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BroadAmbition

Events and Promo Team
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Everything posted by BroadAmbition

  1. It'll be interesting to see what the national inflation rate is come April this year. Last year we when we 'Enjoyed' that 13:1% hike in tolls, the inflation rate for April 2023 was 1:2%. Since we first tolled 'B.A' in 2007 the annual toll percentage increases up to and including 2023 = 147% The bank of England inflation rates for the same periods (April) = 43:6% Or 2007 - £275:71, 2023 - £680:80 This year I shall be doing my own small protest in the way of on April 01st buying a 30 day visitors toll. Thirty days later I will buy a full yearly toll, less the cost of the thirty day toll already paid. I did this last year and it cost me not a penny extra but kept a large proportion of funds in my account for a month rather than the Blessed authorities account. Its perfectly legal too Griff
  2. how long is it before Wrotham bridge is like potter It already is and has been since October and we are now in March Griff
  3. Well that worked. I've been asking MrsG for the past few months to SORN her Q5. Ended up nearly issuing a direct order evening of Feb 29th so she did so, on line via her phone. Then the DVLA website informed her that she couldn't re-tax it for 5 days on-line but had to use a post office if she wanted to do so (Why?). Yesterday I downed tools, collected her as I was working local and drove her to a nearby post office that had the capability of taxing vehicles. It was a simple process and took only minutes MrsG got a refund of around £290 - the portion of months of tax unused when her car was sorned Re-taxing the very next day for the whole year cost around £212 (Now that the Q5 is over 5 x years old) Plus she has avoided the increase in road tax duty that is coming our way on April 01st ----------------------- However it wasn't all good news 'I've been robbed in broad daylight your honour' Not sure how this happened, the sorn refund goes straight into MrsG's account. Somehow at the post office I found mysen paying the £212:00 for the new road tax How did that happen then? It takes a Jock to fleece a Yorkshireman Griff
  4. So you can see the bridge you can't get under for longer..... Amending that to 'BridgeS' Griff
  5. Received an email from the Blessed Authority this morning. (I immediately replied pointing out the fact that they are STILL LYING calling the Broads a National Park) Anyroadup after blood pressure reduced slightly - Up it went again:- The 2024 River toll demand was right there, after last years 13% increase we are now facing an 8:5% increase, that's 21:5% increase in two years The toll payers both private and hire are yet again being used as cash cows - Getting fleeced once more Griff
  6. But Griff you're a bloody Yorkshire man, you have balls the size of Guatemala, you can repack a stern gland in the water have a vax handy and pre cut the packing around the exposed shaft (ooer Mrs.) and it don't come in that fast, it saves the cost of a lift out. Correct on all accounts However we are due out this year for our normal bi-annual AMP so thought we would do it then Griff
  7. I'm more of a fan of .177 PCP for a more permanent solution! I nearly commented the other day when you said you'd stay in the wetshed. Too nice a weekend for that, so good to see you got a bit of a run out, however brief. Griff
  8. Of course this is a permanent solution to the damn pigeons, my favourite gun a :22 BSA Airsporter, its mint too both inside and out. That would sort out the wetshed 'Depositing' issue if I ever decided to take it down with me Griff
  9. A planned maintenance day, Me and Howard arrived onboard at 2200 Fri 23rd Feb. Considering there had been no one onboard since late November, she was surprisingly mould and damp free. The Fwd bilge was dry to the pump, The aft bilge had some water in but not too much, the main source of river water ingress is the shaft gland which is dripping too fast, we cannot nip this up any further as the packing needs replacing (Out of water job). The Planar heating was immediately fired up, tv on and lights out by 2359 Saturday 24th – The main issue to be sorted was the batteries not lasting overnight without the voltage dropping as reported back in November. Howard was tasked with this. Each battery was removed, cell lids off to 1) check the electrolyte levels and 2) to eyeball each cell during the drop test load. We have some deionised water in the locker to top the cells up if needed, a few did, none of them were below the minimum markers. Every battery passed the drop test with flying colours. (The batteries were installed in Aug 2019 so they are now 4½ years old). Then he found the issue, the negative pole cable clamp on the Stbd bank, first battery in the line of three was loose – way too loose this was causing that whole bank to not accept a proper charge or be able to discharge correctly. Attempting to tighten it up was failing, the solution was to cut a small notch in the battery box (Had to take it out completely) and allow the lay of the cable to sit better – this sorted the issue. We are therefore confident during JT’s trip out next month there won’t be any electrical issues and the system can be proved. Plenty of Henry hoovering was carried out in and around the engine bay. Talking about Henry Hoovers, that reminded me I had to recently replace my works tiling Henry as it got married - Stopped sucking The sacrificial anode on the aft end of the heat exchanger was replaced too and a good check round of the Beta, g/box etc Meanwhile I was engaged in the welded on bird crap on the foc’sle, you can see from the photo just how bad it was yet again. The b&~#£&$d pigeons are either sitting on the wetshed roof cross member or on the varnished woodwork and seriously depositing. This is not the first time either. It took me ages to get it removed, you dare not go at it with scotch-brite (Green pad) or it will damage the varnish. The only way is copious amounts amount of warm water and microfibre cloths. I ended up leaving wet cloths on it to soak it through, took hours and hours. I used some visqueen with a length of copper pipe as a weight against the wind and have made a rudimentary cover for the bow, this will need to be removed along with the shed fenders each time we sail and put back again when tucking her up before going home The galley got a thorough clean – All to the good. We took ‘B.A’ out for a few runs up and down Barton Broad then turned off the Beta and drifted, the replacement sacrificial anode was weeping – Sorted, the drip