Newbie on the broads

E

Elefantman

New Member
Joined
18 Apr 2011
Messages
10
Location
suffolk
Visit site
Evening all,
I've taken the plunge... after probably 20 odd years away from sail I've decided it's time to get back out on the water... so throwing caution to the wind I've been looking at small yachts over the past few months with an eye to buy something I can relearn the skills I've lost (Well I might not have had them in the first place I guess)... and maybe stay on for the odd night with my wife and daughters.... so as of yesterday I've become the proud owner of a hunter 701. She's currently moored on the Bure at horning which for now is where I hope to keep her.
Now I'm I guess a total, newbie again.. I'm jowning a sailing club local to my mooring and will have insurance sorted in the next few days... but I wanted to find a forum so I can ask the daft questions and give everyone a chuckle...
Starting with... which sides port and which ends the front? No sorry I'm kidding... but any advice on sailing the broads would be very much appreciated... I've been trying to locate navigation charts and other info about the broads so I have an idea of where I can safely take her... I guess the people at the club will help... but it's always good to open yourself up for pisstaking....

Cheers all,
Jim
 
Hi,
Thanks for the link to the map. I had found similar from a quick Google. But the one thing missing seems to be a proper navigation and depth map. As I guess some areas are not suitable for anything other than dinghys... let alone a 22ft with a drop keel.
It's probably going to be a matter of getting someone who knows the area to take me out..
Cheers! Jim
 
A broads forum that I found seems quite useful, covering moorings, eateries, tech stuff etc

http://the-norfolk-broads.co.uk

PS. It might be my 'puta, but the home page sometimes takes a while to load, with a bit of patience & once you're in it seems to work OK.
 
Last edited:
If you can find a copy of Hamilton's Broads Charts, last updated in the mid 70s but still useful, this is your best bet I think, might come up on e-Bay?

The Broads Authority do have some charts showing depth contours, but I found them not very usable. You have to download them in sections from their website. Otherwise the large scale OS Map OL40 is pretty useful, it shows for example the location of the Broads Authority mooring sites and even which of those has electric points!
 
Not wishing to spoil your picnic, but with over 50 years sailing under my belt, I took three Broads holidays on hired motor cruisers a few years back (2009, 10, 11) and I wouldn't want to sail on the Broads for all the tea in China. You have to remember that 99% of the hire boat pilots are complete novices, and when yachts are tacking along haven't the slightest idea what to do... we were in a queue coming down the Bure from Salhouse last time out, and encountered the Horning racing fleet tacking down river, and I finished up leading about 10 cruisers down, timing a little sprint as the fleet tacked away from the RH bank, with a bit of a throttle back as they converged back...
 
Gladys said:
Not wishing to spoil your picnic, but with over 50 years sailing under my belt, I took three Broads holidays on hired motor cruisers a few years back (2009, 10, 11) and I wouldn't want to sail on the Broads for all the tea in China. You have to remember that 99% of the hire boat pilots are complete novices, and when yachts are tacking along haven't the slightest idea what to do...
Click to expand...

Decades ago, in another lifetime, we had a couple of powerboats which we kept on the Broads. After 2 seasons, we were so sick of hireboats crashing into us that we left, for good.
 
Not too bad provided that
a) Go before school hols
b) Stay in the Waveney/Yare.

That was what we did, and found it fairly OK, altho' I agree that you had to keep a wary eye out for inept and/or inebriated hire parties.
 
Another forum here which loads a bit quicker http://forum.norfolkbroadsnetwork.com/

Northern Broads are busier with hire boats but they are told yachtsmen will tell them when approaching which side they shoukd pass by pointing (I guess on the basis you know which tack you will be making less) a cheery wave when the hire boat has complied with instructions will be appreciated.

Horning is Broads 'Central' and just about the busiest area you can find. If you can lower your mast go under Potter Heigham Bridge for the whole area above virtually to yourself.
 
