LondonRascal

Last weekend I was at the Shoreham Airshow - see some of the photos I took there including The Vulcan and Lancaster - I've also got some video to add later. Album Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204632419600515.1073741832.1535827413&type=1&l=82756ea6f1

This will be interesting to see how this pans out. If true, then I am not sure how all of Moonfleet could fit down at Acle and Horizon Craft still have all their current fleet. Despite being part of Richardson’s, Horizon Craft is run at a very ‘arms length’ arrangement and they do a fabulous job – they have however not had as much of a sprinkling of new boats as Stalham has in recent years. It could well make sense to remove Horizon Craft from Hoseasons and make that ‘ams length’ arrangement to the ‘HQ’ at Stalham even more so. Perhaps what will happen is Moonfleet’s boats will head down to Acle, some of Acle’s older boats boats move up to Richardson’s main yard at Stalham and Moodfleet’s yard becomes private moorings and concentrates on the private engineering side for Richardson’s. Time will tell.

From my extensive experience of using computers on the Broads (I can't go without one) you can get by using a phone as a hotspot - but they just don't match the speeds of the dedicated units, get hot and drains the battery like there is no tomorrow. A 'MiFi' unit acts like a mobile - it has a battery and a SIM card in it, but its data throughput (and this is only my opinion) is far faster. I used Three, and it is a bad day if I have 3G - usually I have the faster HSPDA speeds - this is faster than 3G and theoretically could get you 20 Mbps download speeds. Usually I get between 4 and 6 Mbps depending on location which means you can stream iPlayer without buffering but doing so will eat into your data allowance big time. I top up with £15.00 of credit, buying me 3GB of data. Sometimes that can last a week, other times 4 days - depending how much data I use - I tend to route my calls though the O2 'TU Go' app (O2 is appalling where coverage is concerned and forget 3g speeds outside the likes of Norwich and Stalham). Using TU Go eats data as voice calls are sent over the internet, Spotify also eats into data (music streaming service). So in my opinion go on Amazon, get a MiFi unit unlocked - Here is a good one for under £40.00 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HQJATOU At least then you could use any providers SIM card in it, but I would go with Three - bung £15.00 on it and hey presto your boat will now have onboard WiFi you can connect up to 5 devices to with about a 20 metre range - so you could share your internet with friends just give them the password to connect. Other than Horning, more so outside the Ferry Inn actually, I don't have much issue with coverage and the boon is pop it in your pocket and take it with you places - you become a mini WiFi hotspot. For best speeds I connect it to my computer visa the supplied USB cable. This also charges the device and there is no loss of speed through interference with the WiFi signal.

Yes really. When you are on your own as I am often, and the boat is being blown off the bank that makes life very difficult. It is different when you have two people and one is not able to actually get off the boat easily compared to doing it all on your own. You’ve no back up or second chances. The moment you untie any rope the boat will want to drift away, so it can be tricky. Imagine you have a stiff wind blowing off the bank - you undo the bow rope and right away it wants to drift off away from the bank so you need to keep pulling it back in against the wind while you deal with the stern. It may be that you have to ‘sea saw’ pull the bow in, deal with the stern, pull the bow in – deal with the stern – depending on the wind strength. Once both bow and stern are free you have to hold the boat on both ropes (that part is fine) but now you need to get on the boat and have your lines ‘set’ read for the next mooring. Flinging the ropes on the boat might help at the time to leave the mooring and at least be safely on the boat, but would not aid your next mooring if the ropes are not to hand to step off with. It is made harder still with Rhond Anchors having to pull them out of the ground, hold the boat put them on the boat and then get on with the ropes can be fun to say the least on exposed areas such as Womack Dyke. Whereas...Being blown on the bank is easy. You can un-tie the ropes, or take the Rhond Anchors out the ground and the boat just sits there still and pinned to the bank. Take your time to run the lines to the bow or the stern depending on boat ready for your next mooring and then you can get on the boat in no rush at all. Once on the boat it is a case of leaving the mooring backwards – wheel hard over pointing to bank – blast of forward throttle to kick the stern out a little, then astern – then another blast of forward and you should now be able to leave the mooring backwards to the centre of the river. You also should not have had the bow of the boat touch the bank during the manoeuvre as long as your short bursts forward were not long enough to actually make the boat move forward very much at all but just to kick the stern out. Of course the best of both worlds is to have a boat with bow thrusters – even so, it is quite possible if you use them to push the bow out to then have your stern scrap the bank or if you have a boat behind and in front of you risk striking the boat in front as you leave. I play safe because if you leave in reverse that just can’t happen. Below is what I did at Paddy’s Lane on a very windy day despite being sheltered there giving the boat in front of me a very clear berth and while also ensuring I did not bank into the boat to my stern. Bow thrusters in such circumstances are handy tools. http://youtu.be/gmaQiz1CxAw?t=47m38s

The type of boat and how comfortable you are with that boat makes a lot of difference too - my latest hire was Blue Diamond from Ludham Bridge Boatyard, a small 25ft forward steer boat - yet because it was so light it was harder to moor than my previous hire that of Brinks Royale - but you learn and adapt. Some moorings are Childs play and everything just fits together and there is no drama, other times I can get rather worried and the heart is beating fast - take coming into moor at Reedham with people watching and the Ranger waiting for you (or maybe it was having two cameras going at the same time too). The single rule I keep to is not to rush things, always come into a mooring slowly - worry about the bow first because that (unless one has bow thrusters) is the part you can't control. Time and again I have seen people come to moor, someone gets off and pulls the stern in only to be perplexed the bow drifts out and can't be then corrected. You have the rudder at the stern and your power so if one secures the bow you can bring the stern in. Of course more often than not I am alone, and it is a case of taking both ropes with me as I get off the boat - I much rather more with a wind blowing me on to a bank than off it, as it is easier to depart a mooring being blown on to it than off it.

