Palmtree

Envy. Back here it is typical Bank Holiday weather, cold and raining Ian

Hi, 118 ton test load on the cable and two blokes in yellow jackets standing on the quay side. I think I might find somewhere else to stand. Ian

Hi, One way to get the holes in the right location on the gasket is to place the gasket material over the item and put a large ball bearing over the hole and give it a light tap with a hammer. The edge of the hole then cuts the gasket material. Put a bolt in the hole and move on to the other holes. Don't hit the ball bearing too hard as it might damage the casting. Ian

Hi, Check for the mark up on newspapers as it is poor and might not be worth the hassle. Ian

Rod, The props don't appear to have rope cutters fitted is this normal for working boats? Ian

Hi, Looking for some new Life jackets, I noticed these had a inflation indicator. http://www.suffolk-sailing.co.uk/acatal ... ckets.html Handy to check if thay have been used and re-packed. Ian

Hi, I was just looking at a policy with Craftinsure and that has an age wear and tear deduction for the outboard of 10% per year from new. This is up to a maximum of 70% deduction. So the payout for my 8 year old outboard if nicked will be about the same as the excess Ian

Hi, Here in Ipswich we have about 5 inches of snow, a tad deep for a Dachshund. Ian

I think you need to visit spec savers.... Ian

Hi, The stem looks good with no signs of cracking, was this replaced after the quay incident? Ian

Twin Diesel, American built, sea going, unable to get under potter, owned by an ex sailing boat owner and on the Broads! If that is not a sin I don't know what is. Ian

Hi, Not much going on as we are waiting for the boat handover at the end of next month. One thing that has been sorted is the new name of the boat. Peccatrix Ian

Good to see you back Simon. As to the rubbish and litter, think of it as gold dust to future Norwich archeologists Ian

Something else now to worry about..... Ian

The fact the service is available creates doubts as to how you would cope with a breakdown. Thinking about it I will have two engines and a small inflatable with an outboard that has pushed a number of broken down craft over the years. I should be able to cope. Then again has anyone got a spare quant pole? Ian

Hi, I was thinking some sort of insurance might be a good idea. Ludham Bridge look like they also have a recovery scheme with the 247 service. If you did not have the service how much does a recovery cost? I do realise there are many things that will change the cost, distance, when the recovery is and how many people involved, but is it worth the risk? Ian

Sorry my error, I've looked at the tolls chart again and it will cost. I did not read the 6m and over bit correctly and took it as 6m and less The dream was good for a while... Ian

I think there is a possibility that as long as you have the sail on board, you can use the Walker bay with an outboard toll free. Ian

Hi, I try to avoid self tappers and prefer normal threads drilled and the thread cut into the base material with a tap. Putting a backing plate or some penny washers and a nut will spread the load however I think they will be hard to get to. Thanks for the feedback Ian

Hi, The guard rail needs replacement and I was surprised at the fitting on the end as I expected a crimped end. Is this usual and where is a good source of wire (stainless uncoated?) for replacing them. Ian

Hi, It looks like when the boat was re-engined both shafts rotate the same way. The river trial or the low speed work on tickover did not show up any problem, however we have not had to moor it yet. Ian

Hi, A number of lift-the-dot studs where the canopy fits to the hull are broken or missing so need to be replaced. Is the best way to fit them drill, light countersink and tap the screw thread into the fiberglass or some other way? Ian

Hi, This is quite an interesting thread for me. Up until recently I have had what traditionalists would refer to was the ideal Broads boat. Tamara was built as a sailing boat for use in the Hire fleets in the 1930 and was able to pass under all the bridges, and believed to be the boat the book ‘Coot Club’ was based on. She has served us well for the past seven years or so, but increased comfort and all weather usability has changed our requirements. The boat we are getting has far more space, and a greater opportunity to change the boat to our needs. As to suitable boat for the Broads we have had a long and hard think as to what we require and for use on the Broads Bridge height is a major factor. We have had to compromise as few bridges will be to low for her (working on that ). The Diesels will drink far more fuel than the wind and 4hp out board used. Later when the boat is sorted out a small sailing craft will be found to go with her. Suitable for the Broads, yes, perfect no. Ian

Hi, Not in the same league, but made eight of these up to simulate a jet engine fans on a scale model recently (Dornier Do 31e). For the Model Engineers out there, they were produced on a mill with a 45deg dovetail cutter and a rotary table mounted on a compound table. Ian

No plans for the salty bits. It might be easy to go out there, and this type of boat looks able to handle some limited conditions, but with no training or experience it is not fair to expect others to come to your rescue and pick up the pieces. Many years ago I used to work with some volunteers on the Lowestoft Lifeboat and appreciate what they do and encounter. Back to the topic. When we took our new boat on the river trial we tried both engines on single running and yes a bit of rudder was required to compensate for the thrust. This was not a problem. What did surprise me was how well you could handle the boat on the two throttles for slow speeds and not use the rudder. Ian