Maxwellian

Good news. More broads reading.

I saw on like like that being advertised by one of the hire yards a couple of years ago. I can agree that the looks were not at all aesthetic.

Welcome.

It's no good I am going to have to go into the travel weekend at the weekend to see what this is all about.....even though I am booked up for next year. My kids cant see how I possible managed to get my wife to agree to two weeks in August though. So looking forward to it.

Looked much nicer than the new one. Why was it replaced?

Thanks Jill that would be great.

Thanks. Any subjects allowed? Next week should be ok as Downton has finished until Christmas.

This was only the second time that I have joined in on the Quiz, joined the first one late and left the second early to watch Downton. I thought that I was safe as Neil has twelve points? Enjoyed it though. Thanks for the Questions.

Thanks just what I always wanted. Any rules to the questions etc? How many?

As long as we are finished for Downton I will give it another go

That's looking really nice. Never hired a Flybridge before. Might give this a go when I have save some pennies.

Sorry Rivhard should read Richard.

Part of a message from Rivhard on the Norfolk Broads Forum Facebook page: "......... So I'm going to migrate the site to hosted server and give that a try. This will take some time, but it's the best solution I can come up with at the moment."

Congratulations. I have always had excellent service from Richardsons. Keep up the good work.

We booked through in 2008 when we were unaware of the option to book direct. The next year we booked direct to Richardsons. We always book direct now.

Several years ago (must have been 2008) we decided to book a last minute boat on the Norfolk Broads. We had not been on the Broads for many years, the last time was in 1985 the year that we got married. I had been boating several times with my Family when I was younger on the Llangollen Canal, Thames and Caledonian Canal but not having hired for twenty two years we were a bit apprehensive. We hired Gold Gem from Richardsons via Hoseasons. We had three of our six kids with us, two boys and one girl. The oldest boy (David) must have been sixteen. We got to the boat yard at Stalham and checked in, life jackets, 12v lead and loaded our kit on the boat then reported that we were ready. The trial was a short trip up the river, turn around and go back. A quick stern moor and we were pronounced as fit to go on our own. Our first 20 mins was what Lee Trevino would have described as Military style if you were on a golf course (left, right, left right) as we wandered around over correcting until we got used to it. We got away late so across Barton Broad, through Irstead and we moored up at one of he wild moorings on the starboard side. Susannah and I fished while Sara prepared dinner and the boys read. After dinner we played some games and had an early night. Up early as we wanted to head across to the southern Broads and Norwich. Now unlike in 1985 when we nearly hit the bridge at Yarmouth I had studied the tides and how to get across Breydon Water. When we got there it was very grey the wind was up and it was raining quite hard. Gold Gem did not have a wind screen wiper so it was difficult to see. I sorted it out by getting jugs of the filtered water and pouring it down the window. It cleared the spray off and as it was filtered it did not smear. We moored at Cantley for the night at the 24hr moorings. More fishing a walk around Cantley, dinner games and bed. Up early next morning to get to Norwich for moorings and a trip around the city. Engine on and ready to go. David ready to release the stern rope and I was releasing the bow rope. I released the rope and leaning on the boat to push it away into the current and jump back on ready to set off after David had release the stern rope. Well things did not go as planned. As I pushed the bow off ready to get back on my walking boots slipped on the wooden mooring. Legs went backwards as boat moved away from the bank. You can see where this is going. It is a funny feeling and it all seems to happen in slow motion. There I was hands firmly gripping the boat, knuckles were white by this stage, and feet were desperately trying to hook something on the bank. There comes a time during this slow motion thinking as the boat and bank get further apart and you go from vertical to horizontal that you have to decide which end, head or legs is going to get wet. My decision was legs. So in they went. Imagine desperately hanging on to the side of the boat now soaking wet up to the waist. No problem I thought will just pull myself up into the boat. With the weight of the water there was no way that I was going to get into the boat. This is the point that I learnt the importance of wearing a life jacket as well as proper foot ware. Only problem mine was on the boat while I was only hanging onto the side of it, only the wrong side of it. Here comes the good fortune. David having heard the splash had luckily not untied the stern rope and had come to see what was going on. After a quick snigger he had the sense to go aft to where he could pull the boat towards the bank. At that point he got the bow rope and pulled it in. So now I have one hand on the bank and one on the boat trying to get my legs on the bank to get myself out. A very nice man who was solo on the boat moored in front of us gave David a hand to pull me out. How embarrassing I was dripping from the waist down and just wanted to get out of there. The man suggested that we tie up again but I wanted to vanish as soon as possible. Off we went. No problem I thought David can steer for a few minutes while I have a quick shower and change of clothes. I was in the shower when there was a shriek followed by a shout of Ian. Out of the shower and we were heading towards the reeds. I straightened the boat and instructed them on over compensation of the steering and how not to over correct. I gave it a few minutes and thought it safe to go back into the shower. This time I was just covered in shampoo when there was another shriek. Dived out of the shower to be met with a towel. We were now in the reeds. Luckily not too far. A quick reverse and got us back on course. David was not willing to touch the steering again, I wonder why. Up steps Susannah only twelve years old and takes over the Helm. Looked as though she had been doing it for years. I managed to get the shampoo rinsed out and dressed. Not long after that the man who helped me out steamed past......quick look away....hide. We made it to Norwich and had a lovely day. In deed the rest of the holiday went well. We have been back every year except one when we went on the Thames and we are booked up for next year, but it could have all been so different. Lesson learnt; Always wear your life jacket when anywhere on the outside of the boat, especially mooring. Always wear non slip foot ware. My family often joke and laugh about my falling in and tell every one. Because of my embarrassment and trying to get away and hide I never really thanked the man that helped get me out. If you read this you have my utmost thanks for your help that day.