Well I think it is a great idea to give the place a much needed future plan that it seems, MM has certainly got a lot of ideas already to put towards. I don’t agree with people avoiding the place just because of the tidal rise and fall. Just plan your arrival – especially easy from the south – to coincide with high water being able to step easily off the boat, have a couple of pints and leave before the tide has had chance to turn. Floating pontoons would be great, they also cost an absolute fortune which is why I am sure they have never been put in at the Yacht Station at Great Yarmouth. As an owner of the pub it is not the sort of opportunity that would bring as much revenue in as other alternatives ‘inland’ may, so it would need someone with open eyes to this fact and I think MM certainly would. This would also be a specialist pub - it does not need to be especially family friendly (whatever that really means) have a warm welcome and atmosphere and serve a good selection of drinks and a damn good coffee would not go amiss either for finding one of those is a tricky business on the Broads. The real issue is the asking price – it is plainly over inflated – but if you were in a position to sell you would begin by asking what you could and then waiting to see what happens. Because this is not in a prime location, I doubt it is going to have a great deal of business interest – but it may be catching the attention of others wanting to develop it if one could (as other pubs have long gone) and become private homes. Perhaps the most fair way would be to have it for auction and then may the best man win.

'minor domestic dispute' - made me will have to look back now as it just is how we are so I did not think it came out as a dispute maybe we are more like a married couple than we thought

Just a short rather impromptu Captain’s Blog – having just returned from a lovely weekend afloat. The Captain's Blog - Weekender It was the larger than life, cheery ex RN, Broads loving tiller from Yorkshire – yes Charlie Griffin skipper of Broad Ambition - Birthday on Saturday and I could not really miss such a do and a surprise party had been arranged at Ludham Bridge Boatyard. I had a look at various boats for hire, but with eye watering prices for perhaps the most popular weekend on the Broads it was the ever friendly and always helpful Jason of Ludham Bridger Boatyard who stepped up with an offer of one of his small ‘weekender’ boats – and so Blue Diamond was to be our short term home. I say ‘our’ because my girlfriend Shiela was going to be coming – now she is not the most overwhelmed with all things boats and the Norfolk Broads, but as things turned out is beginning to be bitten by the bug actually saying how she enjoyed watching the other boats, feeding the Swans and Ducks and watching the sun sets. She however is not quite so used to already being known by strangers stopping me to chat and then mentioning her name too! So back to the tale: After collecting the boat I was surprised at just how much space the 25ft x 9ft 6” boat had – a Sheerline mold one could say it was a ‘modern Hampton 25’. Jason and his team had worked their magic on the boat and I feel they are a showcase for the quality of workman ship a small yard can produce. From the quality woodwork inside to the gadgets it was amazing. Immersion heater, programmable thermostatically controlled warm air heating, LED mood lighting, a quality stereo and speakers complete with auxiliary input speed and depth log super sound insulated smooth running BETA engine and just about every utensil, plate and glass one would require all in what really is just a small boat likely used as a high quality day boat but which made our weekend aboard very comfortable. For those wanting to give such a go, they will be no longer available for hire from 2015 so get in there quick. We woke up Saturday and I realised how different it was to have Shiela along – relaxed and nice even being made coffee! Instead of me thinking about how far I was going to travel, how I may film things it was a case of just enjoying the time up on the rivers and taking it much more easy. All we were going to do was go to Potter Heigham, pop into Lathams and get some booze for the party later. We departed Ludham Bridge and headed down the Ant, but soon spied a mooring free to be able to visit the ruins of St. Benet’s Abbey – a place Shiela had never seen and so it was off the boat for a quick explore. As ever it felt very tranquil, and I was surprised how few people were actually there – despite the many boats moored. Back on board we headed towards the River Thurne, but it was not super busy with boats – that would change later however at Ludham Bridge being a bottle neck and I saw how hairy things can get there. Having moored in a rather full Herbert Woods basin it was off to the Flour & Bean Café. It was larger than I thought it would be, very busy indeed and it took a great deal of time to be able to order but once we had it did not take long for our food to arrive. I had a burger and chips with a coke, Shiela had the breakfast (a sausage, two rashers of bacon, an egg and beans) with a coke. £17.95 seems pretty steep to me, and the quality of the food did not (in my opinion) match the price or ‘café ambience’ that the place has. Once filled it was into Lathams, Sheila getting a robe that was identical to one she had seen in TK Max but at a price half that which they wanted. I went a bit silly with various drinks, then got glow sticks by the handful and soon we had two full baskets. Back to the boat it was time to head back to Ludham Bridge – I had a call saying Broad Ambition was about and I kept a sharp eye out, and there she was approaching us. I let Sheila take the wheel and I hid in the back – not wanting to be spied by Charlie. We arrived back at Ludham Bridge and it was all hands on deck – Sheila was blowing up balloons and I was helping with the gazebos with Jason and staff, and a wide selection of boat loving friends all lending a hand. Then it began to rain and then thunder and fork lightening. We were told it was a passing shower, at the time it felt anything but – however sure enough it passed and we got on with putting up the balloons and banners and getting the tables and food set out for the BBQ. We had just completed the task of setting up everything and making it look lovely when Broad Ambition appeared – it is always good when you really surprise someone and we all had a great time, good food and company well into the evening. The next day we had no real plan, but since Shiela had only been as far as How Hill we wanted to go up to Barton Broad – see the Regatta going on and top up with water at Barton Turf. Well let us say it was an eventful trip getting through the moored boats the other side of the Bridge, but once through there it was a lovely sunny day and Barton Broad really looked something with the yachts out sailing in various classes and all the support boats and owners rafted together. At Barton Turf I made a right cock up – yes I confess to all I put the water where water should not go – into the waste tank. Thank goodness I realised before the toilet began to overflow. Sheila had also as it happened helped matters by not pushing the water hose directly into the deck fittings hole, so at least we avoided the nightmare of a contaminated water hose. I was very red faced and had to called Jason to confess my ‘school boy error’. He was ok and we made the journey back down the River Ant to have an unexpected pump out. While there, a Broom Cadet hire boat made a 360 and came in to moor – a regular watcher of the Blog Nathan and his good lady said hellos and shacked hands before we departed and they availed themselves of a pump out too. Back towards Stalham again – our destination Stalham where we could go out and have a meal in the Swan that evening. It was a lovely trip up the river and upon arriving in Stalham Richardson’s boat yard was near empty – a stark difference to the rather full Herbert Woods the previous day. Many a hire boat from a different yard was moored but we managed to find a mooring away from them and have a quiet evening. We walked into Stalham and found the Swan rather full but with a table free and had a good meal and drinks. Back to the boat it was an early night – tomorrow we would be taking the boat back and yet before we did I wanted to just pop up to Wayford so would be an early start. Come Monday morning it was grey, raining and I realised how good it was we had the best of the weather and how the weather man should have said the forecast was ‘Bank Holiday’ – say no more, we would all be aware that meant rain. Despite this, it was lovely to be on the river and felt a tad low when we handed the boat back knowing we would be headed back to the smoke of London once again. I really can’t rate Jason and his team highly enough. Everyone we met was friendly, chatty and super helpful and one can see from how they take care of their own boats what they can lavish on your own boat – be it wood or plastic, a new engine or just some painting they are a small boatyard with a great team of skilled people and well worth calling in for a chat about how they might be able to help you.

