YnysMon

I apologised as the topic had a big discussion an year or two back, I realise that will have bypassed newer members though.

Can I start a fund for a line of trees near the west bank of the Ant immediately above and below Ludham bridge? There are so many wooded sections that mess up the wind for saileys further up, but just as you need a bit of shelter approaching the bridge it ain’t there.

I can’t resist this. The Welsh lot will be singing from a Welsh one. Hymn singing is still popular in Wales, or was before choirs weren’t allowed to meet.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to set off another debate about the supply of electric posts. I just thought it odd that Hardley Cross was listed as the one of the locations with them. We quite frequently moor at Hardley Mill if we want electric. Agree with the comments about it being good that there some some quieter moorings.

Heritage my dear chap! But I agree that money plays some part. There have been various wild ideas floated of having a diversion around PH bridge and so on, but I can’t imagine where the funds would come from for that, nor that there would be any return on the investment. And (shock horror), I’m very glad that’s the case.

I think JM is being mischievous, given the amount of moaning that has gone on on various threads on this forum about the difficulty of getting under Potter Heigham Bridge. It’s one of the reasons we’ve been hiring a sailing boat most years, as we’ve yet to take a motor boat through. We also hired a day boat from Whispering Reeds boatyard on Hickling Broad one year.

I’ve not yet come across a book that is better than online sources that are available. There’s a wealth of info available on various sites. For guidance on boat handling and crossing Breydon this site is very good: https://www.mynorfolkbroadsboating.co.uk/ When you arrive at the Broads pick up a copy of the free ‘Broadcaster’, which is in newspaper format. The centre pages contain a lot of good advice, including tide tables, average bridge heights and so on.

The Potter one in particular is very historic, dating from the 14th century or something like that. Most of the traffic nowadays is diverted across what was once the railway bridge. Personally, I think the low bridges make the areas just beyond them even more special. It’s not like any hirers are banned from visiting them, you just have to choose an appropriate boat, or take a day boat through. Grendel makes a point of hiring an older boat from Martham’s which is located above Potter Heigham Bridge.

Welcome. Moonlight Shadow has changed its cleaning arrangements since the last AGM. We now clean the boat ourselves but can book and pay for a valet if that is our choice. The external cleaning of the boat has always been the members responsibility. I think Moonlight and Evening Shadow are the same layout, but since they have been syndicate boats for a while, the members of those syndicates will have made different decisions about upgrades over the years. Moonlight Shadow had problems with the retractable roof which got worse last year, so we collectively decided to get that fixed properly (strengthening the roof) when she was out of the water for her winter annual service. We also replaced the rear cabin mattress last year. We put some funds aside for future contingencies each month, as I’m sure must be common practice for all syndicates. Share prices tend to reflect how urgently the seller wants out of the syndicate. From my experience there may be several shares that go up for sale at once, but that isn’t really a reflection on the boat or the syndicate. When we bought our share there were four available, two due to people buying their own boats, one due to a bereavement and one due to ill health, so don’t associate several shares being up for sale as anything sinister.

The BCBM website provides a lot of details about each boat, including their home mooring, the layout and photos.

I did one for Bronze Emblem too, more recently, probably around October 2018.

Wow, that quite a big question. We all have our favourite places on the Broads so I think you could end up getting all sorts of suggestions, depending on whether individuals like to be near a pub, want to do some fishing or like the quieter areas. Before my first trip I read through this very useful guide to the Broads, which describes all the paces you can moor at and will really whet your appetite for your holiday as there are some beautiful photos too: http://www.broadsnet.co.uk/ Most of the big hire companies websites have lots of information too, including suggested itineraries. The Herbert Woods site is particularly good. https://www.herbertwoods.co.uk/norfolk-broads/ Ferry Marina have some sample routes too, if you are starting from Horning it would be worth looking at that: https://www.ferry-marina.co.uk/your-holiday/boating-guide/ Helen

Hope all goes well for you Ian. Good luck with your scans and seeing the specialist.

We stopped briefly in Stalham on our first motor cruiser holiday about 5 years ago. It has a high street with a few good cafes as well as the Swan, and a few takeaway places too. I’m glad to see that Jay discovered a new Richardson’s mooring that’s available for private boats, though we might check out the Staithe too.

LOL. I see why your wife calls it her man crèche.

Thanks for the confirmation Tom. Helen

We’ve started our week’s hire from Wroxham early on the season, no problem. It can be a bit mad at times though in the summer. Lots of day boats flitting about and other boats trying to turn around just before the bridge.

I was thinking it unlikely too, given the location. I always live in hope though!

Glad to hear from you Ian. Brundall, poor signal. Yep, I recognise that one.

I was thinking the same Liz. Hope he’s okay.

Welcome to the forum. Hope you get good weather next week, if you have any days like this afternoon it will be glorious. Helen

Hi Tom, could you help me with a query re: Hardley Cross moorings? I’ve noticed it’s listed as one of the moorings which have electric post(s), but didn’t see any when I was last there. Is that just an error, or does it indicate that the planned works are to include installation of electric? thanks Helen

Ian, I’m glad to hear that you called the ambulance and you are being checked out. Not the holiday you hoped for, but at least you are in a place where the NHS can help. My best wishes to you and Marina.

Polkey’s Mill and Berney are very handy for ‘the crossing’, but up til now we have preferred being further up river where there’s less of a rise and fall between tides and no need to worry about spring lines and so on. Now that we are getting more confident and experienced boaters maybe a stay at Polkey’s is beckoning. Not somewhere I’d recommend for someone relatively new to the Broads though.

Have I read somewhere that bow thrusters can’t be relied upon when there’s a strong wind? The first few (motor) boats we hired had bow thrusters, then we hired Fair Regent, twice, which didn’t. The first time I was worried about how I would cope. Actually, looking back, I think not having bow thrusters taught me a lot and I’m now more confident at the helm as a result. MS does have them, and I admit it makes life easier, it’s just nice to know that you can manage fine if they fail.