east coast cruising

bastonjock

bastonjock

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Hi Guys
Ive tried searching on the subject but i am still none the wiser.As im new to this salty sea dog sailing lark.Ive been looking at the charts for anchorages in an area =or_50nm of wells next the sea.
in other words im a complete novice and would like to potter up and down from my chosen harbour and stop off at small villages towns etc for the evening.
This year will be a learning curve,im doing the day skipper course next week,im really looking forward to all of this,i came up with this crazy idea last summer to go and buy a boat and since then its become an obsession.
so can you chaps that have sailed these waters point me at any interesting anchorages/places?
 
Hi Jock
I see you have had some chats with one of our forumites T25 so he will no doubt tell you to look for others for info shortly...he is usually up at this time of night too /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

anyway....local to wells you are really looking at sitting on some putty....Gibralter point should be interesting if you like seals but apart from that i believe you are DAY sailing
If you ever get further south i shall be delighted to create a wave for you to surf along.
 
Hi Jock
As Dougie said , I am about at this time of night but take it from me , we are both in the same position
I'm hoping to move to Wells so no doubt we will get together some time but if you look at the charts for the area you might notice that even as far as East coasters go , we don't have a lot of water to play with . When the tide is out it is very much out which makes it ideal if you want to dry out and have a scrub or add some anti foul but not too good for sailing
I'll be aiming at learning the ropes to start with which means going out to open water as soon as the tides are right and coming back in under the same , then whilst I'm out it will be mostly navigation to avoid the lumps underneath
There are quite a few places of interest in the area and Gib. point is only one but I've found the best way of finding them is to use google earth to look around and then compare what you see with what's on the charts
If you use msn.messenger I can put you in touch with a very experienced puddle jumper ( Wash sailor ) who can tell you so much more than I can , but he doesn't do forums so he isn't going to see your question
Hope to see you soon and we can compare notes

P.S. I'm Dave
 
You are going to the wrong place to learn to sail and to sail on a regular basis. If the Wash was a good area to sail there would be loads of boats there as it is nearer to East Midland cities

There is nowhere to go from Wells. Once you are very experienced you may be prepared to go to Brancaster and Blakney(spelling?) but you will have to stay out at sea for a tide with no hope of having a port of refuge. Going in and out of those tidal estuaries is not for a novice at all. I will ditch crawl into most places but Gibraltar Point is virtually impossible to get into. Drive round ther and talk to the owners of the few boats moored there. They will tell you they get out 2 or 3 times a year at most. Most of the owners are just happy going down to their boats and doing odd jobs on them.

You need to either go on the Norfolk Broads or to go further down the East Coast to the Deben Stour, Walton Backwaters etc.

You could learn to sail on a river like the Deben without having to leave the river. Even if the weather takes a turn for the worse you would be safe and sheltered on the river.

I don't think that there is anyone on this East Coast forum who sails from Wells. They are virtually all from the Deben/Ore down to the Thames Estuary.
 
I totally disagree with MrCramp.
The Wash and the North Norfolk coast is a fantasic place to sail.
I go into Gibralter point at least once a year (they have a bbq every year). There are many other places to go. Thornham, Brancaster, Burnham,Wells, Blakeney. Then going into the Wash there is Kings lynn and onto the Ouse, Wisbeach, The wonderfull new facilities at Fosdyke yacht Haven , Boston and Gibralter point. Grimsby is easily done in a day and from there onto Hull of the Yorkshire coast.

Okay you may struggle for a "port of refuge" at low water but because there are so many sand banks shelter is usually easy to find.

Brancaster is our favorite port of call, the kids love it.

We hold a cricket match out on the sandbanks every year. This year will will be holding it on 5th july.
 
please keep he opinions coming,i find that the forums are a great place to learn

paul as i am a jock and have no understanding of that silly English Game called cricket /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ill volunteer for barbie duty or something.
im looking forward to going into varoius harbours etc and maybee even the odd trip south to Cromer/Sherringham,i have noticed on the charts that yachts are asked to stay out on the 10m contour because of the crap pots,does this mean that we cant go ashore there?

As for having nowhere to run,one of the main reasons that i chose a macgregor was its ability to do 15kn under power,and i hoping that the centerboard and ruders will do as they are designed to do and kick up and not break.whilst it may not be a great sailing boat,its great for a novice.

My wife loves the wells area and im hoping that she will take to sailing,the same goes with my children.

i can always trailer my boat down to the orwel/deben areas all i need is a slipway and somewhere to park.
 
I am somewhat surprised that any experienced sailor would reccomend Wells and the Wash as a good place for a totall novice to go to learn to sail/motorsail a Macgregor 26 with his wife and children.

