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LondonRascal
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Posts posted by LondonRascal
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1 hour ago, psychicsurveyor said:
Be wary of automatic switch overs, I had one already fitted when I got the boat, it was meant to switch between shore power and the generator. It worked well, until it failed, it then melted the supply cables.
Oh, but I had my eye on a $10 one of Alibaba lol.
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Day Two:
And so another installment (worry not there are only three nights to cover) and a later than expected start at Ranworth due to the fact Shiela and I were still feeling thoroughly under the weather with a Cold we caught in Yorkshire earlier in the week. Also that during the night Shiela had not slept well due to the fact she kept seeing an image of a woman whenever she went to go to sleep. She then (and really surprised me) asked if this boat was the one that had featured a few years earlier in a murder suicide. I won't go into the details here but if one looks on Google for 'Le Boat Norfolk Broads Murder' you kinda get the drift.
I was not in the mood to go on the Database enter the reg number and find out if this was the 'murder boat' in the early hours of the morning, but found it most odd how Shiela who is no boat nerd knew this was the class of boat that featured in those terrible events. As it transpired the boat that was involved was T434 (Western Light 1 is T345) and it would appear the boat no longer is on the Broads as that registration number has gone.
After Shiela threw away her nail clippers over the side mid way through doing her nails - it was time to depart - destination Wroxham. We went via Salhouse where we got water and a walk, then too in Wroxham Broad before arriving at the moorings whereby I elected to take the Pilot and not take any undue risks and be a fool. I then naturally bribed the Pilot to mark down we had used his services and took the boat through myself anyway
Once through the bridge it was time to remember the former yard that she would have been based at when new - and then head up the Bure to the serene peace this section of river offers. We arrived at Coltishall and moored on the common (well by the side - you get the idea) and went for a walk. I found out that a bench around one of the trees was there since the Queens Coronation and after an ice cream it was time to head off to the Lock.
We duly arrived to find another boat here, I turned the boat and we moored up and took a couple of hours of doing nothing at all - the issue was the flies which grew ever more annoying the closer the Cows came to the opposite river bank. Time to head back to Coltishall proper which turned out to be a great choice, since we then headed later that evening to the Kings Head for dinner seeing it was Shiela's birthday. This was an electric place, but the food - well the best I have yet had anywhere on the Broads. Perfectly cooked, attentive service and very yummy. Not a place for a few pints a burger mind you, this is serious grub with a price to match.
After our fill it was back to the boat where we settled down with a Michael McIntyre DVD who has become a firm favorite with Shiela and I must say some of his early stuff gets me laughing out loud too.
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On 01/05/2018 at 07:35, grendel said:
NN I seem to recall Robin Posting somewhere (may have been facebook) that he had found and fixed a loose Battery Terminal during his holiday, so maybe that sorted it
Indeed, you will notice in the forthcoming Blog that where you sit at the helm (and put your feet) the Lino is all loose, not only this but the plate to which this Lino covers would 'wonk about' and this got worse overtime. Finally I noticed that the whenever the plate moved the domestic voltage gauge also wobbled. Once moored I had the Lino up to find three domestic batteries under the plate and one was not seated correctly - it meant the plate and anyone's weight was pressing down on the battery terminal wire clamp - which had worked loose. Off with the battery clamp, move battery back into the cut out shape for it - and bingo problem solved. Put the wire clamp back on, plate was then flush and Lino no longer loose as I put it back under the kicker plate and secured the screws. I also fixed the bin and fridge door while I was at it.
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2 hours ago, Londonlad1985 said:
Harking back to a GCSE lesson won't wiring them in series increase the overall output by more than you'd want? (I'm not very good with electrickery)
I forgot a bunch from school including how you actually wire in parallel and series - looks so simply in diagrams then with a bunch of wires in the real world you are left thinking..urm. Still I tend to get there in the end and so far without any bangs, sparks or deaths. It is always good to check twice, and in this case with peeps here before I go and destroy some perfectly good equipment lol.
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Thanks all.
I have to admit when it comes to several batteries and wiring I get in a right pickle and had I continued would have no doubt gone and wired up as 24v or 36v.
