Lowestoft to Burnham

[ShawnMaloney94]

So I’ve just brought a 25 foot sail boat and have to move her from Lowestoft to burnham (this weekend) pretty new to this sailing stuff so need some advice with route and how long this should take and also if I should do it in one hit. Any help would be much appreciated

 

[LittleSister]

Sorry to sound negative, but a number of things you say make me wonder whether you are well prepared to make this trip. I'll tell you why before I offer any direct answers to your query.

First red flag is you saying you have to move her this weekend. You don't. That's a dangerous assumption to make. You can always leave it there until the weather and your preparations are suitable, even if it means moving it to another berth within Lowestoft in the interim.

Second red flag you ask for 'some advice with route'. What particular advice? You haven't told us anything. You could have identified which choices you wanted more detailed advice on, or which route your were thinking about to invite comment., so I have to wonder how capable you are in reading charts etc. (Note you may have to make such choices en route without the benefit of anyone else's advice, so you need a fair level of capability for this.)

Third red flag is you ask how long it should take, and whether you should do it in one hit. If you have no idea about these, again I have to wonder whether you have the knowledge and skills to safely undertake the task.

I'll post separately responses to your questions.

 

[LittleSister]

This weekend.
Winds from the south forecast this weekend will likely make it a very long and uncomfortable trip.

The tide times (relative to daylight hours) do not look very helpful for this weekend.

A new boat to you, you say. Have you tried it out? Before departure you need to find out what works, what doesn't, and what could work better in sheltered waters close to refuge, not out on the open sea. Your route includes long stretches with no easy all-tide harbours.

How long, and whether to do it in one hit?
We don't know anything about your boat, how strongly crewed it is, how close it can point (important with a head wind), how fast (and long) you can motor. So who knows how long it will take?

That said, Lowestoft to Burnham is anyway a long slog in a 25 sailing boat, but hugely longer with a head wind. Days are currently short. It's a little milder this weekend than of late, but still cold, and the weather is currently very changeable and somewhat unpredictable. In a new boat and if, as seems, you are inexperienced it will be stressful and tiring. I'd say it's too far to want to do it in a day.

Route
Detail depends how (if) you break up the trip.

I'd say expect a three day trip, stopping off first in the River Orwell entrance area - either at anchor in Walton Backwaters, or berthed in Shotley Marina or Levington Marinas.
Second break, River Blackwater - Bradwell Marina, anchor in Pyefleet behind Mersea Island, or on a mooring in Mersea or Brightlingsea.

Conclusion
DO NOT feel compelled to do the trip this weekend!

DO try out the boat around Lowestoft before you embark on such a trip.

DO consider whether you should get some help to move the boat.

Being more specific about your circumstances, plans and thoughts will better enable forum members to provide useful detailed advice.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

 

[DanTribe]

I agree with most of the comments made here. This weekend looks like a wrong choice.
Winds forecast to be southerly 20 knots. A hard beat all the way.
You need flood tide. Low water Lowestoft about 11 am. Wind against tide will make it rough!.
With a favourable wind you may make Harwich before the ebb starts, but not much further.
Breaking the trip at Harwich makes most sense and it doesn't have to be a marina, lots of opportunity to anchor or borrow a mooring.
Harwich to Burnham should be easy enough in one tide, starting at low water. Not a big advantage in heading into the Blackwater. It's a pleasant river but it will add an overnight stop and slightly complicate your trip into the Crouch.
I would advise picking a more suitable weather weekend and not bashing your head on a brick wall.

 

[ShawnMaloney94]

Thank you for your advice. I only have until the 16th so it has to be in the river crouch by the 15th. I’ve looked and it doesn’t look like the weather is going to get any better at the moment so I’m wondering if I should just chance it a motor through it. What would you suggest?

 

[DavidonMersea]

What would I suggest? I would suggest that you listen to little sister, and stop saying "I only have until the 16th", even if you have to get another berth in Lowestoft

 

[Fr J Hackett]

25 foo, what motor? inboard or outboard, if it's outboard forget it.

 

[DanTribe]

A bit more info would help.
What class of boat?
Are the sails and rigging good?
What type of engine and can you carry enough fuel?
Can you prepare food and hot drinks?
How susceptible to seasickness are you and crew?
Do you have a reliable VHF radio to contact the Coastguard.
I wouldn't choose to do this trip in my well tested 30 footer, so my advice remains, wait for a more suitable time.

 

[Pye_End]

Motoring into 20kn is hard - probably harder than sailing in a small boat.

Stopping Shotley or somewhere near is a good idea. Don't think I would stop in Blackwater as you can do Shotley to Burnham in a tide. Leave Shotley an hour or two before low water to make the most of the flood

In my youth I took on hard passages with relish which now look foolhardy. I wouldn't be quite as extreme as LittleSister as I miss the feeling of 'nothing can go wrong' etc etc., and I do not regret now the experience it gave. However, it is a hard passage with fresh wind against you, made harder by the temperature. Few places of refuge if you decide on the day you have bitten off more than you can chew.

Still, a few days to go so the forecast may yet change!

Personally, I would monitor the forecast, with a view to finding a berth and delaying the passage unless there is significant improvement.

As for the passage: take care off Walton on the Naze with hard to see lobster pots; you can cut across the Swin quite a bit - you don't need to follow the line between the 2 safe water marks; take care with navigation up the Crouch - well marked but you need to pay attention.

