Epoxy warfare on my deck

16.06 in big, Boat Plans, cursing, deck, epoxy, my, on, out, sorting, the, those, urethanes, wakes, warfare

AFTER PAINTING TWO BOATS with twin-pack polyurethane paint, I thought I knew all about polyester urethanes. I was wrong.

After I had finished the second boat, the surveyor came along. Tap, tap, tap, he went, all over the hull and decks of my sweet little 22-foot Santana.

He approached me with a long face. “Bad news,” he said, “your deck is delaminating.”

“What?” I cried. “Impossible. I’ve just been all over it. Sanded it. Painted it. There was nothing wrong with it.”

“Come and listen,” he said. He tapped the deck and it made that sickening dull thud, instead of a nice bright ring.

“Omigod,” I said.

There was no doubt about it. Something was badly amiss. We pondered it together, and eventually I decided there was nothing to lose.

I took a sharp knife and cut into the deck. I pulled back a strip. It was all paint. The deck underneath was as solid as ever.

“The paint hasn’t stuck,” the surveyor said. “How did you do this?”

I told him I’d sanded down the old deck paint. I applied a coat of Interlux epoxy primer. Then, having run out of that particular paint on the weekend, I grabbed some more epoxy primer from my nearest Ace Hardware store, and applied that. Before it cured, I sprinkled sand over it, 30-grit sand from a local builder’s yard. When the epoxy dried, I brushed off the excess sand lying on top with a soft brush.

Then I painted on two coats of Interlux twin-pack polyurethane. The result was magnificent. Better than new. Much better. Until the surveyor came along.

We poked around the deck some more and found that we could peel the new deck off by hand. Large chunks of  it came away as we togged. The epoxy and polyurethane and sand had formed a thick pliable skin — but it was not attached to the old deck. Underneath this skin, and on top of the old deck, was a sweet-smelling layer of some kind of liquid chemical.

“Aha,” said the surveyor, who was a smart man. “Incompatible epoxies.” He explained that the Interlux epoxy and the Ace Hardware epoxy had not liked each other. They had not got on well together at all. One of the other had revolted and formed this liquid layer that had prevented the top layers from sticking to the deck.

So I pulled off the new layer of deck paint like you’d peel the skin off a banana, scrubbed the whole deck down with acetone, and started again, this time with two epoxy coats from Interlux. And this time it worked. But it was a hard way to learn that different epoxies hate each other so much. I always thought epoxy was epoxy. Anyway, for someone who thought he knew all about twin-pack polyurethane, it was a humbling lesson.

Today’s Thought

Good painting is like good cooking: it can be tasted, but not explained.

— Vlaminck, On Painting

Tailpiece

“Johnny, who was the roundest knight at the Round Table of King Arthur?”

“Sir Cumference, sir.”

“Very good. And how did he achieve his great size?”

“From too much pi, sir.”

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Redfish Born on the Bayou

15.27 in and, bags, bayou, Boat Plans, born, introduces, on, packs, redfish, sweep, the, umpqua, zero

Redfish Rock!

Redfish have been on the bucket list many years counting. One reason or another always interfered with the check off of this popular fishery. In December 2015 I finally got an opportunity to experience the bayou and the bull reds that inhabit it.

On the Flats with Gjuro Bruer

My trip started from Hopedale marine area and from there my guide Gjuro Bruer took me on a many mile boat ride on a cool December morning. While I’m no stranger to cold mornings this long ride had me questioning whether I dressed warm enough for this day. I kept telling myself just make it through the morning and the warm sunshine will take me through the rest of the day, and it did!

Gjuro pulled up on a point and readied my fly rod while verbally relaying some quick startup instruction. We both jumped up on our platforms and before we moved 20 feet I made my first cast on a point instantly hooked up. Oh yeah game on! My only concern after such quick success was is this going to be an outstanding day or downhill from here. Have you had any of those days were you hook up on first cast and never touch another fish the rest of the day. I’ve had more of those days than I care to count.

Soon after the release of that first fish my fear was set at ease with a second hookup than a third and so on. My fish seemingly continued to get larger and soon I was holding what had to be a 25 pounder.

Many other opportunities came along the way. We spotted a big black drum. Being farther out I had to really dig deep in the Scott Meridian 10 weight rod for some distance. It wasn’t even a challenge for this fine rod. It reached out and delivered to the target. I got the big black drum to eat but my hook set only stuck for a couple seconds before his explosive power set him free. Just feeling it in the line set off my adrenaline.

Check out the Spots

Next we came across an alligator Gar. Not real big says Gjuro but the alligator shaped snout was intimidating to say the least. I made a couple cast to him but he was not the least bit interested.

Up ahead was a big tailing red. That big tail was amazing sight. He was very aggressive and even though I didn’t get the hook up on first attempt he went crazy trying to hunt down that fly. I stayed patient and put it the fly back in front of him and like slow motion I watched him flare his gills inhaling my fly. Hook set and away he went very soon on the reel. The smooth Bauer CFX drag tamed the big red into submission while I held my breath as not to give him any opportunity to exploit any weakness. After a long battle Gjuro bought him to hand and finally I was able to breath.

I now understand the attraction to these wild big bull reds. They are willing but cautious, predator and territorial, big and beautiful. I hope to encounter them again!

My equipment list was pretty simple. Scott Meridian 9 foot 10 weight rods, a Bauer CFX #6 fly reel and a RIO Permit WF10F Fly Line. Most cast were pretty short and the Scott did a great job letting me feel it load and it had the power to reach out for long targets. The Bauer CFX reel performed flawlessly while I tested its smooth drag repeatedly this day. The RIO Permit line was a great balance of short loading capable while maintaining a long enough head to carry line for longer cast. I was a bit concerned about a tropical line in December but I never experienced line coil issues on this cool day. I had a cold water line spooled and ready to use but never needed it.

Big thanks goes out to guide Gjuro Buer. Gjuro does a great job of relaying the instructions with very few spoken words all while maintaining his patients, something I really appreciate in a guide. Even though I was the one with a fly rod in hand we hunted together for the next big red.

My high would continue throughout the weekend in New Orleans with family and friends. We drank, we ate, we laughed and we cheered and I while asleep I dreamed about Big Bull Reds born on the Bayou!