The reason this all came about was a super cheap Maplin Inverter I bought yesterday that is small and low powered but has proper terminal connectors so you can hard wire it to the battery bank. I thought this will be better than nothing and once the wiring is in place for it, so long as I use the right gauge (in the case of this Inverter it would be way overkill) the basic skeleton of wiring then is sorted for a future 1.5Kw Inverter I have my eye on. There is a handy cupboard which houses the domestic consumer unit and where the mains battery charger is wired to, and this is about 2 feet away from the batteries - but I can probably get the Inverter a little closer and in a less enclosed area which will also help it keep cooler.
However the next update will have to move all the sockets (goodness knows why they were put on the floor) and being plastic surface mount style it will not take much to knock one and you will crack the plastic. I know where they need to be put but that will take a back seat as I need to get 10 more double sockets put in on Independence to convert her to proper sockets from the plastic rubbish that are on there at the moment complete with their fake plastic brass shiny surrounds.
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Onboard Trixie there has been installed (when and by whom I know not) a shore power system which incorporates the standard three pin connector, a domestic consumer unit which then powers the mains battery charger and two double sockets in the cabin space. There is however surprisingly no Inverter.
As an interim measure I have been using a small 150w unit plugged into one of the many 12v accessory sockets that the boat has pre-wired since build. I plan to upgrade this to a 300w fan assisted model. This can be 'hard wired' into the battery bank which could then be mounted out of the way. I'd need a transfer switch to go between 'shore' and 'inverter' and it would be a pain in the short term with an Inverter that had no remote panel to have to get to where it was situated to turn it on and off when not in use.
Anyway, the question is you've got your domestic batteries - say three of them wired in series but you wanted your Inverter to draw off all three batteries so the load is spread over your domestic capacity. Would I be right in assuming you would wire the Inverter to effectively the last battery in the series run positive and negative terminal (option 1 photo) or would you have one positive lead on the first battery in the series and the negative on the last battery in the series (option 2 photo) to cause all three batteries to power the inverter?
Once set up I could then upgrade the Inverter in due course, but would be nice to have something other than using an accessory socket and a single plug Inverter.
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No new actual photos sadly, but I do have some news following talking with George today.
The weather has been delaying things taking place, especially the polishing of boat. However they have now got the hull done, anti foul is on, new anodes (on rudder now) prop dressed and new boot line is being put on too. I was told that removal of the name proved very hard especially on the side of the boat where the paint had 'etched' into the gel coat and try as they might they could not get the shadow to go. In the end sanding at up to 240 and working up to finer grades got the last of it away and has made me see how vinyl decals for name really is the way to go.
They have also been working on the boats electrical systems and have now got full voltage to the DC distribution panel, the NASA battery monitor has been installed and all the dash panel lighting is now working too. The sea cocks have been changed as well among other 'engine room related things'
Tomorrow the boat will be put back in the water and then the engine will be serviced and run up and checked, the new LED down lighters have arrived and the old lights are being carefully removed. Jackalls have been consulted to put all new headlining in to make the job perfect and so no trace of the old, larger light fittings which had 'dented' into the headlining would be seen. A new LED bulkhead unit for the heads is to go in, along with the new shower mixer tap.
The new Canopy was turned around in about a week to 10 days and is ready to go on, the new fenders are on order and everything is full steam ahead to get the boat ready for 14-16 of May in order to be taken to the Spring Meet. I can't wait!
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2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:
So if I understand you correctly Robin, it's not that you are against "Satnav" it's that you are against having dedicated satnav units. If that's the case I don't really agree with you, I'm not so keen to have all my eggs in one basket.
I respect your view, and if you wish to have separate devices be my guest. I suspect you say what you have about not keeping all your eggs in one basket because (and if I keep the metaphor going) what happens if your basket breaks?
The things is baskets (or devices) don't really breakdown anymore. I own various devices, some Android and most Apple and are both tablets and phones of various ages. None have ever 'broken down'. What does happen is they get slower or are unable to run new versions of the operating systems and Apps which then renders them less useful.
