LondonRascal

Perhaps easier way to track is a GPS tag - connected via Bluetooth to someone on the boats mobile phone - job done. They are about £50.00. I've thought for sometime how this event could be be a bit more widely enjoyed through more sponsorship funding allowing more of the public to enjoy from real time tracking, to live streaming the event, but then again I suspect many would find that a bit too much.

I believe this is a fair thing to say, and while it may not be possible for all, just talking of it, raising the subject is a good start surely to slowly nudging people to consider changes on how they may travel to areas and help the environment they travel through and their impact upon it? I went on the Broads for years before I could drive and did so entirely by public transport - it is easy, and when booked in advance far cheaper than going by road. Look at what is going on in London - which is an amazing thing to see how people are being nudged to accept change. Freedom's are not being removed from anybody, but should you wish to use a car, it will cost you more and it will take a very long time to get to where you want to go verses other forms of transport. This causes frustration and costs people which makes the other ways of moving around the city begin to appeal more. New buses can now only travel at the speed limit of the road they are using because they know the speed limit of the road and know where they are (GPS) and since almost all the roads in London (where they are managed by the local Council) are 20MPH, this is a great way to create rolling speed controls where drivers behind the buses cannot do more than the speed limit it also ensures the buses are driven with more care and cannot speed either, this all makes for a more pleasant environment if you are walking by the road or cycling along it. Convenience is the real hurdle to get people to make such changes, this is also one of the big 'moans' about EV cars 'range' and 'charging them when away from home'. It is all possible, but not as easy as filling up with fuel, so it becomes something many latch onto as a negative and why a lot of people dislike the idea of owning one - and yes, EV's are not any better for the planet in their lifetime than a vehicle with an engine (well unless you take account of no actual emissions from them so far as gaseous pollutants) but what does help the environment greatly is just travelling less often by whatever means. The fact is, as years go on, we are going to have to make changes, and some of those are not going to be welcome (or easy to adjust to) but come they will. John Packman was beginning the conversation, so to speak, about this in my view and that is something that will be needed, after all. while some question how on earth the Broads could become 'electrified'I think it will have to be one day, as once vehicles no longer have engines in them, where will the base engines come from to be marinised by the likes of Nanni? So it might not be something there will be much choice over in time - it will just become the way it has to be. I thought the other day something similar, whatever happened to corrugated steel? You used to see it all over the place, and often too at construction sites acting as a temporary wall around them for safety and security. Now such sites have to have Plywood boards put up, wrapped in vinyl to promote the buildings going up, they are often adorned with lights too. In short, if a building site now has to appear 'pretty' what chance is there of a mooring being natural? But it is more than aesthetics, you now (rightly) need to think about people and their comfort, consider risks too and access requirements. How Hill uses to be some grass bank and you'd arrive and use the Rhond Anchors (I've got photos from the 1990's showing this) but now they are piled moorings, full of mooring posts and topped with crushed Granite to walk over. This makes mooring easier, and safer - as you've got a post right there to tie to. It means those who have holidayed with their baby/toddler can easily walk along with the Pram/Pushchair or indeed those less mobile can ensure a level and even surface to walk along, not just those who need the use of a Mobility Scooter too. It has nothing to do with just health and safety (though this should not be seen as a bad thing - why should it be acceptable for someone to sprain their ankle (or worse) because of a hole hidden in the grass.) It means the area and the moorings there are available to be enjoyed without inconvenience to more people - and this can only be a good thing as if you make somewhere accessible to a more diverse set of people, more people will be able to enjoy it.

It does, and 'down south' only has so many available anyway to moor at. It is going to be very interesting seeing how things pan out in the coming couple of years and what will be what.

