Glad I used my mudweight

[thereevos]

We spent this Saturday night in Norwich, moored at the yacht station. We have just recently purchased a mudweight (Courtesy of Mylittleboat) and so used it for the first time. All I can say is thank goodness we did. We awoke this morning at 5.30 to find that we had been untied, were in the middle of the river, but were being held securely by the mudweight. The Stern rope was hanging on the mooring rings but the Bow rope was nowhere to be seen Once we had managed to get back to the bank and tie up I had a quick search for the bow rope, but couldn't see it anywhere, so we went back to bed. At 8am the ranger came down to see us. We told him what had happened and he called the police etc etc. Eventually the policeman turned up and took the details, we then decided we had better get Jasperoo home to Brundall so readied the boat for the trip. With all mooring ropes secured we headed off only to come to a sudden and sickening stop. The bow rope must have been thrown in the river under our boat and was now wrapped very tightly around the stern drive. How pissed off were we! We managed to get back to the bank on the other engine, lift the drive and cut away the rope. All was well and we made it back to Brundall just before the rain started. I will use my mudweight everytime from now on, you never know when the next idiot is gonna do something to potentially put yours and your families lives in danger.

[Hockham Admiral]

And there was I talking to Allan David (quay ranger) just last Wenesday and he told me that they'd had only one case last year and none this.............

Only goes to re-emphasise that we only moor on Riverside Sun-Wed nights....

[Hockham Admiral]

And there was I talking to Allan David (quay ranger) just last Wenesday and he told me that they'd had only one case last year and none this.............

Only goes to re-emphasise that we only moor on Riverside Sun-Wed nights....

Or Wednesday...............

[thereevos]

I don't suppose it helps that anyone can access the quay just by jumping through the fence. Not much point in having security gates either end really. Maybe they should apply some mesh to the fence so that they can't get through quiet so easily

[senator]

How strange, had exactly the same conversation with the HM there a couple of weeks ago and he told me just the one case too. then Sunday at WRC was chatting to a couple who were from the north , said they were going to Norwich and asked what it was like, I gave them the Sunday to Wednesday advise, the Mud Weight and the return to boat stuff but said not to worry as it didn't happen any more. lets hope it is not a start of returning to the problems at Norwich.

Always worth passing your rope through the rings and making good on your boat so that if they are going to do it they need to get on your boat to let you go.

Glad things worked out OK

[thereevos]

Both the ropes were through the rings and back to the boat. The bow rope which they removed completly was through 2 rings and back to the middle cleat. I am very surprised that they managed to untie my web of knots lol... If we stay there again I will be tempted to tie an additional piece of old rope to the chains along the quay and secure it inside the canopy to the grab rails around the stern. One of the hire craft also had 2 ropes untied but luckily for them they had a third rope which they overlooked. Like you say, lets hope this is not the start of a bout of trouble in Norwich!

[MY littleboat]

Hiya - Im so pleased that you managed to rescue the situation and at the same time really amazed that they havent fitted CCTV cameras at Norwich as this is definitely one of the biggest fears of going to Norwich at the weekend - sadly it doesn't seem to be limited to people who are walking along the bank as in recent memory I can recall a bunch of idiots who were out on a hire who thought it would be good fun to untie the other boats... that was a few years ago now but still worrying!

Glad to know that you made it back to Brundal in one piece - by the way we are all heading off to Beccles next weekend and it would be really cool if you guys can make it down, if not in the boat, pop over in the car, you are welcome to have drinky with us.

Mudweights - well worth their weight!!! (OK so my jokes don't get better!!)

[senator]

They have had CCTV for a few years Gav, they extended it before last season to cover the whole station and were citing this as the reason for the trouble being overcome. If they are really lucky may even be able to identify the person that let go of the ropes.

[thereevos]

The police called this afternoon to say that we were out of range of the CCTV. So it looks like these morons have got away with it this time. We were the furthest from foundary bridge so probably why they picked on us.

