SPEEDTRIPLE

Peace and quiet at Loddon

Moored at Loddon on Tuesday night.

Karen at the helm

Apart from the pigture of the boat above, we WERE the only boat on the rivers untill we got to Loddon

Some pictures of last week. This one showing we`re the only boat on the river

wow, that was quick. The hospital did say they would do Karens other eye within a couple of months. Two months is nearly up, and we have`nt heard anything, maybe we should gee them up a bit?.

I see what you mean now Andy, i do think it`s bad though that they are driving people to go on-line, when still, there are millions of people who don`t want to have anything to do with the internet. This sort of action IS losing them customers, because if someone wants a boating holiday, but their ideal boat is NOT in the brochure, and they don`t go on-line, what are their options?. It`s no good trying to explain something by word of mouth due to individual interpretation.

Hi David, I can`t see the logic behind only showing a selection in the catalogue, but inviting you to see the rest on-line. It sounds like they`re competing with the very agents they are contracted to?. Strange?.

I don`t need a pet to take the duvet, Karen does it well enough thank you lolol.

Looking at the picture, it looks like there`s a bit of quay heading just in front, so hopefully, it has`nt snagged up something sharp?.

i was thinking about the vacuuming and polishing Matt. As for the outside, i spent sevral hours, sore knees, and a lot of cleaner cleaning the outside of Lightning back in June. It`s at those times you realise just how much hard work 43 x 12 ft can be.

Hi Matt, Thanks but no thanks. It is OUR responsibility to ensure Lightning is clean and tidy, even if cleaned by a commercial cleaner. We did discuss this at our AGM in June, and it was reported that they only clean the inside, but do not clean certain things, which turned out to be quite a lot of things, so if an owner wants to employ a cleaner, they can, but they are still responsible, and MUST ensure the boat is fit for take over by the next owner. You could be paying someone a fair amount to do what can be done in an hour. I seem to remember they did`nt clean cookers, fridges, sinks, toilet compartments, showers, windows (inside or out) and decks. They did however go around with a duster and a can of Mr Sheen (or Sparkle) and vacuum up. I also seem to remember a figure of £35.00 per hour, though i`m not 100% on that one.

I certainly think an extra couple of weeks or so into November would be reasonable, but i do understand your concerns Andy. As a syndicate owner, WE are responsible for the cleanliness and condition of the boat when we leave her at the end of our week. I have to admit, due to bad weather, i was`nt able to clean the outside of Lightning properly, but did give the decks and cabin sides a scrub down with a deck scrubber. Then we had to completely clean the inside, and vacuum up. It was surprisingly hard work to do it in the time available, so i do know first hand how hard it must be for operaters like yourselves having to do 3,4, or more boats in a precious few hours.

Was that the old Alpha 32 "Pearl of light" Trev, if so, we saw that coming into Loddon on Wednesday morning, and later on Tursday and friday watering up at Brooms. I spoke to one of the people on board, and she said they only hire this time of year.

I suppose you mean because of the 2 pubs within 25yds of the chippie?.

We all hear comments in the media saying our seasons are changing, so maybe in the not too distant future, there might be a few more yards stretching out their seasons to cover November. However, if we do get a cold autumn, then as you say Andy, prepare for it.

I`ve just realised i`ve posted this in Broads related chat, if the mods feel it would be better in holiday tales, please feel free to re post as nessecary?.

