TheQ

The Next regatta is Hickling Broad SC’s Summer Regatta, it actually overlaps Horning’s this year. Wednesday 3rd, Thursday, 4th Friday 5th, evenings only 19:30 onwards, Saturday 6th Sunday 7th 10:00-17:00 Shouldn’t bother many people, since in a motorboat unless you Really Know the broad, you need to keep to the deep water channels, All you can do is slow to let boats cross or pass you. Just be careful as you approach the club / Pleasure Boat Inn, next door as this will be the busiest area. Viewing.. The Pleasure Boat quay heading, You could mud weight just outside the deep water channel somewhere, but the broads is very weedy..

Izal type toilet roll started being phased out in the military around about 1983-84 that's in normal barrack use. They started accusing us of stealing it when it arrived... No we weren't stealing it.. we were using it for the first time... The replacement isn't as good as the cheapest own brand paper, but a huge improvement on the greaseproof paper of the past. Compo ration packs what's in there now I have no idea, But Izal stayed for many a years after..

If you have any questions about the above I'll try to help.. More regattas to follow when I have the chance..

The second regatta of the season is Horning from 30th July to the 5th of August. This is the one most likely to cause consternation to non sailors as it’s very busy 100-150 Competitors is not unknown. Advice , Not orders, below… Saturday it starts around 12:00 with the boats sailing down to Black Horse / Little Hoveton Broad, for a 14:00 start.. Should be finished by 17:00 If you wish to avoid, just don’t go on the broad, If you wish to look at the broad / sailing just go round the edges, If you wish to mud weight then either the left hand end as you go in or the right hand end as you go in are the best places, you’ll likely see some of our motorboats mud weighted there during racing. Sunday, also on Black Horse Broad, same advice , but the boats will be going up there from 09:00 coming back for lunch from 12:00 going back up again from 13:00 and finish around 17:00. Monday to Friday, the chaos begins… On the river from the clubhouse / Swan inn Corner, up river to Dydlers Mill, however the big boats could go all the way up to the end of the next straight, if the wind conditions are good. The first boats are on the water from around 09:15, the last boats finish around 18:00. There is a lull with reduced numbers 12:30 to 14:00 Be particularly careful 09:15- 10:30, as the junior Beginners are out sailing, but they’ll be kept within sight of the clubhouse… Advice for getting through. Please keep slowly to the right hand bank, that’s less than 6ft away from it, the competitors are then told to treat you as the bank, if you motor through more than that, you’re likely to get boats both side of you… This does not mean you may not have to stop or go even slower, as boats may have no choice due to other boats, but to tack in front of you. If the sailing boat in front tacks away from your bank then go forward… Don’t worry if there is a boat heading for your side, sailing boats are much more fragile than a motorboat, they don’t wish to damage their pride and joy by hitting you. Even though they maybe tacking just 6 inches from your boats side. Visitors really interested in sailing, are welcome to visit the club, if you want information please ask, someone will point you to the right person, otherwise you’ll be ignored as everyone is involved with their own part in the event. Also Monday to Friday it’s an open event so if you are a sailor you can bring your boat and enter.. If you wish to watch there is only Ashore on the Swan Green.

First Regatta of the main Season Is Wroxham held by NBYC. From Sunday 24th July to Sunday 31st July. This one is easy to avoid, just don’t go on Wroxham Broad, If you wish to pass through and have a look at the broad while sailing is going on. Please keep to the edges, But be aware some courses sail close to the edges and you may have to stop or take avoiding action.. Also be aware of the Start line which runs from the Box on top of the club house to a lettered board the other side, the letter is shown prominently by the starters box. Being on that line during a start is not a good idea, you could see a huge bunch of boats bearing down on you.. If you wish to mudweight during racing then the only “ safe places” are at the Wroxham end of the broad beyond the racing buoys and near the trees at the Salhouse end of the broad. You can moor on the “Island” on the river side, but how much you can see from there I have no idea.. The Broad is Private, NBYC pay a lot of money to rent the broad, theoretically they could charge for mud weighting but I’ve never heard of anyone being charged.

Hello All, We are coming up to Regatta season, so for the non sailers among us I thought I’d let you know what’s going on where, and how to avoid / pass through / watch… There is normal sailing going on at some club on the broads every day, but the numbers aren’t like a full regatta.. Should you get involved with an incident at any of the events, you need to make a note of the sail Number or broads registration number or boat name, preferably all three, plus date and time. Any clubs officials can’t do anything, without knowing who to contact. Getting a message some weeks after the event, talking of a white coloured boat with white coloured sails is impossible to resolve.. You either then have to go to the club Immediately or Email / phone an address on their website. As soon as possible. (Clubs display a Secretary’s club Email address / phone number or Commodores details normally).

yep that section of road from the Masonic hall down is beginning to feels like a ploughed field..

The EDP announced the hole in the Wroxham road would be filled and complete yesterday... It isn't.... the lights are still there and the new tarmac has a distinct dip in it..