 

[rgh27]

When I bought my boat (Jaguar 24) I used Chris Markham of Markham Marine Boat delivery | Markham Marine Services for own boat tuition. He's great and not too expensive. I would thoroughly recommend him to assist you in moving the boat. He is based on the Crouch

 

[PeterWright]

Hi Shawn,

Please let us know what is so compelling about having her delivered to Burnham by 16 March that you want to take what seem to many unnecessary risks and provide answers to Dan's questions in post #8, then at least the advice can be a bit more realistic. It would also help to know what size crew will be aboard, what sailing experienc they have and whether any of them can navigate. Lastly, do you have any cbarts of the waters you will be sailing through?

Peter.

 

[Bru]

Thank you for your advice. I only have until the 16th so it has to be in the river crouch by the 15th.

NO!

Sorry to shout but as LittleSister has already sais this is absolutley WRONG THINKING

You never ever HAVE to be anywhere other than where you are.

It might cost you money to stay put, it might be inconvenient, it might be a total pain in the bottom. But you NEVER ever HAVE to move.

That applies to your first trip to move the boat, it will apply to every single time you plan to set out on the boat

Beyond that there's a whole raft on unasnwered questions regarding your and the boats capabilites and ability to safely undertake what would be by any measure a challenging passage in the forecast weather conditions (it is not a passage I would contemplate with equanimity in our 33 footer although I have done the like)

 

[Poecheng]

If time really is the imperative: get the mast down and stick it on a truck and take the A12, A143 and A134 - it will turn out a lot cheaper than the reality of what you are proposing.
You probably have well over 100 years aggregate sailing experience from those above giving you a very clear steer as to the advisability of this, most if not all who know this East Coast very well and therefore the journey you are proposing. I agree with them unless you are (far) more than just an experienced amateur sailor and you have a crack boat. But then you wouldn't be asking us lot if that were the case.
People make some incredible journeys in even smaller boats - it is not impossible - it just needs a lot of planning, preparation (you and the boat), skill and experience if you are not to meet the nice people on the big orange boat.

 

[LittleSister]

When I bought my boat (Jaguar 24) I used Chris Markham of Markham Marine Boat delivery | Markham Marine Services for own boat tuition. He's great and not too expensive. I would thoroughly recommend him to assist you in moving the boat. He is based on the Crouch

That's a good idea, but if the OP was a bit more informative about his situation he might even find a volunteer from this forum to help him with this trip. (But not this particular weekend, I'm fairly sure!)

It's an entirely doable trip in a 25 foot boat, provided the weather and tide times dictate the departure date, and not the other way round; and there's adequate knowledge, charts and tea on board.

 

[fifer]

I'd agree with all the comments made here. Its a long trip in the cold, into the wind, along an exposed coastline, in an unknown boat by an inexperienced sailor. Recipe for disaster.

Weather actually looks better for the monday but since the forecast is so far out I'd take it with a large pinch of salt.

 

[Denek]

I know it’s only Tuesday and things can change but I was at southwold today( not in my boat) and I would not want to be out in the sea today
as stated it’s dangerous to be dictated but dates. Wait until the weather and tides suit and go then. Some extra daylight hours would not go amiss either.
you learn from experience but for an early in your sailing career trip, at this time of year. Well I would not have done it.
I wish you well if you do go. Give me a wave as you pass Kessingland.

 

[DanTribe]

Maybe we were all a bit pessimistic to Shawn's proposal? The forecast for Saturday doesn't look quite so bad now. Sunday is still 'orrible though.
Could the trip be done in one bash? It's not something I would relish but I'm no longer empowered with youthful vigour. I once did Ore to Fambridge in an 18ft boat in a SW force 4-5 [yachtsman's gale]. It took me 3 tides, not something I would want to repeat but I had to get to work next day.
I hope we haven't discouraged Shawn unduly.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Maybe we were all a bit pessimistic to Shawn's proposal? The forecast for Saturday doesn't look quite so bad now. Sunday is still 'orrible though.
Could the trip be done in one bash? It's not something I would relish but I'm no longer empowered with youthful vigour. I once did Ore to Fambridge in an 18ft boat in a SW force 4-5 [yachtsman's gale]. It took me 3 tides, not something I would want to repeat but I had to get to work next day.
I hope we haven't discouraged Shawn unduly.

The wind strength was only one of the potential problems.
By the time you consider he's new to sailing (his words), in an untried and unfamiliar boat, it's a long way, with very few bail-out options en route, wind on the nose for most of the way, plus he's asking how long it will take...... The holes in the cheese are already lining up rather alarmingly.

 

[Pye_End]

Maybe we were all a bit pessimistic to Shawn's proposal? The forecast for Saturday doesn't look quite so bad now. Sunday is still 'orrible though.
Could the trip be done in one bash? It's not something I would relish but I'm no longer empowered with youthful vigour. I once did Ore to Fambridge in an 18ft boat in a SW force 4-5 [yachtsman's gale]. It took me 3 tides, not something I would want to repeat but I had to get to work next day.
I hope we haven't discouraged Shawn unduly.

Looking at XCweather last night it did appear there were significant weather windows, but the forecast has deteriorated again. Moderate/fresh due south on Sunday may well allow Shotley to Burnham (so long as it doesn't curl into a SW up the Wallet, but Lowestoft to Shotley is a long slog in a small boat, especially beating in gusty cold wind. Still, changeable forecast, so never say never - it is not as if it is forecast a storm.

 

[steve yates]

Wait till mon if you must go, do it mon/tue, if the current forecast holds. Take plenty of fuel and motor it, but you'd better be confident about both your engine and fuel supply to do this.