As most will know, Karen and i were on Lightning all last week. It was the first time we`ve ever been on the Broads during the winter (well, very late autumn anyway) and i did wonder whether we would enjoy it. Well, to be brutally honest..............most definitely YES. It was a real mixed bag of weather, though windy every day, sometimes VERY windy, but we did have some nice weather, and remarkably warm at night at times too. We stayed on the mooring at Brooms yard for the saturday night, and would decide what to do on Sunday morning. Sunday morning came, and it was cold and very windy, so we opted to drive around, and ended up doing some Christmas shopping at Lathams, then onto Wroxham, and did some more Christmas shopping in Roys. By the time we got back to the boat, it was getting very dim, but we`d already decided on staying another night at our home mooring, and decided ti wait and see what the weather had in store for Monday. Monday morning came, and the forecast was right. Wet and windy, so we opted for another plan b which was more Christmas shopping in Norwich, because Karen has never been into the centre before. Monday evening was already agreed to stay in Brooms, and Tuesday was a definite run down to Loddon where we were to have a nice Indian in the Raj. The run down to Loddon was a really peaceful one, with us seeing only one boat the whole trip down, and an empty basin except for a couple unloading a boat ready to sell, which then moved off. As normal now, i examined all the leccy pylons, and found one which had 90p left in one meter, and £1.10 on another, so we hooked up for free again. We walked around to Maffett cruisers to say hello to John and Lynda and have a chat untill they get a call to go and pick up Lyndas dad, so we bid them farewell. We had our planned Indian, which was very enjoyable, especially as we ordered about half of what we normally do, and this time, for the first time, we ate it all. retiring back to the boat, after 5 minutes of our arrival, it rained, but not for long. Wednesday morning, and we`re in our customary breakfast haunt, "Rosie Lea`s" where as usual Caroline is pleased to see us and gives us both a good hug. We planned dinner aboard tonight, and went to "Webs butchers" right at the top of the village where we bought 2 home cured gammons freshly cut from a large joint. Back aboard, and we set off down the Chet and past Reedham and down the new cut. Our destination was a run into Oulton, or WRC dependant on weather and wind strength. The wind was getting up, and we were against the tide, and with the limited daylight this time of year, Oulton was out, so it was straight to WRC , where we were able to hook up to yet another pylon with 60p left on the meter. I`m not tight, but if it`s there, take it, because if we did`nt, somebody else would, just like when we left 80p on one last year. We walked up to the office to pay for the night, but was told a chap will collect the moring fee later, but he never did, so by morning, we had free leccy all night, a nice hot shower, and safe secure mooring for nothing. Thursday morning after a shower and breakfast, i wanted to get an early start to head back up to Brundall where we intended to stay the night, and decide what to do on the friday morning. This was by far the best day of the week, as we had bright blue sky, and very little wind most of the day, and we were steering Lightning form the upper steering. We had to drop the upper level screens to go under Somerleyton , but Reedham gave us plenty of height. When passing Cantley, we were earlier than expected, so turned into Langley dyke for a lunch stop. When leaving Langley dyke, we came out into the Yare behind 3 Squib daysailers, and ran with them all the way to Brundall, but did`nt bother overtaking them because when the wind caught their sails, they were away, and we had plenty of time to cruise to Brundall, so we sat at 5mph all the way, which apart from the run up the Waveney to WRC was the speed we did everywhere. We reached the outskirts of Brundall, and we could se some very threatening clouds coming in, and as we neared our mooring they were upon us, so we did`nt extend our cruise through Surlingham broad and back to base, but moored up imediately. The rain never came, and the clouds disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived, but we were back at bas, and would decide on Fridays events after seeing what the weather had forecast. We had dinner aboard that night, which was basically an omlette made out of what`s left in the cupboard and fridge, and very nice it was too. Friday morning, and although it was a bit nippy, it was bright sunshine, but the forecast was foul weather, so we planned to go out in the car, and drove to Beccles. It`s a good job we did, because the weather later changed, with pouring rain and gale force winds. We had a couple of hours in Beccles, and had a really nice lunch in a tea shop behind a discount store. We did`nt want anything big because we were going to the Kings Head in Blofield after Johns (HA) recommendations, of which you can read my post in places to eat. We left Beccles and drove through St Olaves to GY, and along to Acle, and then to Thurne, where we agreed to meet up with Liz from Ramblers gift shop to buy yet more prezzies. Back to the boat, and we get a head start on the packing and cleaning Lightning ready for her next crew who were due to arrive the next day. We had our meal at the Kings head,and were definitely NOT disappointed, (well done John) so take note peeps and go there. Back on board and more packing, then settle down to a DVD as the tv reception is unusually bad. Saturday morning, VERY early, and Karen wakes me up. I parked my car on the gravel quay beside Lightning so it`s easier to load up with walking a long way with heavy luggage, but when Karen wakes me up about 1am, my car in sitting in water, as the tide was so high, it was over the quay. Luckily, it was only up to its tyres, and i realised the tide is on the turn, so go back to bed We`re up early, and getting the car loaded, and finshing of what little packing is left, then get the requierd pump out and tank refill, along with water refill for the next crew. done. Because the weather is so bad, i could`nt give the outside a thourough clean up, but did give the decks a quick mop down, and then set about cleaning the inside. It`s at times like these, with a syndicate boat, you are responsible for the cleaning of the boat, and realise how hard the boatyard staff work to get hireboats turned round and ready for you. With the handover report written, and the boat vacumed and cleaned, it`s time to go home. This was our first out of season cruise, and to be honest, i get it. After reding many threads on this forum from Howard (N Nog) Trevor Deisel falcon, John (H Admiral), and numerous others, too numerous to mention, we went with high expectations, and were we disappointed?, NOT AT ALL. If you ever get the chance to do a late Autumn / Winter cruise on the Broads, just get on and do it. Herbert Woods and i believe a couple of other yards hire round the year (possibly with some cruicing limits?). We saw only one other boat when we ran down to Loddon, two on the run down to WRC and the three Sqibs on the way back to Brundall. For next year, we already have a week in Spring booked to go back to Lincolnshire, Lightning for two weeks in late June / early July, and we still have 2 weeks holiday left to take from work, so our allocated week next November will be a definite yes.

Hi Poppy, Karen and i drove up to Thurne to see Liz at Ramblers gift shop, and while there walked past your boat. I saw the name and did wonder whether it was yours, so now i know. She looks to be in immaculate condition too. Hopefully we`ll see her sailing next year.

Regarding Andy`s (freedom) mention of moorings, this could be just waht the BA are after. What`s the betting on big buisness doing a sponsorship deal with the BA for somewhere like, Pye`s mill moorings on the Chet, and insisting on being able to errect advertising hordings along the quay heading (much you get in a football stadium) or along the back of the walkway beside it, and using BA volunteers to hand out flyers to all moored boats, promoting that buisnesses product or service?. No, the simplest way to raise the vital income is to downsize the manning levels in Dragonfly house and elsewhere, and to stop BA bosses being sent on all expenses paid jollies.

Being such a small boat, she`s bound to be economical. It`s worth remembering that most of the bigger boats hve the same engines as Sweet Freedom, but are geared and propped differently for pushing considerably more weight. As for solo cruising, it`s a doddle, i used to moor up Maffetts original Alpha 42 on my own, as everybody else was afraid of falling in. Just make sure all your fwd lines are layed out to the aft cockpit, and on the side you`re going to moor on.

That`s what we plan to do next Friday.

There`s always Thorpe, either the river green, but you have to go through the bridges for that, so only if it`s low tide, or low enough at the time you want?. Alternatively, there`s the free moorings in the dyke on the bend in the river just upstream from the A47 flyover, either way, you could get a bus from their, or there`s a possible plan c, and that is to ask Andy from Freedom if he will permit you to moor at his yard if there`s space, and for a small donation to the yards Christmas box for tea and sausage rolls?. Either way, it will also save you the extra journey by river, which can sometimes be full of rubbish around this time of year.

not many sleeps now.