Contact Gjuro Bruer @ 850-637-2628

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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Kayoe or Canak

18.18 in Boat Plans, canak, kayoe, mississippi, on, or, shantyboat, the

I designed and built my first boat in the mid 70s, when we were living in Nebraska. I was a busy student with limited budget and time. The area has small lakes and shallow rivers and creeks but plenty of wind sweeping in off the plains. So I designed a sort of cross between a canoe and kayak. Double chine, plank keel, low freeboard, partially decked, approx. 16 by 3. Also, it had to fit out the kitchen window after hauling it up the basement stairs. Using trajectory curve mathematics, I was able to compute the length of both chines, the sheer, and sheathing panel lengths as well as calculating all offsets. No strongback was needed; all parts fit together as cut. A friend had recently built a Windmill sailboat. He was impressed as I simply put the pieces together. I had used a parallel projection so all bevels were constant angles which were easy to precut. Consequently, I was able to get tight joints and use resorcinol glue successfully. As an experiment, I built a pair of leeboards, attached a push-pole rudder, and used a closet pole mast and nylon tarp for a sprit sail rig. With this I was able to maneuver up and down the lake, but sailing rigs dont get much more crude than this.

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Your unique footprint on earth

14.43 in and, Boat Plans, earth, errors, footprint, natural, normal, on, unique, your

EVERY TIME I’ve been to sea in my own boat, the same thought has occurred to me: I’m the only human being who has been present in this space since the world began.  The farther I am from land, the greater the truth of that statement, of course.

I don’t know why it seems so significant to me but it is certainly a fact. On land, we humans follow each other’s tracks. When the first person beats down a path through the wilderness, there’s no reason to battle a new way through on your own. But at sea every vessel on every voyage finds its own path over the wild waters, a new path, a path where no boat has ever been before. Sometimes it’s not far from the paths others have made, but it is always separate in places. No two wakes ever trace the exact same path.

Perhaps it seems more significant to people like me who have grown up in crowded cities, where following other people’s tracks is the normal everyday procedure. Nobody gives it a thought, because there can hardly be any place in a city where someone hasn’t stood or walked before you.

So when I’m at sea, even on a coastal trip, I have often thought “I am the first person in the world to occupy this particular spot on our planet.”  The chances are millions to one that I will never occupy it again, of course, and it’s highly probable that no one one else will, even if human beings are able to inhabit the earth for another 4 1/2 billion years, which seems doubtful.

So next time you need something to think about on a night watch, bend your mind toward the fact that you are experiencing something unique that no other person in the world will experience. You are visiting a portion of the planet that no one has floated over before. It isn’t going to bring you fame or wealth or happiness, but if you have a simple mind like mine it is a fascinating thing to ponder.

Today’s Thought

The Sea

That shuts still as it opes, and leaves no tracts

Nor prints of precedent for poor men’s facts.

— George Chapman, Bussy d’Ambois

Tailpiece

“I’m looking for a guard dog going cheap.”

“Sorry, sir, all our guard dogs go ‘Woof!’”

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Small dinghies on open sea

08.57 in Boat Plans, dinghies, on, open, sea, small

RECENTLY I MENTIONED that if I had to, by force of circumstance, I could probably sail a small open dinghy across an ocean to safety. That imprudent statement elicited the following comment from Jurriën, who lives in Holland:

Although I know impressive journeys can be made in a dinghy, personally I would not recommend them for intercontinental transport. The two major advantages you mentioned, staying afloat and keeping the crew alive are correct, but a substantial problem is that these small boats must be looked after constantly. This means, one moment of inattention and the cockpit is filled with water. In stormy circumstances, you’ll never be able to drain the cockpit; therefore your boat won’t sail properly anymore. Sailing a dinghy in heavy weather is very tiresome; I do not think many people can stay concentrated perfectly for more than an hour or so in these circumstances (wet, cold, frightened). In my experience (never left the North Sea, so don’t take me too seriously) the best you can do is set your storm jib if you have one (otherwise tie a knot in the genua in order to reduce surface), run downwind and hope for better weather!

No Jurriën, I wouldn’t recommend dinghies for your everyday intercontinental transport either, but sailing at sea in a dinghy is perhaps not as dangerous a business as you might think.

In the first place, a small dinghy is easy to steer. She’s very light on the helm, and dinghies can usually be well balanced because you can move a pivoting centerboard fore or aft to change the center of lateral resistance.  If you were serious about it, and were able to plan in advance, you could get a dinghy to steer herself with twin jibs sheeted back to the tiller, or with a sheet-to-tiller system such as one of those suggested in  Lee Woas’s book Self-Steering Without a Wind Vane.

In the second place, decent dinghies do not capsize all that readily. Most of them will heel a long way over before you have to spill wind to let them recover. They have a lot of reserve stability. Yes, they certainly cancapsize, but the smaller the dinghy, the easier she is to right from a capsize.

The kind of dinghy I’m thinking of has plenty of built-in buoyancy. The 11-foot Mirror dinghy, for example, has four large flotation tanks. I have seen a Mirror dinghy plowing along nicely through the water, under perfect control, in a gale of wind, with four adults sitting in a cockpit brimming with water after a capsize. They could easily have bailed out that cockpit with a bucket, but they were having too much fun to bother. They sailed her home, right up to the launching ramp, like that with big smiles on their faces.

Frank Dye capsized four times in Force 9 gales in his 16-foot Wayfarer on the way from Scotland to Norway. He had one crewmember, and they managed to right her fairly easily each time. His method of dealing with heavy weather was to hinge the mast down, tie a tarpaulin over it to make a shelter, and lie down on the floorboards to keep the weight low. He unshipped the rudder and let the dinghy lie bows-on to the waves behind a large parachute sea anchor.

That American adventurer Webb Chiles, who singlehandedly sailed his open, 17-foot, Drascombe Lugger, Chidiock Tichborne, almost all of the way around the world, sailed his flooded boat for days on end on one occasion but managed to bail her out eventually when the weather settled down.

The point is, if you have a dinghy with built-in buoyancy, she won’t sink.

