Broad Ambition - Underway on the H2O

[LondonRascal]

10 hours ago, Hylander said:

Robin just out of interest what make are the earphones that Sheila uses please.     I would like to purchase a pair.    

Shiela's headphones are  Bose Quiet Comfort 35 and frankly, they are not very good. She paid £325.00 in a Bose shop - you can get them for £289.00 on Amazon: http://amzn.eu/gQYCDRx 

They are great with the sound cancelling (though it makes it feel your ears are constantly popping) as if you are going up or coming down a steep hill. They are very clear for mid and high frequencies but base is really poor and muddy. She likes them because they keep her ears warm and are Bose so by default to her they must be good.

 

My recommendation? Urbanears Plattan ADV Wireless Bluetooth Headphones (long name I know) but are just shy of £70.00 here: http://amzn.eu/05HnemW 

They have a really nice driver and deep clear bass with excellent mid and highs. You can 'touch' the right headphone and slide left or right with your finger to change track up and down for volume and tap to play and pause - yep touch sensitive controls. 

[grendel]

my favorite headphones are very retro - very old school wharfdale dd1's I now have 2 pairs, no controls, no noise cancelling,, but great sound

 

[Hylander]

thank you Robin I will check them out.

 

 

[Broads01]

Well I was waiting for ice breaking action and River Blog 14 certainly delivered that!  It was fascinating,  once again,  to see on film an aspect of the Broads I've never witnessed,  being a frozen Malthouse Broad.  I assume you would have been stuck there if it wasn't for the fact a boat had previously carved a channel (they must have risked damage to their boat)?  Did the boat you were following have to break ice near the Staithe in order to reach the channel? 

[LondonRascal]

I'm sorry that I can't post (paste in from Word) all the long write ups for the days and the videos here - but suffice to say it was touch and go if we would make it and though we had a back up plan with the aid of a fellow boating friend it all came about rather rapidly from no go to lets go for it.

What began this was at about 9am a privately own small yacht left and carved out a channel - that really did sound horrific and mid way out he struggled to make head way through the ice needing to put rather a lot of power on through their small outboard motor.  But by afternoon two other boats had arrived making that channel wider, following then out with the other boats meant we did not have to break any ice.

If it had not been for the above B.A would not have been going anywhere but it just goes to show how a period of typical mild windy weather and one evening when the temperature dropped to -5c and you can be well an truly stuck. It was also interesting how the fenders deflated as the temperature dropped but came back to life later in the day.

[BroadAmbition]

Watched every blog, enjoyed them v.much as per the norm.  Heart in mouth #14 hearing the ice fracturing as you manoeuvred into the  'Channel'  it's an horrific sound, especially in a timber boat if it's yours and you are onboard.   Still no harm done and you got away with it.  Hope I don't have the same scenario this weekend with just me and one Broads Virgin onboard (Plus Macie dog of course)  A cold snap and snow is forecast Thursday onwards I certainly shall be keeping a close eye on the wx forecasts and keeping well clear of Malthouse / Salhouse / Womack and the like overnight if the temperature does drop

Griff

[SwanR]

Enjoyed the blogs as usual Robin. It was really interesting to see the rivers at such a different time of year. Thank you for sharing your Christmas with us.

[Broads01]

Good luck Griff,  let us know how you get on. 

[SEAMASTER]

An enjoyable blog there enjoyed it. One has to point out there tho mooring over a ladder is no no and as a professional boat as yourself should of known better and should be setting an example tut tut. 

[LondonRascal]

11 minutes ago, SEAMASTER said:

An enjoyable blog there enjoyed it. One has to point out there tho mooring over a ladder is no no and as a professional boat as yourself should of known better and should be setting an example tut tut. 

Thanks for pointing this out Seamaster, I must remember when I have a 'gut feeling' about something I should explain during the video why I am doing something to save comments like this needing to be made.  You are the 6th person now through one means or another to raise this point with me.

Lets go back in time to 2012 and I arrive at the Bridge Inn on board  Distant Horizon that I had hired and cruised from Bramerton.  Upon arrival the moorings were pretty full -  so I duly moored and did a piece to camera - whereupon once uploaded people told the importance of keeping these ladders clear.