Honestly, it is not just the Broads, I just spend the weekend down in Hampshire and paid a visit to the Watercress Line (Mid Hants Railway) - now in the past when I have visited this (and other heritage lines) you'd see a real mix of people and they would be busy especially on a June weekend..But not now it was a surprise. The Hotel we stayed at had 48 rooms, but only 12 were let. Despite this, it cost £126.00 for the room, it was tired and dated with dusty nooks and crannies and just reminded me how bad we are in this country with accommodation outside the major chains who seem to at least have reliable standards. What is going on across the country, are many just are being more and more careful with spending. I have been surprised how quiet once guaranteed to be packed Whetherspoon pubs are (and just how expensive they have become for food). Now you think about the Broads and almsot all riverside pubs now charge for mooring which is not refundable if you eat there, the beer is expensive as is the food, the boat has cost a lot, the food and drink you bought to stock up the boat has cost you a bunch too. Driving the car to the boatyard is not cheap, things all going up but what has stayed the same? your income. I fear that it might not just be the boatyards who are going to suffer this year, its all the local businesses who also bank on this time of year for visitors too.

Both of the above are subject to things we do not know. For example, say the rent was indeed a £1.00 per annum - what does that actually include? Who will be responsible for the steel piling, capping and costs of keeping this in good order? It might well be the Broads Authority have declined this offer based on the fact they only have £150,000 budget for this across the network and know full well Langley Dyke is used very little - compared to How Hill. So they would not take on this liability, over to the landowner, who might bulk at the idea of paying for this too - and here we are - closing moorings. As to the upkeep of the moorings, what is the liability of the Broads Authority - maybe they only do need to cut the grass. I am not a flag bearer for the Authority, but I won't 'have a go at them' unless I know what they are failing at, and what actually has nothing to with them - for all I know, I should be moaning at the owner of the land...So yes, let us see what the Broads Authority have to say though to be fair, even then it will be only their side of the story.

One would hope they were indeed addressed annually, to keep in line with market values - no good saying you are capping something at £25,000 and its five years on and still capped at this figure. We will see when the accounts are published for 2023. The fact is though, it all has to be paid out of a set amount of money - and I'd like to think the Broads Authority did not just pluck an increase to Tolls which worked out to be 13% out of thin air without some careful financial analysis (hey we can live in hope, right?) Their costs will have gone up too and one has to accept that, from the utility bills, to the stationary, to the fuel they use, to the materials used to maintain moorings - and on and on it goes. I therefore believe while 13 percent may have been 'unfair', it would still have had to have increased way over inflation whatever the case simply to maintain spending - let alone increase any budgets within the Authority. The point I was making was more how moorings being lost may have a contributing factor of the Broads Authority - based on their strategies - but one has to also see how the owner of the land in question is often more 'the cause' of a mooring being lost. Nobody would want to have liability for costs and risk and just provide something out of the goodness of their heart, and if the Broads Authority can't afford to offer more than a set amount when leases come up for renewal, what you get is what we are seeing - moorings vanishing. The only way I can see to break this, is charging for them, how else do you raise capital if you also cannot keep asking for ever higher Tolls and if the Government are not increasing their grants? So, either private landowners charge, or the Broads Authority subsidise the cost of the leases with mooring fees. I am happy for that, so long as it can be shown the mooring fees directly go to support the moorings and not on goodness knows what else like pointless signage or vanity projects.

Punishment has nothing to do with crime reduction, take America, which has some truly incredible jail terms of many years, that for crimes over here you'd get 12 months for and be released on licence half way through. America has one of the worlds highest prison populations, and crime is as rife as ever. What Asia has is a culture of respect for others and pride - not to forget the sheer shame it would cause a person and their family for being arrested. Our problem is complex and I believe begins with lack of eduction and respect for others, then spirals from there.