Jurriën, I am fairly sure that you, like most of us, are not planning to sail a small dinghy across an ocean any time soon, but for your own interest you might want to read the following books on the subject:

Ø Ocean Crossing Wayfarer, by Frank Dye

Ø The Open Boat: Across the Pacific, by Webb Chiles

Today’s Thought

Seamanship, in its widest sense, is the whole art of taking a ship from one place to another at sea.

— The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea

Tailpiece

“Would you like red wine or white wine, sir?”

“Makes no difference to me, my good fellow. I’m color blind.”

(Drop by every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)

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Panama Skiff

03.24 in american, Boat Plans, eve, expedition, history, of, on, panama, people, river, secret, skiff, the

We arrived in Panama just in time that I could buy a few sheets of marine 1/4 plywood before the Panama Canal Company went out of business. No trailers or launch ramps available, shallow coral reefs off all the beaches, but beautiful deserted coves to visit with (by now) an entire family. So I designed a little yellow skiff, 4 (40" waterline beam) by 15 1/2 , with a daggerboard, rudder and sprit sail. I was able to get Sailrite sail cloth and WEST epoxy through the mail. Again, I calculated the length of the chine, sheer, and sheathing panels and all offsets so that the parts went together smoothly without having to use a strongback. The only drawings I used were just sketches for visualization. I had estimated the hull rocker correctly in design so the boat performed nicely. We went picnicing, snorkeling, fishing and just exploring. It was light enough that we could cartop the boat on our Toyota to bays along the Atlantic coast.

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The new planning minister

20.19 in Boat Plans, boles, minister, moves, new, on, planning, the

I am grateful to Charles Mynors (see comments appended to yesterday’s post) for alerting me to the fact that Brandon Lewis has taken over as planning minister in place of Nick Boles, also adding housing to his brief. He has been promoted within De-CLoG from Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Minister of State. His previous role within De-CLoG (since October last year) was as minister responsible for local government, fire and resilience, high streets, town centres and markets, travellers, and community pubs, having originally joined De-CLoG in September 2012. He is MP for Great Yarmouth, and has been in the Commons since 2010.

Lewis is a barrister, and served as a councillor on Brentwood Borough Council for more than 10 years, including 5 years as Leader, so he ought (one hopes) to have some idea of how the planning system works. He and Pickles go back some years together as local politicians in Essex, so this should help them to build a good working relationship.

I have been unable to ascertain any details of Brandon Lewis’s career at the bar, and am not clear whether he actively practised at the bar (and, if so, in what specialisation, if any) before his ministerial appointment in 2012.

Whether Pickles and Lewis (“the Eric & Brandon Show”) will continue the programme of ‘liberalisation’ through further extensions of permitted development remains to be seen, but further PD rights have been promised, so we should perhaps expect some further changes. One gets the impression, however, that the government generally is now changing over to pre-election mode, and that apart from tying up a few loose ends, they are not expecting to embark on any bold new initiatives.

Meanwhile, Penny Mordaunt, the latest recruit to De-CLoG, has been put in charge of the teaspoons (oh, and also coastal communities).

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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Fly Tie Night at Andrews Pizza on March 4th 2015

23.39 in 16th, 2015, 4th, andrews, at, Boat Plans, february, fishing, fly, march, night, on, pizza, reports, tie, weekly

Join us for a night of fly tying at Andrews Pizza, Hood River.  Our focus this round is Spring Steelhead favorites. Watch, learn, participate or just hang out and enjoy a slice of pizza and a local brew. 

Where:
Andrews Pizza, Hood River
107 Oak St.
Hood River, Or 97031
Phone: 541-386-1448
www.andrewspizza.com

When:
Wednesday March 4th, 2015
6:30-8:30pm or until you leave!

Host: 
Andrew Perrault | Gorge Fly Shop
Phone: 541-386-6977
info@gorgeflyshop.com

Just one block east of Gorge Fly shop








Andrew Perrault
Gorge Fly Shop | Product Specialist
541.386.6977

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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More banner adverts on shrouded buildings

09.05 in adverts, apologise, banner, Boat Plans, buildings, for, interruption, more, on, shrouded, the, we

(Fourth in an occasional series)

As I have pointed out on several previous occasions in this blog, there seems to be an unreasoning prejudice in this country against outdoor advertising. Whatever one may think of the overall control of advertisements regime, one aspect that particularly irritates me is the extreme reluctance of some local planning authorities (in fact, I suspect, a majority) to countenance large banner adverts on shrouded buildings while they are in course of demolition, reconstruction or repair.

I have in the past acted for one or two of the companies engaged in this type of advertising, but I am not currently retained by these clients and so I have no professional or commercial axe to grind. I simply think that this type of advertising can be beneficial, both as a means of hiding an eyesore while the building work is in progress and in helping to finance the restoration of the fabric, not to mention brightening up the townscape for a time.

Other countries do not seem to have the same hang-up with this type of advertisement display that we have in the UK. I have previously illustrated examples from both Paris and Venice, where large banner adverts have been erected around outstandingly important buildings in the most sensitive of settings – the point being that if such temporary advert displays are accepted by the authorities in those locations, then there can be no justification for resisting such displays on Grade I listed buildings located in a World Heritage Site in this country or in the most outstanding of conservation areas, and of course on many less important buildings in less sensitive environments.

I previously drew attention to a shroud advert in the Place Vendôme in Paris, and I found several further examples on my latest visit to Paris this year. The first of these is in the Place des Vosges (originally the Place Royale) in le Marais (the 4ème Arrondissement), one of the earliest town squares in Europe (if not the earliest) – completed in 1612. Cardinal Richelieu lived here from 1615 to 1627, and Victor Hugo’s house in the south-east corner of the square is open to the public.

The banner advert here is at the north end of the eastern side of the square, next to the junction with the rue du Pas de la Mule. As the rubric on this and the other advertisements illustrated here clearly states: “Cet affichage contribue au financement de la restauration de l’immeuble.” Précisément!


At night this advert is externally illuminated, as seen in the next shot.

An even larger banner advert is to be seen on the south front of the range of public buildings that house le Palais de Justice, le Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle on l’Île de la Cité (in the 1er Arrondissement). This advert fronts onto Quai des Orfèvres and le Pont Saint-Michel.