I think the asking price is very steep I feel but there are that I can think of off the top of my head only really two ways the place could be used. 1. It is bought as a home and almost as a ‘non-profit’ sells some ales/beer to those that may be passing and pop in. 2. A micro brewery is set up and this way something like ‘Old Berney’ could be sold around Norfolk and Suffolk and those sales would be the mainstay of revenue – people could then stop by at the place to drink the ales on offer but the main business would be brewing not a pub. Because it’s its location it is almost 100% reliant on passing boat traffic for trade – also the main boating season is short so there are vast swathes of a year where you would find no passing trade at all – other than the odd walker or lonely boater stopping for a brandy on a cold November day. Even if the idea of a micro brewery was to work out, you would need to sell an awful lot of beer before you began paying back the £230,000 asking price and brewing equipment and while it may be romantic that boats could collect the ale and take it to other waterside pubs and road connections to then be distributed wider afield that would be very slow and expensive too. I fear therefore it will either just become derelict or be turned into a private home – with some one that likes a remote lifestyle. Attached are the sales particulars Berney Arms Sales Pack.pdf

What has struck me is they have used ‘old fashion’ fixed solar panels not the more ‘modern’ flush sort that can look far nicer – take what Richardson’s use on their boats and are sealed to the cabin roof – no frame and if someone was to sit/walk over them likely they will not be harmed. Anyway – for years now Barnes Brinkcraft have been doing things differently, phasing out gas on boats and bringing in electric ceramic hobs – most of the eclectic supply on their boats now is at 24v for heating, the fridge and microwave and inverter – they like Victron charger inverter combination units (not cheap) and use Rolls branded batteries (not cheap at all) and then just fill up the boat with batteries – Royale had 7 batteries on it. How this will work I presume is to have a Nanni Hybrid Propulsion Drive. Nanni say: Thermal Propulsion only: when the diesel engine is running for fast or long range cruising, or when weather conditions are too rough. Electric propulsion only: with a power up to 7 kW in 48 V DC, using the energy stored in a dedicated battery bank for silent and zero emission cruising. Onboard power generation: when the diesel engine is running and driving the propeller, or not. Batteries can also be charged by the shore power to allow electric propulsion only. Regeneration (for sailboats only): when sailing with the engine off, the water flow is rotating the propeller which drives the Power Unit, hence charging the batteries at a small rate as a hydro generator. I guess therefore since the boat has no sails, those big solar panels will top up the batteries for ‘regeneration’ – then have a bunch of batteries as per normal for running the boats systems and then the engine can be run as a generator when doing things like cooking on the hob. They should of come up with a fancy name though than just ‘Hybrid Electric’ something cool sounding such as ‘This new boat is driven an all new hybrid electric system known as the Barnes Eco Drive’. Anyway see how things pan out someone has to give these things a trial and take the plunge...

