Broadsword

Here's an attempt at a serious answer I don't think it is really a matter of what your job is, but how you use your money. I choose to own a boat - a very modest boat, paid for now by means of a small loan over a few years. We chose not to holiday abroad over those years but to use our boat whenever possible - maximising its value to us. Neither of us smoke and we don't spend much on alcohol. We run older cars and have borrowed for very little else. I am not a home owner. I could stretch my budget to buy a newer, better bigger boat I guess, but for the time being with one youngster still at university for a few more years, we have decided to keep our outgoings well under control. One day maybe I won't tell you what I earn, but I can assure you my salary is quite modest too!

Certain that this had been done before, and concerned that we might be re-inventing the (hamster) wheel, I looked at another place... In 'Geeks corner' there are some threads about this... one of them, amusingly, pointed me to yet another place that I have not chosen to visit... They have a page on this topic that suggests there are quite a few hotspots scattered around...

Is there a wrong time to arrive at How Hill? I love the place... I recognised it from many very happy visits. The only let down is the mooring. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely spot, and nice to take the dinghy off for a row in the evenings, but it has become a pain in recent years due to the excessive speed of some of the boats passing by. I don't know why people feel they have the right to use it like a race track, but it really throws the yacht about!

How Hill?

Probably. Or perhaps a generator will automatically kick in, ensuring your puds rise, but at the same time ensuring your neighbours do too... I suppose if you hired a boat without all that power draining stuff on it, you wouldn't be able to cook your Sunday roast... but then again, with the money you save on hire fees for the simpler boat, you could afford to take the whole family out for Sunday lunch and support a local business! where did I leave my tin hat...

Steve, all very helpful, thanks. It still looks very appealing and I really may try it sometime!

I have to say Dan, that sounds good value. It does look a stunning area. Not to sure what SWMBO would say about all the locks though! Mind you, you are far younger than me!!

It looks fantastic,,, and because of the positive report from Ellaboat, I took a closer look... Beautiful, I grant you, appealing? Yes, even to a Saily! My sticking point is the suggestion that your holiday was at a price Broads companies would find it hard to compete with... I played with some online bookings and discovered that for a week in mid June, on a 4+2 cruiser, I would have to part with over £1800 and get to South West France to enjoy it. (Flights are not included, so far as I can see!) A 6 berth boat from Herbert Woods, booked through Blakes will cost a little over £1000 for the same weeks and there are cruisers available for less from other operators. I accept this is a different place altogether and it is lovely, but a one week holiday there would cost me a good deal more than the same on the Broads. That's not to say it isn't good value for what you get, but I am not sure how to understand Steve's assertion.

Watch it Lab... We may only have two Westies, but they can take you any day... especially if they hear any more of that anti-saily talk!! Grrr Woof Woof... a bit... sorry guv, just got a bit excited! Forever!!

So, that being the case... I am guessing it must be coming down from Martham towards Potter Heigham, just down from the Martham moorings...

Why do you lot always jump south first? Thurne, approaching Potter from Womack, just as the bungalows begin, might have worked, but that would be a funny direction for a sunset!

That's more like it... a really nice picture that...

The lads were telling me about that... I really look forward to seeing that, they need all the help they can get to keep the business going. I do hope they fill up, it would be a good base for anyone - so long as you don't mind the distance from the road!

Of course David (ex-pilot that is) the yard you and I frequent most just looks the oldest...

That's more or less what I expected David... both your first and second answers! It makes a certain logical sense for those who use significant quantities of fuel for propulsion...

Puzzled as to why any other Broads website needs to mentioned, especially in a negative tone? Forgive me if I have missed this, but will it only be possible to gain the benefit on large purchases? What about the Broads sailor with a river cruiser who buys a few gallons at a time in cans? How will this be worked out in practice?

I'm with you Dave... lovely old boats and very reasonable prices if you don't want/need all the silly extras that the plastic monsters offer... It seems MArtham are at last injecting some cash into tidying up the fleet.. Good for them, long may they continue... a lovely crowd and always helpful.