A third example can be seen at the junction of rue Auber and rue Scribe (in the 9ème Arrondissement) immediately opposite the monumental Opéra Garnier. There is a good view of it from the roof terrace of les Galeries Lafayette (as shown in a second photo below).

In these various shroud displays, the advertising material does not cover the whole of the shroud, so there is also a representation of at least part of the building façade in these displays, which gives an indication of the structure of the building lying behind the shroud.

The three examples illustrated here are representative of the type of banner adverts on shrouded buildings that are clearly acceptable in such cases, even where heritage assets of the highest value are involved, in very sensitive locations. The essential point is that these displays are by their nature temporary and, as the displays illustrated here explicitly state, they contribute to the funding of the restoration of the building (as was clearly also the case in the examples from Venice to which I drew attention in earlier posts).

It seems that LPAs (and even the Planning Inspectorate) remain very reluctant to grant advertisement control consent for such displays, and so the only sensible course of action would be to amend the Control of Advertisements Regulations so as to grant deemed consent to these displays. Planning ministers have shown great enthusiasm for cutting through red tape in the planning system, particularly through the medium of extended permitted development rights, and so an amendment of the Control of Advertisements Regulations ought perhaps to commend itself to Eric Pickles and Nick Boles.

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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Planning Court will open for business on April 7

10.46 in –, 7, april, Boat Plans, business, centre, court, development, for, new, on, open, permitted, planning, rights, town, uses, will

The Planning Court, which (like the Administrative Court) will be part of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court, is due to open for business on Monday 7 April. So far as the actual applications are concerned, this is just a paper change, although we are promised that specialist planning judges will be assigned to hear cases in this list. This is perhaps the most important and most welcome change brought about by this reform.

The Civil Procedure Rules 1998 have been amended to cater for the new arrangements, and the changes are set out in the Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2014, which will come into effect on 6 April.

An application which will in future be known as “a Planning Court claim” is defined as a judicial review (under CPR Part 54) or statutory challenge (e.g. under sections 287, 288 or 289 of the 1990 Planning Act, among other statutory rights of challenge) which involves planning permission, other development consents, the enforcement of planning control and the enforcement of other statutory schemes; applications under the Transport and Works Act 1992; wayleaves; highways and other rights of way; compulsory purchase orders; village greens; European Union environmental legislation and domestic transpositions, including assessments for development consents, habitats, waste and pollution control; national, regional or other planning policy documents, statutory or otherwise; or any other matter the Planning Liaison Judge [may determine]. (There is a misprint in the Rules, and the words in square brackets, or words to similar effect, are missing.)

These claims must be issued in future in the Planning Court, and there is power to transfer matters to that court under Part 30 of the CPR. The Planning Court claims will form a specialist list. A judge nominated by the President of the Queen’s Bench Division will be in charge of the Planning Court specialist list and will be known as the Planning Liaison Judge. There is a Practice Direction (54E) that deals with procedure in more detail, but I don’t propose to trouble readers with this.

The new rules will apply to all claims issued on or after 7 April 2014, but I understand that claims in the categories listed above which are issued before that date (in the Administrative Court) will also be transferred to the Planning Court after that date.

The only point which remains unclear is whether the Planning Court, like the Administrative Court, will sit in trial centres outside London. In view of the intention that judges sitting in the Planning Court should be planning specialists, it may not be practicable for the Planning Court to sit in other centres. I don’t see that as a problem. Specialist counsel from London chambers will be briefed in the vast majority of cases, and so it will no doubt be convenient for these cases to be heard in the RCJ in the Strand.

It only remains to wish success to the new Planning Court and to all who sail in her.

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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More restrictions on judicial review

02.40 in all, be, Boat Plans, film, going, judicial, more, on, restrictions, review, stars, to, we’re

In an article by the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, published in the ‘Daily Wail’ this morning, he calls for further restrictions on the right to apply to the High Court for the judicial review of ministerial decisions in planning and infrastructure cases. [The web version can be found at - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2413135/CHRIS-GRAYLING-Judicial-review-promotional-tool-Left-wing-campaigners.html ]

He makes no bones about that fact that he is taking a strongly partisan political approach to this issue, seeing it as an avowedly Right-Left struggle. The first four short paragraphs of his article are pure bile, complaining about a growing number of “professional campaigners” who, he alleges, are “taking over charities, dominating BBC programmes and swarming around Westminster” (!) Worst of all, in Grayling’s view, is that they “articulate a Left-wing vision”. He seems to be particularly annoyed that former advisers and politicians are joining the ranks of what he calls “serial campaigners”, and he singles out the charity sector as an area where “advisers from the last Government can be found in senior roles”. He seems to be equally unhappy about moves in the opposite direction, “with campaigners lining up to try to become Labour MPs”.

This very much sets the tone and the background for what follows. Grayling alleges that charities “target the legal system as a way of trying to get their policies accepted”, particularly through the medium of judicial review. He objects to these people being able to challenge the decisions of government and public bodies in the courts, aided and abetted, as he puts it, by “teams of lawyers who have turned such legal challenges into a lucrative industry”.

It is at this point that the real lies start, and as the Nazis’ propaganda and police chief, Joseph Goebbels once observed, the bigger the lie, the more easily it will be swallowed by a gullible public. Grayling casually remarks that there are now thousands of judicial review applications each year, but he carefully omits to mention that, as a proportion of all JR applications, planning and infrastructure-related JR applications account for less than 2% of the whole!

As I have previously pointed out in this blog [Judicial review – the statistics on Tuesday, 20 November 2012 and Judicial review - statistics update on Sunday, 2 December 2012], the numbers of JR (i.e. non-statutory) cases relating to town and country planning and infrastructure cases in recent years have been: 1998 – 112; 1999 – 116; 2000 – 121; 2001 – 142; 2002 – 119; 2003 – 122; 2004 – 119; 2005 – 140; 2006 – 142; 2007 – 151; 2008 – 184; 2009 – 165; 2010 – 148; 2011 – 191. (I don’t have the figure for 2012, but it is unlikely to show any really dramatic increase.)

