Yarmouth to Harwich

mrplastic

mrplastic

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Hi all, I posted this on the scuttlebutt before realising this forum was here...so apologies for repeating if you have read it here....

after being away from boats for a couple of years I am buying a Jeanneau 29.2 with a lift keel which has been kept on the broads and will be sailing her back down to her new mooring on the Twizzle in a couple of weeks. I haven't sailed that leg for a number of years so am currently updating my charts. Has anyone any tips or useful information they can impart regarding leaving Gt Yarmouth and working our way down the coast? What should I avoid and when? It's a simple passage but I would still appreciate any advice as I'm still a little rusty!

Many thanks
 
Avoid at all costs stopping in Gt. Yarmouth.

Remember that you have to book the Breydon/Gt. Yarmouth bridges lift during office hours the working day before you want it lifted, and they won't do lifts in the rush hours.

You don't say where you are coming from, but note the railway swing bridges on the Broads are unreliable and often break down. I seem to recall the one just downstream from Norwich is out of action at the moment, and the one at Somerleyton has been out of action at times lately. Fairly up to date information the the Broads Authority website (though they are not always reliably informed by Network Rail who operate the bridges), while the latest information can be obtained by ringing Broads Control (number on website).

The coast trip is easy in good weather, but remember that once you're past Lowestoft there's no harbour safe to enter in all weathers/tides, and strong easterlies will make it a long uncomfortable trip with no intermediate harbours (some say Southwold can be entered anytime, but I don't know it and it's not what my pilot says).

The Ore is a nice place to stop on route, if the weather suits, but you'll probably have to be fight the tide earlier to arrive off the entrance to enter on the flood.

Have a good trip.
 
Thanks for the info, the mast will be lowered when the boat is collected and stepped at a local boatyard at Yarmouth. Do you know of any situations / weather patterns best avoided when leaving Yarmouth or is it just a matter of catching the tide? As the boat draws less than a metre with the keel raised what are your thoughts on 'cutting the corner'when we leave Yarmouth and how far offshore should I go?
 
mrplastic said:
Thanks for the info, the mast will be lowered when the boat is collected and stepped at a local boatyard at Yarmouth. Do you know of any situations / weather patterns best avoided when leaving Yarmouth or is it just a matter of catching the tide? As the boat draws less than a metre with the keel raised what are your thoughts on 'cutting the corner'when we leave Yarmouth and how far offshore should I go?
Click to expand...

I can't remember having to go offshore at Gt. Yarmouth (we draw just under a metre), though the charts are on the boat so i can't check. The tide can run strongly across the entrance, I seem to recall - Just checked in old almanac, which says:
Clearance needed to enter/depart (VHF Ch 12, tel 01493 335511) IALA signals for entrance - outbound if 3 vertical reds must not proceed downriver past lifeboat shed. Except at slack water (HW+1.5 & LW+1.5) tidal streams in entrance strong. Access 24hrs, except don't atempt in small craft in strong SE winds (wouldn't want to do the trip in such conditions, anyway). On the flood there's a NW eddy past S pier - avoid being set onto the N pier. Temp shoaling in entrance during strong easterlies may reduce depth by 1m. Beware strong streams through Haven Bridge and past Bure marine.

If I was setting off doing the Broads bit with mast down I'd exit via Lowestoft and have the mast stepped there. Cuts the corner, reduces the coast passage to an easier day sail, nice Broads trip, and most important of all avoids the hell hole that is Gt. Yarmouth (easily the most yacht unfriendly of all the ports I've ever visited).
 
LittleSister said:
If I was setting off doing the Broads bit with mast down I'd exit via Lowestoft and have the mast stepped there. Cuts the corner, reduces the coast passage to an easier day sail, nice Broads trip, and most important of all avoids the hell hole that is Gt. Yarmouth (easily the most yacht unfriendly of all the ports I've ever visited).
Click to expand...

I'd echo that about lowestoft if it's possible.
You should be able to get into Southwold drawing 1 meter but I'd ring and ask the harbourmaster and avoid low tide. If you can't raise the HM there is a lifeboat station there who are very helpful.

Once you get down to Felixstowe area Woolverton Marina is nice
 
Many thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I don't know the broads very well, the boat is at south Waksman and I am told that I cannot make Lowestoft from there as some bridges are too low? The boat is booked into a yard in Yarmouth tomorrow to have the mast stepped. We are leaving her there until the conditions are right to sail her back, I am looking forward to the trip, I reckon about 8 hours.
 
mrplastic said:
Thanks for the info, the mast will be lowered when the boat is collected and stepped at a local boatyard at Yarmouth. Do you know of any situations / weather patterns best avoided when leaving Yarmouth or is it just a matter of catching the tide? As the boat draws less than a metre with the keel raised what are your thoughts on 'cutting the corner'when we leave Yarmouth and how far offshore should I go?
Click to expand...

check exactly where in yarmouth the mast be stepped.
 
mrplastic said:
Thanks for the info, the mast will be lowered when the boat is collected and stepped at a local boatyard at Yarmouth. Do you know of any situations / weather patterns best avoided when leaving Yarmouth or is it just a matter of catching the tide? As the boat draws less than a metre with the keel raised what are your thoughts on 'cutting the corner'when we leave Yarmouth and how far offshore should I go?
Click to expand...


I mentioned the bridges because if your on the north broads

the old railway bridge in yarmouth is only 6ft 9 high so if you step the mast before that you wont get under
 
LittleSister said:
I can't remember having to go offshore at Gt. Yarmouth (we draw just under a metre), though the charts are on the boat so i can't check. The tide can run strongly across the entrance, I seem to recall - Just checked in old almanac, which says:
Clearance needed to enter/depart (VHF Ch 12, tel 01493 335511) IALA signals for entrance - outbound if 3 vertical reds must not proceed downriver past lifeboat shed. Except at slack water (HW+1.5 & LW+1.5) tidal streams in entrance strong. Access 24hrs, except don't atempt in small craft in strong SE winds (wouldn't want to do the trip in such conditions, anyway). On the flood there's a NW eddy past S pier - avoid being set onto the N pier. Temp shoaling in entrance during strong easterlies may reduce depth by 1m. Beware strong streams through Haven Bridge and past Bure marine.

If I was setting off doing the Broads bit with mast down I'd exit via Lowestoft and have the mast stepped there. Cuts the corner, reduces the coast passage to an easier day sail, nice Broads trip, and most important of all avoids the hell hole that is Gt. Yarmouth (easily the most yacht unfriendly of all the ports I've ever visited).
Click to expand...


really good advice ! +1
 
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