I’m sorry if any newbie reads any of this and then tries to figure what the real ‘sound advice’ would be. I only can speak for myself – that might not be wholly correct. Kadensa yes, I am not too much bothered by what the state of tide/current is doing I check the tide table for the day look at when low water is predicted and then arrive at that time give or take about 15 minutes either side. Take my recent trip down on Royale, arriving just after low water and as you would see on the video I did not find any of the trip worrying – even if I did have to stop half way between Acle and the Yarmouth get out in the rain and fix the windscreen wiper – that was the only thing that was not foreseeable or to plan. On the return I arrived about 20 minutes earlier than I had wished – again nothing scary or worrying just the current was a little against me still. It is not the case I just ‘leave without thought’ however – but my concern is arriving at Yarmouth to find not enough clearance under the bridges as long as that is sufficient clearance then I know I am not going to loose the top of the boat and all is well. At low water I know there would be enough clearance under the bridges. Talking of currents though, it does depend what boat you’re in - some are lighter with the same engines as larger boats, then some are restricted more than others – Omega was not restricted at all and with a 50 HP Nanni in a 31ft boat had a lot of punch and I would be very confident in that boat whatever the tide was doing than in something like Sunlit Horizon which was 38ft long but had a 38 HP engine, itself then restricted to just over 2,000 RPM – Despite that, it still made it through the full ebbing current on the Bure – albeit extremely slowly in 2012. Anyway, as I said everyone has their opinions of what is correct and not - and it seems no matter what the tide table says you can more at Stracey Arms and see countless boats heading off down the river and I at least check and re-check to see if it is me who has read the tides wrong, but no they are just going off perhaps oblivious to what might be going on when they get to Yarmouth.

Alan, Thanks for the kind comment will keep doing these because they have helped a fair few people either begin a love affair with the Broads, or rekindle it which makes all the time spent after the trip sat editing worth while. Yes I pay when I hire - sometimes I will get a bit of a discount of a few percent but, it is certainly not a great deal and usually just covers the cost of my train fare in savings. Whilst having some kind of affiliated scheme whereby I do videos and the yard in question give me a hefty discount or free hires might be nice for my wallet, one could always be thought of as not being impartial then. I like to ensure what I say, experience and do is as anyone else who may holiday with said boatyard or on that boat might expect to experience. Let us pretend when the shower pump broke (it was a huge blockage in the drainage pipe to skin fitting) or battery cell went taking the others with it Barnes Brinkcraft had not wanted to attend and sort matters out, then I would not keep such from a video review, however they did come to my aid and fixed that and a couple of other small things quickly and very professionally and that got top marks from me. If they had given the boat for free it is possible for them to begin to dictate what should be said, or done or not said etc which would jut turn what I do into nothing more than 'spin' - which would be completely pointless. Take Herbert Woods as an example, they have a professional made video of a family's first trip - but one is left wonder is it a real family, or just actors - so it just becomes a super positive happy advert - the Captain's Blog is nothing like that. It is a shame Herbert Woods, NBD and Horning Ferry Marina don't let solo hires or you would see reviews of their boats too. It is possible that next year I will try something a little different, perhaps with Pacific Cruisers in Loddon - but I like to do as I wish to, some have asked I explore more above Potter Heigham Bridge, I might then again I may not I never plan anything each day is very much loosely put together and has a rough idea rather than a set plan.

I have to give credit to Barnes Brinkcraft because they try things other yards tend not to - this is an example of getting a Seawings 305 mold modding things as far as putting a single engine in side ways on hydraulic drive and making a whole new rudder assembly then fitting the interior out - giving that 'sports cruiser feel' many people seem to like. The problem is there are more compromises. So space is at a premium, and you have to crawl into bed on the floor, yes there is a curtain but then there could not be a door even if you wished for one and overall I found the berth cosy and nice. My real issue was not having a plug (or indeed a sink with a plughole designed to take a plug) in the heads and having to use the washing up bowel - now that is not so 5 star. Of course there was the fuel usage, 116 litres which at their prices would have been over £160.00 but I availed myself of Boulters far cheaper fuel and brimmed the tank there. Talking of fuel, I filled up the day before I had to take the boat back in Horning. The next morning I went to Wroxham, the went up the River Ant (day 6 in all the wind) to Paddy's Lane - popped up to Sutton and back to Paddy's Lane - next day - the last day - Paddy's Lane, St Benet's moorings, then to the boatyard in Wroxham. I mean not the most super long of trips - still cost me £39.60 in fuel when Barnes Brinkcraft topped the tank up the next morning. Now they thought I had been very frugal only using about £40.00 in 7 days but boy did that boat drink the red stuff. I would not hire it again based on the the above and the canopy faffing about. Much nicer to have a sliding door like Omega to walk out into the rear of the boat.

Reading this thread reminds me when my family would meet with friends who lived on the south coast. Once the greetings were done the next order of the day was ‘which route did you take’ and naturally whatever my father said would get a sigh from his friend ‘I’d not have taken the A23 should have gone on the A24’. It is much the same with Breydon Water – I am sure you could have a rather heated discussion in the pub about what time you crossed and whose tide table you used. My main consideration usually when crossing is the bridge height’s at Yarmouth – since the difference between low water and slack water is not that great as far as clearance under the bridges go, I aim to arrive at low water when coming down the Bure. As long as I get Acle to Reedham, or Reedham to Acle without going aground I am happy – in fact my main concern is not tides and currents and channels and markers but concentrating to stay away from the shelving banks on the river Bure and getting stuck there.

