Bru
Well-Known Member
Due to the vagaries of the tides, I propose we change the date, if at all possible, to the weekend of June the 25th / 26th
Afternoon HW Heybridge (Maldon - 3 mins) on the Friday is 16:12 BST, on Saturday 16:51 BST and morning HW on Sunday is 05:13 BST and on Monday 06:00 BST
It's a couple of days after Springs rather than neaps and the locking times mean a daylight arrival and departure (not that it's hard in the dark, been there, done that, but daylight is more civilised!)
I venture to suggest that the Dash be held on the Sunday unless anyone has strong objections. My logic being that it will be quieter in Chelmsford (on the roads) and that the Sunday will suit those working during the week and arriving by motor contrivance better (for myself, I'm easy as coincidentally, and it is coincidence, honestly, Jane and I are planning to be out and about for 10 days or so either side of that weekend)
I'll reconnoitre the Chelmsford end at some point and discuss with Essex Waterways the best place to convene and launch taking into account the suggestions already made on the other threads. My thinking would be to arrange to meet at the Chelmsford end by 08:30 on the day (with transport for people and dinghies arranged from Heybridge to Chelmsford for those in need), offload the kit and, leaving plenty of people to start inflating and launching, shuffle as many vehicles down to Heybridge as possible before we set off
It's 6.1 miles and 7 locks from Springfield Basin to Papermill Lock. I reckon it will take us around 3 hours allowing for portage around the locks and slowed progress due to weed. So ff we get the daft dash underway by around 10:00, we would be stopping for lunch about 13:00.
Underway again at about 14:00 should see us arrive at Heybridge Basin about 17:30 leaving a reasonable couple of hours to deflate dinghies, load up, shuffle vehicles etc. before convening in the hostelry of choice about 19:30 for those who don't need to sling their 'ook pronto
Finally I suggest we convene for the evening convivialities in the Jolly Sailor if they can accommodate the numbers (it will need to be booked) or failing that the Old Ship (which is OK, just not quite as nice as the Sailor but a lot more space). It's a fair hike up to Maldon and a bloody long stagger back so personally I'd rather quaff ale at the Basin
I will need to block book the visitors moorings pdq (assuming the weekend chosen isn't already booked by another group which would be a bummer) so I need to know who is up for it, name and length of boat, and which day they propose to arrive (Friday or Saturday or even earlier - Erbas or Bigger Boat if we've got her by then may well be there from the Thursday as Jane has yet to visit Maldon and Heybridge so we'll probably make a long weekend of it) and if they propose to leave on the 06:00 high tide on the Monday morning or some other time (it would be just about feasible to get out on the Sunday afternoon but it would mean an earlier start time from Chelmsford and a shorter break at Paper Mill Lock and it wouldn't leave much in hand for having to paddle through weed etc so I suggest it would be better not to try!)
Each dinghy on the dash will require a licence. For powered craft this is £19 for the day with discounts for group bookings - 30% if there's 6 or more of us which would bring the cost down to £13.30 each. If anybody proposes to use an electric outboard the standard charge is £11 and any mad fool who is prepared to row the whole way would only pay a fiver! Again, I will have to arrange this en-bloc with Essex Waterways well in advance
The licence does not include use of the locks. I don't propose to use the locks! It will be significantly quicker to portage around the locks and there is no day licence price listed for craft requiring to use the locks (if anybody wants to do it using the locks, they'll have to make their own arrangements and be aware that they are unlikely to be able to keep up with the dinghies - it will take a matter of minutes to portage and the locks are, I'm told, sloooowwwwww!)
The detailed logistics I'll leave until later but I'd be grateful if anybody who can help move kit around let's me know
Sits back and awaits the flack ....
Afternoon HW Heybridge (Maldon - 3 mins) on the Friday is 16:12 BST, on Saturday 16:51 BST and morning HW on Sunday is 05:13 BST and on Monday 06:00 BST
It's a couple of days after Springs rather than neaps and the locking times mean a daylight arrival and departure (not that it's hard in the dark, been there, done that, but daylight is more civilised!)
I venture to suggest that the Dash be held on the Sunday unless anyone has strong objections. My logic being that it will be quieter in Chelmsford (on the roads) and that the Sunday will suit those working during the week and arriving by motor contrivance better (for myself, I'm easy as coincidentally, and it is coincidence, honestly, Jane and I are planning to be out and about for 10 days or so either side of that weekend)
I'll reconnoitre the Chelmsford end at some point and discuss with Essex Waterways the best place to convene and launch taking into account the suggestions already made on the other threads. My thinking would be to arrange to meet at the Chelmsford end by 08:30 on the day (with transport for people and dinghies arranged from Heybridge to Chelmsford for those in need), offload the kit and, leaving plenty of people to start inflating and launching, shuffle as many vehicles down to Heybridge as possible before we set off
It's 6.1 miles and 7 locks from Springfield Basin to Papermill Lock. I reckon it will take us around 3 hours allowing for portage around the locks and slowed progress due to weed. So ff we get the daft dash underway by around 10:00, we would be stopping for lunch about 13:00.
Underway again at about 14:00 should see us arrive at Heybridge Basin about 17:30 leaving a reasonable couple of hours to deflate dinghies, load up, shuffle vehicles etc. before convening in the hostelry of choice about 19:30 for those who don't need to sling their 'ook pronto
Finally I suggest we convene for the evening convivialities in the Jolly Sailor if they can accommodate the numbers (it will need to be booked) or failing that the Old Ship (which is OK, just not quite as nice as the Sailor but a lot more space). It's a fair hike up to Maldon and a bloody long stagger back so personally I'd rather quaff ale at the Basin
I will need to block book the visitors moorings pdq (assuming the weekend chosen isn't already booked by another group which would be a bummer) so I need to know who is up for it, name and length of boat, and which day they propose to arrive (Friday or Saturday or even earlier - Erbas or Bigger Boat if we've got her by then may well be there from the Thursday as Jane has yet to visit Maldon and Heybridge so we'll probably make a long weekend of it) and if they propose to leave on the 06:00 high tide on the Monday morning or some other time (it would be just about feasible to get out on the Sunday afternoon but it would mean an earlier start time from Chelmsford and a shorter break at Paper Mill Lock and it wouldn't leave much in hand for having to paddle through weed etc so I suggest it would be better not to try!)
Each dinghy on the dash will require a licence. For powered craft this is £19 for the day with discounts for group bookings - 30% if there's 6 or more of us which would bring the cost down to £13.30 each. If anybody proposes to use an electric outboard the standard charge is £11 and any mad fool who is prepared to row the whole way would only pay a fiver! Again, I will have to arrange this en-bloc with Essex Waterways well in advance
The licence does not include use of the locks. I don't propose to use the locks! It will be significantly quicker to portage around the locks and there is no day licence price listed for craft requiring to use the locks (if anybody wants to do it using the locks, they'll have to make their own arrangements and be aware that they are unlikely to be able to keep up with the dinghies - it will take a matter of minutes to portage and the locks are, I'm told, sloooowwwwww!)
The detailed logistics I'll leave until later but I'd be grateful if anybody who can help move kit around let's me know
Sits back and awaits the flack ....
