chrisdobson45

The waste tank gauges were lit up but neither moved during the week, and at least one toilet was “well used” despite a “no nr 2’s onboard” rule being put in place… The boat was excellent, but it should have been as it is the flagship design of the yard and was only two years old. The welcome hamper (eggs, bacon, sausages, ham, cheese, butter, tomatoes, bread, biscuits, Carva, apple juice, pork pie) was great, but we had earned that as we were a returning customer and our current booking was over a certain defined value. Overall, the customer service experience was spoilt when we arrived, it was chaos. The pingdemic had caused some cleaning staff not to turn in, however, there appeared to be no plan to get the boats turned round, in any sort of order. We were told three times that our boat was ready, only to be told it hadn’t been cleaned / pumped out / refuelled. We got on board at about 4.45pm and had our guided tour of the boat at about 5pm (without the need for a trial run). We decided to overnight in the yard and have an early start on Sunday….

I have the remains of an egg on my forehead, when stepping down into the aft cabin from the salon, do not turn left, even a fraction, there's the underside of the moulding for the footwell to the upper helm position, and whilst the corner has been rounded off, it's at the perfect height to connect with if you're 5' 10". I must have connected with it four times in the week, the last one made me sit down rather quickly. As for mileage, 130.4 miles travelled, 28.25 hours (both based on published distance / time charts). Average speed 4.61mph (although we dawdled when we had to). Fuel cost / hour of cruising £2.58 Fuel cost / mile travelled £0.56 We religiously kept to speed limits and our journey times were true to the published time charts (mainly as I was very aware that the boat needed in excess of 9' 6" to clear bridges and therefore hitting Gt Yarmouth at slack water was my goal). Cruising towards Gt Yarmouth on the ebb and away on the flood was a massive benefit to fuel conservation, and the Yanmar diesel was only two season's old...

The food at the Red Lion was (surprisingly) good, the Fritto Misto was especially good. Be warned, the portions were huge, especially the local burger and fish finger sandwich (which was a lightly tempura battered fillet, rather than a couple of Captain Birdseye's best efforts). The choice of gin and draft beer was wide, I had a porter-like cider, very dark, not overly sweet, very, very good.

Just been confirmed that we consumed £73 of diesel, not bad for 28 hours cruising including crossing Breydon Water twice and a six hour stint from Norwich to Oulton Broad…

Potter Heigham last week, weather was very mixed with lots of angry looking skies and very sharp, sudden showers. The sunset was a surprise after it looked like a pretty dull end to the day.

We’ve just returned home after a week on Tempo 1. Initial views: Lovely boat, handled well, we used the upper helm all week. The display of speed over ground was especially useful. Visibility was great. the galley was well equipped but the Samsung combi oven was a pain ( instructions may as well have been absent for the sense they made). Fridge is full size but only a very small ice box. We only used the galley for bacon sandwiches whilst underway and for tea, coffee, etc., but the size of the ice box was an issue with four adults onboard once the sun was over the yard arm… The batteries were excellent, we never dropped below 65% charge overnight and there were lots of lights on, TV’s, etc. The lower helm Display was very useful. We are waiting Barnes to confirm fuel consumption so not sure what we’ve used, however the gauge showed just over half a tank left when we returned to Wroxham, after 28 hours cruising (Wroxham > Acle > Rockland St Mary > Norwich > Oulton Broad > Potter Heigham > Wroxham) with both trips through Gt Yarmouth within 10 minutes of slack water. Gripes: electric sunroof in the salon leaked; the rear en-suite layout was designed by a contortionist, the basin is below the deck with only 13” of space above the basin; the sliding windows within windows are truly awful in the rain. They leak if even just cracked open and when closed the condensation soon clouds the windows; There needs to be more / better non slip to the rear deck area either side of the rear door (the only entrance / exit to the boat); the semi circular seating to the upper deck is uncomfortable, no leg space and no back rest.