It is common belief that two do not go into one - however it just goes to show that one the Internet such rules can be pushed aside, for we have here two videos for your delectation The first, a Captain's Blog Special which chronicals a Cruise in Company that took place from the point of view of myself, having returned Brinks Royale back to Barnes Brinkcraft. While at the time I had no idea what events would unfold come the day - it was scheduled to be a coastal passage between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft - in the end it was a more sedate river based Cruise in Company culminating in a BBQ at Beccles Yacht Station. Watch the Captain's Blog Special video below: http://youtu.be/_TEs1ioJdDY But what many a follower of the this Holiday Tale has been waiting for is the Boat Review - and that is also ready for your viewing pleasure. Brinks Royale is not the most practical of boats, but it does not pretend to be - it is a 'sporty boat' idea for a couple but will sleep up to four people. It has a great social space which on sunny days with the canopy stowed is lovely to sit out in the cockpit, a table is included for alfresco dining too. A high boat affording good views but that height means bridge passages can be tricky at times and the boat is easily caught by the wind - not helped by the planning hull which lacks the keel of a displacement boat to keep things more on the straight than the wiggly. Overall though I found Royale to be a very nice comfortable boat but I think having hired her I'll stick to the less sporty and more practical with things like more drawers and height and proper cabins. Watch the Boast Review video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWkfphJFtSw&feature=youtu.be And so that concludes this Holiday Tale and series of the Captain's Blog, I hope it has been an enjoyable read and watch over the course of videos and write ups here - until next time then, more as it happens...

Day Seven: Day Seven Captain's Blog The last full day (for me at least) is the wind down day, because you have to be close to the boatyard for the morning return - or like me moor in it - it is not a day where you might want to do as much as previously and so it was for me. I left the moorings a Paddy's Lane after 10:00am and though very much less windy than the day before it was certainly not calm. I headed off to Neatishead just to go back up their via Lyme Kiln Dyke which is beautiful, in fact I would go as far to say that in summer when you have all the foliage on the trees and the birds are in song it is the most pretty stretch of water on the Broads. It just feels like the most back water of backwaters so quiet and special. After turning it was back to Barton Broad then down the River Ant - funny how the weather can change things for we had not had much in the way of rain but the wind direction and pressure had caused the tide to do strange things - it was incredibly tight under Ludham Bridge today indeed could not have had the camera attached to its mount for it would have been struck by the bridge. Once through I decided to go to moorings at St. Benet's where I could pack all my gear up and do the boat review - it was exposed here and the wind was blowing onto the bank which was handy as it made mooring easier but would make the departure interesting later - I helped a German family moor their 45ft Connoisseur from Herbert Woods of course this was when the World Cup was in full swing and they were confident they would be going all the way. Well they might be good footballers in the World Cup but needed me to help them moor After the boat review was filmed it was time to decide what to do - the weather was getting more unsettled so I thought best return to the boatyard then I can head out for some nice Fish & Chips. It felt like a long - almost sad journey back up the Bure to Wroxham. The ain came and went, the wind would not let up but I thought back to all I had done the places visited and the hot sunny weather that I had enjoyed earlier in the week. Once back in Wroxham I picked one of the last slots in the boatyard, there was a few other boats there with people on and had the feel people had hunkered down for the night already. I walked into Wroxham and on a Friday early evening it certainly looks a forlorn place once Roy's has such up shop and so it was into Grays Fish & Chips - then a walk back to the boat the spots of raining once more returning - but only a short while after getting back on the boat the heavens opened and it rained and rained and indeed did on and off most of the evening. Once again though it was a lovely trip, and goes to show what a magnet the broads is - not to mention the many new things you can try and discover each time you come. I've recently taken up cycling again after last rising a bike around the age of 15. Now I am rising again and I can imagine how good it might be to ride in some of the countryside and especially if one had their own boat how a folding bike could bring a whole new perspective on things if nothing more to ride in to the likes of Rockland St. Mary for more beer and not have to carry it Not Broads related of course, but should you want to see a 13 miles circuit Shiela and I did the other evening, you can watch it below - I am considering producing a new channel and recording these adventures 'River Circuit' - a tour of London from London Bridge, via Greenwich and under the Thames, back to London Bridge past the launch site of the Great Eastern and over Tower Bridge. Click Here to watch

Iain you made me laugh - you think that was 'dangerous' you need to have a look at here: http://youtu.be/KqV4stK6Jzg?list=UUsQ0yVtKouBnYgj-03LMhHQ where I use a mixture of screwdriver bare hands and a folk to get a can open! The next video is short - then the review which I will tackle in one hit editing wise, sorry been busy with a new 'interest' cycling and tonight I plan on taking my camera to film a little because that is something I might branch out into between Blogging the broads. Many many a cyclist in London make videos - usually to complain about the near misses they have had, but as far as I can see nobody has been doing one about what you can see off the beaten track and the history of places you can ride to - oh and I do it all on a hired Barclays Bike (Borris Bike) just to make things a bit different. Anyway that is not for this forum but explains why video editing has not proceeded as quickly as usual.

This is a bit sentimental but Star Gem 4 means quite a bit to me, since it was the first boat I hired after an absence from the Broads for a decade back in 2011. She looks the same, but nicer if that makes sense - here is a photo of her internally back in 2011. I really did not like the 'tub chairs' back then, but the rest of the boat was lovely - especially the comfy seat to steer from.

Those armchairs look a damn sight nicer than the horrid 'tub' ones that found their ways on some, including the Star Gem I had back in 2011. Reception seating perhaps I thought, not comfy for a long evening - these 'new' ones look nice, soft and actually have arms!

