub-clause in the bye-laws, I think you will find that it will be your insurance that will have to pay for your repairs.

Sorry about the quality of these old slides but they were both taken in the same year - 1957. The first one in August and the second, in November. There are good reasons why we don't let out hire boats in the winter months! Keyboard warriors in defence of "climate change" are welcome to jump in, at this point! Meantime, any hire fleet manager, right now, will be able to tell you the date of Easter next year, since it is the cut-off point for all the planning, parts ordering, logistics and budgeting, which go into the winter maintenance period for a hire fleet. Easter next year is the 4th April, so if bookings go on until end November and at least 3 weeks go into staff holidays (since those who work in the tourist business don't take summer holidays) then there will be not a lot more than 3 months this winter, to service and refurbish the boats. It is only natural that yards will attempt to prolong the season in order to get more bookings but everything has its knock-on effects.

Then you should not have started it by introducing bad feeling and personal abuse of another member, into this forum from "another source". It is all very well to escape sanction by "thanking" the moderators for their posts as though you are the aggrieved party but I still dis-approve of your behaviour.

It wasn't a pin dish - it was an ashtray! They were a clever piece of marketing in their day, as every customer used to take them home as a souvenir. Exactly what they were meant for.

Not in the least. But it applies to others as well as yourself.

Do you feel like quoting us the source of this information? I hope it didn't come from facebook as you have already expressed your indignation to that . . . .

You misunderstand me. It is the language, and attitude, used, that should remain there.

I object strongly to your use of language to personally criticise another member. I say "personally" as it is glaringly obvious to whom you refer. If this continues any further I shall report it.

Where are you going, with a personal remark like that? It would almost seem to me, by your continued arguing, that you are trying to force one of our valued contributors off this forum. In my opinion you have just "broken the TOS" yourself.

Sorry, but I think this is all a bit precious. As this has now been made into part of the forum debate then my view is with Ian. What he has told us is nothing more (in sacrosanct T.O.S. terms) than what PW often says he has "heard along the rhond".

I certainly don't wish to argue about this but I wonder what is the difference between reporting this discussion (altercation) to the forum, and reporting what was said at the planning meeting? Or reporting what was seen on a Youtube clip of it? I hope we are not now going to have to base our opinions only on what we read in the EDP?

Just hold on a minute there! I fully agree with this forum having nothing to do with facebook and I never even read it, but what Ian (Chelsea) has told us is relevant to our discussion, as he implies that it reflects on the sort of customer base that might be attracted to a successful application. Very much a part of the forum debate and thank you Ian, for telling us.

I remember it used to be supplied by river, with a launch from Yarmouth.