Broad Ambition - Underway on the H2O

[BroadAmbition]

We sailed behind schedule at 0655. River mist on and off but cleared by the time we got to Breydon. Passed Broadland Grebe south end of Breydon coming t’other way. Cracking sunny morning to be underway, sunny and warm. Now dragging up the Lower Bure

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Hire craft out of the channel by 100yds on t mudflats. I tried assisting them using loud hailer. I nearly got them off but they just wouldn’t listen to instructions. Then SOB arrived, totally unsuitable craft - too much draft. Rangers useless, no loud hailer, no having line either! Then they instructed hire craft to deploy mudweight over the BOW!  They should of course put it over the stern so they could ledge off on a rising tide. 

I have to ask mysen if the rangers have actually had any training or common sense? Not having a heaving line or a loud hailer is criminal

I left them to it before I lost it

I have often said to mysen we really should have a heaving line onboard, not for our benefit but to assist others. Therefore if we get to a chandlers this trip I’ll purchase 50m of 8mm and splice a weighted monkeys fist on one end and make up a decent heaving line. Then of course instruct my skippers how to correctly deploy one 
 

Griff

[Broads01]

I always assumed that SOB was equipped for towing boats off the mud. If they can't do that then what's the point of their existence?

[NeilB]

Griff, do you have trouble with your screens misting up during a night nav?  Had my canopy down and the screens were misting up on the outside, luckily I can stand up to see where I'm going!  Was going to try one of those antifogging sprays but wondered if you'd experienced it?

[grendel]

you just have to break the surface tension, old motorcyclists trick, cut a potato in half and rub that on, breaks the surface tension and stops the misting

[Vaughan]

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Therefore if we get to a chandlers this trip I’ll purchase 50m of 8mm and splice a weighted monkeys fist on one end and make up a decent heaving line.

See if you can find some natural fibre "light line" known as COIR.  Especially as it floats on water.  I believe they still make it on the rope walk at Chatham Historic Dockyard.

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

I have to ask mysen if the rangers have actually had any training or common sense? Not having a heaving line or a loud hailer is criminal

Tow boats in "my day" always had a dinghy, so that you could row a light "messenger" line across the shallows to the boat aground.  From this you can pass across a heavier towing line, to allow the power of the towboat to take a purchase.

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Then they instructed hire craft to deploy mudweight over the BOW!  They should of course put it over the stern so they could ledge off on a rising tide. 

Quite right!  You always tow a boat off the mud in the reverse direction to which it arrived.  Your  "ledge off" was of course, a typo for kedge off.

 

IMHO, if the "Spirit of Boredom" does not carry a dinghy aboard, it is pretty useless for salvage operations on Breydon.

[Vaughan]

26 minutes ago, NeilB said:

Griff, do you have trouble with your screens misting up during a night nav?  Had my canopy down and the screens were misting up on the outside, luckily I can stand up to see where I'm going!  Was going to try one of those antifogging sprays but wondered if you'd experienced it?

I have always found that on the Norfolk rivers at night, you cannot see through glass, and most especially, Perspex.

Take the windscreen down and rely on the Mark One Eyeball.

[Aboattime]

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Hire craft out of the channel by 100yds on t mudflats. I tried assisting them using loud hailer. I nearly got them off but they just wouldn’t listen to instructions. Then SOB arrived, totally unsuitable craft - too much draft. Rangers useless, no loud hailer, no having line either! Then they instructed hire craft to deploy mudweight over the BOW!  They should of course put it over the stern so they could ledge off on a rising tide. 

I have to ask mysen if the rangers have actually had any training or common sense? Not having a heaving line or a loud hailer is criminal

I left them to it before I lost it

I have often said to mysen we really should have a heaving line onboard, not for our benefit but to assist others. Therefore if we get to a chandlers this trip I’ll purchase 50m of 8mm and splice a weighted monkeys fist on one end and make up a decent heaving line. Then of course instruct my skippers how to correctly deploy one 
 

Griff

Bit like the 2 Rangers/helpers at Ranworth who walk around brandishing a boat hook, who try and close gaps between moored boats simply by tightening the stern ropes,(no thought of using a mud weight),

[CeePee1952]

I was keeping an eye out for you Griff thinking we’d be passing each other over Breydon! Now I know why we didn’t see you as we departed Stracey Mill at 0610 this morning and arrived at the “yellow post” at GY about 7.40 ish. Breydon was like a mill pond and we turned up the Waveney and arrived at Beccles yacht station about 1145 ish. 
 