Being decent, I therefore vowed never to block a ladder again - and despite so many who I see doing this have tried not to cause obstruction to them myself. It also is interesting at their very ladder I helped pull someone out of the river who had fallen in last year, and to whom the ladder made no useful aid to their recovery but the chains situated along the quay certainly did.

Now to Christmas Eve 2016 and we are outside the Bridge Inn - the only boat there this time but now we have a new issue which is not other moored boat bu wishing to use the electric point at the moorings. I then find the mooring rings are spaced in such a way that we either are forward of the ladder (thus keeping it clear) but then the hull will be on the part of the quay heading that 'juts out' just forward of the electric point. This means I would need to adjust fenders to protect the hull at this point.

The other option is to move further along the moorings away from the road bridge and thus keep the ladder clear - but if I did this our electric cable would not reach the socket.  Having thought about this, the obvious solution would be to moor where we did, thus yes, blocking the ladder but making life a great deal easier for us.

If there were more of the mooring rings spaced at equal points along the quay you'd have more 'adjustment' room than currently, this would go a long way to solving the problem. Since there are not, and as nobody else was moored there and therefore unlikely to have anyone fall in and require the ladder, I don't think it was unfair to have moored as we did.

[Hylander]

On 1/10/2017 at 0:44 AM, BroadAmbition said:

Watched every blog, enjoyed them v.much as per the norm.  Heart in mouth #14 hearing the ice fracturing as you manoeuvred into the  'Channel'  it's an horrific sound, especially in a timber boat if it's yours and you are onboard.   Still no harm done and you got away with it.  Hope I don't have the same scenario this weekend with just me and one Broads Virgin onboard (Plus Macie dog of course)  A cold snap and snow is forecast Thursday onwards I certainly shall be keeping a close eye on the wx forecasts and keeping well clear of Malthouse / Salhouse / Womack and the like overnight if the temperature does drop

Griff

Having just looked at the weather for Beccles Thurs / Fri/ Sat  the lowest temperature is about -2 for a while on Friday at the moment , of course that can change, and the weather warnings are just ' be aware' that there could be snow.     It is generally warmer 'up north'  so may be you will be lucky.

 

Mind you it does look a tad windy around the nether regions on Friday.  Also very high water expected on Friday 13th (?).

 

 

[LondonRascal]

Despite it turning cold, what is in your favour are the higher winds - this tends to keep the water 'moving' and not just sat there mill pond smooth so is less likely to freeze as fast.

[Gracie]

Whilst I do understand the need to keep these ladders clear, what I don't understand is that such a seasoned, experienced and total respectful boater such as the Rascal should have to explain himself to anyone, someone such as himself would obviously have a perfectly good reason for mooring across the ladder and not to p people off, the blue fender incident is, of course,  a completely different kettle of fish

Grace

[ranworthbreeze]

I tend to avoid the escape ladders. many of them are proud of the moorings and an hazard to fiberglass and wooden hulled boats. If mooring rings or posts are an issue you can always use rond anchors.

Regards

Alan 

[SEAMASTER]

2 hours ago, Gracie said:

Whilst I do understand the need to keep these ladders clear, what I don't understand is that such a seasoned, experienced and total respectful boater such as the Rascal should have to explain himself to anyone, someone such as himself would obviously have a perfectly good reason for mooring across the ladder and not to p people off, the blue fender incident is, of course,  a completely different kettle of fish

Grace

Calm down dear it's only a ladder. I was only pointing out what Mr Rascal had done. It wasn't a nasty comment just a comment of what he done. He would of said to anyone else if they had posted a video of them. It's abit of fun. 

[ScrumpyCheddar]

I was more concerned about Robins lipstick in episode 1 than the ladder ha ha ha.....  

Calm down Grace it's only a lipstick ha ha ha ....

[JennyMorgan]

6 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

Thanks for pointing this out Seamaster, I must remember when I have a 'gut feeling' about something I should explain during the video why I am doing something to save comments like this needing to be made.  You are the 6th person now through one means or another to raise this point with me.