The first point which is immediately apparent is the very low numbers, compared with the total of JR applications in those same years. These figures pale into insignificance, compared with the headline total of 11,200 JR applications in 2011 which ministers are so fond of quoting (or mis-quoting). Most of these were in fact immigration/asylum cases. Even as a proportion of ‘other’ JR applications (i.e. other than immigration/asylum and criminal cases), planning-related cases account for only about 7 or 8 per cent (9% at most, in some years). Furthermore, it is not possible to discern any indication that there has been any increase in hopeless applications in this area of the law. The notion that ministers have been peddling that there is a rising tide of hopeless JR applications, made simply as a delaying tactic to frustrate development and infrastructure projects, is clearly nonsense. In most years, at least a third of planning-related JR application were given permission to proceed, which is a much higher proportion than the average for other types of JR application.

Grayling’s assertions are based on an outright lie! But that does not deter him from proposing further restrictions on judicial review in addition to those introduced only a couple of months ago.

What these proposals actually are is not vouchsafed to us in his vituperative article in the Mail. According to the Press Association, a consultation paper is due to be published today, and we shall know more of what is afoot when this emerges. However, the PA report suggests that under these new plans, “campaigners will be banned from launching challenges” and that “local councils will also no longer be able to judicially review major infrastructure projects in their area”. It is also suggested that Grayling wants to penalise unsuccessful JR applicants with payment of a greater proportion of the government’s costs. Never mind the Aarhus Convention – a document that Grayling no doubt dislikes as much as he hates all those pesky lefties.

It is difficult to imagine a man less suited to being the Minister of Justice (and Lord Chancellor) than Chris Grayling (unless it might possibly be Michael Gove).

[UPDATE (14.17 6.9.13) : The consultation paper can now be accessed at - https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/judicial-review. I may blog on this topic again when I have had the chance to read it in detail.]

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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We apologise for the interruption

20.02 in 7, apologise, april, Boat Plans, business, court, for, interruption, on, open, planning, the, we, will

We have reached one of those frustrating periods again when pressures on my time prevent my keeping up-to-date with this blog. I fear that by the time I can post the next entry on this blog, more than a fortnight is likely to have passed since the previous item was posted at the end of last week. Regrettably, the same applies to the moderation of comments, and so here too there is likely to be a hiatus.

Meanwhile, there have been further developments on which I wish to report when I have the opportunity to do so. My attention has been drawn to a couple of recent judgments that are relevant to the issue of conditions removing permitted development rights and/or removing the right (under section 55(2)(f)) to use a planning unit for purposes falling within the same use class as the existing use. Unfortunately, these judgments are not as clear as might have been hoped and do not really help in clarifying the position.

I have not forgotten that I promised to look at the small print in the recent GPDO amendment order, which limits or restricts some of the development potentially permitted by these changes. There is also an unresolved issue as to the validity of conditions attached to prior approvals issued by LPAs before 6 April 2014. Are these, as some have suggested, ultra vires, or is the provision in the latest amendment order confirming that LPAs have power to impose conditions on prior approvals under Part 3 retrospective in its effect as regards conditions imposed before 6 April 2014? I am rather inclined to doubt this, but the position is not all that clear-cut.

So there is plenty to talk about, but it may have to wait at least another 10 days, before I can get back to posting further entries on this blog.

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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Whiskers and Woolly Buggers on the Prairies

03.29 in and, Boat Plans, buggers, guide, lines, on, prairies, running, shooting, the, to, whiskers, woolly

No Trout or Steelhead here but dont let your grip loose on your rod

Catfish on the fly!?

Although this article is written with a particular destination in mind, the tactics can probably be applied to thousands of spots across the continent.

The Red River is broad and muddy – similar to the Mississippi River but not quite as big. It winds between North Dakota and Minnesota then crosses over into Canada. It runs through cities and farmlands and it actually seems quite unremarkable, unless you like catfish…

Type “catfish” and “Red River” into Google and see what results. The Red River is a turbid jewel in the world of channel catfish. All kinds of fisherman flock to it, searching for hard-pulling brutes. An average channel cat on the Red weighs a solid 8 to 12 pounds. Hundreds of 20 to 30 pounders are caught each year.

Although channel catfish on the Red River are generally targeted with conventional tackle, they are a becoming a legitimate growing target for fly anglers. Much of the long rod action takes place in Lockport, Manitoba where a large control dam spreads across the river and creates a few hundred yards of swirling, rippled water. Prime time is late May through early July but good fishing can be had throughout the summer and into September.

Lockport Dam, Manitoba

Although the entire Red River holds catfish, in many locations they are often in fairly deep holes beyond the reach of most flies. The turbulent water downstream of the Lockport dam seems to attract shallow, feeding fish through most the open water season.

The standard procedure is to get the fly down close to the bottom along current seams, flats, drop-offs, and eddies. Drop-offs can be tough to find unless you have a boat and a depth finder; however, they often reveal themselves during low water and smart anglers make a mental note for when the water is higher.

I like a cast that quarters upstream and sinks before I strip the fly in one foot at a time. Sometimes, I merely jig the rod tip up and down as the fly drifts. Feeling the fly tick bottom every now and then is mandatory. When the fly line is quartering downstream, it’s time to cast again.

Proven effective flies

Not surprisingly, my fly selection is inspired by the bait fisherman who use cut chunks of river-caught goldeye, a small silvery fish. White marabou, since it looks like a piece of fish, is often part of the pattern. Baitfish imitations and Whistlers in white or bright colors work well. The water is very turbid, so visible flies that push water give me confidence. Flies that dive down to the bottom with lead eyes or a lead-wrapped body are often called for. Lengths from 2 ½ to 4 inches seem to work well.

A 9 weight rod is perfect for delivering these not-so-delicate offerings and controlling (trying to control?) a 15 pound catfish in strong current. My line choice is dictated by water depth and flow. I use whatever it takes to get down to the bottom. Sometimes a floater works but often it’s a 14 foot sink tip. Occasionally, a 350gr line with a fast sinking head is needed.

9 foot leaders are good when using a floating line and reaching for the bottom with a weighted fly. A 20 pound tippet helps pulls the fly out of rocky snags. Many cat-chasers don’t even bother with tapered leaders because the momentum of a weighted fly takes care of the turnover. With any type of sink tip, I normally just use 2 to 4 feet of 20# Maxima Monofilament – maybe a little more if the fly is heavily weighted and I want to get it deeper than the line.

