Where to Moor the New Boat?

[seaboater]

Hi All,

Having made an offer on a boat, we are faced suddenly with the impending issue of where to keep it. We were previously at South Quays in Horning; a nice marina but limited in space and probably not a runner without some time on the waiting list. There are also days in midsummer in Horning when it's so busy on the river that it's like being in a procession. On the other hand, I get the feeling (maybe wrongly) that there are more nice spots to moor up or mudweight in the North than the South. It's a few years since we've been South on the boat, so my memory is hazy.

So..............first of all, North broads or South? Then, which marina has nice, secure pontoons with lighting and electricity and neighbours who aren't likely to be too rowdy? We like to do a lot of sitting on board in the sun, drinking gin of course, so we like our home marina environment to be conducive to lazing around as well as friendly and helpful. Having just described this paragon of marinas, it probably doesn't exist, or if it does, it will be full already.

Anyway.......any experiences and suggestions welcomed.

[diesel falcon]

HI

one factor is which type of boat your trying to buy?? whether it,s more suited to north or south if it,s a broads cruiser then not an issue

[MBA Marine]

South quays is nice and ticks all your boxes, I can think of a few places but they miss somthing like leccy or lighting. just down from you Ferry Marina Ticks your boxes and the moorers that i have met have all been pleasent, but no real gain on where you already were. Marinas in brundall have the facilities you require but moorings are not the cheapest and depending one where you go it can be a bit of a my boats bigger than yours, I do like brundall gardens though and many ££££'s is being spent there on sorting the key headings.

Im sure Clive will welcome you at Ricco's.

[seaboater]

HI

one factor is which type of boat your trying to buy?? whether it,s more suited to north or south if it,s a broads cruiser then not an issue

It's a Freeman 27 river cruiser, air draft stated at 2.5m (8ft 2")

[Mowjo]

Broadsedge at Stalham for me everytime, they have leccie and showers, nice tidy sitting out areas with benches, most moorings are on pontoons, your not far from Tescos for stocking up on food or Petrol if it's a Petrol engine, best of all they are a nice friendly bunch there ,,,,

Regards Frank,,,

[DaveS]

Hmm , fors and against for both the North and South IMO.

There is no doubt that the North does have more Broads than the South, as down South we only have Oulton Broad. I'm not counting Rockland Broad, as it only has quite a narrow navigable channel, so not a place for mud weigthing.

I also think that the North has more visually attractive locations than the South.

Having twice made the trip from South to North, and on each occasion spending some time cruising aound up there, the really big negative for me was the shear volume of hire craft, and having to play dodgems with them. Sometimes rounding a bend to find them coming at you three abreast across the river.

Horning I compare to Picadilly Circus in the rush hour, and even worse when the local sailing clubs are out in force.

Then there is the 4 o'clock rush the hire craft make to get moored for the night, leaving few if any decent places to moor.

After a week of cruising the Northern Rivers in the 'high season', its alway nice to return to the relatative tranquility of the Southern Rivers.

The 'bottom line' is that I do like the Northern Rivers/Broads, but not the congestion.

Would I move my mooring to the North, if I had the opportunity to do so?. For me, that has to be a no, but each to his own of course.

Dave

[diesel falcon]

I agree with Dave on this one, it,s very nice upt north for a visit ,but prfere the south imho.

[VetChugger]

Brundall Gardens would definitley be worth a look at. Has all you are asking for.

Trevor

www.normanboats.co.uk

[Hockham Admiral]

With your air height I think that the South Broads is the best bet. We had the same ht. previously & had few problems when south but were considerably restricted when north. Add the excessive traffic and the inevitable collision with a much heavier boat ( we've never been north without being hit) and there's only one choice!

I disagree about Rockland Broad as several boats can be often be seen moored there and not just small ones. It's a real peace-haven!

Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510e using Tapatalk 2

[VetChugger]

I've mud weighted on Rockland as well and its gloriously peaceful despite the channel. You seem to have forgotten Surlingham/Bargate Broad! Wonderful place to swing!