Three or 4 years ago three repeater transmitters were put in Horning. One I believe is up near the recreation ground, One I know is on the back of the sailing club control box, can't remember where they put the third.

Last week northerlys, High water in the broads This week, A few days of southerly wind and High air pressure has pushed the water levels down in the North Sea, so all the water has drained away. With that low approaching and the wind switching round again, expect the water levels to rebound, and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a fish kill.

I've passed on your remarks to someone in Hickling SC, to be passed to their Authorities.

Last time I sailed over the top of Scotland we ended up in Blyth, as we ran out of time, We had been planning to reach Grimsby. We got stuck in Stonehaven as a storm went over .. Round the top is rough waters even in calm weather it says on the charts.. On the Broads Broads tax for your boat will be just under £400 a year (they don't do monthly) You Would also require a 4 year Broads safety test. you are looking maybe £300, but it's variable and I can't find a current list price. Mooring's even at 3ft 9 inches you are pushing it, At Horning sailing club I'm not sure we have any moorings that could guarantee that. Especially this weekend where we had very low water.. though all that would happen is your keel would sink into the mud.. 3ft 9in would be OK on the Northern Rivers but not on all Broads... this link takes You to the Broads Hydrographic Survey. https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/water-depths A quick look at a general map of the broads online should place the individual sections of the survey. Moorings Live aboard Marina moorings are like hens teeth, very few and far between, the public moorings are free but are 24 hour only, Though I believe they are generous and allow 48 hours in the winter. None of the Bridges I know of, would help you lower a mast, due to traffic over / under the bridge and tidal flow.. Most of the Broadland rivers are tidal ranging from maybe 6mph in Great Yarmouth down two 2mph incoming at Horning which is 19 miles inland by river.. There are a few laundrettes scattered around , Wroxham has one and Stalham, there will be others. A diesel heater would probably be best, for some reason small gas bottles seem to be in short supply at the moment, and you already have diesel onboard. there are plenty of boatyards that supply diesel. This Link to the Norfolk Broads Sailing Association site will give you much more information. http://www.thegreenbook.org.uk/ click on the words Green book on the left, then you see the index, then click on the page you are interested in and it will take you there. A fridge or freezer would require some running the engine regularly to charge batteries, you don't have enough available area on a sailing Yacht for sufficient solar panels alone.

Like the dinghy I saw named "This Way Down" It was painted on the bottom of the hull inside and out, and on the stern with an arrow pointing to the bottom of the boat.

I can confirm further details for our club open day which is now almost a full show, as we have a guest layout, and two commercial stalls. And the club second hand stall. £3 to enter, 10:30-16:00, 6 operational layouts 4 under construction , postcode for your navigator NR12 9DE. A picture of where it is, the entrance is where it says poppy centre.

Our rivers are the cleanest they've been in over a hundred years. That's why all the broads are clogging up with weed, and the river edges are getting lined with Water Lilies. Unfortunately I do think there will be an accident some time, drunken driver or inexperienced driver of a hire boat verses a near invisible commuting swimmer. Note I didn't say helm... The old Blake's swimming photos would normally be at a broad with moored boats, yes there is a danger of incoming boats. But not as likely as those that have taken to swimming down rivers.

The last two evenings have had traffic chaos heading into north Norfolk, with Acle closed, Wroxham road works delaying things, the Coltishall road had traffic jams beyond Crostwick.

Mariner are owned / made by Mercury who are owned by the Brunswick Corporation of Wisconsin in the USA.. The last British Outboard manufacturer was Seagull, who died in 1996, Sheridan marine, now own the make and can supply parts . https://www.britishseagull.com/

Modern hirecraft are caravans on water, hull shape is long down the list of design features. TV, House sized cookers, big fridges and freezers, ensuite bathrooms all come much higher up the list.

Boats at university to get a BSC , maybe they could teach the drivers how to helm a boat..

Now does that mean the works are finished 00:01 on the 1st or 23:59 on the first? cos that the day I want to use it next:

No there's nothing in the navigation regs about open water swimmers, I've seen them swimming through Horning , black wetsuit, black or blue rubber hat, towing, some feet behind them, a tiny fluorescent orange float... with a small six inch square flag on it..

At Horning the club drivers are reminded they can't speed except to an actual rescue, though some people need reminding more than once. One of the problems with them is at low speed they make so much wash, they appear to be going faster than they are. The other problem on a down river race the the competitors are faster than the motorboat speed limit at times, and you are supposed to stay within viewing distance to see if there is anyone in trouble..

Best place for breakfast on a Sunday? at the sailing club, sailing day... Best place for Breakfast During the week? At the sailing club.. It means it's regatta week, coming soon to a river near you..

hmm Home via Coltishall tonight then..

That's because safety boats are designed to plane at high speed when needed, when pottering around most of the time their hull shape is most inefficient.