Day Six: Day Six Captain's Blog Today began with a plan of being a short day as far as cruising, and doing rather little - however it evolved into a very full day with an awful lot including a visit to the White Horse in Neatishead but it all started off around 6:00am in Horning. After yesterday's long cruise back north from Reedham, I had spent a nice evening in the Ferry Inn with some good priced, nice food and drink and I had come back to the boat and feeling worn out had an early night. I woke up in the morning and despite being only around 5:15am I could not sleep more and was restless, a cup of coffee later and I was all set wanting to do something - so I got ready and thought I would leave at 6:00am and go to Wroxham, shower have breakfast pop into Roy's and then have a nice slow day and more up somewhere around mid afternoon and call it a day. How plans change. It was lovely going past the chalet's all quiet without fishermen outside and needing to stay clear of their lines, the lack of activity on the water as if the wildlife was getting into their positions ready for the busy day of convincing humans they need more bread. I saw a couple of boats on the move - sadly one speeding along clearly not thinking anyone else might be around a corner as if they felt it ok to speed before others might be up and about. I arrived in Wroxham and found a mooring in Barnes Brinkctaft's yard, handy as I could top up with water after my shower. By now there was a distinct breeze in the air, cooler today more grey as well it felt like there was change happening. I stayed in the yard for a while really just in no rush to do anything but after going into Roy's and coming back to the boat I thought about what I could do - and decided upon the River Ant since I had so far not visited this beautiful river this trip. Upon leaving Wroxham the breeze had got stronger and by the time I was past Salhouse things were getting challenging trying to stay on a straight course. Royale is high sided but with a planning hull there is no keel and the ever more gusty wind would just push the boat left or right suddenly, it needed a lot of concentration and at times work at the wheel to counter the acts of the wind. This wind as it turned out would get stronger still and be very much part of the day's events. Through Horning I came, now all active with sailing boats down the river making the most of the windy conditions to get some good speed, but once into more pen country past Ranworth Dam with Reeds bending -almost bowing to the wind things were getting ever more lively at the helm. I could actually feel the bow suddenly being pushed this way or that, I had also zipped some of the canopy down but this meant it acted at the rear as a bit of a sail countering the wind on the bow meaning combined the boat would seem to slide sideways briefly - sometimes I wondered If I should either remove the canopy or put it all up - but I left it as was, because although less warm it was not cold and with all the sides done up the cockpit was a darker place. I turned on to the Ant, despite being narrow and calmer than the Bure, on certain bends the wind would whip up and I would be fighting to stay out of the Reeds. I knew right away Ludham Bridge would be fun - a windy exposed place at the best of times but on a day like today not a place to get caught in a line of boats trying to go through the bridge. When I arrived at Ludham Bridge it was indeed very strong cross winds, but they were confused gusting one way then a pause then something would gust from the other direction so you would not just be fighting a single direction of wind. I lined up and was making a good run at it, all of a sudden I remembered my camera was still on the roof recording I looked at it, the bridge, the camera trying to work out if it would fit under - knowing it was too late to do anything about it now - right as I came under the bridge I slowed (as if that would have made much odds) since we were already under it the camera top about an inch from the concrete underside of the bridge. Phew! I was not stationary though pointing to the left under the bridge, yeah I like to make a mess of things at times - correct, power steer and off we went only for the bow to emerge the other side and be pushed as if by an invisible hand to the left - correct, power avoid the left bank and boat - this was getting to be annoying but far from the wind seeming to get less, it was getting worse with powerful stronger gusts. At the moorings at How Hill - just where things narrow and can be tricky I was now in a slow convey of boats heading up river and all seemed to be having a better time of controlling their boats than me - oh, how I wanted a displacement hull now I thought. Through the bottle neck I got not kissing a bank or boat Irstead would be the next 'pinch point' to worry about should boats be moored at the staithe and another coming down river - it had not dawned on me what this wind might be doing to Barton Broad whose large expanse of water can be whipped up on a day like today. Indeed it was only when approaching it I noticed the white horses and spray coming off other boats bows as they began 'the crossing'. A huge grin filled my face and soon I was on the choppy waters of the broad. I headed to the right of the island and within moments of getting on the open water the wind was not gusting now, it was just full on constant - one small wave hit the bow at an angle and came over the top of the boat covering the camera (a non- water proof camera) but I was pleased I had hit record a couple of minutes earlier to capture the swell. I kept to the right hugging the line of green navigation posts - boats coming towards me going with the wind had it far calmer than me going into the wind - perhaps they could have given me a little more room as I had the posts right on my starboard side but I tried to maintain a straight course, not hit a post not be blown to the left. Honestly, I loved it and so a plan was hatched. I'd head to Barton Turf (well Paddy's Lane moorings) and fix a waterproof camera on the bow before leaving back for the Broad and getting some footage of the water crashing over the camera on the bow. It took a while longer to fix than I anticipated, and I had a false start leaving the mooring then remembering I had not turned the camera on, having to moor again get down low at the bank and lean over to the boat and turn it on - goodness knows what people thought I was up to. Back on Barton by now the wind had eased a touch, the waves less aggressive but still the footage captured form two cameras proved to be unique if nothing more. Back to Paddy's Lane, time to take off the camera (it was still there thankfully) but by now it was only afternoon, not much past 2:00pm if memory serves, and while a lovely mooring, quiet and sheltered I had an electric card left - I therefore decided to head to Sutton Staithe where I could use it up, and pop into the hotel for a drink later and have water in the mooring too. I left the moorings at Paddy's Lane and took another blustery trip on the river up to Sutton Broad, which looked rather bleak in the now very grey conditions. Upon arrival at the Staithe, it was - pretty much full. I could have fitted in at a couple of places, once would have not afforded me having an electric post, the other would but I would have been right up to the stern on the other boat who was moored near the electric post, so it was a case of spinning around and heading back to Paddy's Lane - and I am pleased I did. Upon arriving back at Paddy's Lane, I moored a little further down them away from Barton Turf - all was quiet, I signed off another day of the Captain's Blog and tied things away on the boat before going for a walk along the moorings. While the wind was still gusting it was dry and it was relatively mild so I thought I would walk up to the Staithe via the path, which begins as a pretty board walk through the trees - but before long the Blog camera which is always with me on my belt was once again called for, recording and an 'after hours' Blog sort of developed. I got talking to a local man, the type of local who knows not only what is going on around him but as far as Horning as far as Landlords and pubs changes and the details. He inspired me, I should really try the White Horse at Neatishead since its recent re-opening following a major refurbishment. I checked with my friend Google who told me that it was about a mile and half away and so, I decided to take the Blog along with me for a walk in the countryside to the pub. It is a very nice walk, lovely countryside, huge expensive houses in parts and a far quieter road than when I was walking towards Rockland St. Mary earlier in the week. Trust me, if this city 'kid' can do this walk you can too and while practical and more sensible to moor at Neatishead and walk the short distance to the pub, it goes to show you can do it from Barton Turf too without hassle. Upon arrival the White Horse has been transformed inside - they were gearing up for a big event moving tables and the like so I had the place to myself, it is modern but warm, welcoming and the selection of drinks and general feel to the place tells me this will become a pub people want to come to rather than one to go to because it is the only place for miles. The Wherry was excellent, I really enjoy this and because the only time I get to drink it is when on the Broads it just reminds me of them, of previous adventures and memories - it would be nice to have it in my local in London but I know it would ruin the association of the Ale with my visits to the Broads. Time to get going, so back on the road once more - a bit of rain in the air I felt, but fortunately just a spot or two. By the time I got back to the boat the moorings had filed up a boat from Martham and a lovely wooden yacht to my stern. I was hungry so it was time to get the dinner going - but why not since this was blogging after the 'official end of the day' film that too I wondered? With camera attached to the window over the galley it was time to make a return of 'Cooking With The Rascal' - never a gourmet affair but none the less not junk food either - you can watch the end of the video that accompanies this to see what I had, and how you can make it yourself including how microwave rice can be cooked without a microwave! And so after an early start in Horning, a challenging day with the wind cruising the rivers and the fun of the swell on Barton Broad, to a walk in the countryside to a village pub - one could not have hoped for a more varied day and I felt truly content - tomorrow I thought, will be a short, lazy day.

