Great Yarmouth Haven Bridge

[ianc1200]

I'm trying to find out what the air draft of this bridge is unopened - low tide, and the what depth of water there is. Can see it has started opening again, but also watched a video of a motorboat coming back from Wells, deciding to not go in at Great Yarmouth because tide wrong, then finding Mutford Railway bridge wouldn't swing, and reverting back to go under the Haven Bridge. At the right state of the tide would a 3.3m air draft/1.1m draft boat get under the unopened Haven bridge? (I'm looking at buying a motorboat, and going to the Broads from Titchmarsh, have done the Mutford Lock route before but it can be a bit of a faff).

Herring Bridge/3rd crossing looks OK at 4.5m at MHWS.

The video I watched;

 

[Leighb]

The Broads map by Heron maps, shows it as 2.9m, this would be at average HW Spring tides, you should have no problem with 3.3m aircraft as long as you avoid HW.

 

[pandroid]

The Broads map by Heron maps, shows it as 2.9m, this would be at average HW Spring tides, you should have no problem with 3.3m aircraft as long as you avoid HW.

Heron (and Peel Ports) do indeed quote 2.9m for AHWS, but Navionics and others quote 1.8m, presumably HAT. Peel Ports quote 4.6m above chart datum which I guess is definitive.

 

[The Q]

The Green book, says average summer high water air draft 2.9m and 26m width.
The green book from the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association is the ultimate reference guide for the Broads. I'd trust their bridge clearance figures.
Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association

 

[snowbird30ds]

I can fold down to 9 foot and have always got under at half tide or less, depth should not be an issue at any state of tide.

 

[Plum]

Heron (and Peel Ports) do indeed quote 2.9m for AHWS, but Navionics and others quote 1.8m, presumably HAT. Peel Ports quote 4.6m above chart datum which I guess is definitive.

The Peel Ports document here says the Haven bridge is 4.3m above chart datum https://www.peelports.com/media/owb...mation-and-booking-bridge-lifts-july-2024.pdf Which is right?

Back in 2019, when I went under it, I calculated it at 4.8m above CD and that worked for me!

 

[snowbird30ds]

Be aware it's now £20 for a passage through and has to be pre booked wether bridge lifts or not, can only be booked in office hours.

 

[Leighb]

Be aware it's now £20 for a passage through and has to be pre booked wether bridge lifts or not, can only be booked in office hours.

Do you really mean you have to pay £20 just to motor under the bridge requiring no intervention by the harbour staff? !! A fee is fair enough if they have to turn out to lift it, it seems that it is just a charge for being daft enough to go to Yarmouth.

 

[ianc1200]

The Peel Ports document here says the Haven bridge is 4.3m above chart datum https://www.peelports.com/media/owb...mation-and-booking-bridge-lifts-july-2024.pdf Which is right?

Back in 2019, when I went under it, I calculated it at 4.8m above CD and that worked for me!

Thanks Colin, I believe you then take height of tide off the height above datum you'll get headroom under bridge, so for this afternoon (I'm not doing it today, just trying to work out how to do) the Broads Authority say LW at Gorleston is 0.04m at 15.26pm. So the air draft would be 4.8 - 0.04 = 4.97m. Are there any other factors to allow for - eg river narrower at that point perhaps water higher locally under bridge? But if this is the way to calculate it there's a lot of contingency for a 3.3m boat.

 

[Slowboat35]

I think that charge is simply for the 'privilege' of transiting Yarmouth harbour!

 

[Alpha22]

Having done both GY and Lowestoft I much prefer Lowestoft. No tides or flows to worry about. Easy moorings everywhere. No dramas.

 

[Leighb]

I think that charge is simply for the 'privilege' of transiting Yarmouth harbour!

Is this a recent change? I don't remember a specific charge when I went in and out, but it was some years ago and with a yacht that did require a bridge lift. I do remember that the Harbour Authority were very efficient and helpful. I obviously had to buy a Broads Licence, but did that at Mutford when I first entered that year.

 

[snowbird30ds]

The charge came in this year, there always was a charge but it was waived for vessels going to or from the broads.

 

[Leighb]

Thanks, at least my memory isn’t failing

 

[Plum]

Thanks Colin, I believe you then take height of tide off the height above datum you'll get headroom under bridge, so for this afternoon (I'm not doing it today, just trying to work out how to do) the Broads Authority say LW at Gorleston is 0.04m at 15.26pm. So the air draft would be 4.8 - 0.04 = 4.97m. Are there any other factors to allow for - eg river narrower at that point perhaps water higher locally under bridge? But if this is the way to calculate it there's a lot of contingency for a 3.3m boat.

The Broads Authority do not use Chart Datum (Lowest Astronomical Tide), they use Mean Low Water. My tide tables for Gorleston for this afternoon show 0.7m above CD. So this would make your max air draft calculation 4.1m.

 

[Plum]

Thanks Colin, I believe you then take height of tide off the height above datum you'll get headroom under bridge, so for this afternoon (I'm not doing it today, just trying to work out how to do) the Broads Authority say LW at Gorleston is 0.04m at 15.26pm. So the air draft would be 4.8 - 0.04 = 4.97m. Are there any other factors to allow for - eg river narrower at that point perhaps water higher locally under bridge? But if this is the way to calculate it there's a lot of contingency for a 3.3m boat.

and don't rely on the clearance gauge boards for Low Water clearances, see picture of the ones at Gt Yarmouth Vauxhall Bridge I took on the way through.....

 

[Alpha22]

The charge came in this year, there always was a charge but it was waived for vessels going to or from the broads.

How it it administered? What if you don't pay?

 

[snowbird30ds]

You have to call their accounts department, I believe it doubles if not prepaid.
Not been through this year as used lowestoft.

 

[Greg2]

Not only is there now a charge for transiting the port but, as I understand it, you also have to book regardless of whether you need a bridge lift and if you do need lifts then each of the three bridges has their own booking process and there isn’t a ‘one stop shop’, so it is a bit of a phaff.

We rarely used Gt Yarmouth to access or leave the Broads as Mutford lock is so straightforward and with an overnight stop at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk as an option it was always the more appealing route.