Gav, we have just had an offer from our friend to take us out to sea over the weekend and get our bottom salty, so not too sure what we are up to as yet, but many thanks for the invite. If the weather isn't favourable we may pop down.

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

If indeed they HAVE got the little B.....ds and they catch them, the Authorities MUST use the full force of the law, and make a big publicity broadcast about it. Hopefully, that will discourage other scum from doing the same thing.

It`s really good to know everybody was safe and sound, but this has just put Karen and i off visiting Norwich again. If we do, it`ll be by car when we`re in the cottage for our second week.

I think the only way to put a real stop to this sort of thing happening again is to catch the scum and throw them in the river.

Rant over. Regards ...................... Neil. P.S........ Friday is only 4 days away

[senator]

Problem with Norwich is ease of access from the road, while full height fencing and gates have been installed next to the buildings if you walk 10 yards you can just step through the railings. Apparently there is a problem with erecting proper fencing to the rest of it as the residents opposite object to loosing their view of the river.

Looks like the total coverage of the yacht station is not quite so total, good idea to put the one and only electric post out of view of the security system though.

[MY littleboat]

Gav, we have just had an offer from our friend to take us out to sea over the weekend and get our bottom salty, so not too sure what we are up to as yet, but many thanks for the invite. If the weather isn't favourable we may pop down.

Yu could always pop back through Lowestoft and then turn left down to Beccles - you'd be very welcome - we, and a few others, will be out and about on the boat for most of next week if you happen to be around too!!

Have fun on your inaugural salt-fest!!

[Hockham Admiral]

I think the only way to put a real stop to this sort of thing happening again is to catch the scum and throw them in the river. Rant over. Regards ...................... Neil. P.S........ Friday is only 4 days away

Peferably attached to a mud-weight, Neil???

You do tell it like it is, don't you?

CU soon!

[kfurbank]

A shame to hear of this starting to happen again. My mooring ropes have a loop at both ends, allowing me to thread the rope through the eye on the mooring post and then back onto the boat where the loop on the free end is then padlocked to one of the grab rails in full view. To date the worst I have had at Norwich is the remains of some ones bag of chips over the roof. I have also used the padlocks in other notorious places such as Grot Yarmouth and Loddon. Even if there are no eyes on the mooring post, you can normally find a chain to thread the rope around, or place enough very tight knots over and under the rope round the post to make it extremely difficult to slide the rope off. If doing this, make sure you leave plenty of slack for rise and fall. Then leaving the padlocks in full view seems to put anyone off.

[Hockham Admiral]

Great idea, Keith... I'll put it into practice next time in Norwich/Loddon (don't moor at GH).

[Antares_9]

You know those inverters that connect to cattle fence cable via a 12v DC battery ......

[Hockham Admiral]

How legal would they be, David?

[Guest]

You know how "slimy" ropes get when they've been under the surface for a while?

Carry a bucket of these for use in these areas ....... Yuck!!!

[Antares_9]

How legal would they be, David?

Less legal than satisfying I suspect John. Though as they are non lethal and only give a wake up jolt I guess they could be claimed as an anti rat measure.

[loribear]

You know how "slimy" ropes get when they've been under the surface for a while?

Carry a bucket of these for use in these areas ....... Yuck!!!

or better still cover your ropes in itching powder, but don't forget to wear gloves yourselves, then when you see someone walking round town scratching their hands off you'll know who it is lol. lori

[MY littleboat]

I do like the idea of the electric fencing unit - i have one too... um I'm also thinking of coating an old rope in cyanocryalate glue (Super Glue) when im there.. using the preparatory glue only it wouldnt go off - until it made pretty much instantaneous contact with skin!!!, however I'd dearly like to find the ****** who thinks this a good idea at the other end - oh wait a minute, despite the fact that his actions could potentially lead to death or at the very least substantial damage, that course of action in our modern world would be false imprisonment as alot of the rights of civilian arrest or citizens arrest have been eroded over the years - hence a police community support officer IS NOT allowed to use the word arrest at all and can only detain someone pending arrest if that person agrees to it first!

