After several months, well about 18 months and reams of paper work, our plans to develop Cox's Boatyard have been approved. This will now enable us to bring Cox's Boatyard into the 21st Century. The development will be completed in phases spread over several years. The first phase will see the demolition of the two dangerous wooden sheds at the entrance to the yard, the digging out of a basin for three moorings and the construction of a small reed panel fence on the boundary to the parish staithe. This phase should be started early next year.

The subsequent development phases will include the installation of a new slipway and mobile boat hoist, which will enable boats to be moved around the yard in a safer and more efficient manner; the erection of one new larger workshop and storage shed and the building of two holiday apartments with wet boatsheds underneath. All of the existing boatsheds will be demolished and the boatyard will have a more 'open' look whilst preserving the character of the traditional boatyard.

The picture above is an artist's impression of what the site will look like when completed. We have worked hard with our designer, Bill Glover, and the Broads Authority planning staff to ensure that the yard will blend well with the surrounding landscape whilst developing the yard to offer much better facilities for undertaking work on boats and securing its ongoing viability.

Pump out - In the spring newsletter we talked about offering a new service of pumping out boat toilet tanks. After talking to several customers and finding out what people were being charged elsewhere we decided that, unfortunately, this would not be a viable service for us as Cox's Boatyard to provide. The main reason is that we are not on the mains sewage system like other yards and we would have to pay to remove the sewage by tanker which would add significantly to the cost of providing the service and we would not be able to do so competitively.

Website - If you have not looked recently we have updated the site and changed it around, adding two new sections History and News, the history includes information about the earliest days of a boatyard at Barton Turf up to the present day and the philosophy of the consortium which rescued Cox's Boatyard in 1995 in running the yard. The News section gives more detail about the development of the yard and will follow the work as it progresses as well as other items of interest.

Winter maintenance - We have enclosed or attached the winter maintenance questionnaire. Easter next year is 6th - 9th April and there is also a long weekend 2nd - 5th June which includes the diamond Jubilee bank holiday. So Please fill in the form and send it back to me as early as possible as we are bound to be very busy in the lead up to Easter and should not like to disappoint you. As is the normal position the most important date is the launch date. It would be helpful to receive completed forms by 1 November 2011, especially if there is a large amount of work to be undertaken as this will allow us to plan the workload and ensure that your boat is ready when you want it.

This year we have undertaken a wide range of work including building three new pontoons for the Norfolk Punt Club, replacing a section of hog in a motor cruiser, constructing a new keel for a sailing cruiser, converting a sailing cruiser from diesel power to electric, fitting two new engines, four bow thrusters, removing and fitting hundreds of feet of planking, and applying hundreds of litres of painting and antifouling and countless other small jobs.

Lilies - This year we have tried to keep them down by cutting them. If anybody has any query or a large clump growing near their craft and is concerned please contact me.

Recycling - The large green bin by the large shed is for recycling and the grey one is for general waste. Items, which can be recycled and should be placed in the green bin are:

• Food and drink cans (aluminium and steel)
• Aerosols (empty)
• Plastic bottles* (drinks, bleach, shampoo bottles etc)
• Paper (not shredded) and cardboard

Please remember that there are two bottle bank bins on the parish staithe.

It just leaves me to thank you for your support and I hope that you enjoy using your boats over the late summer season.

Eric Bishop
Manager