The Wash

Opsguy1979

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Hi Guys

Have any of you got any experience of the latter reaches of the river Great Ouse and the Wash. I own a Princess 32 and would like to make the trip next year! Id obviously go do some sea training first.

The other question would be apart from being on the Ouse ive done comp crew with sunsail and was going to do dayskipper. Is it fairly easy to cross from using it on sail to a cruiser?

Cheers Karl
 

albineer

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[ QUOTE ]

The other question would be apart from being on the Ouse ive done comp crew with sunsail and was going to do dayskipper. Is it fairly easy to cross from using it on sail to a cruiser?


[/ QUOTE ]
I don't think you'd have many problems. The navigation's the same sail or power but obviously you are going faster in a power boat. For all the schools I've looked at you've got two screws rather than one so the handling is different compared with a sailing boat but the instructor will take you through all that. Is your Princess twin screw?
I did my Day skipper with Mendez Marine, had a lot of fun and thoroughly recommend them - no connections with them.
HTH
 

D3B

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Hi Karl

Lower reaches of the Ouse from Denver sluice to Kngs Lynn....not nice.

It has been dredged to accomodate the IWA fest at St Ives but is normally pretty silted up. You will need to find a lot of local knowledge about the route. i have only done it a few times. First time no problems but then i had a sealine s23 with the roof down so bridge heights didnt bother me. next time nearly ran aground as we were too far up the river for the tide. next time had to wait at one of the bridges 30 mins for the tide to go down (sealine s29) another time had the echo sounder reading zero as i approched denver sluice (offset for props) i wont go back there until they open the cut or maintain the dredged levels.
narrow, shallow, low bridges and except the GOBA buoys at Lynn there is nowhere to park. once youre out of denver its hang off the goba buoys in Lynn or complete your journey. unless you go out on the morning tide and come back in on the evening one the same day. Upware Boat Club try to do a "Wash Trip" every year. the organiser knows the stretch very well...he is a delivery skipper and brings boats in and out quite often...he is nicknamed sandbank sid /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif for obviuos reasons.
The Wash itself is full of sandbabks that continually move, so up to date charts area must. and it can have its own micro climate with conditions changing suddenly.
its a long way to find somewhere else to go.
Boston wait for next rising tide.
Wells-next-sea same
Grimsby possibly a long way to go in P32
Gt Yarmouth a long way again.

Sorry just re-read that and its does seem doom and gloom. but it is NOT NICE.

plenty do it regularly so suggest you get to denver and chat to some of the sea going boat owners there that might look as though they are sea bound. they will probably offer to go in and out with you on another occasion.

Doug
 

Sixpence

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Hi Karl , as DTB says , lots of sandbanks and mud but are you thinking of going from Bedford out to the Wash and carrying on to a different mooring or were you intending to go back to Bedford ? . If it's the former you're best off getting someone that knows the safe route out to help you to clear water , if it's the latter and you're intending on doing it more than once then you're best off getting all the updated charts and speaking to a few of the locals and there's quite a few in Scuttlebutt that are worth listening to , then take it steady all the way out with a close eye on the depth . Once clear of the immediate sand and mud you still need to keep your eye on the depth because as DTB says , the sandbanks are constantly moving so even the most up to date charts can be out of date as soon as a storm hits . There are some plans for a mid summer mid Wash BBQ on a sandbank this year but if the weather doesn't improve soon it'll be a Washout , get it /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif but the seals are worth the trip so it just depends on your full intentions . Pop down to the East coast forum and you'll meet a few more East coasters that don't mind the sandbanks . It's just above the 'For Sale' forum on here

Guess who's been studying folks /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

mtb

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Although I've not been up the ouse I have played in the wash dont be scared of it people seem to fret over the place god knows why as you can get caught out any where at sea
yep if theres wind from the ne over tide it get's interesting
The main channel towards boston or fosdyke (freemans) is well marked as is the run to sutton bridge
I like the wash even though there's no bloody fish

pop up to wells it's a nice run
cheers
Mick
 

SimonA

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Try asking this question on the GOBA forum. It's been asked a few times before (including recently someone wanting to do it in a Narrowboat) and generally the reply has been it's tricky.

Never been further than the other side of Denver Sluice myself (and even then you have to avoid a great big sandbank).
 