Nigel, I totally agree. As I say, I have done both over the years and seen it from both sides, though I am mainly a sailor. If you get no help from the saily, then 'pass at the stern' is very good general advice; at least that way the yacht or dinghy is moving away from you as you pass!! It's just common sense. No excuse for rude, presumptuous or just ignorant yachtsmen, but do bear in mind that many you see will be on hired yachts and their experience will vary very widely, as does that of cruiser drivers! Some (like me) are extremely talented and skilfull, :-D others my be doing it for the first time.Don't even start me on the relative abilities of owners and hirers though! They vary widely too!! If it even appears that a yachtsman/woman may not know what he/she is doing, then it surely pays to exercise extra caution? It may be that they are in difficulty for some reason...

Simon, you raise very good points - that I am not qualified to answer, and thankfully not responsible for! I totally understand the impossible constraints placed on motor cruiser drivers (or holiday yachtsmen!!) under such circumstances. I don't know how that can be resolved. I experienced a similar problem sailing into Hickling (Pleasure Boat) whilst a race was in progress, crossing the main channel. I was in a large yacht on a fast beam reach, far less manoeuvrable than the dinghies, and was abused several times by helmsmen who could easily have slipped around me, but didn't want to because they were racing!! My comments above relate to the more normal situation where we encounter one another on the open river. My pet hate is the M25 (ok, Thurne Mouth through ton St. Benets' here some cruisers seem to thunder along in a pack, only a boat's length apart, sometimes two or three abreast, making it very difficult for yachts...! We all need to exercise understanding and remember, we are all responsible to do all we can to avoid collisions, no matter who technically has right of way!

Ok, not wanting to wade into a scrum, but to make something clear... If I meet you on the river in my yacht and it is necessary to communicate with you; my directions (hand signals, as you may not hear me over the grumbling engines) will be to direct your actions, not to indicate my intended ones. Thus, I may hold up the flat hand, asking you to slow down or briefly hold station, or indeed wave you on as I will tack away from you... equally I may well point in one direction or another, indicating that this is the side I would appreciate you passing on... When motor cruiser drivers are co-operative, even if their attempt to help is not perfectly executed, they will always receive a wave and a thank-you, unless I am very pre-occupied! The most useful advice is what many of you already know, if you are passing a tacking yacht, whether it is going in the same direction as you or not, is to pass at the stern, not across the bows - unless the helm explicitly indicates otherwise... When passing from behind, get quite close in a position to pass, and go through reasonably quickly as the yacht tacks away from you. If you are on the same stretch together for a while, observe the way the yacht is behaving, it will give an idea of the length of time between tacks, which tack is short and which long, etc. All of which will help you judge the pass more safely. On restricted stretches (The river stretch through the Potter Heigham/Repps bungalows for example) keep well to the side of the river... If you try to take the middle, you will never have time to complete the pass and get very frustrated! Others may disagree, but I find that far too few cruiser helms will understand attempts to explain what I am about to do, for me to rely on that as a safe option; however, most will understand my polite requests to them. There are as we all know, excellent sailors and motor cruiser drivers, and there are poor examples of each. Likewise there are polite and considerate examples in both camps, and also idiots. Don't fall into the saily/stinky squabble, many of us here enjoy both methods of navigating! I totally agree, a yacht under motor, even with it's sails up, should not expect or demand to be given way to, even if, as is sometimes the case, it is still apparently tacking... (there are reasons for this, but I won't waste your time explaining them!) I think the friendships and understanding generated by forums such as this, can help to increase understanding and respect for one another. I would be glad to take some of my motor-boating friends out for a sail, to help them understand the way it looks from the cockpit of a small sailing yacht, and how we can happily co-exist! I hope these thoughts help. They are not exhaustive, and others (sailors or otherwise) may well want to add their thoughts. Those of us who sail will be glad to hear your concerns and observations too.

Norfolk Marine at Wroxham can make them up for you with all necessary fittings, reasonable prices and fairly immediate service. You may have to wait a few hours if they re busy.

I rathethink I will give it a look in early August Greg, if not next week! Judging by the satellite image, I would be able to turn at the bridge without needing to go through... well worth a look I'd say! Does anyone know whether there are available moorings there?

Can you be sure he hasn't?

I went up there several years ago in a half decker, but it was not that open. Has there been some clearance work there? I am impressed!

Catfield Dyke surely Poppy? And, is there a motor cruiser behind the yacht? Great image Greg, made me smile! :-D