BOATING and the BROOM OWNERS CLUB

Originally this site was a blog provided the platform for publishing some early accounts of happy family boating cruises in 1982 onwards from which my love of boating and waterways stemmed. Now, I can look back and trace the development of this hobby into a pursuit and then a passion leading to subsequent epic cruises around the Northern European coast and Inland Waterways of France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands detailed formerly at http://lady-martina.blogspot.co.uk/ and then latterly. in www.ladymartina.com  These experiences directly led to the publishing of the book Inland Waterways of the Netherlands co-authored with my then partner Louise who still updates the web site inlandwaterwaysofthenetherlands.com. Becoming more of a lifestyle and duty for us as we founded the Broom Owners Club after that boat maker had still lacked an owners club after 100 years of operation and three past failed attempts. The BOC now has some 450 boats registered and thus about 900 active owning members. We then helped with the organisation of the Cruising Association as had been unincorporated since its foundation in 1908 and helped it become a company Limited by Guarantee, myself as a first Director and Council member and Louise as Web team member and HLR for The Netherlands at the time, I still now retain a role as the HLR for Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and The Broads and a member of various sections. My final boating contributions were as Vice Chair of the Broads Authority and Chairman of its Navigation Committee and now i work with others who are in more prominent roles to seek reform of that much-criticised unaccountable quango.