As suggested in my last post I had to buy a new jigsaw. After a lot of research (well a few minutes reading reviews) I chose a Evolution RAGE 7-S 80mm 710W Jigsaw from Screwfix for £60. It has a better spec than many twice the price and appears to be very well put together with the main parts being cast aluminium. I have put this to good use cutting the outer cheeks for the stock and forming the top edge of the rudder so that it will turn properly around its pivot. My Dad had three unused rudders from his Finn sailing days including a beautiful and very light fibreglass one. However there was also a very attractive wooden one which was going to be simpler to make usable.
Beautiful wooden rudder - saves a lot of fairing!
I still have to make the internal parts of the stock which I'll hopefully be able to do tomorrow so it will all be ready to complete during the week.
So this post is more about the trip to Norfolk for a few days on and around the Broads. The trip there was fairly trouble free, heading initially up the A10 to Royston and then heading East on the A505 to the A11. However I had not allowed for an event at Duxford Aerodrome so ended up turning round and heading to the West of Cambridge to join the A14. Even with this the trip only took 2 1/2 hours including the dreaded A11 to Norwich which is finally being widened up to Thetford.
We were staying at the Moorhen in Horning which turned out to be a great choice of which more later. We had taken our bikes so headed out on Sunday afternoon to Wroxham for a coffee and some quick retail therapy including a visit to the well stocked Norfolk Marine - a haven for boaties.
A quick shower later and we headed out to Coltishall further up the Bure for dinner at the Kings Head, which had ben recommended. As I had to send my duck back to be properly cooked I wasn't desperately impressed so we won't be going back there. However the setting was beautiful and it's certainly a lovely place for an early evening drink.
Almost the definition of serenity, except for the mobos - Coltishall
We then adjourned to the Swan in Horning for a nightcap. This is now a chain pub but we ended up sitting in the middle of the locals so within half and hour we felt part of the community.
The following day we had hired a half-decker from Whispering Reeds on Hickling Broad so had a relatively early start, though not actually that early as we didn't arrive in Hickling until 10.30am after having to find fuel for the car. The boat was Silver Tip, a balanced lug rig centreboarder about 16ft long.
I haven't sailed this type of rig before though it wasn't much different from other single sailed yachts, only the mixture of halyards and lifts left me a little confused. We spent the first hour on the Broad acclimatising and the wind was perfect for this blowing about 3 from the South West. We then headed down to the River Thurne, turning towards Potter Heigham heading into wind and tide. This wasn't too much of a problem until we arrived at the chalets which disrupted the wind. It took 20 minutes to make about 50m and we then started going backwards so we turned round and headed back towards Hickling, mooring up to have lunch.
I had bought a selection of food from the deli in Horning including the best Pork Pie I've ever eaten and a delightful Sauvignon Blanc. Our hosts at the Moorhen had lent us a cool bag along with appropriate knives and glasses so we were well set up. The weather was glorious and we were sheltered from the wind by trees.
Silver Tip looking almost as good as my wife - note the strategically placed wineglass on the sidedeck!
The food and wine was welcome and very tasty but an afternoon of sailing beckoned so we packed up and prepared to leave. A Broads sailing cruiser left just before us looking stunning - I'm tempted to try one the next time we're there. One of the other guys moored up came over to chat and lo and behold, he owned a Potter, a B Type - it's a small world for Potterers.
At the same time there was much excitement from the other end of the mooring - they had spotted a snake in the water. It was a grass snake - something I had not seen before so it was a real treat.
Heading back onto Hickling Broad the wind had picked up and there were white tops over most of the water. Thankfully we had a reef in or she would have been unmanageable - in fact we had a fantastic couple of hours sailing. The only problem was taking her back into the tiny channel. I had dropped the sail but we were being blown towards the shore so had to put it back up again. I didn't think I could row in so sailed - of course far too quickly. Luckily I just had space to head her into wind between two boats and my wife was on the bow and managed to slow her up before she hit.
Aside from a morning's kayaking when our hosts at the Moorhen drove us to the drop off point the other highlight of the trip was a visit to the International Boatbuilding Training College in Lowestoft. We spent a fascinating couple of hours learning about the courses they run and saw the skills that are taught - just breathtaking. Some of the boats being restored are unique but my favourite was an old Dragon that was being rebuilt with a small cabin. Such a beautiful shape!.
Heading back home we stopped at Woodbridge for dinner. After a wander round the marina and a quick peek at Andy Seedhouse's we had one of the best meals we have eaten in a long time at the Galley, a couple of doors away from the King's Head.
So a great few days, the Moorhen was a delight and Horning a pleasure to be in (except for the Ferry Inn). We will be back soon - hopefully with Aberbach, my own Potter.
No comments:
Post a Comment