Trevor

www.normanboats.co.uk

[MBA Marine]

I've mud weighted on Rockland as well and its gloriously peaceful despite the channel. You seem to have forgotten Surlingham/Bargate Broad! Wonderful place to swing!

Trevor

http://www.normanboats.co.uk

If thats where swingers hang out then i will stay north, my Mrs would never go for swinging!

[C.Ricko]

[

If thats where swingers hang out then i will stay north, my Mrs would never go for swinging!

I tried that on South Walsham broad, by the time I woke up i was at the opposite end to which I started (it was windy)

[Hockham Admiral]

Rocklands is much smaller and surrounded by trees; so you don't very often get that problem, Clive.

[seaboater]

Given the various comments, the South looks appealing......but.......Broadsedge looks good too. Which is better? Only one way to find out - FIGHT!!!!! (with apologies to Harry Hill).

Thank you all for your suggestions so far, please keep 'em coming. There must be some other good marinas out there.

[DaveS]

I guess it depends on what are looking for with regards to facilities.

Do you want just basic facitities, e.g. toilets/showers, and drinking water.

Something with very comprehensive facilities, or something in-between?

Of course the extent of the facilities will be reflected in the price you pay.

I'm moored at the Waveney River Centre, where we have:

Floating Pontoons, so no worry about the tidal rise and fall.

Electric

Water

Fuel (Petrol & Diesel)

Pump-out

Bottted Gas sold

A very well stocked shop, including fishing tackle, and some chandlery

A good Pub, serving good food

Heated Toilet/Shower Block

Chemical Toilet emptying point

Heated Swimming Pool

A large gantry crane, with its own 'lift-out' dock

Hard-standing for winter storage

Marine workshop

Dave

[Guest]

I'm lucky enough to live within the Broads area, (nearly said "National Park" ).

This adds another factor to the North/South decision, If you live North of the Bure, then the Yare & Waveney are proportionally much further away, whereas a northern River is minutes, or even walking distance away from home.

If you're driving from any distance away, or live between the Bure and Yare, traveling time is no factor at all.

I'm therefore based in the North, 5 minutes away from home.

Here's the twist though, I would much prefer the Yare, much quieter and wider even in the height of the season.

Then I wouldn't have to do my day cruising before 10am or after 6pm in Summer to avoid the dodgems......

[mbird]

Hi Pat

Glad to hear you should soon be back boating!

I used to moor north with Tranquil Breeze and spent a season at Broadsedge. Very nice location indeed, but the trip up and down the Ant every time we wanted to go out lost it's appeal after a while for me. There are also marinas at South Walsham Broad, and new ones at Acle owned by the same people.

When we got a sea-going boat, we moved down south. Having spent years loving the north and hating the south (reeds, reeds, reeds) I suddenly found myself falling in love with the area. Very peaceful, not so many hire craft, not so many yachts, and more room for everyone it seems. Distances between villages etc are greater so there tends to be longer cruises between destinations. Now having a flybridge it's even better as the views are stunning once you can see over the reeds. Some find the south boring, but I prefer the ambiance.

If you were tempted south. there are a lot of marinas in Brundall (apart from the obvious Tingdene Brundall Bay) which may be worth you having a drive around. Also as mentioned Brundall Gardens, though I know that used to have a depth problem at spring lows leaving some vessels grounded. It may have been dredged by now though, so don't take that as gospel. We are based at Reedham Marina, which I like immensely. The main reason for us being there is that it's a lot closer to the sea exits than Brundall. I does have a scarily fast tide running across a narrow entrance and almost always a cross-wind, which makes getting in and out interesting at the best of times!

[seaboater]

Hi All,

Finally got the new boat and berthed at Broadsedge. Mark, your point about toiling up and down the Ant to get anywhere is very pertinent, but for this season at least it was expedient for several reasons. We'll try some down south boating as well to see whether we prefer it that way; many on this forum seem to sing its praises. In the meantime though, being new to the Ant in particular, there seem to be some mooring possibilities on which I hope the experts here can advise.

