dom

There were two Golden Girls in my time (misleadingly named 1 and 2), but they were later GRP Horizon 35s bought in from another yard. I presume the one you're referring to is the old wooden aft cockpit boat, described as a Sabberton 27 on the broads database. The name suggests she was probably built by Dick Sabberton, who I worked for. I visited the yard regularly from around the age of 4, so she may well have been around at the same time I was, but I think she'd probably left by the time I actually worked at the yard. I love the colour picture on the broads database. Fairly sure it's Dick at the helm, dressed in a shirt as always, with the fenders all neatly up on deck. There was definitely a whole different level of pride in what they did back then.

I very nearly used the exact same phrase in my last message. You may well be right, but there's something I can't put my finger on which makes me think she's something else. Summercraft were real scavengers (in a good way), so I suspect it could just as easily be something odd they picked up cheaply somewhere down the line. One of their boats (non hire) was something like a harbour launch rumoured to have originally come from Hong Kong, which I remember them salvaging from the mouth of the Deben. She was powered by a Perkins 6354 scavenged from a combine harvester. It was that boat that got me and my dad involved with working at the yard.

Reading that triggered an old memory from around that time which I'd all but forgotten. Me and a few mates had been out clubbing in Norwich (I suspect probably Henry's on Rose Lane). I got talking to a stunning girl and we offered her a lift home. She was very vague about where she lived and only gave directions as we approached each junction. Turned out that "home" was actually the old mental hospital at Little Plumstead. As she got out of the car, she revealed the fact she'd been committed for stabbing her boyfriend and had slipped out for the evening

I think I've seen that (all in white?), but I'm not absolutely convinced at the accuracy of the info. It looks like Boatshed might have just taken the data from the broads.org.uk database. I'm fairly sure I can remember her being built and the year seems about right - but Bounty were churning out bathtubs around that time and I can't recall seeing another boat with that odd stepped deck (other than the smaller Freeman 32, which might have inspired it). There was a centre cockpit Bounty 35, but it was earlier and built on a Bourne 35 hull. I don't think it's a case tht Summercraft cut the lower section away, as the freeboard seems too high at the front.

I was watching that again earlier to see if there as a coaster featured. The last chapter shows one, but heading downstream onto Breydon, so possibly not fully laden. I suspect on the way up they probably produced a fair bit more wash. There are loads of pictures on Broadland Memories - several on this page,* but lots more dotted around the various galleries. * also a picture of Grosvenor Girl, who I dread to think how many times I washed, pumped out and fuelled. She was a lovely boat, but I wonder now what hull she was based on.

Every cloud... At least you've got an excuse to come back again now If you happen to come back again a bit later in the year, it's worth trying to be at Oulton on a Thursday evening when they're racing. I suspect your lad would love it.

I think that's probably a very valid comment. I suspect another key factor was also that there was far more low skill manual work available in farming and manufacturing. Someone with little education or mild mental health issues could get a farm job, often with a tied cottage and live a happy and quiet life. There was also a lot more derelict property available. When I was a kid, we lived on Park Road in Wroxham. In the 70s, a chap lived opposite in what was effectively a scrap yard. I think it might have been an old tin Methodist church or something similar which had all but collapsed. I'm pretty sure he didn't own it and was squatting there quite happily. It has since had two fairly large detached houses built on it. Around the same time, an ex partner of mine was living with her mother in a commune in Crow Hall in Downham Market - now all cleared and modernised. Then there was Argyle Street in Norwich from the late 70s into the 80s - apparently Britain's largest and longest running squat. We used to drink in the Kingsway nearby towards the end of that time, as it used to be fun watching some of the characters who came in.

I think unfortunately politics has lost all sight of the interests of the people it serves. It's now just about the opposition destroying the incumbent party at all costs - even if that means throwing our health and welfare systems under a bus in the process. Things are bad now, but I'm genuinely scared of what'll come after a general election. I'm no fan of proportional representation, but I think we probably have no choice but to consider implementing it sooner or later, as the current system is now really far too much like mob rule.

I won't tell you who 3 (possibly 4) of the boats belong to. The same person also has a "farm", which I suspect may be the structures you're referring to. You might however be able to guess who it is. Actually, quite a lot - but they don't seem to have the spine to use the more serious powers. I think we can probably all guess why.

That just looks like fun to me It's also not as bad as it used to be meeting Golden Galleon doing 15 knots. It'd be interesting to see how bad it was in the days of peak freight shipping.

I love that. It's such a Norfolk statement. Just saving that bit for posterity, so we can tell JP to politely go away when he tries to use the incident as justification for increased ranger numbers. In reality, as has often been suggested, the ranger got there after the fact.

When you say sticking on, do you mean running indefinitely, or just longer than normal? If it eventually turns itself off, it could be low pressure or a leaking diaphragm in the accumulator. If it's intermittent, it's probably going to be the pump though. Not sure if you can service a modern diaphragm pump these days.

