ranworthbreeze

Hi BB, I have provided a link so you can view the Boat Jumble Diary all year in the useful links area: http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/forum/forum/11-useful-links-slipways-information/ Regards Alan

Hi Geoff, After all that I guess you may have to get a few tins in from the supermarket rather than going to the pub. Regards Alan

Hi Geoff, Have I mentioned that we currently have a share for sale! After saying that most of the syndicates have a share for sale currently (or did have about 3 weeks ago). If you want any info send me a PM. Regards Alan

We have booked via Hoseason's twice in the passed and this was only because they had control of the bookings on these particular boats on certain canals such as the Scottish Canals. Wanting to be the boating world's equivalent to Sainsburys and Waitrose is only to gain their perceived profit, it is not a sign of quality service. Regards Alan

Hi Geoff & Wendy, In our information section is a list of boat hire companies and links to their website. Here is a shortcut. http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/forum/forum/83-boating-holidays/ Regards Alan

I was going through one of the estates near work yesterday, I saw a small van coming towards me the driver had a mobile grafted to his ear with his right hand and was gesticulating to his conversation with his left hand. It appeared that he was steering with his elbows, bear in mind there was still a covering of ice on the road after the snow we had on Thursday. I have to wonder at times, at least I was going the other way. Regards Alan

Hello Dave, Welcome to the NBN forum. Regards Alan & Tan

Hi Geoff, We did the Union & Clyde canals the other year and enjoyed the trip up and down the Falkirk Wheel, we did not know about the building of the Kelpies at the time, so make sure you make time to visit them. The trip up to Edinburgh, taking in Linlithgow for a night stop and mooring in the basin at Edinburgh overnight. Watch out for the scullers on the outskirts of Edinburgh and try and leave a full day to visit the city, I wish we had used the bus tour rather than walking. The edge was taken off our trip because we did not realise that all of the locks and bridges are operated by Scottish Canals staff and you have to book passage through them for your visit. For example if you are hiring from the company that is based on the Falkirk Wheel site and we hired Mistle Thrush. Their boats are all moored on the Clyde Canal, the company booked us a slot to have the footbridge opened and the lock to get to the basin of the Falkirk wheel, the passage up the wheel and the passage through the two staircase locks that are around the tight bend just through the small tunnel above the wheel. for the return journey we had to book the reverse passage by calling Scottish Canals prior to are return towards the wheel. All the instructions will be in your boat pack. On our return journey because we were then continuing up the Clyde canal we had to book the passage through a number of lift bridges, some of these are on major roads so opening them is only limited to certain times, lock sharing is done most of the time but again the pair of boats have to be on time for each lock. My advice is once you have got your head around the procedure have a word with the leader of the team of lockkeepers who will be with you throughout your passage of locks and bridges that day, they will ask you what your plans are for your next days passage and they will give you a time to be at the first lock or bridge of the day, they will also ask where you are mooring for the night so they can give you an achievable start time. We found this regimented arrangement slightly tying and unlike any of our other canal holidays, we have been on trips where we had to do so many lock/miles per day in order to get around ring journeys but this we all thought took a lot of the spontaneity out of the trip, after saying that we would not have missed it for the world. Regards Alan

I went to work this morning, I needed to send out a package to Italy. I dug out the drive and cleared off the 3 to 4 inches of snow off of the roof of my car. At least I was not going into town, by all accounts there had been accidents on all of the hills going into town, our main road was like a one way car park. The going was good but the five minute journey into work took nearly an hour and was not helped by someone in a white Audi that only managed to go at less than 5 miles per hour and the 2 miles behind him/her was torture. If people can not drive in the snow they should stay at home or park up safely and walk IMHO. I arrived home three hours later to find another 3 inches of snow on the drive. Such are the joys of spring, after saying that it is now bright & sunny with the odd flake of snow coming down. Regards Alan

Hello Tony, Have a look at this link, it describes how to upload pictures into your posts. I look forward to your pictures. Regards Alan

I would recommend that all owners fit a CO detector and make sure they test/replace the batteries each season. I think that it is worthwhile having a detector to take with you when you hire a boat or holiday cottage. This sad event was not the only one over the last few years, there have been other incidents but without fatalities. Regards Alan

