Springer’s Retreat On The Rivers

[kpnut]

And lastly, in case anyone who needs to know isn’t aware, water turned off at Reedham and electric posts wrapped in bin bags for the winter. I think someone said earlier in the winter it’s cos it floods. 

[MargeandParge]

8 hours ago, kpnut said:

And lastly, in case anyone who needs to know isn’t aware, water turned off at Reedham and electric posts wrapped in bin bags for the winter. I think someone said earlier in the winter it’s cos it floods. 

Hi KP

If you just leave a fiver in the honesty box it'll be fine as there are no facilities 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[Mouldy]

9 hours ago, kpnut said:

What I really needed was Mr and Mrs Nog in my pictures. I missed them by a few days I think, based on their holiday tale.

Fairly certain I saw Humber Bridge moored on the Bridge Pilot moorings at Hoveton when I crossed the bridge, on my way to and from Horning Pleasurecraft.

The pub used to be a nailed on as a food stop on the southern rivers.  Getting a mooring there, to visit The Archers, was always something of a lottery even when the extended moorings were in use that have since fallen into a state of disrepair.

River levels along The Yare do get very high at times.  The moorings there do flood, as do the ones at The Reedcutter at Cantley.  Not sure if you know The Ferry House at Surlingham, but this was there just before Christmas in 2019.

 

[kpnut]

I remember those photos of the Ferry house at Surlingham at the time Mouldy. 
 

On 18/02/2023 at 08:18, Mouldy said:

Getting a mooring there, to visit The Archers, was always something of a lottery even when the extended moorings were in use that have since fallen into a state of disrepair.

Was the pub you mentioned, the Archers, what is now the Reedham Ferry or was there another pub there too?

[Mouldy]

12 minutes ago, kpnut said:

I remember those photos of the Ferry house at Surlingham at the time Mouldy. 
 

Was the pub you mentioned, the Archers, what is now the Reedham Ferry or was there another pub there too?

The Archers are the long time owners of the Reedham Ferry Inn, Ferry and adjoining campsite.  They often used their name in advertising and if you look at their website, it does actually mention them:

https://www.reedhamferry.co.uk/

[kpnut]

Early March trip 2023. 
Springer’s Retreat has been at LBBY for some work for a while now, overdue for return but that’s another story. 
So George facilitated my ‘borrowing’ of her for a while to honour a commitment to some friends who’d booked time off work for a holiday with me. 
Various modifications to ‘work in progress’ means we have a working toilet and shower, along with a big hole in the main bathroom where a rotten wall is to be replaced. 

But quite handy to use a temporary storeroom. 

I picked her up on Friday 3rd, staying overnight in the yard and paying a visit by car to Sam and Graham and Desmond dog on Luna Aurora for a fish and chip supper at Potter, and setting off to Stalham on Saturday afternoon. Perishingly cold by the time I got back as I hadn’t checked the diesel heater before setting off and didn’t want to turn it on while underway in case something went ‘bang’. I’ve had a new fuel tank fitted and had forgotten to ask whether the diesel heater had needed bleeding, and if so, had it been.
Anyway, all’s well there. 

My friends duly arrived on time and our first overnight stop was Dilham. Within a few minutes of setting off we spotted our first kingfishers, other spots on the way up were a couple of herons and a muntjac. 
 

We had the moorings to ourselves, with a hireboat arriving on Monday morning just as we were setting off. 
Sunday afternoon was spent on a good walk round to Tonnage Bridge and up to the disused lock at Honing and back down the lane to Dilham. That path by the canal to the lock can be extremely muddy, but surprisingly it was the best I’ve experienced for a while. Finlay did get blathered up though, so a swim in the turning circle at the moorings was in order, then to be dragged out by his lead as the water level is low!

Our excursions warranted a tasting session of the various concoctions onboard, that made the evening pass nicely!

 

Wayford Bridge had plenty of headroom, showing well over 7’ on both journeys. 
 

Monday, in on and off drizzle, we motored along to Wroxham, with the board there, halfway between high and low tides, showing over 7’ as well. Mooring on the electric at St Johns we had the visit to Roys and a stop off at the Hotel Wroxham. I wouldn’t have dared go in there (would have thought too posh for the likes of me!) without having previously been introduced by SwanR, so many thanks Jean for that last autumn. 
A late start on Tuesday as we wanted to buy a dvd from the charity shop to test out my newly installed TV. We can’t actually watch tv on it until I sort out the aerial situation, but  with my limited knowledge of how electronic things work, I did think a dvd probably doesn’t need an aerial and I was proved right. 
We visited Belaugh church, mooring at the parish staithe on the corner and having a nice chat to two fishermen who were cooking sausages and making us feel hungry. And then on to Coltishall lock where we met them again. We only stayed a while to go for a walk, as the idea of being hooked up to electric on coltishall green on a night forecast to be below zero was too enticing. 
and so if proved to be, a wonderful full Lenten moon last night, followed by frosty decks by 8pm. 

