marshman

Well its not tree growth up at Catfield and as to whether its silt or not I suppose depends on the tides and/or the draught - I bet if you went up there today with the amount of water around, you would probably manage it! Its a bit like Waxham Cut- it depends when and what you expect to get up there! But Vaughan, surely you are not saying ALL staithes should be open? If so you will have real problems identifying where probably 80% even are! Its hardly the fault ,100 years later, if the BA have not kept open all old staithes - many were abandoned very many years ago! And unlike Mr Waller, I do not believe there is a conspiracy to ban boats above Potter - why spend all that money on dredging over the last 5 years or was that all a pretence? And indeed why are there still plans for this winter and next too? And I have not seen any statement by NWT saying they want to ban boats - the RSPB point is I guess totally irrelevant as they own no land in that area. And John B - it has not got worse so you will easily get in next time you try!!

And there was me reading the "Topic"and thinking we were talking of the heaters up at Barton and Sutton! Must be far too old!!

Exactly Vaughan and whilst my old mate PW talks of conflict with boats wishing to unload, you will all recall that technically the dinghy dyke is kept free and thereby available for unloading but more importantly, when was the last time that anyone wanted to unload anything other than people? Indeed all of those familiar with the staithe will be aware that the NWT trip boat does use the staithe for unloading/loading their trip boat at the entrance to the dyke. I too read that notice and guessed in both circumstances, the PCC was merely wishing to clarify the situation - although wanting an answer re staithe rights and can do's and cannots would open a legal minefield which only the deep pockets of THE main family could fund!!!

Vaughan- why does it have to accurate? Most young people I know who have seen it were more than impressed by the film and what it portrayed! My guess is that the film would have a much greater impression that any accurate portrayal with correct piers and no plastic fenders would ever have. Lots of people watch the BBC News expecting it to be factually correct but often its not, similarly the Daily Mail but people still watch and believe all of that, with no regard to the fact it can perpetuate "fake news"

You would have been asleep though Pete, and you could well be moored where there are no other acceptable moorings nearby, and if you were uncertain of the river, probably a bit dodgy to move. And of course you can get windshifts that alter things after you have gone to bed!! As you say, to be serious, I would turn off my power on my main box into the boat and go back to bed! No need to do the first thing as the post should trip but I would feel better! Equally unless you were moored at Yarmouth, Reedham or possibly St Olaves I expect your tight ropes could cope and it would be silly to go ashore in the dark . It was probably unlikely you moored at dead low water so even in flood conditions probably only 3 hrs or less to high water and if it was already pretty high when you moored unlikely to go much higher. I would also take the view that the Broads next level of flood defences would be working as well - the marshes!! River levels only come up so far before the water overflows into bits it does not normally go. Thats what the gap in the New Cut is for and upstream above the new river banks, the marshes come into play. So turn over , stop whittling and go back to sleep although that might be difficult with the noise from outside and the missus - if you have one!!

And P.S. Vaughan - I bet you would so go on, treat yourself! Don't look for historical accuracy but enjoy it for what it is!! Please report back!!

Like young Mr Waller, I thought it a fantastic film, not a documentary!! Not only did I enjoy it, but the whole cinema did - at times you could hear a pin drop and at the end, the cinema was just totally silent - no shuffling to get up or searching for coats! Who says a film such as this which is a dramatisation of an event, cannot have detail in it which is not historically accurate? And if it does so what? It was produced to be enjoyed for what it is, not to reflect accurately what occurred. As far as I am concerned if you don't see it, its your loss and my gain 'cos I did!! ( See Pete we must be getting old - agreeing again!!! ) Or are you just mellowing??

I know people think boats are like cars but honestly, they are not!! Boats generally have ropes to aid manoeuvring and you could just as easily have moored up and walked it in!!! See it in Norfolk time and time again - lets turn a 40' boat in a 43' space on the engine and make it hard work but never never do it the easy way - on ropes!!!

Dinghies really!!!

Not a real wherry though........!!

Not a real one, I don't think!!!!

