Countdown to the biggest ever Broads Outdoors Festival

It’s the countdown to the biggest ever Broads Outdoors Festival which is being launched on Saturday May 5th at Whitlingham Country Park, on the outskirts of Norwich, with a lively day of music, activities and family fun.

At 11 am renowned naturalist and author Richard Mabey will fire the opening shots by starting a race between the EDP’s Broads Correspondent, Stephen Pullinger, dressed as Billy Bluelight, and the Tri-Anglia Triathlon runners against the Wherry White Moth in a revival of the historic races between Billy Bluelight and wherries in the 1920s. White Moth will be welcomed back by an escort of boats and canoes and will be on public view for the rest of the day.

Billy’s great-great nephew, Andy Cullum, now a Broads Authority ranger, will attend the event.

During the day, from 10am to 4.30 pm there will be opportunities to try six different water sports on the Great Broad as well as Nordic Walking, archery, wall climbing and guided walks. Nutmeg Puppets will be performing from 2.30 -3.15pm.Food and crafts produced in Norfolk will be on sale and there will be a chance to get up close to the alpacas from Burnt Fen. Groups Tamalin, specialising in music, song and dance from West Africa, and Hard Rain, will provide entertainment throughout the day.

The launch heralds two weeks of outdoors fun with 100 events demonstrating all the Broads has to offer. It culminates in the Broads Green Boat and Tourism Show on May 20th at Salhouse Broad.

On Thursday May 3rd and Friday May 4th a preview of what is on offer will be held outside the Forum in Norwich City Centre from 9am to 5pm. There will be displays including Tarka, the world’s oldest operating canoe at 150 years old, boats, a windsurfing simulator, bushcraft demos, angling and pond dipping demos, a mountain bike-mobility scooter, and a Broads Authority 4X4 and RIB. A human sized dragonfly, ladybird, kingfisher and butterfly will be handing out free festival programmes.

The public have the chance to get in the festival spirit by travelling in Edwardian style aboard the wherry White Moth both before and after the festival. They are invited to book paid passages from Wroxham to Upton on Wednesday May 2nd, Upton to Cantley on Thursday May 3rd, Cantley to Whitlingham on Friday May 4th, and from Whitlingham back to Reedham on Sunday May 6th, Reedham to Yarmouth on Monday May 7th, Yarmouth to Ranworth on Tuesday May 8th and Ranworth to Wroxham on Wednesday May 9th.

To make a booking get in touch with Pauline Simpson, Charter Manager for Wherry Yacht Charter on 01692 630674. Income from the sailings is vital for the future of the wherries supported by Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust.

For all festival events visit www.outdoorsfestival.co.uk

Regal 3560 American Sports Cruiser

I Surveyed this attractive Regal American Sports Cruiser today down at Brundall on the South Broads. Norfolk Yacht Agency owned the boat.

First impressions was she was highly styled, with an impressive bow, a radically raked stem, and a swept-back radar arch. Moreover, the detailing in the cockpit looked crisp.

Cat B boat for trips upto 500 miles off the coast.... this is no ordinary Sports Cruiser!

For engineroom access, the whole back deck lifts electrically, but in contrast to most boats the opening faces aft. This offers the advantage of keeping greasy mechanics, parts, and tools out of the cockpit! The aft opening hatch makes the engines more accessible, and the engine room is spacious and offers above-average access to all equipment.



On the 3560 all of the bed inserts have dedicated storage. In the main saloon, the settee seat lifts to reveal a permanently mounted extension. At bedtime, the whole thing hinges out in one piece with legs that fold down for support. In the morning, lift up the seat and flip it back under.

COCKPIT The bow is accessed through a hinged centre windshield panel, with steps moulded in next to the helm to make it an easy climb up to the windshield. To the left of the helm, the semi-circular settee offers plenty of storage beneath, including custom chocks for the dining table when it is not in use. This storage area can also be accessed from the cockpit. On the starboard side just aft of the helm, the wet bar features a sink with built in BBQ, Isotherm refrigerator, concealed tip-out bin, and a storage locker fitted with shelves and fiddles to organise items inside.

Clean gas automatic engineroom fire fighting..

The machinery spaces impressed me with an electronic lifting hatch, there is a convenient, aluminium-diamond-plate walkway between the engines, with steps on the aft end. Up forward, on either side of the inboard engine bearers, quality cranking batteries are secured in hold-down trays, white-painted floor panels, and the house battery, a big 8D, is contained inside a giant, plastic battery box on the port hand, with an easy-to-remove lid. To offset the weight of the 8D, the optional genset, a 7.3-kW Panda, was installed to starboard, inside a thick soundbox. Also a 60-amp Charles Industries battery charger on the forward firewall and a thorough job of glass-encapsulating the stringers and transversals that strengthen the 3560’s vinylester-resin-permeated hull.

Surveyors comments: I have to agree with the Broker on this one, I thought it was quite simply a stunning boat!!

New Website coming soon!

My new websites almost finished.. just have to get the the visual effects to move!

GRP / Timber Centre Cockpit Cruiser

Yesterdays assignment was at Horning, the boat was owned by Norfolk Yacht Agency and was stock.

I know very little about this marque… apparently she originates from a Spring Craft design, and was a relative of the Bourne 35. I was unsure about this as the transom and aft keel were different to the Bourne family of cruisers… anyway, suggestions or comments on her history would be much appreciated.
Dimensions:
Length: 34ft 6ins ( 10.52m)
Beam: 10ft 6ins ( 3.20m) Design: Type: centre cockpit cruiser
Style: folding canopy Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com

Love Your Landscape event at Hickling

The first in a series of free community events designed to raise people’s awareness about the landscape they live in was held by the Broads Authority at Hickling on Saturday 28 April, 12.00-4.00pm.

Lesley Marsden, Landscape Officer for the Broads Authority, wants to find out what local people feel and value about the area where they live.

“She said: “Often those of us who are fortunate to live in and around the Broads lose sight of what a special landscape the Broads is. We hope through events such as this we can ignite or re-ignite interest in the wonders of our local landscape.”

Love Your Landscape was a trial event which will help shape ways of gathering information around the Broads. It was held at Hickling Barn in Tate Loke, and included an exhibition of children’s landscape paintings and a prize giving, the results of a photographic workshop and mobile phone photo competition and historic photos of Hickling. People were asked to bring their old photos and memories along and to identify and map special aspects of their landscape.

There was also a children’s activity with a Broads Authority ranger and displays by local organisations.