Broadsword

I look forward to that! However, I don't think I'll spend much time looking at boats on webcams...

You lot have way too much time on your hands!

Good call - enjoy a really good time...

I am not against going South, but not on a three day trip! For me, Yarmouth holds no attraction, except as a place to pass through on the way to the Southern Rivers, but that's just me. Agreed, the lower stretch after the Stracey Arms is not as pretty as the Northern Rivers... On a short trip, stay North and enjoy the excellent rivers moorings and pubs there... Then come back again and take a trip through Yarmouth to see what the South has to offer!

This might go against the grain - and people are more than welcome to differ but, if I were you and new to boating, I wouldn't bother going all the way to Yarmouth on a three night visit! You'll do a lot of chuntering and not so much sitting back enjoying. From Potter, you could have three lovely days and nights above Acle Bridge, head for Barton for a night; maybe over to Horning, Salhouse and Wroxham on Day two and so much in between! Don't feel you need to go a distance to enjoy the experience...

Steve, definitely worth learning how to glass them in... If you use adhesives, you will almost certainly have to do it again... and again... and...

Good for you - I know what is involved in pulling things round... credit to you for taking it seriously

As I said elsewhere - great video and lovely boat!

That's a good point... However, shelter for me doesn't mean substantial trees so much as scrub and riverside growth typical of much of the area. I understand why much of it has been removed, but it is useful to have that little shelter from the elements at times!

Although, as a sailor, I appreciate some of the clearance that has gone on on the Northern Rivers, it has reduced the amount of sheltered safe havens! We moored at Hunters but were heavily buffeted as the cover that used to be there on the way in to Womack has all but disappeared. Same is true of parts of Fleet Dyke. We do need sheltered harbours as well as nice open reaches! Thank the Lord for places like Cockshoot, Paddy's Lane, Gays Staithe, Upton, Malthouse etc. In days gone by we would have mudweighted close to shelter, but need to be able to get the pups off the boat, so don't do that much now...

Hello Cook - pop in and say hello, you'll be most welcome!

I couldn't agree more

'Do a test' - well, of course some of us have... The people I have sailed with on summer camps are usually RYA 3 Keelboat qualified - at the least. I am myself - some are much more highly qualified. [That doesn't mean you are fool-proof of course as I demonstrated about 8 years ago when I turned a Hunter's half-decker over in a squall. Thankfully no-one was hurt and nothing was damaged, except my pride.] It means though that someone professional has deemed me competent to be the helm of a sailing yacht on inland or sheltered waters (e.g. the Broads) but does not cover coastal navigation or anything of that kind. What it does mean is that we really do know quite a bit about boat handling. The reason for this is that we take charge of young people and would not be able to get insurance without some certification of competence. Several of us are also qualified with a power boat ticket so that we can man a safety and rescue boat (I don't have this). What many of us do have is years of experience of handling motor cruisers and launches in all kinds of conditions. Those with substantial coastal and offshore experience can still find the Broads an unusual and tricky place to sail. They are not used to the close quarters and frequent tacks and changes of direction. So the qualifications don't necessarily help. I guess my concern is; what sort of test would it have to be to really demonstrate competence? Usually, to get the RYA 3 you have to go through 1 and 2 on the way... several days of training and ongoing experience at the very least, even if you do it via a course; quite a bit of expense (the courses aren't free) and then for my RYA 3 (I jumped straight there as I could demonstrate ability and experience) a three day course covering a wide range of issues and a one hour sailing test at the helm, including leaving and arriving at moorings (under sail), man-overboard drill, use of all sails and lots more beside. Just saying...

Having read them again, the one or two examples given above of sailing boats leaving a busy mooring badly, strongly suggest inexperience to me... Believe me, when I want to sail off a mooring, I try to get well away from any other boats! Usually though, we are very circumspect and, if in a busy location with the wind direction etc. unfavourable, we would motor into open space, head into the wind and hoist the sails that way. However, unpowered craft will find that more difficult. Then, the options are to move to a safer location on the mooring or away from it... For example if moored at St Benets with the wind blowing onto the mooring, quant to the far side of the river and nose into the reeds... or on Malthouse, mudweight in open water and raise sail there... Trouble is, to the inexperienced hirer, these options, which are actually safer and easier, don't look that way!

An interesting discussion... Just a few observations... Remember, many of the sailies you see and have issues with are also hirers and may be similarly inexperienced to some of the cruiser hirers mentioned... The same concerns apply - what tuition is given before they take over the boat? In my experience it varies hugely from none at all to 'some' - rarely a lot, with a few notable exceptions. Vikings23's comment above is full of subjectivity... Why can't sailies leave under jib only? All sorts of reasons, but it would take a sailing course to explain them all. Basically though, they should not do so in such a way as to endanger others, or cause damage. Having said that , I am sure I have been guilty in the past, especially when a lot less experienced and unaware of how the boat will respond. To raise the sail midstream, having already got under way would require the boat to turn back into the wind and, in some of the locations you have in mind, that would be complicated! If you can't sail off a mooring properly then it may not be the best place to do so... I would move (quant, row, whatever) to a safer position. I don't think a proper handover should be impossible or too time consuming - and involving children ought to be an enjoyable and fun experience - it depends on the abilities of the staff I guess. Some group training, with video etc. and a bit of help over mooring, getting on and off safely, life jackets etc. etc. would pay dividends...