The most common problem I see is broken connectors and screens rendering units unable to be charged or used usually because they have been dropped. I drop my phone too (who does not) so it is worth investing not in phone insurance with all the clauses that involves and excess, but just a very decent protective case.
So as long as I don't drop the phone in the river or some low life Moped thief does not get to it, I have all I need right there with me. When I am on the boat my phone is the phone, the speedo, the map and the music player - and often the camera and video camera too, where upon it can be the video editor. It also serves as the way I pay for beer in the pub and check my account since I now very rarely have any cash with me or a wallet but despite it all there are issues: When I messed up my hands with a chemical cleaner and 'lost' my fingerprints for a week, I really got frustrated not being able to use the phone as my contactless payment method as I could not verify it was me with my fingerprint.
Finally all a Sat-Nav can do is navigate you to a location it is is single task but once at the location it's task is over with. It won't tell you anything else about the place or area like Google Maps could. It is the same as having a CD player in a car. You listen to the CD but then you get out and the music has to end. If you want it to continue, you must take the CD with you, and then if you want to listen to the music on the move have a portable CD player, or if at home use the Hi-Fi. It is doable, it is also very cumbersome so having less things to do the same job I think is better.
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3 hours ago, Islander said:
I think the £750,000 would be better spent on more 24hr moorings
I reckon if this is built the moorings outside will be 'short stay' for visiting the erm Visitor Centre and not 24hr ones.
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The only thing I would have done in the photo would have been to adjust two or three fenders so some were right up to protect the Gunwale area of the boat as it dropped down and may have rubbed on the quay heading.
I had a bit of an experience (baptism of fire) when I had to overnight onboard Independence at Town House Quay in Yarmouth Harbor on my own. If you think the Yacht Station rise and fall and current flow is bad, when you have the Bure, Yare and Waveney all funnel through just past Haven Bridge you sure know about it! I had masses of fenders and 6 lines out and but with the eddies and weird flow here I was anxious so set my alarm for when the tide would turn to be up and ready for more adjustments to the lines when it rushed back in with equal might. Thankfully despite concrete and steel piling no gel coat was harmed.
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The results are in - some I agree and some don't seem to really capture me, but the phrases "I will find a way...or make one" fits perfectly.
I think I should perhaps allow others more time to listen to their point of view should I think mine is the right (and only way) and while I accept I am often not right, I more often than not come across as seemingly 'always right'.
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27 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:
For motorists Waze is the way to go , it is owned by Google uses their maps but has real time updates
I thought that was what having the 'traffic' overlay on Google Maps also provided, via 'Waze' so I did not know Waze was a standalone App - off to the App Store..
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Well, I have to disagree. I am all for the technology, but also really against Sat-Navs.
The reason is the Sat-Nav as a unit will be history like the Cassette Tape in five years so enjoy them while you can now. The fact is they had their 'prime time' but they offer very little for their cost and having another unit when your smartphone can either run the same App from Tom Tom or Garmin further tells me the things are yesterday's tech.
The issue is you have competing firms loosing market share and money - they just can't long term keep up with the mapping services as this all needs to be paid for and this is where Google (and Apple) win since they can and do invest hundreds of millions of dollars into their mapping services. So the best sat nav? It's Google Maps.
The other benefit of Google Maps is how it helps even those without a car. I had to get from Brundall to Ludham Bridge. It was able to tell me the train times from Brundall, and the connection at Norwich. When I got to Wroxham I knew where the bus stop was, what nus to get and when it was due. When I needed to call the boatyard to tell them I was on my way but did not have the number saved in my phone, Google Maps knew my destination and in a tap I had the details and number to call George. I simply could not imagine now not having this in the pocket to rely on because all those services can be got elsewhere, but not quickly and not so easily and sometimes not for free.
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Not long a go, on a Facebook Group which is supporting the fact the Broads is not legally a National Park something was shared by the Broads Authority (or rather a member of the group shared a link to the document) and it was the first time I felt maybe, actually there is some worth in this whole push to become a real legal National Park after all.
