Christmas on the Broads

[NorfolkNog]

Hi Mandy

 

Just reading your point about the dogs. Its usually milder in December than say January or February but beware of frost as some places can freeze up, particularly a couple of places you mentioned – Loddon and Gays staithe. Ranworth freezes up very quickly as does the Ant above Barton. If sub zero temperatures are forecast it is best not to moor in these places overnight – best to stick to the main river to avoid getting frozen in!

 

Having said all of this we have found the boat heating perfectly adequate in winter. Keep warm in the pub during the evening and under the duvet at night, snug as a bug. We have never had the heating on overnight, just switch it on in the morning and the boat soon heats through.  

[Matt]

You must be tougher than us!

[CooWee]

"AS a child our house had one open fire in the front room and the rest of the house was left to find it's own level, scraping ice of the inside of bedroom windows to see outside was common,..."

 

Hi Martin, I feel a Monty Python sketch coming 0n!!

 

Thanks for the tip Howard, must remember to take a funnel and probably leave it on the boat.

 

Cold can be a big problem for me, so keeping warm is a concern and I have been known to wear my old kayaking gear, if I look a proper Charlie at least I am warm one.

[Matt]

Keith,

We always found the canopy quite drafty on Evening Shadow and I wonder if one of those external vinyl covers around the windscreen would be a good bet for MS? You could always have one on the rear canopy windows where the drafts were quite bad!

We have one on thunder and it is a bit of hassle putting it on and taking it off, particularly when raining, but once on it is better than having the curtains hanging down and makes the saloon have a more spacious feel.

[CooWee]

Thanks for that Matt,  I will see what the other owners think, Mandy and Sue will probably read this, whadya think, ladies?

 

You are right about the drafts, judicious use of towels and paper towels helps a bit, but it doesn't stop everything.

[webntweb]

Can't help with Christmas openings but we did Boxing day to Jan 2nd on Moonlight about four years ago and found the heater kept us warm enough in the evenings, definitely warmer that the heater on Lightning. Lots of lovely cruising with only a couple of other boats moving some days. Enjoy

 

Roy

[Mowjo]

Eee by Gum! when I were a lad we were so poor we got Grandad to suck a Polo Mint and we all sat around him to keep warm!

never done Christmas on the Broads but done plenty of winter stays, first on my list is heat saver socks, I find if my feet are warm the rest of me is as well, I use a sleeping bag but it's only 400gsm, keeps me warm but if you feel the cold get a winter one, also there are a lot more electric points now so I'd take a heater, I carry a little skirting heater, it's only 500 watts but if left on all night it's enough to take the chill out of the air, and I also take a fan heater for the evenings, my latest addition is one of those Karcher window Vacs, brilliant for getting the condensation off the windows in the morning or any time come to that, Jude and me have separate bunks on the boat, me in the front and her in the back bunk, I can't deal with all that climbing over each other in the night, she feels the cold more than me so she also takes an extra lightweight Duvet to put over her if it get sub zero,

 

Frank,,,

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

This is real December cruising weather!

 

 

I think you`re insane Howard lolool.

 

 

I don`t mind a bit of a chil, but that`s sheer lunacy.

[Liberty]

Love being aboard when it's cold.  January last year was -10 overnight and eight inches of snow all around.  The Webasto cranked up, toasty and cosy  

[mbird]

We spent Christmas day last year at the Surlingham Ferry which we highly recommend. Luckily the weather was mild with only a touch of frost, but still had the ebby chucking the heat out. 5 hours must be the longest we have ever spent over a Christmas dinner in the pub!

[riyadhcrew]

We spent Christmas day last year at the Surlingham Ferry which we highly recommend. Luckily the weather was mild with only a touch of frost, but still had the ebby chucking the heat out. 5 hours must be the longest we have ever spent over a Christmas dinner in the pub!

 

Now that is what I call a good lunch, only to be topped off with a little nap afterwards.

[Hockham Admiral]

Keith, I don't know if you've met Mark & Sue but they are only young folk... 'little naps' don't come into their vocabulary! 

[Polly]

Peter, if you get one of those, please post the piccie! Try to include a background of hastily exiting wildlife in all directions!

Yes, Little Sprite, our house was freezing, I regularly slept with underwear tucked under the foot of the bed and got dressed under the blankets.

[Mowjo]

Mmm! cold beds! Housebrick in the oven for an hour, wrap in an old towel, put in bed and Presto! nice toasty bed, Aw! come on all you old farts remember your Mum doing this before the invention of Rubber water bottles, I remember because one winters day I dropped the dam thing on my toe breaking it,,,,,

 

Frank,,,,,

[webntweb]

Mowjo, "wrapped in a towel", you must be posh ours was wrapped in newspaper. Didn't half hurt when you kicked one in your sleep.

 

Roy

[ranworthbreeze]

The same can be said about the earthen ware hot water bottles with the big stopper on the top.

I only used one once, but still remember it and the pain.

 

I like the idea of the brick in the oven.

 

Regards

Alan

[Mowjo]

Roy! we never had any newspapers left, every Sunday afternoon it was my job to tear it up into squares and thread it on string, saving a couple of pages that I had to tear into strips to make spills to light the range and gas lights, and black lead the range with Zebo, only then would Dad give me my Tanner pocket money,, I can't imagine my Daughter or Grandkids ever doing that, ask them to change a toilet roll and you would think you'd asked them donate a Kidney,,

 

Frank,,,,

[diesel falcon]

You can get great photo,s in winter sunsets come early, this at about 4 30pm 

 

[diesel falcon]

Coarse sometimes winter boating is hard work!!

 

[BroadScot]

Tut tut no lifejackets on.

[SteveO]

We have a boat with a sliding saloon top and it can be draughts in winter. I found that expanded foam pipe insulation can be used to good effect between the sliding top and the rear cabin sides. just remember that you needs some ventilation, especially if you are cooking or doing anything that involves a naked flame.

Steve

[JimG]

I personally love the idea of Christmas on The Broads. There is something special about cold wintery mornings. Don't think I'll be able to convince the breadknife though!! I'm on the water from Oct 25th brrrr.

[CheshireCat]

Hi I have been lucky the last two Christmases I have spent on the broads and new year great , it took a bit of planning but it was really great plans to be out again this year ...