Hi Guys,just finished two weeks cruising on the Norfolk broads.My wife and I went from wroxham/Hoveton to Norwich via Horning , Thurne, Stokesby, Acle, Yarmouth, Braden Water, Bernie arms, Reedham, Canterley, Brundle, Bramerton, Thorpe and right into the centre of Norwich.On the way back we visited Surlingham,broad, Lodden Staithe then on to Beccles yacht Station.
From Beccles we went to Oulton broad and then through Mutford  lock on to lake Loathing and on down to Lowestoft and out to the North Sea!!!.
Had a great time whizzing about and then back into Lowestoft Harbour to Hamilton Marina where we moored for two days and watched the Lowestoft Air show and the off shore Power Boat racing!!
We then made our way back home stopping for one night at the Berney Arms inn moorings for one night to catch the tide the next day.
I have worked it out that we visited 16 pubs in two weeks
used £75-00 worth of fuel and in all that time Delta (our B25)
Never missed a beat!!!
I have taken some pictures of the Birchwoods we saw on our epic journey and will post them soon.
I hope this has been of  interest to some of you

Regards

Jesse (A real old Seadog)

Lovely stuff!  

It's nice to see you're able to use the old Girl fro more than just a weekend!
How did it go space-wise?    

Thankyou for your reply,space wise ??,well as there are only two of us It works out very well.
Sandra and I use the two forward bunks for sleeping, the Saloon dinette for meals,we also have a 3'x 2'6"folding table which fits
The wheehouse area perfectly and is ideal for dining on a hot summers evening.(when was that I hear you say!!).
The only problem we did find, which we have had to live with for years, is the size of the heads. Showering in a shoe box sized room is difficult!!!!!but not impossible.
We used shore facilities where we could!!
The main problem encountered was when we moored away from mains hook up, the fridge, a 20 year old Engle ( sounds like a  Dornier flying overhead) Drone drone!!!, It draws approx 4 amps while running and even though it is connected to a brand new
135 amp marine battery, still takes its toll.
I have a H/D rotary isolator switch so I can always switch to the fully charged starting battery.
I think the time has come to update to an Isotherm low current jobby?? Are there any members out there who have an Isotherm????
and could give a report on it??
Well enough drivelling on for now
Regards to all

Seadog

Very ambititious cruise and well done!

Yes, the heads are a bit... cozy but, as you say, it does give you a reason for stopping at shore facilities.  How many pubs was it?  16?  Excellent!

I can endorse the use of the H/D rotary isolator switch, by the way.  Having had a couple of 'incidents' ::cough:: we now always use ours to preserve at least 1 battery for starting.

I can't help you with fridges (I can't remember what ours is) but I see that the Engel's don't have data sheets for their 'normal' fridges (although they do have them for the 'chest' styles) but Isotherms look very neat.

I think if I were replacing ours, I'd choose a chest style fridge because they don't lose anywhere as much cold air when you keep opening them to get out, say, a beer.  

What engine do you have in Delta?

Hi brianj, Delta is fitted with a Ford 1600 cc crossflow petrol  engine,
marinised by Watermotor and called a Seatiger and is coupled to a Watermotor "j" type gearbox with a chain driven two to one ratio reverse. (co'r blmey who't a mouth full).
We are still on average burning only half a gallon of fuel per hour, at 5 miles an hour (don't use knots on the broads).
Not bad for a 30 year old engine, even if it has had a new exhaust manifold,cylinder head,fuel pump and waterpump over the years.
One big snag with petrol boats is there are only 5 or 6 places on the whole of the 211 kilometres of water ways in Nofolk/Suffolk that sell petrol!!! The Waverney River  Centre is currently charging £1-50 per ltre OUCH!!! who't a pain in the wallet that is!! Brooms at Brundle on the other hand are only charging £1-36 per ltre.
Well its time to go on watch, so permission to leave harbour
and signing off for now
Regards
Jesse
 

Permission granted!  

Sea Tiger, yay! A sweet little lump, ultra simple, and as you say, sips juice like a well oiled Nun.  

The laest scary engine available, as parts cost pennies, and all done with a half inch spanner and chisel  

I just thought i'd post as i've read it properly now and can't believe a good ol sea tiger has been romping off shore!!!!

Amazing. Was worried about taking mine into London but now i'm gonna start planning that cruise to St Kats next year

What speed and rpm did you dare take it to out of Lowestoft?  

--Last edited by flashheart on 2008-08-21 17:49:34 --

  Hi flashheart and all, well when we were leaving Lowesoft Harbour entrance
we were running at 3ooo Rpm but once clear of the currents and tide we sattled down to a steady 2600-2800 rpm and according to the gps we were clockin about 8.5 Knots i'sh but can you trust the old gps ???? and tides.
The salt water cleaned the hull off ever so well!!
I would love to take the old girl (and the boat)  Wha'ck, ouch sorry dear, across to Holland and spend a year doing the Dutch, french and German canels and rivers.
But as my wife and I are both O.A.P's I might have left it a little bit too late!!!!! but you never know maybe one day.

Seadog

Thanks for that. Filled me with inspiration to stretch the ol gals legs  

And never say never. Its not too late so start planning that trip. We need more Birchwood adventures


Cheers