Viking23

Any one boat can easily overload a 16 amp socket, 3kW fan heater, 13 amps, a kettle, 10 amps, a toaster, 10-13 amps, any two out of three of those connected at the same time will do it. So the posts are equiped with a circuit breaker so at currents over say 16 amps, the breaker will trip and will require someone going to the post to reset it. So the posts cannot be overloaded. The post will not know if three boats are daisy chained to the post or just one, it will monitor the total current and if 16 amps is exceeded, then the circuit breaker will trip. So where is the danger here? I can see a danger when using the blue 16 amp plug/sockets when the orientation cannot be guaranteed, through adaptors or extension leads and it is possible for rain water to enter the terminals of the connector and cause a short circuit or at least an earth leakage current causing the Rcd to trip. These connectors are not waterproof.

Fly tipping is an offence, do what it takes to prosecute. The sooner the better, with maximum publicity. There is a long season ahead of us. Contact the BA first, and or the local council, then as a courtesy tell the hire company that there may be action to be taken against the hirers. Make them sweat... This is not acceptable. Harsh...? maybe, but how can you stop it happening again?

From a selfish point if view, as we have moved to Oxford, onto the Thames, I think we are closer to him. So we have 17 months to our next one, so I'll contact him nearer the time. Thanks for the update. Richard

Wow this is certainly worth leaving to the professionals, I think going to the pub and finding it complete when you get back, sounds a great idea to me.

Hi Alan, I have it in the back of my mind that Ian is no longer doing BSS inspections. Could he have started up again? Sorry to divert the thread. Richard

Wow... thanks for the input, needs some tlc then.

Sutton Staithe boat yard, never had an out drive serviced, but I trusted them to do an impeller change on an outboard last season. Worth giving Rob a call. I always liked the idea of an out drive, most can be lifted or tilted for shallow cruising or prop clearance, steer in reverse.. etc. Down side, not easy to stern moor, but a stern step can be adapted to sort that. NOW... My biggest concern, "when" the bellows leak, and it is when, no preventative maintenance plan can guarantee that you change the bellows or seals "just in time" can it actually sink the boat? I guess not. I would be happier if there was a high bulk head that could not be compromised even if the bellows tore. but I would not be that happy if the engine and drive shaft were half flooded in river water that might be brackish, especially near Acle. So I wonder how is the water integrity maintained, you would need more than an occasional bilge pump to stem a leak like that. Just interested, I like learning about different technologies. Richard

Well if they crash into each other, they are both from the same company, filmed on their own CCTV. I would be extremely concerned if a private craft was within a couple of boat lengths of those two. I wonder when the first hire boat casualty will occur requiring being taken out of service for several days. With boating manoeuvres like this, it won't be long lol.

Wow, and the width of Potter Heigham bridge at normal waterline level is over 20' if I recall.

It's just one of natures ways of propagation. Yellow irises are a particular problem on canals too. You don't see many of those on the Broads. If the Broads Authority keep staking them, and they keep breaking away, then no wonder there is a problem up there. They just need to be removed, assuming no birds nesting of course. A couple of years ago Sutton Staithe had a huge one blocking their slipway, they simply removed it. I guess they would produce some nice organic compost.... eventually lol

The boat above is a Dawncraft 25, ok so the fire service don't carry a tape measure, but certainly much bigger than 18' that they first suggested.

Bow thruster... ok these days, I see that as a benefit for less abled crew, but not having an electric mud weight windlass to go with it, shame on you. Well that's one boat crossed off my list of potentials. Can't lift a mudweight with a replacement shoulder and tumours on the spine. The way things are going, with less linear moorings available, mud weight moorings might be the late comers only choice. So if I drop the mud weight in Ranworth, sorry Malthouse broad, as a last resort and can't lift it, can I do a breakdown call out? OR just cut the rope.? That bed... looks too narrow, climbing over your partner, no. So who is this boat aimed at, certainly in my opinion, not the mid to more mature customer, or anyone partially mobility impaired. Maybe the young couple with a small child, maybe, maybe not, if I recall not a lot of disposable income at that time in our lives or we would go with a lower cost option. Looks like someone is booking it up, maybe some people just like new boats.