The easiest way to put a SWMBO and children off boating is to get into difficult situations and scare them stiff. If we were considering a very experienced boater perhaps with a bilge keel boat then I am sure the tidal apertures of the Wash would be fun to explore.

The minute the keels and rudders of a Macgregor are lifted the boats looses all its directional ability. It is a boat designed for the American Lakes, not the North Sea. I would still recomend the Norfolk Broads as being a good place for a novice with wife and kids and a Macgregor to start boating.
 
i have no intention of exposing my wife or children to a hazzardous situation,i have spent a lot of time studying the tides and the charts,if the Macgregor is not suitable for the North sea,then why are there so many of them at wells?seven of them at my last count,

Skippers have taken their Macgregors all the way to Alaska,theres one nut called mad mike who has sat out 75mph hurricanes in his macgregor,i have no abitions to equal him.It may well be that after a season or two ill decide to go for a Macwester or some other suitable bilge keeler,but i think that the macgregor is a more suitable boat for learning,remember that i can return to port or to a safe area a lot quicker than say with a bilge keeler

iam not some pedestrian who has got the boat bug,i have spent some time on boats and ships,i worked the North sea as a rig diver.I am a qualified rescuer,i have sailed as crew as far out west as rockall.

When i decided to take up sailing with my own boat,the first thing that i did was to look up the relevant RYA training scheme,ive done RYA 1&2 and then progressed onto doing the day skipper theory and next week i will do the day skipper(tidal) practical course,next will be VHF and then the RYA first aid. I have also spent two weeks under the guidance of friends up in scotland sailing around oban

I have discussed my sailing area with my buddies from back home,who have around 2 centurys of sailing experience between them,one of them having circumnavigated the globe as skipper of his own Altantique 45,they seem to think that im addressing the issue in a safe manner.
 
Jock
If you are doing DS practical next week you might get the instructor to do the VHF at the same time. i would assume you are using the same school for each and they will probably offer a discount on one of them
Not sure if you should have the VHF before you do the practical.... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hi Guys
in other words im a complete novice and would like to potter up and down from my chosen harbour and stop off at small villages towns etc for the evening.
This year will be a learning curve,im doing the day skipper course next week,im really looking forward to all of this,i came up with this crazy idea last summer to go and buy a boat and since then its become an obsession.
so can you chaps that have sailed these waters point me at any interesting anchorages/places?

[/ QUOTE ]

You did say in your first post (above) that you are a complete novice, but in your last post you give a different picture as you have had some excellent experience at sea.

I was only trying to be helpfull and I have just given you my honest opinion in answer to you question. We have all been through the saga of having our first boat and I just think it is easier to handle in a safe, sheltered environment.

I always think that there is a vast difference between a group of chaps going out on a boat, all responsible for themselves, and a chap taking his wife and kids where he has sole responsibility for all of them.

The north Norfolk coast has some beautiful sandy beaches and is ideal for kids and the water is clear. One drawback of the coast further south is the mud, and the muddy water. If kids get in the mud you would definately not want them back on your boat!

Good luck and I hope you and your family have a great season.
 
Hi Guys

i never thought of that one,asking the DS instructor to do my VHF ticket at the same time,the DS course is a birthday present from my wife,we are off to La Gomera((canaries).,she will be doing competent crew

mr cramp,thank you for your imput,you are correct i should have described my sailing experience more in detail,im hoping for fair weather this coming bank holiday weekend so that i may sail along the wash and into wells for my first journey.

some of my stanger experiences so far have been with knots, after working as a diver i find it easier to tie them if i dont look at the rope,come from years of working with no viz.

T25,do you know anything about the lock at fulney in Spalding?i.e do you have to call up the EA to open the gates up?Ive got an idea about putting my boat in at crowland and motoring down to the wash via fulney and fosdyke
 
Hi Jock
If you're thinking about the slipway at Crowland then you're looking at my intended route if I don't make it for the group craning in at Pinchbeck which puts me one lock short of tidal waters at Seas End , but the problem there is that you have to keep your mast down from Crowland through to Fulney
From Fulney you're fine but I'm hoping to avoid going through Spalding
As far as I know , if you have the right keys you can get through Fulney without the EA being involved but if you let me know when you intend launching I'll make some enquiries ( it's ten minutes from here so no problem )
If you need a hand ( I have certain keys that are not normally available ) just shout and I'll be there
 
There is a slipway on the Welland next to Fosdyke bridge (upstream).
The EA will issue you with a key for a small fee (£10 I think). The tides don't half run down there but if you plan for slack high water shouldn't be a problem. You could always speak to David at Fosdyke yacht haven and get a night on his pontoons to give yourself time to rig the boat etc.

