The Ouse to York and the Trent Bore

[dylanwinter]

I really want to get get the boat up to York

and would rather like to try drifting up using the power of the tide

I am planning to drop the mast for this experience

I will have the outboard in place but would like to try to not use it

I think will take two tides from Brough (just above the Humber Bridge)

can anyone suggest a few good places to sit out the ebb

I can drop a hook and wait on the boat for six hours - or it would be even better if there is somewhere that I can get ashore for a walk or a bike ride while I wait for the next tide

I know you chaps can whizz along at a decent speed and do it one tide no probs

but is there anyone on here who knows the river well enough to suggest some places

I can recce them by car and binocs at low tide before I take the boat up

most of the blokes at Brough seem to think that there are dragons and monsters that far up the river


I am also told that the Trent has a pretty good Bore - anyone experienced it at first hand?

Dylan

 

[trouty12]

I would doubt you being able to drift all the way up the Ouse. Whilst the tide can be very strong in the lower reaches, it loses momentum and can sometimes only rise by about 12" by the time it reaches Naburn.

Wouldn't you struggle for steering if just drifting? Surely you would not be moving through the water and the rudder would have little or no effect? (Am I wrong here)?

What Draught do you have? The upper Ouse is quite shallow and you have to carefully follow the channel and time your journey.

Stop off points could be Goole and Selby if you could make the distance in the method you describe.

All in all, I don't think your plan would work but I only have MOBO experience so maybe others would disagree.

The Trent does have a tidal bore "Agir" but it is often not discernable or only a few inches. Only at extreme tides is it significant, Certainly nothing like the Severn bore.

 

[dylanwinter]

brilliant - thanks

I would doubt you being able to drift all the way up the Ouse. Whilst the tide can be very strong in the lower reaches, it loses momentum and can sometimes only rise by about 12" by the time it reaches Naburn.

Wouldn't you struggle for steering if just drifting? Surely you would not be moving through the water and the rudder would have little or no effect? (Am I wrong here)?

What Draught do you have? The upper Ouse is quite shallow and you have to carefully follow the channel and time your journey.

Stop off points could be Goole and Selby if you could make the distance in the method you describe.

All in all, I don't think your plan would work but I only have MOBO experience so maybe others would disagree.

The Trent does have a tidal bore "Agir" but it is often not discernable or only a few inches. Only at extreme tides is it significant, Certainly nothing like the Severn bore.

hmmm

see what you mean about not enough tidal flow

maybe go to plan 2 which is to employ six blokes with long paddles and take the river the Viking way

or I could rig a smaller mast that is easier to drop

thanks for the information

answers one question

if it runs slack and has little lift at the end I assume I can find somewhere to tie to the bank

the boat only draws a foot with the plate up so not that worried about shallows

and I can use a sculling oar to position the boat in the middle of the stream

or maybe employ five strong men with paddles and horny helmets as a way of honouring York's Viking history

I did find a youtube film of the aegir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DoT5R0e8G4

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=t...SCOfZ0QX91IHwCw&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1440&bih=731

worth trying to experience from the boat I reckon

D

 

[rafiki_]

There is a Forum Poster CX54WEK (or something similar) who travels these rivers regularly, although based on the Trent I think. He posts some of his travels on The Thames forum (where some of us ditch crawlers hang out). Have a look at a couple of his posts, maybe post this thread there, or PM him.

 

[dylanwinter]

bless you

There is a Forum Poster CX54WEK (or something similar) who travels these rivers regularly, although based on the Trent I think. He posts some of his travels on The Thames forum (where some of us ditch crawlers hang out). Have a look at a couple of his posts, maybe post this thread there, or PM him.

Pm'd the man

very useful thanks

mobo forum does it again

Dylan

 

[Ramage]

CX54WEK is in fact a lady.....

 

[rafiki_]

CX54WEK is in fact a lady.....

OK, good spot. Thanks for the correction. She hides it well.

 

[towzer]

Don't think you will be able to float up. you will need an engine to maintain steerage through the channel and the bridges at Goole (3x) then Selby bridges (3x) then Cawood. (The old local bylaw at Selby toll bridge is that vessels must navigate through it in reverse.
Although this is not enforced for private boats or ever has been, but ships that useto go up past Selby had to go through backwards.)
After Boothferry bridge there is the mouth of the river Aire I do know that some boats anchor there as there is always water at any state of the tide.
There was a floating pontoon by Cawood bridge that you could wait at.

 

[dylanwinter]

brilliant info

Don't think you will be able to float up. you will need an engine to maintain steerage through the channel and the bridges at Goole (3x) then Selby bridges (3x) then Cawood. (The old local bylaw at Selby toll bridge is that vessels must navigate through it in reverse.
Although this is not enforced for private boats or ever has been, but ships that useto go up past Selby had to go through backwards.)
After Boothferry bridge there is the mouth of the river Aire I do know that some boats anchor there as there is always water at any state of the tide.
There was a floating pontoon by Cawood bridge that you could wait at.

I shall look into it more deeply

if I have to put the engine on to comply with regs to get through the bridges no probs with that

if I motored at four knots through the water all the way up any idea how long that might take

could I do it in one tide

d

 

[towzer]

There is book published by Ripon Motor Boat Club on the Ouse and Trent which gives a lot information on tides ,passage planning maps etc, it's well worth buying.

 

[towzer]

I shall look into it more deeply


if I motored at four knots through the water all the way up any idea how long that might take

could I do it in one tide

d

I do not know but look at tide tables and you should be able to work out, as my copy of Ripon book is on the boat and Iam at home I cannot work it out, as never done it at 4 knts..