Is it metric or imperial ? It's really worth having one of each lol you never know lol.

My tool box isn't half full. My tool box isn't half empty. As an Engineer, my toolbox is twice as big as it needs to be lol. Now can anybody answer this one, where on earth do the M10 AF spanners go? I have three and can rarely find one lol.

It's just what Potter Heigham is missing, it's been tried before and failed, so what would make a good recipe for success? Not forgetting this needs to be an all year round business. Currently there is no need for anyone to be in Potter Heigham after 9:00 pm Which brings us back a full circle following on from another recent post, where will everyone park? OK there could be up to 3 hours free parking on Lathams, but stop one extra minute, and you will receive a hefty fine. Daren't risk that... I think some good negotiation is required, change to Lathams policy to allow... say free parking from 6:00pm till a reasonable time to allow pub visitors to come and go. Seem to have been there already, is it too late to change? We don't want to put barriers in place to stop a good business idea, but all risks need to be thought about.

This is what I think... They will probably see how it goes this season, and next season they will put the river toll up by 15% for boat registration numbers with an even registration number and 17% for boats with an odd registration number. Just as "logical" as some of their earlier algorithms for increasing tolls lol. They will then use this increase to make new signage to be placed along every 50 metres of private river bank. On one side it will say... "strictly no mooring or landing" and in small print at the bottom, so you have to moor and go ashore to read it, "a fine of £100 will be levied for any breach of the terms of this notice". On the dyke leading to Rockland Broad a few years back, there were similar signs, that due to reed growth couldn't be read anyway without going ashore. They were also partially obscured by moored boats too. That scheme worked well too. On the other side of the notice, just to keep the walkers happy..."Do not throw stones at this notice" I hope they make the signs out of non treated biodegradable timber from a renewable resource, just like their requirement for private quay heading. Which means, if you are a continuous cruiser, with a wood burner, you can moor in a different place every 24 hours. Keeping warm as you go. Something for everyone.

I wish you hadn't posted this, I was hoping to get back to sleep... lol In my tool box, apart from my spare engine, spare water pump, as we have an outboard, I find a cheap £1, plastic bicycle pump very useful, it clears the tell tail on the outboard, helps to back pressure the paloma water heater when winterising, etc. Silicon gasket sealer, jb weld, two part epoxy, chemical metal epoxy, a sheet of gasket type cardboard, some foam type sheet to make gaskets. Spare Impeller, not forgetting all the tools required to replace it. A home made flywheel puller. A spare prop, no make that two lol. A tarp or two to cover leaky windows or torn canopy. A multimeter is essential, if not two. Spare fuses, bulbs, engine oil and gear oil for a complete oil change. Replacement gear select/throttle control cables. Loads more to come... I'll sleep on it.. lol Oh and ... Replacement activator for life jacket. Note to self... and all the forum... when was the last time you checked your expiry dates on the auto lifeacket activators and also the weight of the gas bottle...? hmmm yes that long ago... time flies.