I’m sorry I did not maybe make myself clear in my original post. I did not mean to use waste heat from the engine, I meant you buy the ‘wet’ heating system’s diesel fired boiler unit but instead of then spending out (in the case of Mikuni) almost £140.00 for each matrix unit for each cabin, you put in a £13.00 Mondeo’s heater matrix instead in each cabin and have a 12v fan behind it – or spend £30.00 for the matrix and blower motor with speed controller out of a Mondeo as a complete unit and hide behind a suitable vent grill. The manufacturer’s matrix’s come with 16mm copper connections in and out of it, so you can connect that to piping from the main unit and use an adopter to reduce to 16mm or enlarge up to whatever diameter the heater matrix out of the Mondeo is.

Urm.. So you have a unit that heats water and then this has a pump that pumps that around the boat – this is far more effective than moving heated air, as of course hot water will stay hotter over a distance than warmed air will. However this process is exactly what happens in a car heater – water is heated, and moved through a blower matrix – air is drawn over the matrix into the cabin of the car and hey presto warmed air toasty car. It therefore surely must be possible to plumb in to the pipes coming from the (for want of a better word) ‘water heater’ to car heater matrix’s sourced from Ebay – a Mondeo one for example £13.00 at the moment as a shell, but a complete ‘heater box’ with fan for £30.00. You would need to give them a good flush out, since in a car they would have had coolant going through them and likely scaled up internally but they must cost a hell of a lot less than the ‘marine blower matrix’ – furthermore you would then be able to wire in a fan blower motor control – low, medium or high speed just as in a car – and of course will run off 12v. Each cabin would then have a controllable heat and speed of the which the blower operated at – simply ‘hide’ the rather horrible looking black plastic matrix heater box behind a rather nice looking brass or chrome vent and nobody would know the secret behind the heat source...