There are at least a couple of guys who successfully pursue channel catfish at Lockport with spey rods. Although I have yet to try spey or switch tactics, they sound like a lot of fun. Catching a channel cat on a switch rod is actually a goal of mine for this coming season.

Although there is good fishing to be had from a boat, wading for channel catfish is the probably the most popular method for getting a fly in front of one. At Lockport, I would contend that a wading staff is a necessity, given the fact that seeing the rocky, treacherous bottom is generally impossible.

When hooked, a channel catfish is like a submarine. They pull hard and relentlessly. Did I mention a good disc drag reel and 100 yards of backing are a good idea? The chances of seeing your backing are actually pretty good…

Great catch Dale!

My most memorable day catfishing on the Red River took place during early July. It had been a wet spring and the water was quite high. A flood diversion channel flows into the river about a half mile downstream of the dam; when the Red River is high, catfish have a tendency to stack into this channel, especially when the high water corresponds to their spawn. I was camped out where a small riffle spread across this channel. Every couple minutes I could see the broad back of a catfish swimming up through the riffle. It was like watching salmon swim upstream. In calmer water close to shore, I would see catfish swirl and pods of minnows erupt from the water.

A small, 2 inch Clouser did a great job imitating those minnows and the catfish were all over it. Every 5 or 6 casts would result in a grab. Most of the cats were between 25 and 30 inches, with a few pushing the 35 inch mark. Almost every one stretched my fly line and backing clear across to the opposite shore. I definitely lost way more than the half dozen I landed.

Even if you can’t make it to Lockport, there is probably a catfish river somewhere close to where you live. Look for shallower water where catfish might feed. And throw your fly in there!

Dale Martens

Dale,
Thank you for the very interesting article, something most fly anglers would not think of. I have seen a few cats caught on a fly on the John Day River while fishing for bass. Sounds like you have the perfect ingredients for a unique spey rod fishery!
Thanks again, Travis Duddles


Below are some resources if you are interested in fly fishing the Red River near Lockport, Manitoba. A lot of fly fishermen stop off in Winnipeg on their way to fishing lodges in northern Manitoba. Winnipeg is very close to Lockport; why not spend a day or two chasing channel cats?

http://flyfishingmanitoba.proboards.com (This is a bulletin board where a lot of ardent, catfish-chasing fly rodders hang out.)

https://anglers.travelmanitoba.com/master_angler_search.asp (This search engine gives you all kinds of catch data for fishing in Manitoba.)

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Yet more interesting times

05.37 in Boat Plans, interesting, judicial, more, on, restrictions, review, times, yet

You may have noticed that blog posts have been a bit thin on the ground recently, due to the continuing pressure of work. Unfortunately, it does not look as though I am going to be able to find the time to write anything further here for at least the next 10 days.

This is rather frustrating, as there has been an awful lot going on recently, which is just begging to be written up here. Among the many recent innovations, the Planning Inspectorate has published a new Procedural Guide to Planning Appeals and Called-in Planning Applications, and the government has announced a faster planning appeals process, leading (it is hoped) to earlier decisions. This will involve ‘front-loading’ the appeals process, including a requirement to submit a full appeal statement with the appeal form, which will make a lot more work for appellants at the outset of the appeal process. The new rules will apply to appeals in respect of applications determined after 1 October, but I shall have to defer discussing these and other innovations to a subsequent post.

Meanwhile, new regulations have been published for applications under section 62A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (introduced by Section 1 of the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013). This is the provision that enables certain applications to be made direct to the Secretary of State, bypassing the local planning authority.

Three new statutory instruments have been made relating to conservation areas and demolition, which I have not had time to look at yet. These, too, come into effect on 1 October.

In addition to this, we have also had the new web-based planning advice that is set to replace all the old familiar circulars. I confess that at a first glance, I was not impressed, but this too is a topic to which we shall return.

As I mentioned in passing a few weeks back, further changes to planning fees have been introduced by The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2153) (2013 Regulations). Yet again, 1 October is the date when these come into force.

Then, of course, there are Chris Grayling’s proposals for further changes to judicial review. I haven’t had time to look at these in any detail yet, but they include the idea of a special planning court, which could be a welcome innovation. But this will depend on how it is implemented. It is a subject to which I will return in due course.

Uncle Eric has not been idle himself, and on 2 September he was boasting to the House of Commons how very busy De-CLoG has been during the summer, when everyone else was away with their buckets and spades. This has included a report on the future of our high streets. (They haven’t got a future, basically.) He also touched on the plans to extend permitted development rights, previously discussed in this blog, and new guidance published on 28 August calling for councils to deliver more town centre parking spaces, to tackle street clutter and to get rid of ‘sleeping policemen’ (road humps). He also wants to encourage residents to rent out parking spaces in their front gardens. (This had already caused apoplexy among some planning officers.)

Uncle Eric also drew attention to powers introduced by the Localism Act 2011 for the listing of assets of community value, including local pubs, to prevent their sale and redevelopment. And then, of course, there was Uncle Eric’s wheelie bin crusade. And so on, and so on.

So, there will be an awful lot of material for planning professionals to digest in the near future, and a lot of changes that are going to happen on 1 October.

One thing Uncle Eric said made me laugh. He reckons that, with these various changes and the ‘simplification’ of ministerial planning advice, there is going to be little or no work left for planning lawyers to do. I think we may find that as result of some of these changes there will be more work for us than ever!

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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Idle thoughts on electricity

23.24 in a, all, Boat Plans, electricity, en, give, gps, heres, idle, of, on, route, sailor, the, thoughts, to, trades, what

SOMETIMES I just sits and thinks. And sometimes I just sits. But on those rare occasions when I think, I think there are two major problems for the world to solve. The first is how to store electricity more efficiently. The second is how to transmit large amounts of electricity without wires.

Solving the second problem would make the first problem moot, of course, but since neither is anywhere near solution, it doesn’t really matter.

At present we hobble along by storing electricity in batteries. They aren’t very efficient. Think how often people have to charge their cell phones. They aren’t even safe. Think how many lithium-ion batteries overheat and catch fire in cell phones and Boeing 787s.