So who's Cheryl ? (26:42 min in) Does Sheila know about her lol...? Thanks for showing the clip on how to reverse into Ranworth, just what I requested. Not really a challenge was it, free open mooring on both sides, not as if you are trying to reverse a 12' beam boat into 12'6" gap. Mind you for your first attempt, whilst getting used to the boat, I was actually quite impressed. Well done lol. It did highlight the issue of lack of access and visibility from what is close to a central helm. I wonder what the hull of this boat will look like by the end of the season, I recon it will get more than it's fair share of knocks and scrapes, and associated third party claims for damages etc. Interesting point re pay as you go moorings, not new, it's what the Environment Agency are doing on the non tidal section of the River Thames. Very controversial, as it is run by a third party. You have a phone app. you announce your arrival time, the 24 clock starts ticking.... don't overstay without paying an additional fee after this time.... Even after payment, you can only stay a couple of days. The EA have ways of moving live aboards on. It's not every mooring, mostly those within walking distance of the locks. Now suddenly we have to start clock watching, setting the alarm on the iphone... can't overstay... come on, we need to go.... leave the dog... come on... You can also prebook a mooring days before, but guess what ? there is no guarantee you will get one. Not my idea of a stress free holiday. To us the advantage of the Broads was to throw the clock away and go by "Norfolk Time". Could this affect how we treat our leisure time on the Broads? To me, not progress, we came to the Broads to get away from all this routine. We have yet to try overnighting on the Thames, been nearly 2 years now since we slept on our boat, due to illness of course. Can't wait... There are still many wild moorings on the Thames, so an opportunity I guess. Thanks Robin for a great video, and some "interesting" points of view. Richard

I hope you don't tell me it had two alternative endings... not sure I could face that at this time of night though. Thanks for sharing.

Something else you might want to consider, when to throw the towel in when you are tired? Don't wait till you make a mistake, or cut yourself or have a near miss, although I tend to follow that route myself... (well I did lol)... before packing in for the night, or even just for an afternoon session. I have done this... Tightening a bolt.... I'll just do it up... that tiny... tiny ... bit more... b i t m o r e ... " crack"... sheared the bolt, stripped the thread, or cracked the item you are tightening. I'll just turn that tap a big more.... oops Just put an extra spray coat of paint on before retiring... to find either you catch the can on the painted finish, or just put a fraction too much paint on it and.... you have a run doh... This is a near miss one too... I'm sure I took that mains fuse out before I grabbed hold of the wiring in the washing machine. You are doing some wiring... radio nearly wired in... I'll test it out see if it works... I'm sure that red wire is the + 12 volts..... phutttttt... quick flash, radio up in smoke... Know when you are tired, know when you should pack in.

Thank you Robin for taking the time to answer my questions, I think the point you made about getting off the helmsman's seat could be an issue, as I have to use a walking stick due to the tumours on my spine and my recent replacement shoulder. Any slip could put me in hospital. Still a very nice boat, aimed at luxury for a full crew. Thanks again, Richard

But if you're drilling a hole through the hull, measure twice fair enough, mark it up. Have a cup of tea, measure twice again... take your smallest drill and see where the hole really is... if ok enlarge to suit. You could try the magnet trick, needs two people, and a nail or something ferrous, place magnet where you think it should go, then go search for the magnet with the nail on the other side. Sometimes... you ask yourself... where did that bulkhead come from, or that gas pipe looks a bit close.

Hi Robin, I just watched your first blog of the trip, I was overwhelmed by my emotion, as what your Father has gone through is what I am trying to come to terms with myself, for that reason, I won't be sharing the video with my wife Roz, too close to home. However having looked at the boat review, I was impressed with the boat, but I don't think it's for me, I like to see down the whole side of the boat when I am cruising to see what is trying to overtake me, and also to judge the distance from the boat to the bank when coming into moor. I don't do jumping off boats, I like to step off, and to move away from the helm to see how far you are from the bank is not in keeping with great skipper control, not something I can do with haste anymore, in my opinion of course. You may be able to advise as you go along. I think some 18" diameter mirrors might help lol. What would concern me is coming into a windward mooring on a fair tide and being able to get on deck and secure the boat before it drifts away. I would also like to see a stern mooring taking place at a busy Ranworth Staithe, with a reasonable cross wind. I would be interested to know the width of the bed in the aft cabin, is it 5' wide? wider? I'd be surprised if you took a tape measure on holiday with you... but you never know lol... I will of course continue to watch your blogs, and I hope your new equipment works well. Very best regards, Richard

I just removed my "Like" from JM's post... I don't trust any rumours from him from now on... Still a good one though Edited to add... you got me... so putting "Like" back again...

This is my opinion of course... What I personally find to be true is, If it's one of Peter's "rumours", it's probably better than a lot of people's certs. lol