[Lulu]

It was lovely to see you Kate and Graham sends his thanks for the Upton blackberry gin x 

 

[kpnut]

Well I misjudged my day somewhat. A nice leisurely start after a short stroll at Coltishall and a fill-up with water at Bridge Broad boatyard and we were off to Horning. Or we weren’t, as it was coming to high tide and 6’6” showing on all boards. Oops!

So it’s either a cruise at dusk tonight or stay till the morning, which is what we’ve opted for. 
 

We’re going to measure the airdraft on SR this afternoon if we can snap out of our dozey after lunch stupor. 

[kpnut]

Done and assuming we’ve done it correctly ( which I do think we have and triple checked) it seems 6’5”, compared with the official 6’9” on the plate at the helm from her hireboat days. 
I still won’t be going under Wroxham at a board marker height of 6’6” though, 6’7” yes as the pilot told me I’d be ok at that. 

[kpnut]

Thursday morning. 
The Wroxham bridge height was just about 6’7” at low tide this morning, so with both my guests on deck to keep an eye out, I went for it. Why had I worried?

Next stop in the sleet was Horning. We got togged up and walked up past the radar museum, to Alderfen Broad where I can assure anyone worried about the coot population that it’s extremely healthy. On round via Workhouse Common and a visit to the very pretty St Peters church, Neatishead. And back to Horning where the lure of the Staithe and Willow cafe was just too much to resist. 
So we used up the electric credit on the post to dry all our wet gear while we enjoyed lunch in the cafe. Finlay was very happy to lie in front of the woodburner, full of sausage he’d been gifted by the proprietor. 
 

I’ve noticed for the last few months that my battery charge light keeps coming on, sometimes flickering, sometimes solid. Of course, having the solar panel and the shore power trickle charger I’ve not bothered to see to it - one of those “perhaps the alternator will sort itself out someday”!
Today, with no sun for the solar panel, and my shore power battery charger not wired up at the moment, was the day the batteries decided to start draining. We’re now being cautious about lights etc, until hopefully getting the engine started on the morrow and getting either alternator or trickle charger wiring sorted at LBBY. If we can’t start, they will come to us at Ranworth. 
Oh well, all part of the adventure of learning about my boat. Thankfully we’re on the shore power, so not exactly roughing it. 
We have Ranworth to ourselves and are keeping Pipedream’s slot warm for Simon and Katie. 

[Lulu]

I was really pleased to see quite a few coots and also moorhens on the Ant last weekend. I can’t remember seeing any last year. 

[Mouldy]

7 minutes ago, Lulu said:

I was really pleased to see quite a few coots and also moorhens on the Ant last weekend. I can’t remember seeing any last year. 

We went across Rockland Broad a few weeks ago and there were a lot of coots there too, but very few swans sadly.  Maybe victims of the avian flu.

[kpnut]

Troubleshooting my trickle charger this evening has me (well, really my son in law at the other end of the phone with me following instructions) diagnosing a malfunction between charger and battery. Junction box is the culprit for some reason unknown at present, seeing as it hasn’t had any work done to it. Looks like it’s deformed itself in some way.
Anyway, hopefully a simple fix in the morning with a new one. 

He said he’s going to show me how it’s possible to top up the leisure battery from the engine battery sometime. Something to do with jump leads. Sounds just like a car in that case, but only using the positive terminals?
I do find all this stuff very interesting. I suppose if things didn’t go wrong, I wouldn’t learn!!!!

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

We went across Rockland Broad a few weeks ago and there were a lot of coots there too, but very few swans sadly.  Maybe victims of the avian flu.

I was pleased to see plenty of swan couples on Halvergate marshes the other week. So just cos we don’t see them on the rivers doesn’t necessarily mean there are none. 

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

and also moorhens on the Ant last weekend

I said just the same to my friends. I hadn’t seen a moorhen since buying my boat in 2021. 

[kpnut]

4 minutes ago, kpnut said:

Junction box is the culprit for some reason unknown at present, seeing as it hasn’t had any work done to it. Looks like it’s deformed itself in some way.

Just a thought that someone might answer for me.

If the junction box ‘deformed’ why has the fuse not broken? It’s only a little half size yellow fuse. The fuse comes after the junction box on the way to the positive terminal on the battery. 
From the charger, positive and negative wires go to the junction box, then after the box they split with the positive going to the positive terminal on the battery and the negative going into a square box that has a lead coming from the negative battery terminal in there too. 
 

Sorry if I sound really hopeless, but electrics puzzle me. That’s why I triple checked with him before every single thing he asked me to do this evening. 
 

[kpnut]

Thursday

A rather restless Malthouse Broad this morning. 

