alexandlorna

Lorna has just reminded me that , anyone wanting a good aerial on a tall pole can get a good choice at Ludham Bridge The supply is very well stocked and topped up fairly regularly , models to suit hire and private craft available To get one all you need is a hook on a rope or diving apparatus and a bit of luck ! Its amazing , when you shout to folk "mind your aerial" , they usually wave ,smile and smash it on the bridge anyway

I see there is much differing opinion on this subject All I can say is mine has worked flawlessly - much to the disgust of a certain marine engineer who said it was "crap" and would only pick up "snow" Maybe its our 8'6" airdraft and mast mounting , but whatever its ok He has just finished digesting his hat recently lol I went for it so I would not need poles etc , or something I have to remove and store ( kick about and stand on usually) I am sure there are places it wont work so good , but so far not found them ,and if I do it wont be a real blow as I don't come to the Broads to watch telly anyway , its just nice to have the option . doubtless our next mooring will be the one where it lets me down !!!!

Hi Steve , we got a Glomex omiwhatever and fitted it to the mast last year So far it been superb and we have had a good signal/picture in all the areas we have tried it to date We fitted the arial, on the cross piece of the mast ran the cable to the amplifier ( all part of the kit ) and then ran cables to front cabin and wheelhouse . ( splitter reqd for this or just change the plugs around ) Both TV sets picked up all the main channels first time and tuned perfectly so, for , us its wonderful and as good as sliced bread ! The prophets of doom said it would just pick up a SH 1 T signal and amplify it - how wrong they were I would thoroughly recommend it and think we paid about 80-90 quid for the kit (we used the smaller diameter of the two sizes available for neatness ) Alex

Ian , we used to pass there at light speed ,was actually totally insane how fast I went ,trying to "get there quicker" A few hefty fines and a speed awareness course served to bring me to my senses ! I went in to the course burdened with my guilt and emerged , a new man , shriven , and law abiding ! seriously though it did work , and although I don't abide by every limit , I do make a serious effort not to be caught again -so it worked Also the travel time down is probably only about 30 -45 mins longer and I now do the journey on about two thirds of a tank each way instead of a full tank plus ! That's one way to change a mindset lol Alex

We always make a point of using local shops when possible

!62 miles , is that all Charlie , wot a wuss lol

To be fair it was awful at Lbby, and Andy did manage to get stern-on to the sailie , but before a line could be attached the wind had caught him and put them both against the quay heading There were many boats needing a hand off there during the day , which we did as required On the plus side Jason was able to perform introductions during the rescue , so we could put faces to names I would have invited you for a beer Andy , but the weather said otherwise , give us a shout if you see us about though, and we can remedy that Peter ,I think the biggest problem seems to be that the sailies who need the tow there ,really only need it in very poor conditions , so as you say attempting it is always going to be a risk Alex

Those were no sailors Andy , that one you tried to tow , was the last of about six or seven such boats that went under Ludham Bridge At best they were novices at worst clueless , but to be fair the conditions were awful I watched them clambering all over moored boats a they ridiculously attempted to shoot the bridge using those funny sticks that they sometimes leave in the mud lol One guy who had no idea what to do , asked me why I was on deck with a boathook , as he had not hit my boat yet! He then said to the burly guy one the pole thingy " ignore the cruisers, they have to stop and give way to sailing boats" My question is , since they were not sailing is it ok to run them over ? Alex

San Julian just passed our moorings at LBBY. Headed for Stalham Or. Is there more than one?

Loddon , is probably a very good choice , also Rockland Staithe , now I think about it Our worst ever night was Burgh Castle on a hire boat , it sounded like the water was flowing through the bilges and the wind was constantly buffeting us against the quayheading Alex

I would head for Gayes staithe or Neatishead are fairly sheltered Beccles also can be good depending on how/where moored I would avoid the Wherry Hotel moorings at Oulton Broad , and Burgh Castle as the noise of the water hitting the bows is unbearable To be honest though on a really wild day , I would prefer any safe mooring , noisy or not over continuing to struggle along I base this on my trip to the bottom at Somerleyton a few years ago , where instead of taking a safe mooring at the WRC , I insisted in carrying on in a horrendous gale , then after Lorna had the boat all tied up , I started to move her to clear a ladder by a larger margin , and ended up inspecting the antifoul from below ! It was not a stellar moment , but thankfully I was wearing a life jacket which I believe saved me from becoming a statistic Alex

Hi John Guilty as charged! I have to say it did not take long to lead you and your mate Dave astray either lol That was a good day out after the initial difficulties and I am sure Jason and Sonia will grace many more in the future Alex and Lorna

Lbby - one of the best small boatyards on the broads Jason Hatch - simply the best ! We will miss you and Sonia and everyone else too and the broads will be a much poorer place, without you all We hope you will be inebriated on Braveheart many more times in the future :) Alex & Lorna

You have to balance that against the mirth you gained from his repertoire of jokes and anecdotes

........ so now we keep all the bottles of corked wine , in case JM or Polly happen along this year lol Alex

If last year was anything to go on , you wont need to sweat , there was so little wind it was taking some of the hours to get from Ant mouth to LBBY ! On several occasions I took evening meal orders from the bow on Braveheart , passed out hot soup for starters as they went past the bathing platform, and dished out the mains after they tuned at the bridge ! They would have killed for some good hireboat wash just to move 'em along ! :blush: A certain Yorkshire worthy ( ok it was only Griff!) was heard to complain that swans were going past faster than the sailes ,and on one leg power at that ! It got so bad we had to chuck a bottle of wine to one crew lest they expired ! Alex

I would love to see that crossing Breydon on a rough day Does SOB have the authority to stop one of these in poor conditions ...........

Hard too believe anyone could be so daft !

Years ago , my late wife's father was having some weird electrical issues , principally massive voltage drops with mains going so low bulbs would glow only dimly Having recently bought the house from a very eccentric old bloke , who did a lot of home brewed bodges he called out the electric utility people (who eventually traced it to a transformer fault) But meantime I had decided to lift a trapdoor, and we noticed a thick cable (so I thought) running where none should be. I decided to trace where it went and got a real surprise when it turned out to be a rubber hose of early Neolithic origin , which was actually dissolving and was carrying the gas supply to the fire in the lounge ! It was a hose the old fella was using to bypass his meter and the gas fitter said the only reason there had not been an explosion was that so much air was howling under the house from a bodged up removal of an old range That was the first of many such discoveries , but probably the most dangerous Alex

I stand chastised Peter , I have seen what an angry sailie can achive with their stocks , sheets and strings ! Consider me humbled and contrite lol Alex

I like sailing boats particularly those wee things with a low freeboard , I find they sink quicker in your wash ! That's what thrusters are for - fill 'em up as they pass close to the stern lol :rolleyes: Alex

Groan ! That was almost Griffesque in its woefulness Ian Alex

We can only hope that when we get down next week ,the hungry ones have found some other source of sustenance It will be good to get back on the water ,but preferably in dry cabins lol Alex

My apologies to the mother of dragons for the miss-spelling , don't want her "children" anywhere near a grp boat lol

Indeed MM , well I will tell you one thing they get there at a fair rate of knots ! Fixed one morning and leaking like a sieve next morning I still say Mr Hatch is the dark force in control of the miscreants lol !