The thing that struck me was the fact in the entire 'debrief' from Mr Packman no mention was made about the beginning of the new tourist season, hire boats, boatyards, private boaters, navigation, rivers, people it was all about conservation activities, researching new ideas on things, trying to get funding for others and a holiday he took somewhere else that reminded him of the Broads and the work in education and conservation going on there.
So, is it really any surprise that they have taken on the moorings here at Acle and wish to spend a great deal of money to have designed and built...a visitor centre? No, not any more to me. This in certain circles will be going down so very well, it fits in with so much of the new aims because it will promote education about the environment, the birds and wildlife and the history for the Broads to not only visitors from afar but local school children and those living in the area. And while that might seem not too bad of an idea (it is not in my opinion) that can all be done anyway from the likes of Wroxham. I might add I recently popped into the information centre at Wroxham to buy a couple of the Broads Authority tide tables and a key ring.
At the back of the centre, placed in a position too high and at the wrong angle for anyone but a tall adult to see and use was an 'interactive' touch screen computer that helped educate you about the Broads. I had a tap here and a tap there and it felt for all the world like when the first ever multimedia computers came out with CD Rom drives. Nobody quite knew what this meant for them, but the way the shops helped sell the idea was comparing how many books could fit on a CD and now the ability to have full colour photos and even video and sound bringing the content to life. This display felt much the same, lacking in speed and information - the privately funded one in Herbert Woods reception is far far superior.
So what I think will happen is a rather modern building, clad in some sustainable material like wood that will gently discolor and help blend in over time. Expect plenty of glass and sharp angles too. Also expect some never before known Architect to be the winner as they use this as a good PR stepping stone for themselves 'we built a new visitor centre for the Broads National Park' and so their fees will be very much more reasonable - or maybe I am being too cynical?
Yes, the shop seems much lamented, what I think would be good is some more places like Bridge Stones in Potter Heigham - not a pub, somewhere different for a meal, a cake, a coffee and a chat. Then add on a small concessionary that sells papers and general 'bits and bobs' much like the shop at Ranworth Staithe does. But a visitor centre? Goodness I think we ought wake up because Packman really is on a mission.
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Day One:
For some months now I have been having a growing number of subscribers on You Tube lamenting the 'good old' Captain's Blog's. It is all well and good owning boats and charting your adventures and life with them, but what about the hire boats they have said? The reviews and general blogging the day as it happens seems to be missed so it is time to come back for the first such trip this season.
While Shiela and I were away in Whitby for a holiday away from all things boating, I began to look at the boatyards websites to see if there was any deals to be had since I can be taken away only for so long these days from the pull of the water and boats. With the fact Shiela would be with me, it opened up the possibility of yards previously out of bounds to solo helms like myself (and of course Richardson's have stopped allowing that too now) so we were looking for something a little different and first looked at Faircraft Loynes and Horning Ferry Marina - but the prices were pretty steep, Zircon Emblem, though very nice and new was over a £1,000.00 just for a 3 night break! I was told to go for something not too fancy, but comfortable. It could not be a 'bath tub' and needed a decent sized shower.
I got looking at Herbert Woods and before long, just two days before we would be arriving in Norfolk the boat was duly booked - Western Light was the chosen craft. Now I have always wanted to go on one of these 'classic' boats formally of Connoisseur Cruisers yet never have had the chance previously so this would make an ideal opportunity. It was £527.00 all in and so having come back from Yorkshire on Thursday evening we had a rapid turn around in London before heading to Norwich the following day. We arrived early and headed to Morrisons via B&M (think Lathams on an industrial scale) both of which were not much of a walk from the station and used this time to buy a bunch of shopping and other items and duly looked at the end of it as if we were spending a fortnight afloat with a 6 man crew. Taxi duly ordered it was off to Potter Heigham and away from the temptation of more shopping!