Few draw attention the point the owners of the land adjacent to rivers decide if they wish to continue leasing such to Broads Authority, and likely as the lease period comes to an end would look to re-negotiate the terms and cost based on current market values. Many however do not see this, and instead hit the Broads Authority with the 'stick of blame' which can be unfair and why balance is always key. From reading various reports and meeting minutes over the years, it would appear that one of the biggest issues land owners have is the cost of maintaining the piling at moorings. This has been further muddied with how the Environment Agency wishing to pass on liability for piling that is no longer required for flood defence purposes to the owners of the land behind the piling frontage. This formed a big reason why the landowner at Thurne Mouth decided to remove the moorings there, formerly leased by the Broads Authority, when neither the Environment Agency or the Broads Authority would fund future piling work. Many will single out the Broads Authority for these moorings being lost, but as you see it was not their fault entirely. The Broads Authority (as of 2021) budgets £150,000 annually just for funding piling works at 24 hour moorings. Careful consideration is needed as to what moorings this fund covers, and which are not covered. I can well see why a land owner would not wish to continue paying to keep a mooring in good order, if they are not having any funding (over and above the lease cost/rental) given to the moorings. While things like mooring posts, gavel pathways and signage would be funded by the Broads Authority, this is not anywhere near as expensive as steel sheet piling, capping and the labour costs to replace such - indeed, it is estimated to cost £1,000 per metre to remove, replace and re-cap steel sheet piling at moorings. Given this sort of costs, I can see why there is a temptation to use what powers the Broads Authority were granted under the Broads Act 2009, to raise money via the introduction of mooring fees - the issue is, are such fees really going to go into the specific location's cost or swallowed in the vast darkness of outgoings generally? Here is where a more transparent Authority would be nice along with easier access to such information. I'd draw peoples attention to the below about what the Broads Authority say on moorings and leases: So, as you can see it might well be that a landowner values (or has had independently valued) the lease of moorings to be more than £25,000 - and should this be the case, the authority has reached their own 'imposed cap' of new leasehold terms and talks (I presume) come to an end. The same would apply for rental terms too. It is therefore of no help to view the cost of our Tolls as excessive, but then further expect money to be made available for retaining moorings when negotiating with land owners - for there is only so much money in the pot. From my point of view therefore, at times, it may well be six of one and half a dozen of the other. The landowner rightly wanting a decent and fair market value for the lease, and the Broads Authority not wishing to negotiate if it is above a certain threshold, or where that is not the case, the landowner being the sticking point wishing to mitigate their liability both in terms of costs to maintain and as far as risk/claims go about piling at a mooring.

I've just come back from 3 nights away in the Yorkshire Dales - and took the 'good old tank' (Greta my Volvo XC70). Now at over 167,000 miles it remains one of the most comfortable cruisers and mechanically has been so reliable (electrics and my bad luck with things not so much lol). We averaged 153 miles a day, basically driving up and down Dale and going to some lovely, secluded roads and places. Truly stunning! The best thing was averaging 43.2MPG which ain't bad for a big old 17 year old diesel.

I think this is long overdue and hopefully will work well. Chartering, so far as the Broads goes is not going to be really any different to hiring - but, yes it sounds better, and if that means you can cater to people's aspirational tendencies all the better for a business, who is after all only there for one reason: profit. I remember some years back talking to Herbert Woods about a new concept, whereby their latest new-build boats were not just part of their 'Elite Range' but a new 'Blue Star' service. These would be very limited in number - maybe only 5 boats - but not only would you get the best, and newest builds and interiors you'd get more refinements all playing on the 'Blue Star' and history of the yard. So all the crockery would be bespoke to those boats (yep white with a blue band and single blue star on the lip), the bed lining, towels etc all of very high quality and all made up for your arrival. Providing high quality toiletries, and accessories for your time onboard. But you'd also benefit from early express take-over of the boat, and a later return time and a single contact at the yard should you need assistance. Finally, since your boat would not go under Potter Bride, a 3 hour complimentary Day Boat hire to experience some of what awaits those able to head up stream of the bridge. Well, clearly it was not taken further - but giving things like this would not cost a great deal to implement, but would mean a higher price of hire (or charter) could be charged and those customers opting for this would feel they were having the 'best of the best' which is sometimes what a luxury holiday is all about - a big treat. This issue is any problem that may crop up needs to be dealt with in a very careful manner, because the yard is seriously up-selling something and it is very easy for a customer who has paid above the odds to loose faith with you over how they are dealt with should something go wrong and very easy too for a companies reputation to be ruined by some viral video of a problem holiday hitting TikTok for example. So this is not without risk, but I think since Richardson's have a number of boats now which are of very high class like Tranquilla a Sheerline, or Amore a Haines boat - it might work to have these as a separate 'charter fleet'. Let's see..