I have my Cornish Crabber at Horning (in the Ferry Boat Marina). I totally agree with other comments; the amount & size of the hire boats, certainly compared to the upper Thames, is unbelievable. Never really had a problem sailing/tacking, but it takes nerves to make the monster hire boats (& the hundreds of day boats) to give way. Never had any problems re depths though, seems a fairly consistent adequate depth for us to keep our centreboard lowered - 4' 6" ish - apart from the buoyed channels. As noted by the previous poster, ability to lower your mast and get away to quieter areas offering good sailing above Potter Heigham bridge a distinct advantage.
 
Hi Jim, I'm new to this forum but as I have a small yacht on the Broads I might be able to help with your questions. I think your choice of a lift keel is the right one, many old bilge keelers retire to the Broads but they rarely have the windward perfomance or agility to manage the constrictions of the Broads (I know I once had one). I agree in general with ianc1200 that 4ft draught should not be a problem normally but there are shallow areas outside main channels and at the edge of Broads where it could be. Also below Acle on the Bure and the lower Waveney and Yare the rise and fall is significant and it is possible to properly run aground. I use the OS Broads map (1:25000) to find out where I am - perhaps 'navigation' is too grand a term! Motorboat traffic can be a problem on the Northern Broads especially at prime holiday periods. Not such an issue on the Southern Broads. I suggest you test your and her sailing abilities on a Broad before attempting sailing on the river.

If you have any specific questions you are welcome to pm me.

Paul
 
Welcome Yorkshire Paul,

Sailed a match against Norwich School at Horning in 1966, shiny new Larks, if I remember rightly. Windward start, as you'd expect, rounded what I considered the weather mark in 1st. place, then nearly lost it until I worked out it was also a beat back the way we came. OK, so shifts happen. Back across the line and round the corner, it was a reach both ways back to the start and end of lap 1, still in front. The real surprise was that the first half of lap 2 went the same way, a beat both ways on the same stretch of river. At least we managed to stay in front and help our fellow team members through.

If you can sail in conditions where the wind seems to blow from 2 opposite directions at the same time, you'll do well.

Peter
 
As a previous post mentioned there is a tidal rise and fall a surprising way inland which can catch you out if you are not expecting it.
 
Norwich school wouldn't have had Larks - Woodbridge certainly did.
Norwich School had Enterprises, Greshams (Barton Broad) had Firefly's.
All part of the great fun Team Racing in different locations and using different boats!
(I was in the Norwich School team from 1968to 1974).
 
HiChris,

You were after my time. Summer '68 was my last season sailing for Ipswich School and we had ancient fireflies (one was no. 636), sailing out of Waldringfield. Woodbridge school certainly had a fleet of 6 Flying Juniors in the late 60's which made us green with envy, but we could always beat them in thir own boats on their own water. Framlingham (or was it Felsted?) had Graduates out of Heybridge, Woolverstone Hall had Wayfarers out of Woolverstone. Don't think we ever sailed against Greshams, although I remember going there for Rugby. If Norwich had had Enterprises in my day, I'd have been really happy 'cos my boat (Ethelred) was Enterprise no. 2234, so while I may have got the Larks wrong, I'm sure they weren't Enterprises in '66.

As you say, all great fun and a way of avoiding cricket.

Peter
 
Thanks for all the replies...I've had a mad few weeks with the birth of my third daughter and the fact my job is always busy in the spring as I work in plant seeds.
I've not actually taken her out yet... hoping to get out in the next week or so.. but it's school holidays so I'm thinking I might wait a little..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

P
Adding fuses to my batteries
2 3 4
Replies
61
Views
2K
AngusMcDoon
AngusMcDoon
Sea Change
Rusty trailer- which zinc spray to use?
2
Replies
25
Views
844
ducked
D
O
One for the plumbers
Replies
9
Views
376
Overandunder
O

Share this page

Top