I see boats mudweighted outside of the channel on Barton Broad, sometimes quite a long way beyond the posts towards the shore. Are there specific areas where there's enough depth to do this, or is it feasible throughout? Our draft is 2ft 6ins.

There also seem to be a lot of bankside "nooks" on the Ant, where you can squeeze in and perhaps tie up to trees, or use mooring stakes of some kind. The question here is about rhond anchors or stakes. Before I buy something, views on the merits of both types would be useful.

Pat

[mbird]

Glad you have got the new ship Pat! Broadedge is a nice spot, and we enjoyed our time there with our first boat until we got a spot on Womack water.

We used to take Tranquil Breeze well outside the posts on Barton Broad with no problems. I did a bit of a survey from the canoe and found that it tends to be around 5ft deep pretty uniformly, though it is a bit shallower on the left hand side, coming into the broad from Stalham end. We have seen a BA ranger directing the hire craft from the top of the Ant along the right hand side near the reads during Barton Regatta, which was what prompted my survey.

The channel off to Neatishead is also ok outside of the posts on the right side when heading towards Neatishead. The only place I've ever seen anyone grounded is at the very top of the broad on the left (when approaching from Stalham).

With regard mooring on the Ant, I used to go with rhond anchors or tying to trees.

Any chance of a piccy or two of the new vessel?

[3um1ady]

I'd definitely say the South side. We were at Horning for our first year and it was chaos, especially with the fact we had moored at one of the marina's that also do hire craft. Cars and people coming and going at all times, hire boats in the private section 'lost' and mayhem on the water. After moving to Brundall, we love it, peace, tranquility and open spaces (although it is a bit pricey!) but we definitely wouldn't move back.

[MBA Marine]

I really do have to stand up a little about thouse who bash the north for being so busy , there are many peasefull quiet areas in the north all people mention are how busy Wroxham and horning are there are so many more places to keep your boat without mooring in these hireboat dominant areas.

yes some of you may have boats that are too tall for the bridges but if you can get under them then Coltishall, Dilham and out towards catfield stunning areas of natural beauty and not bustling with boats. even keeping to the sides of the bridges that you are not stuck so many nice places to keep your boat in stalham wayford bridge, barton, even in horning and wroxham there are many private moorings avoiding the hire yards.

Where to moor your boat on a perminant bacis takes time to look, talking to people and a bit of luck finding the right place for you at the right time. some want a the eqivilant of all mod cons camp site marina, some just want a safe place to retun their boat to. some cost a fortune and some dont.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Seaboater,

It is the South for us, we are moored at Tingdene Marina, secure with floating pontoons, electric and water at berth.

We like the North but in the main hire season it is to busy with few places to moor also getting a mooring in the North is like waiting for dead mens shoes. We used to moor at Ferry Marina but the services were poor also the security was not up to much considereing the mooring fees we paid.With your air draft you should be able to most places other than behond Wroxham and Potter Heigham, Ludam will not be a problem.

Regards

Alan Hood

Ranworth Breeze Boat Syndicate

[seaboater]

Thanks to all for your suggestions, and thanks Mark for the info on Barton Broad. Very useful that you've done a bit of surveying, so presumably the "channel" between the posts is an artificial one to protect the edges from pollution, wash etc.?

Will post a picture once I remember what I need to downsize it to. If anyone happens to know the max dimensions, please post on here and save me the guesswork. Thanks,

Pat

[mbird]

Very useful that you've done a bit of surveying, so presumably the "channel" between the posts is an artificial one to protect the edges from pollution, wash etc.?

I'm guessing so Pat, and also to avoid the swing moorings etc. Don't take my word for it, but I think you'll find if you dip a boathook in front of the boat you'll find plenty of depth.

]Will post a picture once I remember what I need to downsize it to. If anyone happens to know the max dimensions, please post on here and save me the guesswork.

1600 pixels wide rings a bell Pat.

[seaboater]

Thanks Mark for the sizing info.