marshman

Don't think they have stopped cutting the channel but its always been the case that outside of the channel, although growth is monitored, only a modest amount of cutting is allowed and that only to a certain depth. If its any consolation Hickling is home to some very rare water plants. However climate change is clearly having an impact as longer growing seasons just encourages more growth - some years some varieties grow more than others but I doubt anyone really knows why!!! I remember in the 60/70's they had a huge problem with some weed but then it just died away!!

Never quite sure of the relationship between Ferry and NYA - I don't think its that close. I expect that if they wanted to put it in the hire fleet, they would have to buy it! To be honest, I think they now have too many hire boats - as always something has to give and some private berth holders may be questioning whether the Cators give the same service as Len did.

Begs the question, why they cannot manage to do the reinstatement correctly first time around - hope its not going to be the same gang again!! Might have to dig it up again!!!!!

Try Flogas - the regulator should be the same. However they won't exchange Calor cylinders so, initially you have to buy one https://www.flogas.co.uk/shop/category/all-cylinders. Actually cheaper I think than Calor and they have a large depot on the A149 at Catfield/Ludham . Most yards seem to use them which makes it easier. Sizes slightly different. Not quite sure how Calor got in this mess - I am sure a few heads should be rolling but I doubt it!!! T o be fair have not tried to buy Flogas cylinders lately - perhaps they, like Calor are struggling more these days but it helps with the yards stocking them. .

Is that Calor, Flogas or both? Generally Flogas now used universally by yards because Calor so useless.

Windguru showing peaks of 60 knots whilst Wee Willie Winkie showing peaks of 60kmph - ones about double the other!! With the wind directions forecast, Rockland looks a good spot!!!! We shall have to see which forecast is closest!!!!

I am really pleased to hear that! Perhaps I was wrong to put Tingdene in the Brooms category, especially as we know what their objective is!

I disagree a little as the mentality differs! Despite him having loads of money, I always found that Len somehow managed to find staff who cared a bit more, whicalways helped. I doubt whether Tingdene offer a "caring attitude" - I think many at Brooms may well have the same feeling as before. Its the little things that make the real difference!!!!! But we shall se....!!!!

Not necessarily so! NN has conveniently put the posts on the bank where he wants them, but that rarely happens and in those circumstances the lines may cross over my aft cockpit and i don't need that! In fact I to use my own variation on a theme as I have a central cleat which in most cases serves admirably well most of the time up north!

Why am I not surprised? Big business usually cares little for the individual boaters, but only about £££££££!!

My guess, is that most people use the bankside cleats - I certainly do! There are enough trip hazards on a boat and I find it works well enough! Variations on a theme!!

That Bosun would be an excellent starter boat - if you didn't like it (you will!! ), sell it on after a year or so and you will not lose money! By then you will know what you want exactly and then you can buy it! Personally I would not want a centre cockpit boat - but thats my choice. The Bosun is just the back end of the AF Diamond - same mould even. BUT don't waste your money on a new boat like the Nautic 900 - who wants a 60hp outboard on the Broads? You can almost certainly not use that amount of grunt and I doubt even if its happy running on E10 petrol - too sophisticated!! The Bosun very probably has the Perkins MC42 engine in it - a good old Broads thumper running on good old diesel . I use less than 2l an hour running mine

The point remains YOU have to make the decision!! Trolling around asking other peoples views will only get their views, not what you want!!

Think I know that boat in the link Matt posted. I think it is an original Bosun built by Brooms for the hire fleet just before Brooms gave up hiring in late 2000 - its been at Upton since then - my guess it would only have been in hire for a relatively short period. Quality boat, well built and solid. Price about right so won't hang around long!

Tv is entertainment - take it as such!! Does it matter that the wherry shots were taken on different days with some showing the wherry reefed and with just the crew and others with full sail and a charter party on board? No - not to me at least!!I I thought overall it gave a good indication of the area and showed it in a very favourable light! End of!!!!

What it has to have is very thick insulation!!!!!!!!!!

RS2021 has made some valued comment - its easy to think of the positives but no one headlines the negatives!! For example, pumpouts would be a complete pain which is why those super composting bogs are so common amongst the realms of continuous cruisers!!! I have been an avid follower of Silver Foxes and i recall one of their gripes about the winter is the mud!! Towpaths are very popular with walkers, cyclists and everyone else, and a nice grassy bank quickly turns into a quagmire! Look at their blog and they have done one recently (well within the last 3 months!) of the pluses and minuses - look it up because at the moment you are just dreaming!!!! You might find it appealing but would it appeal to your beloved to be stuck in a metal tube with you day after day whilst the wind is howling and its lashing down with rain and the outside temperature is hovering around zero? A life to fantasise about - but for someone else to actually do!!!!!

And no yards sell petrol, as Lulu says, so you have to good access to the boat as you have to carry it! Garages can also limit you to the amount you can put in a can At the same time they are no that happy on running on this new petrol - fine if you use it regularly like every week but leave it much longer and it may bung your jets up. Come to think of it, I struggle to think of many benefits of outboards other than initial cost - unlike the old BMC diesel which continues to run and run, I suspect few outboards are running without issues after say 15 years. Although I am sure there are older ones about, I think I would worry about reliability - but then I am probably wrong again!!!!!

In all the years I have had a boat, the price of quality Broads boats has never really turned down because of economic events, of whatever sort. OK they might stop going up but I don't think I can remember a time when the price has actually fallen by a significant amount. The price of any article is impacted by many things but whilst they are building so few new boats, demand will almost always exceeds supply and I cannot see that changing. OK the market could stagnate a little, but actually go down? I think you guys are dreaming and the more scarce the commodity, the less likely any fall will be seen, so you guys waiting patiently, may have to wait a bit, especially with inflation beginning to rear its ugly head again!

Interesting thread as i think that my Webasto has gone too!! Does anyone know of anyone who would fit a Planar as I think I might be a bit old to crawl around the engine bay!!! The Webasto might be ok when I open up but might not!!!!

If thats the case -good! Might be done this decade!!!!! You might be right as its not shown on the Norfolk Windmills Trust site -which is a good thing too as those are run by the Council and they don't allocate any money to their mills either seemingly!!!

I hope you have very very big pockets if its wooden!!!!!!!!

If the BA attach as much urgency to Herringfleet as they do to Clayrack Mill at How Hill from which they took the sails, at least 10/12 years ago, then I will be well dead and buried long long before they extract their finger - sadly!!!!! Why oh why can they not do something about their precious assets - they talk enough about them enough but when it comes to actually doing something.....!!!!!

Can you actually get a new car without a Sat Nav?? Bit like a car with a CD player I suspect!!! Covid restrictions!!!!!

Download the Aweigh app - shows speed and a pretty diagram of where you are!!!!