SO how about fitting a camera to your own boat - well sadly, as has already been the case of a guy who witnessed his home being burgled and tried to present the evidence on video tape from his own CCTV, unfortunately because he did not hold an SIA license to operate such equipment and that he had no Freedom of Information Act - CCTV images are being recorded blah displayed guess what? - Yep inadmissible in court!

So it brings it back to our own bobbys - 'Broads Beat' well you may remember a previous thread where ourselves and another forum users boats were tampered with in the marina and the marina owner spoke to Norfolk Constabulary on our behalf - they would not issue a crime number nor send anyone to investigate - I know, I know, I have since spoken to the BB team about this and know they have genuine concerns that this wasn't bought to their attention, however, it does start to move us on to the question of "What do we do now?" I feel that our country is becoming a cess pool of crime at every level, feklessness and non-accountability are on the rise, people who are prepared to live off the state and blame the state for their position despite having a roof over their head, a full shopping basket every week and enough money left over to enjoy their 'little luxuries' whilst those who work hard to enjoy their lives are criticized for being selfish (An example is if you work hard and bought a Ferrari and parked it in town these fekless idiots would key it, kick it and spit on it, yet if you won the lottery and bought one they would applaud you for it!) - And lastly, those who know they can get away with living their lives of crime, filling their day with random acts of vandalism, theft and stuffing two fingers up to the rest of us carrying out exactly this type of idiotic behaviour, knowing that even if they were caught on CCTV they would be above the law almost, or at the very least, because they may be repeat offenders, this offence be seen as so 'low-key' that it wasn't worth prosecuting, or possibly another in a long list that they have thrown into the 'taken into consideration' pile like a debt being rolled into a bankruptcy!

Alas, our world has changed - what are we to do? Apart from 'Hail the mud weight'

Now Neil THAT is a rant!!

[Dan]

....Alas, our world has changed - what are we to do? Apart from 'Hail the mud weight'

Now Neil THAT is a rant!!

Bring by capital & corporal punishment so at least there is a detrrant to being one of the naughty peeps I say

Dan

[MY littleboat]

Bring by capital & corporal punishment so at least there is a detrrant to being one of the naughty peeps I say

Dan

Unfortunately that will never happen because of another piece of legislation that we signed up to!!!! (Although I cant see to many of the other signatory countries abiding too closely to the Human Rights Act

Although you could connect a dummy rope to some sort of emergency holding tank pressure equalisation valve...... ummm - very satisfying result!!

[Dan]

Indeed Gav, I agree.

Sadly though there is not a large enough incentive to not behave in the way you mention, so I suppose it is not suprising that a reasonable number of people take that route :

Dan

[MY littleboat]

I know what I posted above was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek rant, but the fact is, and I have to agree Dan, people are taking things into their hands more and more and although I feel the Broads Beat team do make a valid contribution throught the summer months (In the winter they retain other duties I am led to believe), there is a greater need of monitoring crime on the Broads as I know for a fact that most of it goes unreported as alot of apathy exists as to what benefit it would bring to do so.

I'm glad incidents such as the one listed above are rare, but it doesn't hurt from time to time to discuss them and other boat-related crime openly and get imput from all governing and managing parties. For instance;

1. What follow up action is being taken in light of this - for example, from the 200,000 taken from our toll account for 'administration' couldn't some be used for private security patrols to extend past Dragonslayer House to the Yacht Station - especially now they have had an 800,000 windfall which means they wont have to cough up quite so much for dredging....

2. Apart from the 'be on your guard' what action are Norfolk Police taking following this incident regarding future prevention

3. What are the Broads Authority doing at this location to improve security in what has previously been highlighted as a 'high boat-crime' area?