Day Five: Day Five Captain's Blog It does not matter how I put this, today was not the most interesting of days on the Broads because it was what some might say is the 'long drag' when you leave the southern rivers behind and head north, knowing that there will be a long and winding mud and reed lined passage up the Bure towards Acle ahead. I did not need to be up too early today because having moored overnight at Reedham I was well positioned to catch the last of the outgoing tide to help me towards Breydon. What surprised me was the amount of boats who had left or were leaving and whom I knew were heading back north and who would enjoy a rapid transit to hand over Breydon before hitting a brick wall of tide heading against them as they turned at the yellow post onto the Bure. I waited but there was an air of impatience wanting to get going and knowing one has a long way to cover - I departed calculating that I would hit the tide ebbing still out of the Bure but it would not be too great and I would have good clearance under the bridges. I left Reedham and took my thinking about all the places I had so far been and done and how I still had some days left to explore the north - what would I do and where would I go I thought, at first the idea was the Ant but I thought I would prefer to if possible stop at Horning but as ever with me, nothing is set in stone. It was getting warmer but certainly nothing like as hot as some of the previous days but it was none the less dry and bright with hazy high cloud . As far as the Captain's Blog goes it is days like this where I know there will not be a great deal of interest to capture, just a day of cruising from point a to point b which makes my enthusiasm waiver a little in so far as capturing what many a viewer may consider to be mundane footage. I was thinking how nice it would be if one day on my travels there was a bit of a strong wind blowing making crossing Breydon Water that much more interesting and exciting. Alas, it seemed today was going to be another flat pretty windless crossing. Further along the river and approaching Berney Arms I realised that the breeze had turned into a constant and increasingly strong 'wind'. It was coming right on the bow and so perhaps things were going to be a bit more interesting after all. As you see before you what first appears a mass of posts in the distance marking the start of Breydon Water already the wavelets were getting a little better and there was a nice rocking motion on the boat - but it was not until I was free from the protection afforded by the banks of the river that the wind really got up and I had a big smile on my face. It was absolutely nothing to write home about - so I am writing about it here instead, but there was actual 'chop' on Breydon - nothing more alas, but boat really came alive the hull shape cutting through the waves and as she rolled left or right you could imagine a far greater swell would be no issue for the high sides of the boat and her Class B certification - it was a moment like this the maximum rated 250hp as per the plaque on the helm would have been lovely. I had a little too much enjoyment with the waves and as a result had crossed Breydon Water a little faster than I had wanted arriving around 25-30 minutes earlier and so having that little bit more of tide to fight against that I otherwise might have. Still, once past the Yacht Station and out into the wider stretches things improved and continued to with many more boats heading down river to go south than were going north. There is not much to say between here and Acle, I passed the time trying to do a little sketch to camera about an old man and his wife having hired boats for years and her wanting to get 'plastic' and he stick to the traditional wooden - I could not keep the accent up but probably for the best so not to embarrass myself. And so I passed the Bridge Inn at Acle, the moorings all taken and thoughts turned to where I would be mooring after all. I decided not the Ant, but to carry on for Horning after all. There is a real feeling of being 'back north' when you reach the mouth of the River Thurne, it was interesting to see one of the little Brinks Sonata's moored stern on at the moorings near the mouth of the Thurne, having given up trying to moor side on (they have no side deck at all) clearly thinking the stern on approach was best - but at little over 23ft long it is a in boat terms akin to parking a Smart Car nose into the curb and nothing sticking out into the road. Following the Bure round soon St. Benet's moorings came along, then the mouth of the Ant. There had been some rain but nothing too much - in fact all up the Bure I had skipped the horrible rain laden clouds and stayed pretty much dry. While I was not filming a great deal I could have some 'time off' and just listen to music and enjoy the trip, Ranworth Damn came an went and then further on still ever closer to Horning and the time getting on too I wondered how likely it might be to find a mooring. By the time I had passed Cockshoot (pretty full) I knew it was only a short way to go before the Ferry Inn would come into view, and I was pleased to see the moorings on the river front outside Ferry Marina were free. So much of them were I could afford to carry on through Horning and have a nose about. The Ferry Inn was busy but not full, but the public staithe was all taken - the New Inn busy but with some space so despite leaving it later in the day there was availability elsewhere. I turned and came back the way I had come at the Swan and by the time I had got back to the Ferry Inn I could not immediately moor so had to pull over, let a boat past then wait for another coming the opposite way - much of this because I always prefer to turn to my right when I stern moor, it is just a comfort thing however in order to perform this manoeuvre I would have to back up a bit - but not too far - for there was a small dinghy a little way behind me the make a turn towards the mooring. I had not taken account of the wind pushing me towards an overhanging tree, so as I went to turn my stern caught it - well actually the back of the canopy there was the rustle of foliage then a snap - no not the boat, but a small part of the branch seemed to have suffered and some leaves were now on the seating. Ahh well, not that anybody saw - apart from the chap in the dinghy who happened to know who I was and captured the far more embarrassing moment after I had moored of be cleaning the windows and 'polishing the deck' - still I was moored, had free electric hook up and so it was time to head into the Horning - only that did not happen, for I instead popped into the Ferry Inn and had an absolutely enormous meal at a very keen price - and personally found the food to be perfectly reasonable, not top grub but nothing wrong with it either and I especially like the 'chip shop' style chips. So a long day of cruising was over, but now I was back north things could be easier, less worry about rise and fall of tide and scope to see a lot more over the coming days.

There is always Mikuni... http://www.mikuniheating.com/HotAir_SailMotorBoat.cfm

Iain going into Loddon would have been far too easy for shopping lol - leaving me with no 'quest' for the day. You may have seen I tend to avoid staying moored as little as possible and keeping moving as much as possible. As for the tides I have various sources as per the video from www.shorebase.co.uk - to the ones provided in the booklet the Broads Authority produce each year for £1.00 - I just did not bother to consult any which was a schoolboy error on my part, indeed the whole time I was on the southern broads I seemed to have royally messed up with my tides compared to only a few months back in April when I got most of them pretty bang on. I'm just pleased the video finally got completed! It is version 5! Because everyone I put up would face all the audio being muted because of a track I used - so remove then re-edit upload and try again...and again. Finally today it all was ok with You Tube and I can get on with day 5 now. 10B I thought it was just me being stupid and not reading the sign correctly, I should have ignored it and gone with what Googel Maps had said I should do - still least we got to have a bit of a walk in the countryside - there will be more long walks as the series continues.