We arrived at Herbert Woods and the reception team were very helpful and pleasant to deal with and said the boat was ready for taking over and was on A Section. We were handed a folder and our paper work and headed off to A Section to board the boat prior to finding our man to do the formal take over. We could not locate the boat anywhere though! I then left Shiela with the shopping, suitcases and Herbert Woods own trolley full of things to find someone to help show us to the boat - but here we ran into the first bit of red tape. You see I could not get shown to the boat unless I had the paperwork and got my life jackets, and the paper work was with Shiela. Back I walked to where she was waiting and she and I complete with all out stuff then made our way to the 'hut' where one collects life jackets from. However, the fact we now had caused some congestion with our suitcases, shopping and trolley with the cleaning carts and staff meant the first rule was over ridden by another chap who said he would just take us to the boat. We headed to down towards the car park and to another section - over on the side of the yard where the boats are up for sale. Since some of the way was gravel, it was not possible to pull the suitcases through this, so another trolley was found and the suitcases loaded into this before we carried on. By this point I was feeling like I was causing such a circus in the place.
We got on the boat and began to unpack the shopping, dropped the suitcases in the cabin and then we both went off to the hut back at A Section to collect the life jackets and there, another chap said he would come over and do the hand over. He used to work at Brooms, and was keen to hear about Independence and being a Trader 535 Sunliner. How did she handle and what engines she had and so on. I thought we might get let off with an easy hand over but no, first we had no mop, then we had a missing fender, and a port head rope. With these sorted out (just taken off boats to the left and right of us) it was time to go through the boats systems - the basic stuff. How to turn the water pump on and off, gas taps etc. What I did find a real shame was a gentleman with clearly a great deal of experience in boating having to 'go by the company policy' and tell us things that he and I knew were frankly nonsense. Examples we were told were: You could not run the heater for more than 2 hours, and if you wished to you must run your engine for 20 minutes for each additional hour's use. (Now people who moan about hire boaters running engines this could be where it is coming from). That once the voltage gauge showed 14v our batteries were fully charged, that if we hit any other boat or were hit by someone else, we should not worry and not admit anything and just take a note of the reg number and call the office who would sort it all out for us. You get the idea.
Once this was complete, and a checklist of items was gone over and I countersigned I guessed it would be out and away on our travels, but no back to the company policy - we were not allowed to take the boat out of the berth alone. This I was told was in case we hit another boat in the Marina which seemed funny, as if once out on the main river hitting other boats no longer became so much of a worry to them. I just went along with it all and let him do the steering and I did the ropes. We were let go just by the bridge and entrance to Herbert Woods and I immediately gave Shiela the wheel lol and all liability to her (okay not true as I was the actual named hirer).
Both of us had been suffering for a terrible cold and cough during our week away in Yorkshire, and as I sit and write this up now I still have the remnants of the cough even now, as does Shiela too. This did not so much put a dampener on things but would have been nice to have felt and sounded 'normal'. We decided that we ought to go for a bit of a run for we had no idea how long the boat had been left and with no shore power what state of charge the batteries had. Why not see how full Ranworth Staithe would be? So Shiela helmed all the way there - although she still point blank refuses to attempt any form of mooring.
We arrived at Ranworth and found the Staithe was not too full - and once moored up got to unpacking out cases and decided that we would go for an early dinner in the Maltsters. In the Christmas period of 2016 we had some great food in their, in fact spent three evenings over our trip eating and drinking there. Over 2017 Christmas periods we again wanted to but they were open for shorter periods and would change the times of when they were serving food day by day - but one the day we did manage eat there it was almost as good as in 2016 - Ribs and Hunters Chicken were had just as we always have in there. So this visit in April 2018 were knew what we were going to eat but oh...Same prices, same description of the food but goodness things had gone downhill. No little salad on the side of my Hunters Chicken, no pot of coleslaw for the Ribs, the chips were smaller and not as 'chunky' and the fresh battered onions rings had given way to 'catering pack' type - you know, the ones with the mashed up onion covered in a breadcrumb type coating with added onion powder as part of the ingredients. The Ribs were almsot identical to Whetherspoon - e.g. not cooked from scratch over a grill, but microwaved in a bag. It was then we overheard people talking at the bar asking where the Landlord was - and told he would be back later was not but was out at Macro buying more stock. This therefore may explain the change over two years and variable results in their food. You can in my view only cut back so much before the end result no longer is of a good enough quality to warrant the same price charged.