No I don't think so, because in the example I gave, it would go through Yoello so they would have the original 'destination bank account' stored for payments to go to (and be traced). Also it would be branded by them (but a landing page set up for people to arrive at). I can well imagine a great deal of trouble being taken if the income stream was deemed worthwhile (e.g. at an RSPB reserve with many visitors, or a Church, Museum etc.) I have seen many sites with QR 'donation' signs which is why I was aware this method of payment transfer existed. Again, perhaps I should not have mentioned this is 'more secure' but, I believe it would be safer from the point of view of the Trustee's of the Staithe not having to have a bank account number and sort code on a sign in public, and safer for the public to use rather than blindly sending money to a bank account number (and whoever is the receiver good or bad) having their name, sort code and bank account details after the transfer of funds had been made. At the end of the day, I imagine the fact was the donation box was stolen, and rather than spend on a more robust box (or have to come to empty it) one of the Trustee's said 'why not just set up an account and have the details of it on a sign for people to use' and it got rubber stamped and here we are now as that was the only solution they knew/thought of would work.

But then the sticker printing scammer would also have to have a website landing page set-up to mimic the real one, and would they go to all that trouble for a small Staithe on the Broads for a few quid? I guess, the real point of my post was not the fraud element of showing the bank details in a public place, more the fact this is hassle and hassle equals lack of tak-up. I could not use the bank details to pay, while I have the App for my Bank, new payments need the card-reader which is always at home, and I am not likely to bother to make a note of the bank details, and send off the money days later from home when I remember to and use the card-reader then.

I should agree with you, and inside I kind of do, but at the same time, this is no longer 'new'. It is like someone not knowing how to use the Internet, when I have been using it for 26 years. To put that in perspective, a 75 year old unfamiliar with such to this day would have been have been 49 years old, working and very much aware of computers and 'the Web' back in 1997. Even if they had not used such then (may their work did not involve using a computer) as the years have moved on, and we have become increasingly dependant upon such, they will have have many opposites to learn about such. Indeed, I would say these days the use of Tablets to connect is far far better than a computer as they are safer, faster, and don't go wrong/need as much knowledge to use as a computer does. There has to be the point where legacy ways (which cost more to process and deal with) give way to the current methods. The 'Smartphone revolution' really kicked off with the iPhone, and that launched in 2007. Even if one was not an early adopter of such, that was 16 years ago, and by now, almost all mobile users have a Smartphone partly because they have had to as Contracts provide new models over the years, and moreover because people aspire to have new and nicer items showing off their status. Nowadays, it is a choice to not have a smartphone and if someone chooses not to use one, they also increasingly need to accept that choice may well preclude them from taking part in everything from saving money in Supermarkets, to not being able to pay for parking as machines for taking payments are slowly phased out.

The moorings on the downstream side approaching Ludham Bridge (where the mooring posts are missing) - forgive me if I am incorrect - but I don't think these are Broads Authority leased/maintained as I don't remember there being a 'Broads Authority Sign' on this bank. Therefore, if I am correct, this is up to the land owner (perhaps the Environment Agency/Shop?) to replace the mooring posts and maintain the moorings.