As is usual, when we venture up the River Yare to Norwich we walk around the edge of the city via the riverside walk. We dodged the showers (not very well, getting a soaking twice), and it was lovely to be back. Lunch at the Red Lion was especially good and the staff were brilliant. Kath got her pencils out, her sketch came out rather well.

An early morning walk out from Rockland Staithe to the dyke accessing Rockland Broad last week. The hide is unfortunately closed (as in nailed closed) and looks like it is in need of some TLC. Weather was unsettled and stormy during the day (we went to Norwich and got caught twice by heavy showers).

We have seen the legend, departing the New Inn, Horning in front of us this morning, cruising upstream to Wroxham. I only wish I could have counted on my crew to have stowed the fenders and swabbed the decks…

We are now at Oulton Broad Yacht Station, moored on the floating pontoon, very quiet, seven other hire craft including us. Maybe there will be a late afternoon rush, but the Yare wasn’t busy during our journey from Norwich YS earlier (apart from the racing day boats on Oulton Dyke).

We’ve found it quiet so far this week. We were late away from Barns Brinkcraft on Saturday so elected to remain in the yard on Saturday night and then cruise down to Acle on Sunday morning, in readiness to crossing Breydon Water yesterday. Lots of moorings at Acle and we came over Breydon alone yesterday morning, having gotten to Yarmouth at bang on slack water. We made Rockland Staithe at about noon and moorings remained available all day and evening. We’re currently at a half empty Norwich Yacht Station. Where is everyone?

I attempted to turn a 30ft at the bottom of the dyke three years ago, was doing ok and then Mother Nature decided to play with me, the wind wouldn't let me get more than just over half way round, and the bow jammed against a pair of steel trench sheets on the corner. Managed it in the end and then had to squeeze between the boats moored on both sides to get out, with an audience. I said at the time "never again". In two weeks I'll attempt it again, this time with another 5ft of length (Brinks Tempo 1), can't wait...

Back in the late 1980's my parents hired from Aston Boats, Beccles. This had a wooden flag staff on the bow, with a yard pennant. If the flag staff went under, so the entire boat did, until it got snapped off at the very bottom (I think I kicked it when mooring at Reedham), leaving the deck fitting full of rotten wood. I used the carving knife to cut off the debris at the end of the staff and a corkscrew to empty the deck fitting, before pushing the flag staff back in. Nobody noticed it was about two inches shorter....

Nottingham is another city trialling electric scooters, they're to be found abandoned just about everywhere, either out of charge or at the edge of the operating area. Lots of comment / complaint in the local papers and there's been the first prosecution of a young man riding whilst under the influence. As most of the city centre is pedestrianised, its inevitable that there will be some scooter / pedestrian interaction, and not all has been positive....

Many happy evenings spent in "The Bitch"...

Beautiful place, we’ve stayed at Ebridge Mill four times in the last three years, the walk through Bacton Woods is our favourite

It is wood, it was partially uncovered a few summers ago (I usually work in Bishops Stortford & travel into London by train a few times a week). The hull is painted white and the topsides are varnished.

I've found this website fascinating. I'm sure there's other ways of comparing maps and aerial photography but this is a very powerful tool. I've wasted spent a few afternoons browsing whilst on Zoom meetings.... https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15&lat=53.25126&lon=-1.42649&layers=168&right=Rmapboxsatellite

An amazing treasure of a more gentle time, going to love studying this in more detail...

Holiday has been booked for the end of July (with Barnes Brinkcraft) for a couple of months so I live in hope. However, if it doesn't happen for whatever reason, I'll just need to suck it up, this pandemic is bigger than having to re-arrange my holiday plans. What the holiday booking has done is give us focus, something to look forward to once life is better and there's a new norm. Can't think of anything better than a week boating (OK, two weeks boating is better...)

That be Oasis on Upper Staithe Road (near the cycle shop and hardware shop). Agreed, excellent food, delivered to us when we managed to moor at the staithe opposite the restaurant (Mermad's Slipper??)

Breedon Monarch always looked the business to me, a “proper” boat. Couldn’t persuade my parents to hire her though....