It's only going to get worse. Bits of the Cam/Great Ouse network are rammed with them due to the excessive cost of housing in the area (although it seems to be levelling out at insane everywhere now). Bits of London canal network have towpaths lined 2 or 3 deep with them. If you frequent cheap/free boat groups on Facebook, there's a steady trickle of people looking for free boats to live on. Invariably, they tend to have fake names on their Facebook profiles, so are clearly hiding from something - presumably either debt, the law, or both. I have every sympathy for someone facing homelessness, but find the whole "liveaboard as a solution to poverty" concept annoying and objectionable for a number of reasons. Firstly, I think these people are just going to go from being on the edge of society to well beyond it - and living on a boat without the means to sustain yourself is going to be utterly miserable, probably worse than squatting on land. Secondly, the Broads (and other waterways) shouldn't be a dumping ground for society's failings - and particularly not when £8m+ a day is being spent housing people we're supposedly providing asylum to. Third, it results in a trail of abandoned boats, falling apart and sinking, the cost of which ends up with legitimate boat owners - BA appear to have paid around £2k most months last year for related issues. Lastly, with no means of income, it's obvious a certain amount of petty crime and drug dealing is going to follow. Unfortunately, organised facilities would come with various ancillary requirements - BSS testing, insurance, paying council tax, etc. The people involved are often barely above vagrancy, so expecting them to pay is unrealistic. Lump a load of non-conforming people in a single place and you're also aggregating a load of social issues in a single district. If you try and spread it out, BA are already struggling to maintain a network of moorings for legitimate users. Just to add, none of the above is a reflection on legitimate, working liveaboards who make a conscious choice to live the lifestyle whilst remaining within the law. I suspect there's a good chance I might end up amongst them when I eventually retire - another growing trend which probably does need more consideration, especially around granting planning for residential moorings.

On the plus side, there's probably a lot less work getting her back in order than there'd be with something more modern!

It's a controversial subject. BA are clearly having funding issues, so it's a means by which to beg for money to top up their coffers. I suspect the plan was to install them at every non-chargeable mooring, but this one came in for immediate scorn with a particular campaigning organisation - so they may have had a change of heart. Equally possible they may start popping up elsewhere. Interestingly, I notice BA are recruiting for a senior accountant, reporting to the Director of Finance. I'd suspect they're employing someone as a scapegoat to protect the FD and CEO from the rapidly increasing scrutiny which BA's finances are coming under.

The Police were involved, so it may have been done under their instruction. I suspect they could probably cover any defence with Section 2 of the Broads Authority Act anyway, specifically making a special direction to stop it "interfering with the reasonable use or enjoyment of the navigation area by other vessels or persons".

Certain people also need to be distancing themselves from it, before it backfires. Unfortunately, I've tried telling them this but they don't have the sense to understand.

Yep. Same one who had a boat fire at Sutton some years ago too. And also the same one in the electric post Youtube video.

What goes around, comes around. I doubt the fishermen incident went beyond a few stern words from the Police but, if it did, that'll probably bring the matter to a close. There's still more to the story.

I don't think crossing Breydon itself in the dark would be too bad. Just make sure you have a decent spotlight (and a spare!), keep picking up on the posts and stick to one side of the channel. The bits at either end are another matter. Entering the bottom of the Bure is not something I'd be in a hurry to try. Vauxhall Bridge in the dark would be pretty scary, although I suspect possibly never fully dark around that area.

I saw pictures of rhododendrons in flower up at Sandringham earlier. Some up there are more like trees. There's a drive through the woods into the back of the car park, which is beautiful at this time of year. It seems to have been constantly closed since the queen's passing. I'm hoping Charles follows his mother's example and keeps it open. Sheringham Park was always stunning at this time of year. Apparently the rhododendron collection is "nationally important".

Definitely a cruiser. Having raced similar, it's far from easy to capsize. One of the rangers has just confirmed that all onboard are safe and well.

Back when I worked in yards, every boat was booked out every week in season, so there was no option but to move heaven and earth to get a boat ready for incoming hirers. Closures didn't happen in the same way back then, but if one had, the boat would have gone across with a yard worker and you'd either have gone with them or got a taxi and met them the other side. If you'd been held up and it was approaching turnaround, all your gear would have gone back to the yard in a pickup and you'd have followed in a taxi whilst a yard worker motored non-stop back to the yard - quite possibly with cleaners on board. The bigger issue was always damage. There wasn't the luxury of a standby boat, so it just had to be fixed. Worst one I saw was one of Summercraft's old wooden cruisers. It had a protruding wooden toe rail and the hirers had managed to catch it on something, peeling up and breaking off several feet of deck. Work started at 9am and she was back out on hire that afternoon with a newly fitted section of deck, albeit a few hours late. We never had a sinking, but I saw another yard have one, which caused major issues. They'd have no choice but to cancel a full season's worth of bookings. My mum worked for Blakes and no doubt had to deal with similar on occasion. These days, sadly, as Grendel says, they'd often have substitute boats available.

It closed earlier, but only for a fairly short time. It was published on BA's Facebook page.

The picture on Facebook shows it upright, but down at the bow. The aft well is all above water and it looks like a decent salvage pump in the front end might even have it afloat again. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211337626512841&set=p.10211337626512841&type=3 Maybe just needs an airbag to get the deck above water level.