As far as transmitting electricity without wires goes, Tesla, the Great Electrician, was demonstrating 100 or more years ago that he could do it over short distances. And that is how radio works, too, of course. But what we need is a method of transmitting much larger amounts of electricity directly through space to the appliances or motors that need it, without frying up any soft-fleshed human beings who get in its way.

Imagine how the world would change if cars and trucks could drive endlessly on electric power. Better yet, imagine how it would change boats. No more smelly, heavy, complicated internal combustion engines. Think how the mammals of the sea would appreciate that.

But then, I think, if boats could use electricity to go anywhere in the world they liked, with power transmitted from satellites, or reflected by satellites, would anybody bother to sail any more?

Most small powerboats can’t carry enough fuel to cross oceans. You need a sailboat to do that. But if you could use clean quiet electricity to explore the glories of the South Seas, or cruise your own coastline, and go directly where you wanted, even if it were against the wind, why would anyone want a sailboat?

Of course, there is a glamour to sailing, a direct connection to the old days of the sailing ships and the mysteries and customs of the sea, which itself hasn’t changed in all the centuries we’ve known it.

We all know and understand that sailboats are largely impractical, but there is something about them that touches the human heart.

So when I thinks that it’s pretty certain that sooner or later mankind will invent a better battery or learn to transmit electricity, I also wonders if it will mean the days of sailboats are over, and how soon that might happen.

Today’s Thought

Indebtedness to oxygen

The chemist may repay,

But not the obligation

To electricity.

— Emily Dickinson, Poems

Tailpiece

“Angela darling, the bank has returned your check.”

“Oh, wow, that’s great. What shall we buy with it this time?”

(Drop by every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)

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These old boats deserve better

22.28 in better, Boat Plans, boats, deserve, electricity, idle, is, navigation, not, old, on, precise, these, thoughts

I’M ALWAYS AMAZED when people selling boats won’t take the time and effort to clean them up a bit before inviting buyers to look at them. I’ve inspected two boats in the past few months, and quite frankly I was disgusted at the state they were in, despite the glowing descriptions in the advertisements.

Admittedly, I’m searching the cheap and nasty end of the boating spectrum. What I want is an inexpensive daysailer/weekender on which I can teach my grandkids to sail. They know the rudiments already, of course, and they’ve taken a few lessons, but I would like to teach them the real stuff that will keep them interested in sailing for the rest of their lives.

In particular, I’m looking for an old Santana 22, simply because I once restored one from a 28-year-old wreck. I discovered all her weak spots and now know where to look for trouble. Over a period of years, June and I sailed her from one and of the Salish Sea to the other, and we were delighted with her performance as a “sport cruiser,” as I called her.

But the two Santana 22s I found for sale on Craigslist last year were simply not worth looking at. One, described as “awesome” and well maintained had a keel that was a mass of rust. There were bits and pieces of mysterious boat stuff strewn all over the main cabin and the forepeak, rust streaks on the paint, ripped and deflated upholstery, aluminum chainplates bubbling with a white encrustation, and a mast support beam that was bowed downward. The other boat was much the same, but it had also suffered the “improvements” of a series of owners with their own lubberly ideas of what a small sloop should look and behave like.

I don’t know how many prospective buyers must have been put off by the state of these boats, but I would have been ashamed to put them on the market in that condition. I know we’re talking about boats that are nearly 50 years old, but I can’t understand why they can’t at least have been kept clean and tidy and smelling sweet. Nobody expects an old boat to be perfect, but to present a boat for sale in such a slatternly run-down condition is an affront to the person expecting the “awesome” boat of the advertisement. It actually hurts me to see good, well-designed boats so badly neglected. There are years of life left in them yet. They surely deserve better.

Today’s Thought

I love everything that’s old: old friends, old times, old manners, old wine.

— Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer

Tailpiece

“How did you knock this pedestrian down, sir?”

“I didn’t knock him down, officer. I stopped to let him cross the road and he fainted.”

(Drop by every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)

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On boat neglect and boat fever

11.49 in a, and, boat, Boat Plans, do, fever, give, heres, in, neglect, on, real, sailor, sailors, to, what, winter

THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR when many are so busy with parties and presents and family and Christmas trees that their boats tend to be neglected. Its not such a bad thing, as long as the neglect is not long-lasting. Boating fever can resume with fervor after a refreshing break, and we can all look forward to a new season of sailing in the coming spring.

As long as there had been Christmas, it has been thus. In fact, 100 years ago this is what Thomas Fleming Day, editor of The Rudder, had to say about it:

"When Winter gets up his hook and stands offshore, the boat fever comes on strong and the itch to be away on the blue again takes hold of us. Sunday finds the boys sidling off towards the yards and wading around in the slush looking over the laid-up craft.

"They walk round and round them, peer at the stern, eye the bow, comment on the spars, find fault with the bottom, and curse the price that makes it not for them. Year after year this is our amusement. Spring after spring we go through the same yards, see the same boats, and express the same opinions regarding their appearance and condition. If those boats have ears, how tired they must get, how weary of the silly comments that the boat-fevered busybody makes each March under their hulls.

"A few weeks after, the yard is almost cleared, except here and there a poor old cripple or rich mans forgotten plaything is left standing surrounded by a raffle of timber and truck. Over by the fence, lying on its side, is a once crack-a-jack racer, too rotten to be moved and going rapidly to punk.

"And we look on her and think of the days when we will be lying up against the fence, dismantled and broken, while our successors are out cleaving the blue and making a mainsheet haul of health and happiness."

 u  Well, he ended up a little maudlin, there, didnt he? I guess he was rather depressed after a Christmas that had gone on too long and kept him away from his boat.

But we, as his successors, can look forward happily to cleaving the blue once again. So Happy Christmas. Happy Hanukah. Happy Kwanzaa.

Todays Thought

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want — and their kids pay for it.

— Richard Lamm, former Governor of Colorado.

Tailpiece

"My girlfriend thinks Im a stalker."

"Your girlfriend thinks that?"

"Yeah, well, shes not actually my girlfriend yet."

(Drop by every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)

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The truth about offshore sailing

13.25 in about, Boat Plans, common, deck, epoxy, fog, in, my, offshore, on, sailing, sense, the, truth, use, warfare

IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN to a landlubber what offshore sailing is all about. But William G. Homewood found a way to do it, after he had raced from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda and back in a Ranger 26.