I launch mine a Chapel Hill on the River Witham.

Why not launch from the Staithe at Brancaster ? Have a blast around the harbour without going to sea....
 
ive tried the slipway at fosdyke,unfortunatley my trailer grounds out there,ive got the option of the public slipway at Wells and thanks for the tip about brancaster,its more a case of wanting to swanny down the river and out to sea.

I have had my boat on the nene,i went through all of the EA requirements and ive got the "key" as long as the same key covers me for Fulney,ill be fine.

The rough plan is to drop the boat in at Crowland,then motor down,maybe after Spalding i will raise the mast.Im aiming to put her in on Thursday evening,sleep overnight and leave early at first light,this way i wont need to dodge bank holiday traffic and find a place to park the trailer and car.

Ive been working on the boat today /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif,i fitted a windex,a motor mount and ran some cables,im feeling quite happy with myself.

T25 if you want to come by and say hello at crowland /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif on the Thursday
 
Hi Jock
Haven't actually tried the slipway at Fosdyke but it looks to me like it's best used at high tide and not for very long even then , a little too short for my liking
Checked Fulney lock and the outside gate is an NR4 padlock so I presume any others will be the same , I have an NR6 so should be able to use it on a 4 but I forgot to take it to check
Are you talking about launching this coming Thursday ?
If so , what time and I'll try and get over there . Wife is having fun practising her photographic skills so if you don't mind , she thinks it could be a good photo opportunity
If launching at Crowland in the evening , how far are you intending to go on the first leg ?
Crowland to Spalding is a fair treck but Welland Yacht Club have a semi secure visitors mooring if you wanted to moor for the night then go through Spalding in daylight
Just a thought but what's the height of your mast ? and will it clear Fosdyke bridge ?
If not , just contact David as Paul says and I'm sure he'll be happy for you to sort out the rigging before setting off
If you need a hand let me know . If you have to land while going through Spalding it can be a bit of a pig on your own
 
Hi T25

Im looking to launch on the thursday of bank holiday weekend,after i finish work,ill head to crowland,i should get there for about 6,it will probably be too late to head to spalding,so i was going to moor up at Crowland in anticipation of an early start.
As far as bridge heights go,i can raise and lower the mast on my mac using a tool that comes with the boat,ill probably keep the mast in its crutch untill i get to Fulney or fosdyke.

As far as the keys for fulney go,i had a look at the padlock on the gate next to the lorry place,its different to the padlock on the barrier at either fosdyke or crowland

and yes your right about that ramp at fosdyke,it looks a bit hairy
 
Hi Jock
I'll send a PM with my phone number so we can make arrangements to meet and I'll check to make sure my key works on that lock tomorrow ( it should as it's almost a master key for those locks ) but it might make things easier if you aim to get through Fulney and aim for Seas End first
I am reasonably sure I can sort out a short term mooring there so you can make final checks in tidal waters before moving to Wells without leaving shelter ( obviously no charge or I wouldn't suggest it ) and it should also allow time to adjust and relax too . The trip from Crowland to Spalding is long and boring so if you aim to have a break in Spalding before going through Fulney you're giving yourself a better chance . Then once through Fulney you can aim for Seas End and do final checks before aiming for Fosdyke where you have your last chance for a break ( and emergency lift out if needed ) before heading for Wells
That would be my plan anyway but obviously I don't know all your circumstances or experience so open to interpretation
Pick up the PM and ring me most evenings
 
Hi Jock
Back again
I managed to get to the lock in daylight today and it seems things have changed slightly
To get through Fulney lock now entails getting the Environment Agency involved and the man you need to talk to is one Paul Stiles ( I'll PM his number ) so you'll need to contact him as soon as possible to give him plenty of warning to be at the lock . He will lock you through but only at certain times so best to speak to him sooner rather than later
 
Hi T25

thanks for all the work,i kind of suspected that fulney was different from other lock gates,i manage to track down on the web a site "the tuesday night club" in it these guys have done a lot on the welland etc,when they got to fulney,there are photos of the EA guys opening up the gates
 
As a member of the Tuesday Night Club who did the first trip up the Welland, which was successful into Spalding & up to the top, we came seriously unstuck in getting the EA to let us out of Fulney, which they obviously didn't know how to do. They would only let us out on a falling tide (we were itching to do it ouselves, as the gates are designed to ensure salt water doesn't get into the fresh, but the youg EA guys were under strict instructions), which meant waiting ver an hour, and then we couldn't get into The Glen at Surfleet, turned into the creek as the prearranged opened guillotine was dropping, and so had to sit out the tides here. This was in two narrowboats. I wasn't on the second trip, but if you need info PM me and I can put you in touch with Neil who organised it all.

IanC
 
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