Lets go back in time to 2012 and I arrive at the Bridge Inn on board  Distant Horizon that I had hired and cruised from Bramerton.  Upon arrival the moorings were pretty full -  so I duly moored and did a piece to camera - whereupon once uploaded people told the importance of keeping these ladders clear.

Being decent, I therefore vowed never to block a ladder again - and despite so many who I see doing this have tried not to cause obstruction to them myself. It also is interesting at their very ladder I helped pull someone out of the river who had fallen in last year, and to whom the ladder made no useful aid to their recovery but the chains situated along the quay certainly did.

Now to Christmas Eve 2016 and we are outside the Bridge Inn - the only boat there this time but now we have a new issue which is not other moored boat bu wishing to use the electric point at the moorings. I then find the mooring rings are spaced in such a way that we either are forward of the ladder (thus keeping it clear) but then the hull will be on the part of the quay heading that 'juts out' just forward of the electric point. This means I would need to adjust fenders to protect the hull at this point.

The other option is to move further along the moorings away from the road bridge and thus keep the ladder clear - but if I did this our electric cable would not reach the socket.  Having thought about this, the obvious solution would be to moor where we did, thus yes, blocking the ladder but making life a great deal easier for us.

If there were more of the mooring rings spaced at equal points along the quay you'd have more 'adjustment' room than currently, this would go a long way to solving the problem. Since there are not, and as nobody else was moored there and therefore unlikely to have anyone fall in and require the ladder, I don't think it was unfair to have moored as we did.

Thanks for explaining that, Robin. Don't know what I would have done in the same situation but your comments reinforce my thoughts that both ladders and mooring posts are often poorly placed. Indeed I sometimes wonder at the thought patterns of those installing such things.

[LondonRascal]

4 minutes ago, ScrumpyCheddar said:

I was more concerned about Robins lipstick in episode 1 than the ladder ha ha ha.....  

Calm down Grace it's only a lipstick ha ha ha ....

Well you see the truth of the matter is I often make a fool of myself with toothpaste on me, or tissue after blowing my nose etc and then hit the record button.  I've been told many times to always check and look first.  Shiela decided to give me a smooch on Barton, well it was a good a place as any and after looked and told me 'its ok no lipstick' and I believed her pick up the camera and pressed record...

[ScrumpyCheddar]

46 minutes ago, LondonRascal said:

Well you see the truth of the matter is I often make a fool of myself with toothpaste on me, or tissue after blowing my nose etc and then hit the record button.  I've been told many times to always check and look first.  Shiela decided to give me a smooch on Barton, well it was a good a place as any and after looked and told me 'its ok no lipstick' and I believed her pick up the camera and pressed record...

A smooch on the Barton... ... 

I did notice your flys was undone ha ha ha....

[Hylander]

Robin - I have finally decided upon a set of earphones.    Not the pair you gave me a link for but these are really good and I am very pleased with them.    Thank you for your help.

 

 

[Gracie]

Monica, perhaps Robin could advise you on what shade of lipstick you should wear whilst wearing them

A warm welcome to the forum Seamaster and I am quite calm dear, thank you

Grace

 

[Hylander]

Dont know about the lippy Grace ,  however he is very good with the old techno stuff and I am rubbish at it all.    There again you never know do you,  people shock the hell out of me every day.

 

[BroadAmbition]

Just a quick update - now at Acle Bridge Inn for dinner. Rivers proper high. 7ft 2" at Ludham yesterday. 5ft 10" at Wroxham today. Snow / hail yesterday, along with white horses on Barton.    Having a great time all the same

Griff

[Broads01]

It's a good job it's not 7 foot 2 at Ludham very often.  One of the Richardsons boats I've hired this year needs about 7 foot 6 I think and the Siestas and San Julian need far more. Imagine the Ant with a whole load of hirers stuck one side or the other. 

[TheQ]

Waved to those on board moored on Horning staithe,  I could see, two gentlemen and Labrador, that was during one of the earlier laps of the course. Then had a short chat to those on board, (well one having a fag out the back)  as we drifted past in a Yeoman yesterday in the rain /drizzle on a later lap...

Then they set off up river between races....