For that to happen Clive there has to be a drive to reduce expenditure by The BA. They only have three ways to move. 1) increase income via tolls 2) reduce costs 3) borrow. My real concern is that they fail to recognise that increased tolls will drive toll payers away and there reduce income.

How about fitting the little black boxes that Car Insurers are now fitting, other colours are available I,m sure. Tolls could be charged on usage. Then the BA could also send out speeding tickets without leaving the office. They could also charge by the foot when you use the 24hr moorings. Just before anyone reacts I am joking.

What are the main costs driving the tolls and what impact do individual boats have on those? If it were the cost of maintaining the public moorings then length would impact, engine size would not. I can see why hire boats have a multiplier as they are in use a lot more than private boats. One thing that seems to be certain that it is an emotive subject and that whatever they do someone will be upset.

Thanks. I enjoyed it. Great fun.

Thanks for taking the time to write this all up. I have enjoyed reading it very much. I still have the broads blues and we came back early June. I have not finished my write up yet, I must get a move on.

Paul Enjoying the write up. No offense meant, I was just giving my inexperienced boater near miss. Ian

Wise words. I remember a trip we did from north to south back in May of 1985. There were nine of us on one of Herbert Woods wooden centre cockpit cruisers. It was a mixed group and my mother had come along as well. It was the first time that my father had not come boating with us (Ex RN). It was also the first time we had hired a boat on the broads although we had had a house boat a couple of times. Looking back we gave no thought to the crossing and I cannot recall anything being briefed regarding bridges, tides or Breydon water crossing. One of the girls was at the helm going through GY (not a sexist comment just a fact). I was in the cockpit lying down reading a book and minding my own business. My mother came up from the galley with a cup of coffee in her hand and the first I knew of the impending problem was a very loud shout from mum "BRIDGE". We were heading towards the bridge at GY with the roof up and not enough height to make it. Quick mad panic. Rushed up and slammed it into reverse, but we were going with quite a flow behind us. Rushed to the back of the cockpit to wind down the roof as my girl friend (soon to become command module) undid the locks. There followed some frantic winding with severe heart pounding as I wound frantically watching us heading towards the bridge (helmsmans in tears at this stage) We managed to get the roof down just in time and I took over the helm and off we went across Breydon. My blood pressure must have hit its highest point ever and I lost several years. We had a lovely time on the south side, but we were extremely lucky. We put it in reverse, which gave us time to get the roof down. The really lucky thing was that we did not try to turn, if so we would have been breeched being dragged under the bridge by the strong flow of water. Sara and got married later that year and it was not until many years later that we returned. We now come almost every year and have for several times. I take great care to plan the routes and times so that I can do it when it is safe and I can optimise the tides to save fuel. We often look back on that experience with laughter and fear at the same time. We were very lucky. Some of us on the boat had no clue what they were doing and those that did were not paying attention.

Enjoying the tale. Hope Helen is ok..

Neil I'm still wondering what you were going to say?