We met a first time hirer on a BIG Faircraft boat who was doing OK, 'cos he was that kind of guy, steady, sensible... He had bow thrusters buzzing away and handled the boat well enough, but his crew had no idea and, frankly, that was not entirely their fault - they had no idea what to expect... After all, when Dad parks the car, he doesn't ask Mum and the boys to do anything! A proper intro - video would be good - for all of the adult/young adult crew it would have meant that when he arrived at the mooring, he would have had some meaningful help! They got sorted eventually, but on arrival at the mooring, their forward mooring lines were all nicely tied to the pulpit! When they did get them free, they had not a first clue about taking a turn around the post or tying the boat off... Surely some common sense advice would have prepared them for that?

Ooooh! Yes please! What a little beauty...

We went to Hunters, but wished we had gone for the island, would have been more sheltered, definitely... I didn't feel great leaving the boat on it's mooring at Potter, but I guess it has sat through worse... Just feels as though the mast will come down! It's a lot taller than our little Prelude!! The Hunters yachts are so low and beamy, they hardly move, but our Pegasus was heeling on its mooring!

Thank you - sorry we didn't know which boat was yours! Were you on the other side?

Have posted this in a similar form on the 'deep reefs' thread, but here is a little taste of our eventful weekend! Having set OBY up for the season last Tuesday, this was our first real outing - what a weekend to choose! We knew we wouldn't go far, but wanted to try a night or two on board as well; as some sailing. We had a great sail on Friday - overnight at Cockshoot Dyke, lovely as always and not too busy... Met a nice family out for the first time ever on a large Faircraft Cruiser - a beauty with reasonable topsides (but not as high as some) so an attractive, big boat. The helm handled her well, approaching carefully and under good control, but his crew were quite inexperienced, so we helped them to get her in and tied up. As we did so, a stag boat chuntered up to the end of the Dyke, in full and raucous voice... Thankfully, they continued on to Horning! A nice chicken curry and a couple of beers rounded off the evening and we read until it got dark - clever things Kindles! Beautiful morning on Saturday at 7.00 - so we walked the doggies down to the hide and cooked breakfast, but the weather closed in fast as we set off an hour or two later. Very, very blustery with some huge gusts. We sailed for a while under reefed genoa with the wind behind but it got distinctly unpleasant, so we furled the sail and carried on with the o/b and a few degrees of heel under bare poles! SWMBO learning the new ropes quickly and efficiently! We aimed for Womack and hunkered down in Hunters' Yard (very kind as all of their fleet were still in, awaiting the Kestrels Camp, with no plans to venture out - but they found us a space!) and settled in for a windy evening... We were being blown hard against the quay heading until the wind eased in the late evening... The camp crowd (some known to us form other occasions) arrived in good spirits, but were understandably a bit deflated by the conditions and opted to stay put. We cooked a corned beef hash for supper went for showers and turned in early. Another nice morning, so we headed off early to get OBY home, as the forecast was still awful for later and, more to the point, for tomorrow! We breakfasted on our home mooring and spent a few hours playing with the gear and arrangements, to get more familiar with the boat and left PH just as the downpour started, having tucked her away safely... Nice to see Hakuna Matata out on the water, along with some of the guys from Jeremy Aslan's Pathfinders Camp... Maybe we saw you too... if we didn't spot you, sorry! As some have said before, a wet blowy weekend on the river, is better by far than a sunny day in the office!

We had a great sail on Friday - overnight at Cockshoot Dyke, lovely as always... Beautiful morning on Saturday - so walked the doggies down to the hide, but the weather closed in fast as we set off an hour or two later. Very, very blustery... sailed for a while under jib with the wind behind but it got distinctly unpleasant, so we carried on with the o/b and a few degrees of heel under bare poles! Hunkered down in Hunters' Yard (very kind as all of their fleet were still in, awaiting the Kestrels Camp, with no plans to venture out - but they found us a space!) and settled in for a windy evening... We were being blown hard against the quay heading until the wind eased late evening... Another nice morning, so we headed off early to get OBY home, as the forecast was still awful for later and, more to the point, for tomorrow! We left PH just as the downpour started, having tucked her away safely...

We brought the new boat back to PH from S. Walsham on Tuesday, in a nice steady breeze and, utterly predictably, as we negotiated my watery nemesis, the breeze really kicked up! It is an unusual place I will never forget that day Spider! Taught me a lot; not least, don't take the helm if you are not fit (I had badly damaged my hamstring three days previously) and, when your crew offers to help by handling the mainsheet as you gybe, think twice before saying no!

We'll be on the boat until Monday, but not looking good for our first real tryout... It's the gusts as gets you!

Definitely use the ropes... We watched a group trying to turn a big cruiser at Stalham one year, for every attempt they made to turn under motor, they simply blew back with the wind... They wouldn't listen, but when I expressed my concern they were about to park the beast on my tiny little sailing boat and offered to take a line, they were round in moments... So simple to just walk the boat round...