The night was akin to being in a washing machine, the noise and thumping sounding like a washing machine that hasn’t been loaded correctly. 
The bottles in my, by now rather depleted, ‘drinks cabinet’ were clanking in my ear all night. 
 

What is all the advice for minimising bow slap please? I’m attached, in the taxi rank at Ranworth, in 4 places, but I’m obviously not getting it right!

[BroadAmbition]

Adjust fenders, Down slack on mooring ropes. Separate  bottles, and / or sleeve them

Griff

[kpnut]

Thanks. First two, fenders and slack were done. I should have moored nose into the wind I think to keep surface area to the minimum. But being a law abiding citizen I moored as I should, even though no-one else here to witness!

Bottles are another matter. Maybe my knitting friend can make some knitted cosies for them, or alternatively I can just replenish the stuff so they can’t budge. 

 

[bucket]

Kate.......if strong winds are forecast I would always try to moor somewhere the wind is coming off the land rather than across the water, particularly if it is a large body of water. Waves can of course bounce back off river banks but will generally will have reduced impact after bouncing ......depending on the shape of the bank.

So if the wind is strong and from the north or east ......I would try to choose Womack, Sutton or Hoveton.

[grendel]

9 hours ago, kpnut said:

Just a thought that someone might answer for me.

If the junction box ‘deformed’ why has the fuse not broken? It’s only a little half size yellow fuse. The fuse comes after the junction box on the way to the positive terminal on the battery. 
From the charger, positive and negative wires go to the junction box, then after the box they split with the positive going to the positive terminal on the battery and the negative going into a square box that has a lead coming from the negative battery terminal in there too. 
 

Sorry if I sound really hopeless, but electrics puzzle me. That’s why I triple checked with him before every single thing he asked me to do this evening. 
 

bearing in mind the junction box has deformed, that would indicate to me a build up of heat, as a junction box really only has connections inside, that would then lead me to the fact you have a bad connection, a bad connection will genrate some intenal resistance and heat up. so my guess is that if you open the junction box, you will either have a blackened wire, or a connection that is loose (maybe both, in which case the solution is to tighten the connector (or replace it) and make sure any blackened sections of wire are replaced.

I would advise checking this sooner rather than leaving it as the heat from a bad connection can start an electrical fire.

why hasnt the fuse blown, because the current hasnt exceeded its value,, if you had a short, the fuse would blow, but a bad connection just bleeds some electricity out of the circuit as heat, and may not exceed the fuse rating.

[Meantime]

9 hours ago, kpnut said:

If the junction box ‘deformed’ why has the fuse not broken? It’s only a little half size yellow fuse. The fuse comes after the junction box on the way to the positive terminal on the battery. 

Fuses are very good protection devices for protecting against over current or short circuit type faults. However they are not able to protect against bad connections, corroded connections or loose connections. When you get a bad connection, it doesn't draw anymore current, therefore the fuse will not blow, but what it does do is generate resistance, which in turn generates heat which can deform or melt things, or worse still start a fire.

It is wise to regularly check the condition of all the cables, connections and where possible check for loose or corroded connections.

[Regulo]

10 hours ago, kpnut said:

He said he’s going to show me how it’s possible to top up the leisure battery from the engine battery sometime. Something to do with jump leads. Sounds just like a car in that case, but only using the positive terminals?
 

This is a last resort, and is usually done the other way round - to use the domestic batteries to pull up the starter battery. Not to be recommended, in my opinion. 

[kpnut]

2 hours ago, bucket said:

if strong winds are forecast I would always try to moor somewhere the wind is coming off the land rather than across the water

Thanks bucket. That does make sense but I’m always a bit wary of mooring where the boat will be blown off the quay wen I’m on my own as I have a nightmare fear of being in land and not being able to hold her and the boat sailing off down the Bure with just Finlay dog on board. I suppose the answer might be to do as you suggest but sort my lines better so I can release the final one once i’m back on board. 
 

This morning we were pinned onto the taxi rank at Ranworth. The forecast said 45mph. 
My two guests pulled her round to face the bins/grass and I was able to reverse up the side and out. They got soaked in the process though. 
 

[kpnut]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

deformed, that would indicate to me a build up of heat, as a junction box really only has connections inside, that would then lead me to the fact you have a bad connection, a bad connection will genrate some intenal resistance and heat up. so my guess is that if you open the junction box, you will either have a blackened wire, or a connection that is loose (maybe both, in which case the solution is to tighten the connector (or replace it) and make sure any blackened sections of wire are replaced.

I would advise checking this sooner rather than leaving it as the heat from a bad connection can start an electrical fire.

Thanks Grendel. That all makes sense and was what I asked Roald about last night. Odd as I hadn’t found anything loose and generally my electrics are very sound. 
 

The bad junction box is now removed and new connection crimped in. Everything multimeter tested and we’re now sitting feeding the batteries with power, hungry little so and so’s.