Now it was not bad by any means, but it was not 'worth' what we paid and was a real let down compared to 2016 and 2017 where we really loved the food and could not praise them enough. These days when you have the likes of the Lion at Thurne doing such great food, and the Acle Bridge Inn who are well known for their good food, it really can mean a lot to get it right I think. I hope the Maltsters go back towards where they were in 2016/17. Well food had it was time to get on with the drinking and Ale turned to more warmer ideas to calm ones throat - Brandy. Well you have one double and then another and then Shelia is worried my breath might catch light so we opted to go back to the boat. Of course we had tired earlier to get the heater going and after three goes I knew the boat did not have enough capacity in the batteries to fire it without the engine running first, at 5 minutes to eight in the evening and with one of the Broads most noisy boats we had to fire her up to get some heat. Even now it took two smokey attempts for the old Webasto to fire up - and once it had it too was noisy, but at least with the engine off did give us several hours of use. It was an early night as they go, and I hoped that come the morning I might feel a bit better.
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On 24/04/2018 at 17:45, SteveDuk said:
Just a thought LondonRascal are you going to film this?
It is hard to do when you are also doing works and trust me cameras and sawdust and varnish don't go well together, I shall see but for sure will take photos to share here with everyone.
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But you can get speed boats on there and everything..But I like the projects for a couple of hundred pounds.
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I never have been one to look for boats for sale on Ebay. Now I see how many there are - even 'speed boats'!
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5th to 13th October this year.
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1 hour ago, brundallNavy said:
We had Nipper lifted last weekend (Don’t ask).
Ok I won't. For now
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Just a little pictorial update of the start of works on Trixie. I had a call from George to tell me that all was going well but for the fact that he thought he found the cause of the vibration and issues I was having - the Skeg mounted Anode had been hitting the Prop. It will be removed and a new circular rudder mounted one used in its place.
Also what was a turn up for the books was to find the boat has Bilge Keels - now this is ideal if I want to run aground on Breydon and stay nice and upright, but not quite so good when you consider the drag they will have when running in normal water. I asked George if they may increase stability, to which he was certain they could and I laughed. You see when I bought Indy so many over on YBW spoke of the need to have stabiliser fitted, now these are not going to do much for their are not moveable, but it still is funny the little river boat has them and the big one does not.
The hull was badly fouled with about an inch of growth and a lot of anti-foul build up that is in the process of being taken back. This will all be replaced with a hard coastal antifoul that seems to work very well on the Broads and what is used on Broad Ambition with good results.
The Canopy is being produced by Bailey & Stone of Butt Lane, Burgh Castle. They make a lot of canopies and seating for Faricraft Loynes as well as private individuals and I was surprised to hear they have already got the new canopy ready for fitting. George said they had come down and use a CAD system to template and I am looking forward to the results. It will be in a Burgundy Sunbrella Plus fabric and I have asked for the glazing to have rounded radius curves not 'sharp' squares which I think will look a bit nicer.
Everyone hopes that the work will be complete in time for the Spring Meet and so people can have a close up look at the results :)
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To make things a bit special this year, I am upping the anti with the after night effects and have bought one of these:
I also have an 800w pure sign wave generator to bring so we have a degree of independence so far as power and am also bringing along a speaker with mic - this could cause an outbreak of Karaoke to occur for which cannot be held responsible for.
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29 minutes ago, Siddy said:
Robin when you renamed Indy did you have to de-register it,
No, because her registration had lapsed. I was going to go and register it again as Part 1 and still could, but get this I need to prove her weight, and I understand I need a Surveyor to do this. I could go for a SSR registration, but since she is on the Broads now this again is very much 'down the list' of things right now.
As to the radio registration that was easy, but the EPIRB was a bit more of a process to have registered to myself from the last owner.
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I was charged various sums for short visit tolls - despite receipts sent to me in the post with the card payment receipt showing the same measurements the fees differed by a lot.
Forgive me therefore if I am sceptical the the Broads Authority will get it all right this time - I have sent the form, BSS and a copy of the boat plans showing her measurements and will wait and see what happens in due time.
Horning Boat Show
in Broads Chat
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Looking like Shiela and I will be there in the early afternoon.