The theft of the donation box (while a sad reflection of our society) made me consider, how often do I actually have any change on me (or any money) for that matter to use donation boxes? The issue with the bank account details being shared as they have chosen to do so, is this leaves this open now for someone to scam - just stick over it a newly made account details and have funds meant for the Trustee's of the Staithe head into your account, how often might they check the balance/signage has not been tampered with? What would have been far better and easier and safer is a QR code to scan and send money this way. One of the larger providers is Yello [https://www.yoello.com/] You have a sticker with the unique QR code on it, person uses their phones camera which recognises it to be a QR code and you tap the link which then allows payment to be sent. It is far cheaper than an waterproof battery/solar powered contactless card reader and far more likely to be used than someone having to send a payment for some water via BACS! You see, this sort of thing is going to become more and more of an issue as fewer people use physical cash for transactions. As I began this post, I don't carry cash usually (or even a wallet and credit/debit cards) because these are too insecure. Once someone gets their hands on a card these days, they can tap it and straight off £100.00 is gone - that is per card! If you have a few cards on you, this might run into a few hundred quid you are walking around with digitally but available to anyone to spend if they have the card. An Apple Pay/Android Pay enabled phone does not need a phone signal to make the transaction work, but does need your fingerprint/Face I.D/Passcode to enable the transaction, if someone nicks the phone, they have no way to use the digital wallet and reporting the phone lost/stolen to your bank means the cards held in the digital wallet are automatically deleted too being an added layer of security.

I am a bit bias, owning an SLK 350 - 307HP and with the speed limiter removed, they have recorded top speeds in excess of 170MPH. But, what I love about them is the smooth V6 and deep exhaust note - only bettered by the SLK55 (V8). Lot's of nice toys like 'air scarf' to keep your beck warm when the roof is down but that big engine up front and short wheel base means they are not as nimble it the corners. I had a test drive in a BMW Z3 and it is far more of a drivers car, lower, more basic in how you are connected to the road, lighter (no heavy metal roof to fold away) but, if you wanted to drive to Scotland in it, you'd likely end up needing to pop into the the local Chiropractor before the hotel lol.. The SLK might loose out on overall thrills, but as a little GT it is wonderfully comfy and can out-pace a lot on the road, without looking like it can which is always fun. The video below is one of my favourites showing what it can do in the right hands round the Nürburgring

Well interesting reading about Charlie and his works to improve the Z3. I have to be honest, my SLK 'Radley Bob' has been under cover in the Garage since November. I just had to tax it, and now the Insurance is coming up in April .. Without a wheel turning it will have cost me £360.00 to tax, £42.00 to MOT, £728.90 to insure. Leave aside petrol and wear and tear things and servicing. Since moving to Lincolnshire the issue is the roads locally are either dreadful with potholes, or dead straight lines - having to drive a fair way to go anywhere with some decent bends and fast flowing B Roads (how I miss the gentle rolling countryside of Norfolk for spirited drives). So instead I took 'Great' the Volvo XC70, for a weekend away (and Shiela too lol) to Pickering in the North Yorkshire Moors. It was a good opportunity to re-visit Rosedale Chimney Bank, one of England's steepest roads and Shiela filmed this as we climbed it.. However, while away the rear parking sensors did what they seem to always do on old Volvo's - stop working. Volvo originals I found were £67.00 each, I got 4 off of Amazon (German made) for £40.00 delivered. It is going in for a service on Thursday and the Garage have agreed to fit them for a nominal cost as I am having the service carried out. It is by no means a looker this Volvo, but my it keeps on pulling like a train and I've yet to sit in anything as comfortable. It's almost at 170,000 miles (so I have clocked up over 32,000 in two years). IMG_4780.mp4

Unless you live in London, there is currently no explicit law that bans it, and different civil and criminal laws cover pavement parking in different parts of the country. Depending on the width of the pavement, it can be considered rather antisocial behaviour. It can cause inconvenience or even danger to pedestrians, especially parents with pushchairs, the blind or wheelchair users, sometimes forcing them to move into the road to get past. The Police can charge you with ‘unnecessary obstruction of the highway’ because this offence covers all parts of the street. If you park in Greater London, then there is a specific rule in the Highway Code that states “You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London”. Any Highway Code rule that uses the terms MUST or MUST NOT is a law, rather than guidance. The exception is where a traffic regulation order (TRO) has been established, which can set rules about parking times and restrictions, with clearly painted bays that straddle the road and pavement.

