Hello To All

[kpnut]

Hope I'm doing this correctly as I haven't used a forum before, apart from reading stuff, which I've been doing on here for the last couple of years. It is jammed full of useful info. I decided on the spur of the moment this morning to join. I'm new to boat ownership, buying one of the lovely bright orange Horizon 35s in April and I moor at Richardsons. I bit the bullet and renamed her (hopefully we pacified the gods as well as they could wish at our renaming ceremony; we certainly enjoyed it, as did a passing swan!). She's now Springer's Retreat, seeing as I'm always accompanied by at least one fine example of that beautiful breed of dog.

I've managed 4 trips so far, the nearly 4 hour journey is a bit of a drag, but just means I need to stay longer to make it worthwhile, so that's a plus. Broad Ambition went past on Monday afternoon when I was moored up the Ant, I waved to Purdey on your way past, but my Finlay didn't come out to say hello. I'm usually on my own, seeing as hubby isn't so keen and is not so well at the moment and I can't always find friends to come as frequently as I like to, so if any of you see me struggling to moor, please help a solo newbie. I've only made a couple of slight boobs so far (thanks for the help given by Maurice Mynah's friend at Horning Staithe last month). I'm learning solo boating fast and being cautious, so no going to GY or Breydon  on solo trips just yet and am very willing to accept advice.

If it's not me on board, it'll be my daughter and partner with their springer Charlie (Finlay's brother). Please give us a wave or a toot or whatever. Kate

 

[Lulu]

Warm welcome to the forum and will look forward to reading about your adventures.  We always help anyone who needs assistance:)

 

[CambridgeCabby]

Welcome to the NBN Kate , we will keep an eye out for you , if you see myself and Katie afloat (or moored) you’re more than welcome to pop across for a cuppa or something stronger , Simon and Kate (Cerise Lady) we will hopefully be back afloat most weekends from next week 

[Ray]

Welcome aboard 🙂

[YnysMon]

A warm welcome from me and Graham too (also from Seren to Finlay and Charlie).

Don’t worry about slight boobs, they happen to us all. Hope your hubby gets better soon and discovers a newly keen interest in the Broads. If you’ve read any of my holiday tales, you might have noticed that Graham does a lot of reading when we are aboard syndicate boat Moonlight Shadow, leaving me to do most of the helming.  He’s very good with ‘the ropes’ though, which I am not exactly hopeless at, but definitely not as experienced. 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

 & 

[vanessan]

from me too. 

[kpnut]

I tried replying on my new iphone, donated so I can have some internet access on the boat, but think I did something wrong, so apologies if a similar post ends up twice!

Many thanks to all the welcomes, look forward to meeting you all, my damson gin might have to come out one evening if I meet you, Simon and Katie, anyone else is welcome to try it too. Am I right in thinking Seren is the collie who likes to sit by the front window of your boat, YnysMon? And maybe I helped your sister boat, Evening Shadow, moor up at Acle the other week when I was there with my 90yr old mum on board. As you say, Lulu, it's good to help out and a good way of meeting folk too. Apologies to Griff etc on Broads Ambition if reading, I called her Broad Ambition in my original post.

[BroadAmbition]

Hi Kate, what a lovely first post and welcome to the NBN from ‘B.A’ & her crew

Btw her name is indeed Broad Ambition not BroadS 

Griff

 

 

 

[SwanR]

Welcome along. Look forward to hearing from you when you’re out and about. 👍😃

[Sam]

 from me too. 

[Karizma]

Welcome  to NBN and well done for going 'solo' ..... my Mrs is good on the ropes but would never be at the helm when setting off / mooring up!

We are relatively new on here, and yet to meet anybody face to face but there's lots of support from this forum for sure.

PS: just left the Lock Inn at Geldeston for a little night cruising and 'BA' was moored there but nobody on board for us to say hello to !

[floydraser]

 Kate

2 hours ago, kpnut said:

Many thanks to all the welcomes, look forward to meeting you all, my damson gin might have to come out one evening if I meet you, Simon and Katie, anyone else is welcome to try it too. 

First mistake. Elsewhere it says there are about 3,000 members of this forum, how many can you get on board because most of us will be making our way to Richo's yard asap! 

I'm really impressed you're a solo helm on a 35 footer and I'd love to know how you get on so I can develop my own confidence to get out there solo. Not sure I could manage an i-phone though. 

[ranworthbreeze]

Welcome to the forum Kate.

