ranworthbreeze

Hi Grace, To get free wine (or other drinks) you have to look carefully at the various offers. The best one we had was when our Narrow Boat crew all had steaks, we ended up with 3 bottles of wine. On the Broads we have also had a free drink with certain meals, Tan's meal got me a free pint and the meal was less than a fiver. As you know we northerns like to be careful Regards Alan

Sadly they tend to pull these figures always in millions or billions out of fresh air, gone are the days when these vast sums of money have to be earned. In all honesty I think the final figure will be at the higher level or beyond, looking at all those damaged pontoons and the commercial and private boats strewn all over the marina this is going to take a long time for any insurance company to investigate and make good. Regards Alan

Here is a link to the webcam. https://linlithgow.info/visit-linlithgow/webcams-linlithgow We used to have an alternative webcam section which this camera was listed. Regards Alan

I was 11 at the time of the big freeze of 1963, it started on boxing day and lasted until March, It was warmer at school than it was at home. We only had the coal fire and a paraffin heater in the bathroom to stop the pipes freezing . I remember that the snow was more than 2 feet deep and deeper where it had drifted, some of the teachers came to school on skies, of course most teacher lived within walking distance from the school at that time. Here is a link I have found, there are others but this shows you a little of the time. Regards Alan

Thanks Charlie, You do not see that everyday. I am currently watching the news, you would think that we are suffering Armageddon, what is being shown is what we get in an average snow shower. I regard unpassable conditions are when the snow is so deep that you can longer get any forward motion. Any journeys in the snow you should have the correct tyres, grips or chains and have a spade, warm clothes, drinks, food etc. Regards Alan

I have just spoken to Nick at Brian Wards, Tingdene and NYA are back at work today, Broom's are using skeleton staff. Nick has reported that there is not an issue with Station Road that I reported earlier, he does say that the road after the Yare has not seen much traffic, so anyone should be careful there. Regards Alan

Dear all Further to my previous email, the Authority has been informed by Peel Ports that Breydon Bridge is once again operational as of this morning (02/03) Kind regards Tom Waterfall Digital Communications Officer Tel: +44 (0) 1603 756034 Mob: +44 (0) 7769 696117 Twitter: @BroadsAuth

Thanks David. Regards Alan

Richardson's Boating - Norfolk Broads Boating Holidays 23 hrs We have contacted all of our guests that were due to start their boating holiday from Friday 2nd March 2018 through Tuesday 6th March 2018 inclusive to let them know we will be cancelling their boating holiday due to adverse weather conditions. We understand this will be disappointing for those who were due to go out on the Broads this weekend however we have taken this decision in consideration of the safety and enjoyment of our guests and the safety of our team members. We would like to assure all of those affected that you will be issued with a full refund as soon as is possible and that we will be offering a gesture of good will to those affected wishing to book a future holiday with us.

By all accounts Station Road is very difficult to go down and up even for 4 wheel drive vehicles especially just before the railway crossing. We are now leaving our visit to the Broads until Monday. I see Richardson's have cancelled all of their booking from today through to Tuesday. Regards Alan

Hello Shaun, Here is a link to the BCBM website showing the Broads cruisers. http://www.bcbm.co.uk/boats/broads-cruisers.html Regards Alan

Hello BroomSedan, Welcome to the forum. Regards Alan

Hello Shaun, As I said earlier syndicates do vary in how they manage their budgets. For example we increased our Management fee this year to £650 per share (two weeks) this was to help pay for having the bow thruster replaced by a more powerful dual blade thruster (this required a new tube and controls) we also are having the forward and lounge seating recovered; this equates to £6500.00 out of this years budget. Most of the current syndicate have some age on them, there is the new syndicate boat Endeavor 11 but this is also based at Broom's. If a boat is well maintained there is no reason that will provide many years of service, of course in most syndicates there is always talk of trading up the boat, in our case we have not found as of yet a suitable boat. Regards Alan

We are hoping to set off for Norfolk tomorrow! Time and snow will tell. Regards Alan

Hello Richard, It is with regret that you have decided to leave the forum, I for one thought that your posts were informative and as Jenny Morgan says at times a breath of fresh air. Regards Alan

