Great Yarmouth to the Thames

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robinborton

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I plan to move my boat from Great Yarmouth to her new berth on the Thames at Chertsey hopefully over a weekend in March .....it may stretch to 3 days.
I have plotted a course for the first leg to overnight at Burnham on Crouch (70nm)
Does anyone who knows this coast have any tips ? is this a good place to stop meaning is it relatively easy ?.
I have limited experience ,the boat is 27ft, cruises at 23 + knots in good conditions and I have the necessary safety gear.
Any advice gratefuly received
 
<font color=blue>Give yourself plenty of sea room, don't trust your charts and don't cut any corners.

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Keep well clear of the overfalls on the ebb at Orfordness. Also a maize of badly marked fishing nets between Southwold and Felixstowe so leave plenty of room between you and the land and keep a good look out.


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BroadsandEastcoastBoating/>Broads & East Coast Boating</A>
 
Done this trip several times and if you time it right you can make it into the Upper Thames in one hop. Last time we left Lowestoft at 0500 and were eating lunch at Hampton Court by 1330.
Failing that- Burnham is a good place to stop, especially if the marina restaurant is open.
Just time your departure to get the flood up to Teddington and don't leave too early or you won't have enough under you up to Richmond - time it to arrive after the barrier is raised.
Watch for crab pots, and the buoyage can be a little confusing off the Crouch estuary - but it sorts itself out once you get close.
Have a good trip.

Trev
 
I had some revenge on the toerag !! poxy nets all over the place with a plastic bottle to mark some . I soon had my cable cutter to work.

Cheers
Mick

smile you'l be on your boat soon ;-)
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We are planning a return to the Essex Coast this summer, and have been looking at an over night stopover going from Thames to R Deben.
Decided on Shotley, as close to main sea route.

Burnham is nice but it is a long way off your main sea route. You also have to go a long way back out before you hang a right to continue on up the Thames Estuary. That is unless you decide to take the Havengore passage from Burnham which cuts off a huge corner, but read your pilot books and take advice from locals as to whether the time is right. I believe max draft is 1 metre, and suggest spring high tides only over the broomway.
 
Could always make it to Chatham Marina on first leg rather than Crouch no tide probs 9nm off estuary. I have a trip planned from Chatham to Gt Yarmouth 93nm


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>
 
I agree that Burnham on Crouch is not the most attractive stop for the reasons outlined earlier. However if you cruise at 23 kts then Shotley is a bit too close to make a logical stop-over. Given also that it is your first passage, I do not recommend a non-stop trip because the timing is critical. Also, DO NOT be tempted by the Havengore passage unless you are thoroughly confident in your knowledge of the local waters!

Another option is to pick up a buoy at Queenborough Harbour, which is only 20 minutes or so off your direct course. You can dinghy ashore to the All Tide Landing (ATL) if you want to sample the two local pubs or the yacht club. The pubs, club and local shops can supply the 50p token required to re-enter the ATL.

Alternatively, if you feel up to a longer first leg, consider pressing on to central London, about another 3 hours on from the South Whitaker buoy - St Katherine's is the most attractive marina, but South Dock and Limehouse offer longer lock openings if you find the journey takes longer than planned.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Nigel

Medway Motor Yacht Club
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mmyc.co.uk>http://www.mmyc.co.uk</A>
 
Agree about pressing on to London, but even at 23 kts might be a bit long for first passage.

Queenborough good on distance basis, but what a dismal place!
Sorry those on the Medway. Maybe it's always grey when I stop there.

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<font color=blue>I know what you mean Mike. There's a cloud that always seems to hang over Queenborough making it grey and dismal. On the other hand could it be that you like me press on to a nicer stop-over spot when the eweather is nice?

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Planning a trip to Gt Yarmouth then Brundall this Fri'Sat so will let you know how we get on and hopefully tips on what to avoid.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>
 
Perhaps do Robin a favour and solve your logistic problems of how to get back from darkest Narfuk to Charm by bringing Robin's boat back on Sat\Sun.

Sort of kill two birds with one stone eh?

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This month's MBM, which arrived today, gives a good report of getting into the Broads at Lowestoft. Might be useful?

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Easier to get into Brundall through Yarmouth.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BroadsandEastcoastBoating/>Broads & East Coast Boating</A>
 
Thanks everyone for such good advice it really does make a difference.
If like me you lack experience you try and compensate best you can by preparation so learning from you all does help.
Sun-Coast I will be looking out for your story and will report back with mine as and when
Thanks

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At Lowestoft you have a bridge and to pre book the lock to get onto the Broads and I have been in the lock for up to an hour. Those that do not know the Broads and without a map of the rivers might not find their way quite so easily to Brundall as going in from Yarmouth.

Yarmouth has 2 bridges which can be booked to lift , Haven Bridge is around 9'6" at MHW with around 3 - 7' tide range. Time it right and you don't need a bridge lift, can zoom accross Breydon at this time of year, keep to stbd and meet the River at the Berney Arms.
Shorter distance of river to navigate at slower speed and a more direct route to Brundall. IMHO :-)

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We ('experienced' mate and I) did this last year, in my Freeman 32. Picked some awful weather - back at displacement speeds for some of the trip.

We took our time, Great Yarmouth into horrid seas and diverted into Lowestoft where the Yacht Club was good but pricey. Then to Shotley for a nice stop and some calking. Then to Chatham - smashing marina, but the single-handed trip up the Medway was a nightmare (so bad we might do it again but more carefully). Chatham to London and our berth at Bray no trouble.

Picked sensible routes from the charts, stayed a little further out than we might have done on the advice of 'locals'.

Didn't experience any problems with fishing nets...

When are you going?

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"but the single-handed trip up the Medway was a nightmare " why was it a NIghtmare Alpha?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>
 
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