 

[Mouldy]

Welcome from us, too, Kate!  We’re based down south, so don’t get onto the northern rivers so often, but will be sure to look out for you when we do.  Congratulations too on the purchase of the boat.  We bought our first one just over two years ago and have no regrets at all, other than we should have done it years ago!

Malc and Deb (Norfolk Lady)

[kpnut]

How do I put what someone has written into a blue box to highlight what I'm replying to?

Floydraser/Karizma - I'll have to get steeping more fruit of varying varieties then! As for solo helming, I'm getting used to it, my hands are getting less sweaty with the thought of it each time I come into moor! The main thing that helps me is being ultra organised as regards getting mallet/rhond anchors out before setting off and keeping ropes run up the side of the boat at all times in case. And double/tripe/quadruple checking what way the tide is flowing etc. And training the dog to stay put of course! And I must now confess, the boat had already got a bow thruster fitted before I bought her, so solo life is easier than it might be. Even so, stern-on mooring is an art I have most certainly not got the hang of, after quite a few years on hire boats. It always starts OK, then I bottle out and think I'm in a different place to where I actually am so it goes pear-shaped. Practice will hopefully sort that out.

Mouldy - I did think about a purchase for about 3 years, looking at all sorts of layouts before deciding on a Horizon 35 with 2 double bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (heads?) - we've converted the 2nd bathroom into a utility/drying room for wet dog gear by extending the diesel heater pipework. As long as I reduce the flow from the other vents (3 of them), there is a blow strong enough to turn the utility at the end of the run into a bit of a sauna! And 2 bedrooms rather than 1 as I'll often be with friends rather than Tony, and I don't like using a sofa bed for more the the odd occasion. If it'd had just been Tony and me I'd have gone for something shorter with one bedroom and a bit more living space. I know the single level 'bathtubs' aren't to everyone's taste but I don't like the idea of sleeping in the bow, sort of 'under the water'.

And to all, many thanks for all the kind replies, I've been made to feel very welcome.

 

[CambridgeCabby]

3 minutes ago, kpnut said:

How do I put what someone has written into a blue box to highlight what I'm replying to?

 

Use the quote icon on the bottom right when replying 

[kpnut]

8 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

Use the quote icon on the bottom right when replying 

Ah ha, thanks. Simple when you know how!

[CambridgeCabby]

Not that simple , I meant bottom left 

[vanessan]

27 minutes ago, kpnut said:

And I must now confess, the boat had already got a bow thruster fitted

That really does help. I believe, although I’m not 100% certain, that you could get a remote control for the bow thruster. If mooring solo that could be a real boon, may be worth asking about?

 

[kpnut]

5 minutes ago, vanessan said:

That really does help. I believe, although I’m not 100% certain, that you could get a remote control for the bow thruster. If mooring solo that could be a real boon, may be worth asking about?

 

That's interesting, I'll do a bit of research. I do often have to hop back on board to bring the bow back in if I've dithered about at the back.

We have fitted a remote control for the diesel heater, so I can lie snug in bed in the morning and turn it on without having to disturb the dog in the saloon. If I had to get up to turn it on, he'd be pestering me to start the day.

[addicted]

HI kate,Welcome from Tony and me also. You can get a remote control for your bow thruster. We had one fitted retrospectively. It was  done by Sheerline boats who are quite simply wonderfujl to deal with and you can trust them implicitly.

 

 

Carole

[OldBerkshireBoy]

1 hour ago, addicted said:

HI kate,Welcome from Tony and me also. You can get a remote control for your bow thruster. We had one fitted retrospectively. It was  done by Sheerline boats who are quite simply wonderfujl to deal with and you can trust them implicitly.

 

 

Carole

That might depend on the make & model of the thruster though.

[kpnut]

Many thanks for the info about the bow thruster remote. I've looked on the internet, they are available for MaxPower thrusters, at a price! On reading the installation manual I think my daughter's partner who is a whizz with electronics would be able to fit it. Now to find out whether a generic one that does't cost so much would suffice. I watched a couple of videos too, it'd be a good gadget for windier conditions. Perhaps Santa will be kind this year or next! Plenty of other stuff I need. My wishlist for the next few years is - calorifier with immersion heater, fridge, kitchen. I need to earn some money as am quickly realising just what is said about boat ownership and empty pockets.

[BroadAmbition]

I need to earn some money as am quickly realising just what is said about boat ownership and empty pockets.

Boat:-

Bung

On

Another

Thousand

 

Griff