 

[trouty12]

I shall look into it more deeply

if I have to put the engine on to comply with regs to get through the bridges no probs with that

if I motored at four knots through the water all the way up any idea how long that might take

could I do it in one tide

d

It's not so much complying with the regs', its more about manoeuvrability through the narrow bridges with possibly strong tides running. Beware: the current can be several knots. Would you have sufficient power to steer and/or stop under such conditions to avoid being swept off course?

At 4 knots I think it would take approx 8 hours from Trent Falls to Naburn.

Drawing only 1 foot you probably could go up on one tide but not 100% sure of this as the guide books don't show accurate depth readings only the course of the deepest chanel. If you did go up in circa 8 hours you would probably have to wait at Naburn lock (pontoon available) for the next tide/duty cycle.

 

[nedmin]

Drifting up is a no no.! I would leave Brough just after flood there(say 30mins after) and make for Selby Lock. You should do that in about 4 hrs at 4 knots.Try to arrive at HW as the flow can be quite tricky and you have 2 low bridges just upstream of you.Let the lock keeper know your coming.Obviously you need a marine radio and a chart of the upper Ouse.Call the bridges on Ch 11 to get the air draught if too low they can swing.Its imperative that you stick to the chart as you can easily run aground.Also watch out for debris! When you get to Selby ask the lockkeeper to give you a time to lock out the next day for York.You will probably have narrow boats to accompany you.

 

[Trundlebug]

You could do it easily on one tide all the way to Naburn, if you leave with the flood and do a steady 4 knots through the water. SOG will be much faster to begin with, around 7-8, but slow to 3-4 towards Naburn.

If you travel much faster you will fall off the end of the tide, so it's actually about the right speed to travel.

For more information buy the latest detailed ouse guide from
http://www.theboatingassociation.co.uk/

As well as being a good guide it gives info on journey times, speeds to travel, air draughts etc.

As already said nowhere to stop other than calling in at Goole or Selby but no need really. You'll have no problems with any of the bridges with your mast down.

Good luck

 

[nedmin]

(a) we dont know his air draught (b) Selby Bridges can at certain times be a no no at 2ft Draught!!! Better to stop at Selby and let the lock keeper give him a time.He,s a very knowledgable guy and will get him thro. Selby bridges at the correct time.

 

[dylanwinter]

air draught

(a) we dont know his air draught (b) Selby Bridges can at certain times be a no no at 2ft Draught!!! Better to stop at Selby and let the lock keeper give him a time.He,s a very knowledgable guy and will get him thro. Selby bridges at the correct time.

air draught with the mast dropped is about six foot

D

 

[Searush]

Dylan!

Steerage is no problem if you have a following current, just do as the barges, trows & flats always have & use a drudge.

Simply dangle a weight off the bow touching the bottom (a length of chain will do nicely). This will hold you head to current whilst travelling backwards with the flow & you will be able to steer easily to hold any position in the river. To slow down release more chain, to speed up raise it. It should be possible to arrange some way of doing this from the cockpit as you may need to do it quite often as the depth varies across the channel.

With sculls or yuloh for when the current fails (slack water?) you can save your fuel money for beers while you regale a spellbound audience with your tales of derring-do.

Mind you I wouldn't want to try surfing the bore in a yacht without the engine running! A Minstrel may be small & handy, but it will never respond to paddle strokes like a canoe!

 

[dylanwinter]

good plan

Dylan!

Steerage is no problem if you have a following current, just do as the barges, trows & flats always have & use a drudge.

Simply dangle a weight off the bow touching the bottom (a length of chain will do nicely). This will hold you head to current whilst travelling backwards with the flow & you will be able to steer easily to hold any position in the river. To slow down release more chain, to speed up raise it. It should be possible to arrange some way of doing this from the cockpit as you may need to do it quite often as the depth varies across the channel.

With sculls or yuloh for when the current fails (slack water?) you can save your fuel money for beers while you regale a spellbound audience with your tales of derring-do.

Mind you I wouldn't want to try surfing the bore in a yacht without the engine running! A Minstrel may be small & handy, but it will never respond to paddle strokes like a canoe!

this might be worth doing.... bit of a laff

I shall certainly experiment to see if I can make it work

d

 

[nedmin]

Good idea but I wouldnt want to use in the Ouse.Too much debris,you would be picking up branches even small trees !The Environment Agency want shooting for letting this river get into the state it is. If you are 6ft draught with mast down it would be better if you went into Selby Lock as its just before the 2 bridges at Selby ( Selby Rail and Selby Toll) The current roars thro. these bridges at certain times plus floating debris and if you go into the lock the lock keeper will contact the bridges so that when you come out they will be open.Dont let comments put you off,I,ve been going up the Ouse for nearly 30 yrs its a river to take care with and if you do you shouldnt have a problem.

 

[JackDog]

Don't think you will be able to float up. you will need an engine to maintain steerage through the channel and the bridges at Goole (3x) then Selby bridges (3x) then Cawood. (The old local bylaw at Selby toll bridge is that vessels must navigate through it in reverse.
Although this is not enforced for private boats or ever has been, but ships that useto go up past Selby had to go through backwards.)
After Boothferry bridge there is the mouth of the river Aire I do know that some boats anchor there as there is always water at any state of the tide.
There was a floating pontoon by Cawood bridge that you could wait at.

The floating pontoon at Cawood bridge is a private mooring belonging to the water ski club, and they DO NOT like it to be used for any other purpose other than their own. I speak from experience.