Well, I thought I would add something to this topic, since I sourced and helped install the panels on Broad Ambition. While it is indeed correct that the glass 'framed' panels will last longer, and are more efficient, newer flexible panels have come along and often offer a good compromise if you want to avoid having the unsightly look of framed panels, and also at times can put stuff on them - or even if you really need to - walk on them without breaking them. On Broad Ambition, we have two 100w panels. These are bonded to the cabin topside with VHB tape from 3M. This is the mother of all adhesive tapes, and has done just fine for a couple of years now - in all weathers, from rain, ice, and fierce sunlight. We wired the panels using specialist 'solar panel cable' this is thick stuff, tinned (so wont corrode) but limits voltage drops along its length to the minimum. This then goes to an MPPT solar controller. Here is what MPPT is all about: This is why paying the extra for an MPPT controller is vital to extract maximum efficiency out of the panels. What annoys me about panels when you see them advertised is their wattage figure - this means very little because we are dealing with DC power and the key is Amps. An average 100w panel, in the most ideal, perfect conditions might be able to provide a maximum output of 5Amps. In real life, you might see 3.5A to 4A though. So you can see, with two of them on a ideal summers day you will have in the real world situation maybe 8Amps coming in. This is a drop in the ocean to what your Alternator will put out, or shore based battery charger. So you need to see them for what they are, they will charge a house battery bank over several days of good weather, or they will cover the power draw, or a good degree of it, from say your fridge running. In our set up, on a summers day where we may have an additional coolbox running alongside the fridge the panels help reduce the amount of battery use these take - so for every hour, they reduce the discharge amps by perhaps 4Amps on average. This is very little in the general scheme of things, but every little helps - as does anything else you can do to reduce power use like changing all lighting to LED. If you consider the cost of the panels, cables, connectors, controller and so on it does cost a few hundred pounds and won't suddenly 'power your boat' but you will find your overall power use is less, other than of course the moment the clouds come over or its a dull day where their output will plummet.

Been a loooong old time since I was updating this topic - the old sockets Stuart asked about, I have parted with this - sorry. But this is an update about my future - and that of Indy: I have spent over three years living onboard Independence - and it has been wonderful, but at the same time, I have felt restricted and a growing feeling of not being in a settled place. So, I have bought a three bed detached house in Lincolnshire which will become my new base. Of course if I am no longer going to be living full time on Independence, she is one hell of a big boat to pop down to for a weekend stay and cruise to the likes of Reedham and back. So, I have begun packing away my possessions - which I never though I had too much of living on a boat, yet when it comes to boxing them up it all adds up. Once I am off the boat - completion of the house keeps being put back but fingers crossed it will finally happen come end of April - I will be putting Independence up for sale. I feel a greater sense of emotion at this prospect than when I left London, maybe because when you live on a boat, you feel so much more connected to the environment. When we have had gale force winds, and I am out adjusting lines, adding extra fenders and so on, you feel like the old girl is looking after you more than you would in a house. Or clearing ice and snow off her decks, or dealing with big flood tides or even waking up to find all the water is missing and she is on the mud. She has always been a cost, warm and dry boat, and a home from home with her wonderful space, Teak interior, king size bed, and conveniences of a washer dryer, dishwasher and big shower mean yo never feel like you are 'making do'. Of course the fact I am moving to a new county does not mean my days on the Broads are at an end, but I shall be returning to holidays and weekends rather than all the year. I sure will miss the peace and ebb and flow of the river, but am excited at the prospect of making my new house a home. My only issue is, literally everything will need to be bought - from the bed, to the sofa, to the coffee table so this will be an interesting (and costly few months) ahead.

It has been a while since updated this thread, so here are some previous videos covering Independence you may have missed..

This morning my water pump decided to spring a leak, from the PumpGuard filter - I had no idea that getting this fixed would take so long, and see me having to bypass the filter temporarily while a regalement is ordered. Trust me to have an unusual inlet/outlet configuration on my filter assembly than that any chandlery has in stock currently.

Any decent sized cable quick connector would suffice, the voltage and amperage's produces are not going to be big - here was one I found on Brian Ward's Website - but there are better more cosmetically pleasing types which are often used on boats where the wheelhouse has lighting inset in the sliding canopy - and a 'curly' connector plugs in at the helm.