Graham Nash

so does anyone know who won it last year??

Peter, My son works for me and his good lady is a trainee manageress at a local hotel (they both earn reasonable wages for the area). They have a toddler and pay almost the whole of her wages in childcare. Their rent for a 2 bedroom privately rented flat is overstretching them and they have been threatened with eviction immediately after Christmas. Almost without exception, his mates (who have kids) have no jobs and have council (or housing authority) properties fully paid for by us (and him) the tax payer. Some have even "seperated" just so that she & the kids can get housed and then he moves back in with her!!! It is a ridiculous situation that my son (and many like him) would probably be better off not working and allowing the rest of us to finance them!

you cynic Jim

A Kentucky State Trooper was patrolling late at night off the main highway. He sees a couple in a car, with the interior light brightly glowing. He carefully approaches the car to get a closer look. Then he sees a young man behind the wheel, reading a computer magazine. He immediately notices a young woman in the rear seat, filing her fingernails. Puzzled by this surprising situation, the trooper walks to the car and gently raps on the driver's window. The young man lowers his window. 'Uh, yes, Officer?' The trooper asks: 'What are you doing?' The young man says: 'Well, Officer, I'm reading a magazine.' Pointing towards the young woman in the back seat the trooper says: 'And her, what is she doing?' The young man shrugs: 'Sir, I believe she's filing her fingernails.' Now, the trooper is totally confused. A young couple, alone, in a car, at night in a lover's lane ... And nothing obscene is happening! The trooper asks: 'What's your age, young man?' The young man says: 'I'm 22, sir.' The trooper asks: 'And her .... what's her age?' The young man looks at his watch and replies: 'She'll be 18 in 11 minutes...... '

I use Windguru but as I live within a few hundred yards of the water, ultimately the state of that water helps with my final decision.

count me in with at least one crew (obviously depending on the weather).

done ... its in the porch.

I bet you are excited Good luck on getting there on time tomorrow.

I have the same insurance Simon ..... I did venture beyond that distance once, but will do as Terry did and phone them asking for an extended distance in the spring. It will be interesting to hear others comments/experience. Good post.

I will drop it down to you tomorrow. If no one about I will leave it somehwre obvious.

I popped out there today to see if i could get my anchor back but it was nowhere to be seen :-( It would have been rude not to drown a few worms & squid while i was there but that proved as fruitless as finding the anchor. Anyway thats probably it till after Christmas for me (unless I manage to squeeze a few hours in tomorrow or Thursday)

Oh, Yes it does! .......... Don't you just love Panto season :-)

Is anyone making the trip to Excel London for the boatshow in January? http://www.londonboatshow.com/2011/home.aspx I promise myself every year but always find something gets in the way. I definately intend making it this year.

Do you need another one of these? I remembered to look at last and DO have one you are welcome to. I have a white one available immediately and a black one available just after Xmas.

I have only needed it once (just recently) and I can say I was very pleased to know someone was so close to me if i needed serious assistance.

You are asking for a clip round the ear Brian .... I didn't laugh, honest!

Re coming back half way through the night ..... I have come back after they have shut and have left my boat on the pontoon a few times and have had no problems. I have also had them drop it in the water the evening before i use it if i want to start off before they get in. It did worry me at first but I have seen some MUCH BETTER boats on the pontoon than mine (one of which was on it last night) and have heard of no problems.

Ha Ha ...... very good

As I would have been on my own today due to my crew having been summoned by his little lady to assist in the festivities i decided to give it a miss today (also my dogs were not that well and could be doing with company). I popped down to the boat but the hull was frozen solid and like an ice rink. I don't think

Simon, I was going for dry stack at Rockley but was not sure what to do with the trailer. The guys down there suggested I leave the boat on the trailer and they launch it as normal. It works a treat for me. They normally leave around 4 in the winter (although I doubt they will stay that late today, they were gone by 2 yesterday). If you want night fishing you just arrange it in advance and they drop the boat in for you, then remove it the following day. By the way I think they charge me on hull length and I paid in a one lump sum (they certainly dont charge me on the length of the trailer)

I personally find exactly the opposite to Gordon. I find it so much easier to phone the boat yard and have the boat in the water ready for me when I get there. I park a few meters away and load up then I am away. On the return I tie the boat to the pontoon and remove whatever i dont want to leave, I then drive off home for my shower (or whatever). When I was trailing I found it all such a hag (especially in the summer), unlocking the rusty brakes, manouvering my boat out of my yard and negotiating past the inconsiderate parking down a narrow back street of Poole. Then fighting for a place on the slip (hoping there was enough water to launch) and then trying to get the idiot that was tying his boat to his trailer smack bang in the middle of the slip to move out of the way, then there was trying to find a parking spot. The return could be twice as stressful when there were millions of jet skiers all anchored in the slip way and there was always someone who couldnt get his boat back onto his trailer causing a massive back log. Having said that ..... it was never dull

Will do Tony and thanks. I have been watching windguru and they have dropped it to force 3 to 4 with minimal swell. I dont do swell so wont be taking any chances.

I did tie a buoy to it and marked it on my plotter. I will pop out there tomorrow and see if i can get it back. Any ideas when slack water out towards Poole Patch tomorrow?

I have my son visiting with my new grandson on the 2nd Jan ..... I wonder if i can persuade him to make it the 3rd??

is looking better ..... but cold