This is his description, as recorded in Richard Henderson’s book, Choice Yacht Designs:

“First, at home, you should go into the bedroom fully dressed and pour a bucket of water over your head. Put on your foul-weather gear and harness.  Prop up one side of the bed to an angle of 20 degrees, then pour a bucket of water over the pillow and bedding.

“Engage the services of a fork-lift (and operator) who will lift one corner of your house up into the air six feet and then let it drop down with a bang.  He should do this all night long, intermittently, without warning. Now, go to bed.

“After one hour of sleep it will be time to get out of bed, open the sliding door to the balcony, and peer out (checking the sails). At this moment a friend, well hidden, should throw a bucket of water onto the back of your head. Your jacket hood must be in the off position, as this will allow the water to run down your neck. . . .  As  you turn to go back into the bedroom, another well-hidden friend should club you over the head with a two-by-four. This simulates head blows from the  bulkheads. . . .”

There’s more that a landlubber needs to know, of course. You should fill your rubber boots with water and you should remember to throw up only on the lee side of the cockpit. You should preferably practice walking with one leg shorter than the other so as to remain upright on the slanted deck and you should develop arms like a gorilla’s so you can hang on to the handholds when a wave tries to wash you overboard.

You should also practice holding your bladder for at least eight hours because it’s impossible to get a hand on the outlet from your urinary tract when you’ve got a whole bunch of layers of clothing and waterproof pants on.

As for cheerful, sustaining hot meals — um, well, sorry feller. Ain’t gonna happen.

Today’s Thought

We have all sinned and come short of the glory of making ourselves as comfortable as we easily might have done.

— Samuel Butler the Younger, The Way of All Flesh

Tailpiece

Adolescence is a period of rapid change. Between the ages of 12 and 17, for instance, a parent can age as much as 20 years.

(Drop by every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)

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B1 a to C3 – an early example

17.04 in –, a, an, b1, Boat Plans, c3, early, example, forms, new, on, planning, portal, the, to

NOTE: For completely up-to-date and fully comprehensive coverage of the changes of use that are now authorised by the GPDO, and the way in which these are (or should be) handled by Local Planning Authorities, we would strongly recommend readers to obtain a copy of the author’s new book on the subject - ”A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PERMITTED CHANGES OF USE” published by Bath Publishing in October 2015. You can order your copy by clicking on the link on the left-hand sidebar of this page.

I happened to spot the following item among pending planning applications in Bristol the other day:

Prior approval for the change of use from detached three storey building currently as 3 separate self contained office units on lower, ground and first floors from office space within Use Class B1(a) to two-bedroom apartment on lower ground floor, and 2-bed apartment on ground floor of residential accommodation falling within Class C3 (dwellinghouses)

The application was put in the post on 10 June, was received by the LPA on 13 June and registered by them on the 14th, so congratulations to both the applicant and the LPA for being so quick off the mark on this one. No application form was available, so the applicant simply wrote a letter setting out the required information and enclosing the necessary plans. This is all that is required, so the LPA quite rightly treated it as a valid application and immediately registered it.

The application does not fit neatly into the new scheme – it is not a one-for-one change of use, so it will be interesting to see how the LPA deals with it; but (knowing the site myself) I would be a bit surprised if anyone objects.

Multiple conversions to form a group of apartments, or a block of flats, might be more problematic, so other cases may be less straightforward than this one seems to be. There could in fact be quite a rush of these applications over the next three months, especially where multiple conversions are involved, in view of the introduction of the £80 application fee on 1st October.
___________________

UPDATE (4.7.13): News is reaching me of various applications for change of use from offices to residential use that have been made over the past month to a number of different LPAs around the country. One eager and very efficient developer even managed to get their application in on 31st May! So we should begin to learn within the next few weeks how a range of different councils are handling these applications. The 56-day period will expire on the very earliest application on 26 July, and the others in the pipeline will fall due during August. It looks as though there will then be an increasing number of others following these in the months to come. There will be no prize for the first LPA that lets one of these applications through by default by failing to determine it within the time limit.

© MARTIN H GOODALL

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The joy of small simple boats

16.44 in and, boat, Boat Plans, boats, electricity, fever, idle, joy, neglect, of, on, simple, small, the, thoughts

SAILING, FOR MANY GOOD REASONS, tends to be regarded by the general public as a complicated and expensive pastime. But it needn’t be. Small simple boats can afford pleasure and gratification out of all proportion to their cost. And small gentle voyages can generate as much joy and satisfaction as long adventurous ones.

The man or woman who gingerly sails a dinghy along a friendly shore is no less worthy of our respect than the sailor who braves the mighty ocean. 

We all have our own areas of anxiety and doubt in our own abilities, and when we conquer our fears it is just as much a triumph to cross the bay as it is for someone of sterner nature to cross an ocean.

And yet, human nature being what it is, we tend to judge other sailors by the size of their boats and how far they’ve traveled: their most distant ports, and the length of their voyages.

Now it is true that sailors who cross oceans in small boats perform prodigious feats of seamanship because they sail the same seas as big ships that have large crews specializing in the various skills needed to move people and cargoes across oceans. Sailboat sailors are their own cooks and navigators. They are their own engineers and riggers. They handle the sails and anchors and electrical circuits. And they face exactly the same hazards as large ships, including the storms, the rocks, and even pirates.

Yet, at the same time, to take a small boat across a body of water of any size is no small feat. To each his own goals and ambitions. We all set our own limits, and who can gainsay our individual achievements? What we all seek deep down is a feeling of ability, of achievement, of confidence. And sailing a small boat on a small voyage often does generate the confidence we need to deal with the greater troubles the world constantly throws at us.

Seamanship is as much a set of the mind as anything else. You are the only judge of your seamanship. We challenge ourselves, we feel fear, and sometimes we get more fear than we bargained for, but we learn and we gain confidence, and are not as frightened quite as much the next time. And there always is a next time for those who challenge themselves.

Today’s Thought

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage.

— R. L. Stevenson
Tailpiece

Mary had a little lamb

That leaped around in hops

It hopped into the road one day

And ended up as chops.

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