Chris and Brenda

[BroadAmbition]

Think it’s the first time we’ve berthed ‘B.A’ here. Got in - just!

Griff

 

[Broads01]

I bet yours is the biggest boat that's been seen at Upton for a while.

[BroadAmbition]

The sign in the boatyard states that the White Horse pub is a five minute walk. So off me n Purdey stride out at a fair pace. I challenge anyone to walk it in five minutes. It’s ten all day every day. Must be standard Norfolk time then!

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Btw talking of signs, anyone spot the ‘deliberate’ mistake with this one?

Griff

 

[Pinto]

Wouldn’t fancy another boats stern on my bow

[BroadAmbition]

You’ve got it in one

Griff

[Andrewcook]

Bloom Eck Griff, how long did that take you for Broad Ambition to be moor up Stern on as its bloomy tight at the-end of that channel?  As for you and Perdey having a Hearty brisk walk to the Pub you be coming back to the Boat slower I believe.  

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

What a nice welcome  from the Eastwood staff this morning. I offered a berthing  fee - not required. They were so nice and friendly. Asked why I hadn’t brought ‘B.A’ to see em before? 
 

No excuse for that one

Ready to slip and proceed 

We will visit again

Griff

 

[Troyboy]

I'm following this with great interest. I love Upton dyke as a moorings. I am very envious of you all who are enjoying this weather on the broads. 

[BroadAmbition]

What a cracking day afloat. Sailed just before 1000, onboard wx station stating 30c. We had to put canopy up for the rest of the day it was that hot.

Sailed to Potter Heigham, bought stuff we didn’t know we needed in Lathams - situation normal. Welcomed a couple onboard with two Golden retrievers, Purdey well chuffed

Went to Womack Water, DTS in Kings head. Back to Potter to drop them off. Sailed to Wroxham, took everything down to squeeze under t bridge with board stating 6ft3” (It lies) but it was chuffing close. Dinner onboard now relaxing and trying to cool off

Another blissful day afloat
 

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

Sailed from Wroxham at 1000. It’s hotter than yesterday if that’s at all possible. Bound for Stalham and our berth
 

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Pump out machine at Sutton yard temporarily out of order (got one at Richo’s - £15:00)

Sutton yard, diesel now at £1:50 Ltr. We used 72 x Ltrs

Back in t wetshed. Clean through before departing for home. Guests away

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Here's sommat.  The couple we welcomed onboard (With their two goldies) for the cruise from Potter to Womack and back

He mentioned the name of a joiner I recommend that is always on the bottom om my standard estimate. Asked if the joiners dad was called Albert with a nickname of Rocky - I had no idea so I msgd my joiner mate and asked him.  The reply came back - Yes.

Now here's the thing, the chap asking the question is about the same age as me and 'my' joiner (Early sixties).  He said I think I was at school with your joiner and have not seen or spoke to him for about forty eight years, I would never forget his dads name as he used to wrestle under the name 'Rocky'

I rang my joiner mate up, told him to pin his lug holes back and handed the phone to my guest

They were indeed old school friends, conversing for the first time in forty eight years, one at work outside Donny, the other onboard 'B.A - Imagine that! - Small world and a great coincidence

Griff

 

[YnysMon]

That’s a lovely story Griff.

[grendel]

life is only full of these amazing coincidences if you make the point of talking with people and finding them out. if you hadnt met this couple and if you hadnt offered them a trip, then none of this would have occurred, I think your kind actions made more than one person happy that day.

[Troyboy]

Great story. It doesn't always work out. I tracked an old friend who I hadn't seen for 35 yrs. It was a weird experience meeting him. I won't go into details but I probably won't see him again.