Hello Shaun, My advice is to look on the www.boatshare.co.uk website for the various syndicates on the Norfolk Broads; some you will find are private syndicates, some are fully managed by BCBM and some partially. There are about 10 syndicate boats on the Broads and the shares can be fixed weeks, drawn out of the hat both for standard or school shares. You will find that the syndicates vary from the number of weeks offered in allocation of the share, whether it has a sinking fund or not, what the management fee covers and how this is broken down, in some cases this is a standard management fee plus a maintenance fee. Have a look at all of the syndicates, contact the syndicates and talk to the Chairman or the contact in the syndicate that administers the sale of shares. Ask for a draft copy of any contract or contracts that you will need to sign. Ask if you can visit the boat: and try to arrange visits over a few days on the Broads. Some of the syndicates will accommodate you with arranging one of their owners to show you around the boat and take you for a trip on the river, so you can get a feel of the boat. After showing a great deal of people around our boat over the last 17 years make sure that you take your wife/partner with you, look at all the plus points and negative ones as well, take it all in and go away and think about all the boats that you will have seen over those few days and make a decision if that syndicate and the boat is for you. If it is then enter into negotiations with the syndicate. If you want any advice regarding boat syndicates please feel free to contact me, as I say I have had my syndicate shares since our boat was launched in 2001. Regards Alan Alan Hood Chairman & Trustee Ranworth Breeze Boat Syndicate

I hope it clears by Friday when we are coming down to the Broads. Regards Alan

There are many positives about the employees that work for the Broads Authority; the rangers, at the yacht stations, the team in the toll office and staff that let us know of issues on the Broads. The Broads Tourist offices have been mentioned and the ones still open do a sterling service. My personal opinion that all the closed offices/shops such as at Beccles, Ranworth, etc should have been maintained as a means of providing information and being a focal point for visitors to the Broads. Regards Alan

The public hosepipes on the Broads should always be run for a while to get any standing water out of the pipe. The pipe end may have been dropped in the river, again another reason to run plenty of water through the pipe, we always remove the pipe from the tap to fill water bottles. Regards Alan

Hi Griff, You know as well as me that all we have had is a slight dusting in our area, we have been lucky over the last few month and have had less snow than other area's. It only takes about an inch of snow in the center of Sheffield to stop all traffic leaving the city due to snow on all of the hills. It is a case of having winter tyres, grips or chains and a spade in the boot, I have always got home in the snow, it can be case of planning a route and avoiding other drivers that are clueless in driving in the snow. Regards Alan

Dear All Please find attached the ABP Notice to Mariners No. 5 regarding forthcoming dredging activities at Lowestoft. Kind Regards Laura Milner Administrative Officer Operations Broads Authority Tel: 01603 756035 Broads Authority, Yare House, 62-64 Thorpe Road. Norwich NR1 1RY 01603 610734 www.broads-authority.gov.uk NOTICE TO MARINERS LOWESTOFT – DREDGING ACTIVITIES Mariners and Port-Users are advised that dredging activities are scheduled for Lowestoft as follows:- Vessel UKD Cherry Sand – Due at Lowestoft on or around 03/03/18. Expected duration of works: 21 days. Normal working hours: 0700-1900hrs The dredger will be working in both Lowestoft Inner and Outer Harbour areas. It will display lights and shapes for dredging activities as prescribed in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. The vessel will maintain a listening watch on VHF Ch 14. Vessel movements will be co-ordinated via Lowestoft Port Control. Mariners and Port Users are requested to afford the dredger a wide berth while it is undertaking dredging operations Please contact Lowestoft Port Control, VHF Ch14, or Tel. 01502 572286, if further information is required. Harbour Master 26th February 2018

Hello Simon, Welcome to the forum. Regards Alan

Hello Annv, Welcome to the forum and your first post. Regards Alan

Hello John, The qango (yet again another unelected administration) that governs the Lake District has restricted access to many of its lakes, we tend to only hear of Lake Windermere with its speed ban. Regards Alan

Hello Fred, They may not have to publish it but it may have to be available for inspection by their suppliers and certainly would have to be if they were BSI registered. Sadly these days we live in a tick box world, Regards Alan