Superflid

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[ QUOTE ]
Although I've not been up the ouse I have played in the wash dont be scared of it people seem to fret over the place god knows why as you can get caught out any where at sea
yep if theres wind from the ne over tide it get's interesting
The main channel towards boston or fosdyke (freemans) is well marked as is the run to sutton bridge
I like the wash even though there's no bloody fish

pop up to wells it's a nice run
cheers
Mick

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not just my lack of fishing skills then!
Nice to hear someone praise the place, maybe it's cos you've been there. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Don't say too much though, it's nice that it's so quiet........
 

Sixpence

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Very true Ken , maybe we should mention the dragons and other nasties that hide here /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif wouldn't want it too busy would we /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

macnorton

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I have done it a number of times, in fact i intend to be in the wash next weekend with a new boater.

Your boat will be fine out there, the points about Denver sluice are correct that's why I always run directly in front of the weirs and then hard to stbd to enter the lock, much more water.

The cut down to Lynn is in a right state, but passable on a big tide. keep to the outside of the bends and watch the depth like a hawk. worth having a walk down the bank at LW and noting where the banks are.

If you want to spend a few days out there, run round to the Nene and you can stop at Wisbech which is far more comfortable, but it can be interesting across the "bar" on NE winds.

The sands and the cut's move all the while, so be ready for that and I would second the advise that you contact goba and go with a group for the first few times.

But it is realy nice out there, not many use it because of the drawbacks. but you can spend a day without seeing another boat.

Oh and if you go out during the week expect to be knoked about by the pilot boats and to be used as a practice target by the RAF. (ok till the yank's are about /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Upstream is nice, but you may be restricted unless you can get the hardtop down. the Old west is a bit shallow so take your time on that bit.

oh yes, someone dropped a train in the river so it's closed below Ely at the mo! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Send a PM if you wish.
 

D3B

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Karl

Sorry been on the boat for the weekend and only just noticed your question.
Done the Ouse from Kings Lynn to Buckden Marina on various boats.

I note you have been told you will be ok on a big tide going down to Kings Lynn.....wrong.....you wont get under the first two bridges...Downham and Stow. and trying to reverse against a falling tide would be interesting.

I asked a friend about your adventure over the weekend....he had a P32 with twins. did it twice and said never again. he said you shouldnt go.

My advise to you is not to go alone the first time or maybe even the second. Its too easy to get it wrong in both directions. For example the rule of thumb is to leave one of the buoys just outside Lynn 2 hours before HW. (sorry i forget which one now) and go up with the tide. that way you should get under the last bridge and have water still rising to get you over the shallow waters just before Denver.
Certainly keep to the outside of the bends. on one occasion in company we were a bit early on the tide. heard one of the lead boats say there is a heron in the middle of the river. heron's stand on the ground! i was only three feet from the bank on my starboard side. round the next corner and two boats were spinning as they had gone aground in the middle.

The freshwater side of Denver Sluice is not a problem. plenty of water for your boat.

walking it at LW is a very good idea.

River ABOVE Ely is closed until early July because of the freight train that fell off the bridge.
No navigation permitted from the Old West or Cam into Ely.

By all means PM me for more info if you wish.

Doug
 

macnorton

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[ QUOTE ]
Karl

I note you have been told you will be ok on a big tide going down to Kings Lynn.....wrong.....you wont get under the first two bridges...Downham and Stow. and trying to reverse against a falling tide would be interesting.

Doug

[/ QUOTE ]

If you try this on a neap you will not get much past salters lode, you need high water to get over the mud banks but i forgot to mention the need to hold off before the bridge.

Standard procedure for this is to go through backwards maintaining control. or use an anchor and wait just above the bridge.
 

D3B

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my last post on this as others clearly have more knowledge on the matter than I.


what about today with about 1 metre of fresh water on the river. i know that cos i just sat in a pub on the tidal stretch upstream and agreed with the landlord the water was about that height above "normal".

and the stretch below (thats the Kings Lynn side) Salters has been dredged as i stated in my original post for the IWA festival at St Ives.
 

macnorton

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I was informed that only the stretch between Denver and salters was to be dredged, if the rest has indeed been done then this is good new's but surly that has alleviated the problem ?

As to the level of the river, I cannot understand the relevance of your statement. During my many years on these waters this has happened many times, especially when a lot of rainwater travels to the sea!

During the 1970's the river downstream was much deeper, the EA stopped the dredging when they took over, this is why the problem now exists.

In my view GOBA should get the EA to provide bouys to mark the shallows on what can be a difficult navigation.

It is good for people to get contrasting views in order to draw a realistic balanced conclusion, but I will continue using my methods and enjoying a peaceful quiet cruise in the wash.
 
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