Hello Geoff & Wendy, Congratulations for your wedding in August, honeymoon on a boat is difficult to beat once you have a history of boating, the confetti in your suitcase can be a pain to clear up however, speaking from experience here. Tan & I spent our honeymoon in 1980 on the Trent & Mersey Canal, we still like some time on the canals but have two weeks on the Broads. We are based on the Southern Broads but dependant on the tides can get to the Northern Rivers, I suggest that you come down to the Southern Rivers in September. Regards Alan

Hello Geoff & Wendy, Welcome to NBN forum, not to long to your next visit to the Broads. Please feel free to post and ask any questions if you are not sure how the forum works. Regards Alan & Tan

The snow has eventually melted on the front garden and I can now see that a few bulbs have managed to push their way into the daylight, only green leaves at the moment. We may be having more snow on Wednesday however. Regards Alan

Hi Grace, I would have assumed that would have been the old Acle Bridge? http://www.dunwurkin.info/interests/broadspostcards/images/acle/acle.htm Regards Alan

Hi Grace, I hate to see anyone who is not watching the road or their mirrors, you tend to see people in front of you turning their heads to talk or argue with each other. You can have conversation whilst traveling but keep your eyes on the road. Looking down at phone stays your mind and senses from the job in hand, I am not surprised you were upset. Regards Alan

Police to start a crackdown on drivers using mobile phones today, it is a pity that the crackdown does not include pedestrians. http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/norfolk_and_suffolk_police_launch_crackdown_on_mobile_phone_drivers_using_signal_detector_1_3929246 Regards Alan

Hi Iain, I hope your evening goes well and you enjoy yourselves without too much after effects in the morning, be they food or the odd glass related. I assume that your beastie will be piped in. Regards Alan

Hi Strowager, The 10 mph limit has been updated to 11 knots by the NPA, more than likely to accommodate the various larger trip boats that operate every day on Windermere, these tend to act as the main public travel from place to place on the lake. We had a time share cottage at the Windermere Marina Village which we would have still have been using today if the speed ban had not come in, Because of the downturn on the site that was no longer hiring off their rental cottagers to speedboat & Skiing crews the Marina owners put pressure on the quite elderly timeshare owners. In the end rather than paying even more in management fees we were up to £1000 per week for a two bedroom cottage, the majority of the owners voted to give our rights to the cottages back to the free holders. All very sad, even though the original problem which was down to jet ski use had been resolved the speed ban still came in. Regards Alan

Thank you for the update sorry to hear that Ian, its very sad for the family. Regards Alan

A friend of mine sent me the clip below Subject: Boeing Here's a 3 min. video that's simply amazing! This video is one of the assembly line at Boeing in Charleston SC . The amazing thing about the building is there are no uprights supporting the roof. 6 planes in various stages of completion are under the one roof. When completed the plane is towed to the paint shop. Boeing has a runway that connects with the Charleston airport. It is from here that the planes are delivered to customers. The 1,000th order was placed by Etihad Arways Nov 13 2013. The fuselage plant constructs 2 carbon fiber fuselages at a time not far from the main assembly plant. Click on: https://www.youtube.com/embed/SE71NJl-naY?autoplay=1 Regards Alan

Sorry Strowager the 6 miles per hour restriction has always been the same in the clearly marked area's on lake Windermere at Bowness, and at each end of the lake. What did change was the speed between these area's which was unlimited down to 10 mph. the effect of this has taken its toll on the area. The boating community and all the retail outlets protests could not dissuade the draconian quango from banning speeding on the lake. These limits were brought in 2000 but enforced from 2005. Speed boats and water skiers made up only 4% of all the visitors in the lake district but accounted for well over 20% of the tourist revenue in the area supporting the local hotels, pubs & restaurants. The public slipway & car park (near to the car ferry) used to be full to capacity before the ban, the last time we visited Bowness the car park was virtually empty and we used to always go in the first week in August. Yes Bowness is always busy, plenty of tourists and hikers but most of the trailable boats other than yachts have gone to pastures new such as Loch Lomond and of course taking their needed revenue with them. Loch Lomond became a National Park on 19th July 2002 but was officially opened by Princess Anne on 24th July 2002. Regards Alan

Our insurance has been with a broker called Morgan Marine Insurance for the last five years, last years insurance in July was £523 and is underwritten by Allianz. Regards Aaln

Hi Jon, I love the idea of your idea of your little fishes facing your Roth "get off my land" to plug in their heaters. Great pictures and I really like the close up of the frost on the ropes of the boat. Regards Alan

I see Tesco got it right yet again Regards Alan