tray was cleaned, the voltage charge was checked all to the good, the shaft gland was leaking like a goodun Then it was back to the wetshed – You can see from the photo that the trees adjacent to the river entrance are yet again impeding over the oggin, this makes it awkward to exit / enter. Since 2007 I have cut these back twice. Today was the third time – Much better The Horns are knackered properly this time, they have been serviced / repaired many times, they are now past it. They don’t owe us owt as we gottem for nowt second hand back in 2005 And goodness knows how old they were then. The best horns I have heard afloat are on ‘Bollysnigh’ whose owner came down went through her receipts onboard (And at home) but could find owt, a telecon with Jason Hatch revealed that he had bought them as a gift for them back in his days at LBBY, so no wonder she didn’t have any paperwork, nor did the horns have any makers stamp on them either. Jason is on the case to source us a set, they came via Brian Wards, he is confident he can track down the makers etc Tarpaulin issue – The tarpaulin is fine, no rips and looking good. However our neighbour onboard Missouri Star stated he had emptied out our water catchment bucket many times as it has been overflowing soaking through the rugs and timbers under. He also stated how impressed he is with our tarpaulin and the amount of water / crap rust etc it keeps off the topsides and he is going to have to bite the bullet and fit one himself - He suggested a square / flat edged bucket, then fasten a skin fitting half way up with as hose leading into the oggin, it will then become self-draining – Good idea – I’ll get onto it. We now have an impressive thicknessing planer in the locker – Getting in the way – Donated to us by Doug Starr, Bon Oeuf that he is. If we had been in my van it would have got taken home. We need to source an outfit that can refurbish it along with new cutting blades, drive belt etc, Research needed – ‘Planer Thicknesser W580 Charnwood’ Our neighbour Spark of Light has gone ages ago with no new neighbour as of yet The cctv camera upgrade didn’t get done (The gear is ready in the locker) as Robin was not in attendance The full internal clean through / windows didn’t get done as JT was not in attendance Departed for home at 1600 ‘B.A’ is now ready as per the norm in all respects to accept crews onboard and treat them in her normal fashion Griff
  10. Needed wellies to get to t’other of the wetshed today. Flood water up to Richo’s engineers shed doors too Griff
  11. Thanks for asking, No one has upset me - But its possible I have upset others - easily done (For me it seems) I've just been proper busy lately with a lot on various issues. I'll get up to date and explain mysen in due course Griff
  12. Due onboard this evening through to tomorrow early evening. Maintenance items and staying in t wet shed Griff
  13. Having a timber hull we didn't have a choice - Had to cut a hole in t hull. Its been there for years now with no leaks / rot and does a fine job Griff
  14. Having watched most of the films that Jason Statham has starred in and now having just watched 'Beekeeper' It is somewhat of a surprise to me that if he (Jason Statham) went up against the hardest and coolest man on the planet, then said hardest coolest man on the planet, might, just might have to blink - Chuck Norris Griff
  15. 'Mooring The Boat For Great Yarmouth' Go on then - I'll state the obvious:- Great Yarmouth Yacht Station Griff
  16. You paid the van insurance, paid HMRC and still had money left for boots? Truth be told - My daughter bought me some new work boots as in her words - I looked shameful - Not sure what that has got do wi new workboots - Anyroadup I will of course refund her %%%%%% In-ell My previous van insurer has just renewed my van insurance AND debited me nearly £600 despite me previously instructing them both via phone call and email not too I have rung them first thing this morning - What's worse is they now tell me it can take up to EIGHT DAYS for them to refund me, it didn't take them eight days to debit my account despite being instructed NOT to did it? Then to top it all off I got warned I may get reported for my attitude on the phone! I'll give em attitude, where one of my ? Griff
  17. Trevor Transit insurance secured this evening, ended up with Onecall the policy was £47:00 but ended up paying £500 with some add ones I required. I've also just paid my tax bill, its been one expensive evening, still got to pay my accountant too but not received his invoice as of yet Had to buy some new workboots yesterday too - That was £90:00, sheesh Griff
  18. Yep! Exactly the same! I got the impression he didn't like hire boats I was onboard 'B.A' at the time - Obviously not good enough for their visitor mooring either Griff
  19. Our JT keeps banging on about me taking 'B.A' (And his lot obviously) for a visit to Wells. Our best cruising speed won't be owt above 8kts max (Without tidal stream assistance) so if I do decide to go for it, some previous planning will be required as per the norm Griff
  20. Good news about the Waters Edge The only pub I've ever been thrown out from before I even got in!! We had sommat similar, got berthed alongside for an impromptu visit, got asked to leave before we got ashore! Never been back since Griff
  21. One question I would like to ask Griff will he ever venture into using a Sailing Yacht on the Ladds week instead of cruising around the Broads on the Boat I am astounded you are even asking! In a word - NO However I acknowledge one should never say never Griff
  22. What is the best way to secure your Boat in these sorts of conditions we are now having With good condition berthing ropes, and plenty of em Joking aside - Doubling up if you feel the need, springs are also advised, well adjusted fenders would be a bonus too Griff
  23. Trevor Transit needed some tlc Saturday just gone. The n/side outer drive shaft gaiter had a puncture would allowing grease out. Cleaned it all up, new grease, new gaiter fitted, front brake pads fitted and two full size plastic front inner wheel arch liners for good measure. MOT carried out - Passed Insurance - Rang my current provider, the £709 came down to £589, still about £150 dearer than last year despite no claims or points make prizes since the policy was taken out. The lady on the phone (Poor English) could not offer any explanation as to why, it was basically take it or leave it - I'm leaving it, no surprises there then I hope to finalise a new policy with 'Onecall' tomorrow for about £450:00 All to the good Griff
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