Thanks Vaughan - the truth is out!! In the UK now it is virtually impossible to buy a new domestic cooker without FFD's and I think that is following the fact, I believe, that tenanted properties now need them too. As a result all manufacturers now produce them and a quick look on Currys website will confirm that. Therefore IMHO the statement by Vaughan is absolutely correct and as a result you should not be conned into buying an overpriced "boat" cooker - just buy a bog standard one but make sure it has FFD's. Oh and save probably the best part of £300!! Myth exposed!!! Boat cooker manufacturers can now stop coining it and reduce prices! Some hopes, plenty of mugs still around!!

As I posted earlier, I have been happy since about last Wednesday as the evenings are already drawing out!!! The mornings don't really worry me as I cannot spot it through my eyelids but for those who have to put up with the dark mornings, there is no "light" relief until about the 5th January when even the sunrise will be earlier by a minute!! Roll on!!!!

If you have such an inspector, I suggest you ask him to show you the precise passage in the BSS that says such a thing!! Or perhaps someone on here could point me in the right direction if I am wrong!! I believe thats a hangover from the days when "boat cookers" had FFD,s and ordinary household cookers did not but nowadays all household cookers seem to have them as I suspect they are a requirement in tenanted properties now and as such I believe they are no longer an issue! No doubt someone will come along and perhaps tell me otherwise.....?

Look hard on the net and you will find some 50cm by 50 cm. I have to say without a shadow of doubt that my Spinflo Caprice now retailing at nearly £600, is of the poorest quality and almost totally devoid of any redeeming features, and that includes their customer service. Even a few years ago it was so thin, the oven hardly retained any heat and takes at least 20/25 minutes to get really hot, the thin insulation is stuck on with adhesive tape and the oven thermostat at least 2 Gas Marks out temperature wise - the ignition piezo lasted 3 years and the replacement part was a ridiculous price with a box of matches far far cheaper!! So I wonder why it is 3x the price of an ordinary gas cooker? I know - BOAT. Boat Owner Add a Thousand!!

Just my thought - on a boat that large, 50 gallons an hour is just spray finding its way in or a loose rivet!!

Looking at the motorhome website illustrates the point precisely - Spinflo Caprice around £600 yet go on many other sites and lots of choice from around £190, admittedly you need a conversion kit, but these should not be that expensive IF you can get them!! Even Calor do one at £250 or so already converted but they spoil it by asking £42 for delivery!!!! They must be having a larf - do they sell ANY at that delivery charge when Amazon do a similar cooker at around that price with free delivery?

You do not need any special boat cooker - see this so many times but any cooker will do as long as it has FFD's fitted and the correct burners. Trouble is getting the burners - most say they are available but try getting them even from the manufacturers!!! Its all a con - why is a similar cooker from a so called boat manufacturer more than 2/3 times the price of one you might buy for a flat. They will tell you that they have 240V ignition pus oven lights etc etc but who needs those when you can buy matches??? One of my favourite pet hate topics......! Grrrrrrr!

Not putting them up at the moment would reduce their income by 3% because of inflation. Not a lot I grant you but probably enough to pay 2 1/2 Rangers!!! Or thereabouts!!!

And yet I know others who have been on the Broads for over 50 years, me included, and this year I used it more than ever!! So your point proves just what???

You must see stuff between the lines then, that I cannot see!! So I doubt any wrist slapping will occur!!

Although we have had a couple of frosts, the water is still a bit warm for lots of it! Indeed frosts this side of Christmas down here are pretty rare and whilst we may have one or two over the next week, I would be surprised if they resulted in significant freezing in the dykes and upper reaches. I could be wrong but that would be quite unusual this early in the winter

Absolutely - but read the post as it continues to get darker in the morning for a bit The evenings however, by tomorrow will get no darker and indeed by Sunday will be a minute longer. All to do with the tilt I suspect!!

The best news today is that after tomorrow it is not going to get any darker in the evenings and indeed from the weekend it is going to get lighter (in the evenings! ). Granted it is still getting darker in the mornings until after Christmas, but I don't care!! Its all downhill from now on!! Yippee!!

Apologies Riverman, you are quite right FC permission is not required for dumping of spoil - that was a bit tongue in cheek but it IS required I believe if you want to cut back vegetation more the 3m from the edge of the watercourse - although readily given I guess. OK PW agree with you now - but how do you go about instituting such an enquiry??