Meantime

I suspect a lot of the attitude towards pleasure craft from Peel Ports has to do with the fact that there is no marina style moorings or facilities for pleasure boats within the harbour. If you look at Lowestoft there are pontoon moorings for pleasure craft within the harbour and they are properly catered for. When Peel Ports were responsible for Breydon Water they were forced to interact with, or cater for, pleasure boaters more, because there was a constant stream of pleasure boats transiting between the North and South Broads through their patch. Since responsibility for Breydon has been passed to The BA (a mistake in my book) the only interaction Peel now have with pleasure boaters is when someone wants a bridge lifting to pass through the port to or from the sea. Otherwise seen as a PITA.

Seems when I quote it will only include your text, not my original text, so you'll have to fill in the gaps From bits I've read here and on Facebook I got the impression from Robin that an out of hours lift could be arranged for the passing of some shillings from one person to another? and actually upon checking FairTmiddlin's link to Peel Ports it does state there that Haven bridge can be lifted between sunset and sun rise in exchange for £200. I cannot think of the exact legislation and maybe totally wrong, but I understood that if you build a railway bridge or road over a tidal navigation it has to be lifting so as to not block the navigation to river traffic? I was also under the impression that river traffic had priority over non river traffic, although in practise that very rarely seems to be the case. I've probably read this forum since it's inception 10 years or so ago and back then there used to be a lot more sea going members and the subject of bridges, especially railway ones were very hot topics. To answer your question in terms of how it applies here? I was trying to keep the topic general as suggested rather than specific to this one passage.

I'm not sure that the legislation around not blocking tidal waterways takes into account whether the vessel is commercial or pleasure, in fact I'm fairly certain it doesn't. So that got me thinking about a few things; Firstly, why isn't the bridge manned 24hrs a day like the railway bridges? It would appear that you can arrange an out of hours lift at a price? Shouldn't it be free at all times of the day, like the railway bridges? Secondly, the legislation around not blocking the navigation was probably drafted when the river traffic was mainly commercial and there was little if any pleasure traffic around. Would such legislation ever get passed now given that the balance of traffic, especially for those bridges has been very much reversed in terms of more pleasure than commercial traffic? and balanced against the need of the very many more road traffic users than there would have been when such laws were first put in place. With my sensible non boating hat on, I can see that not holding up many commuters on their way to work, should have priority over any pleasure activity. The fact is off course that regardless of whether such laws would be put in place now, it is currently in place and should be adhered to, even if some leeway has to be given, as long as it is properly explained.

Sorry cannot help myself, That must have been a long long time ago! There hasn't been a swing bridge at St Olaves for many years since they built the new tall bridge and the low iron one is fixed. I'm guessing you mean Somerleyton bridge which is the swing rail bridge, but it is ironic that way back there did used to be a swing bridge over the cut for road traffic before the high road bridge was built.

It would be a shame to see it moved into full members since the trip has resulted in so many new members and people following the forum. Those new members will not be full members yet! Although as suggested, whilst Griff is talking to the port authority, it is probably best if everyone keeps this topic about Haven bridge in general and avoids specifics related to this one passage. Just my opinion off course.

Whilst the bridge lifts are down to Peel and beyond the control of The BA, I would have thought they have a vested interest, after all anything that needs the bridges lifted, is generally going to be paying a fairly hefty short visit, or annual toll! Persuade enough of them that the Broads are not worth visiting, or too much hassle to stay on long term and the toll account could shrink a fair bit.

Which if anything is even more important when at sea! but as Alan has touched upon in his first paragraph, meeting the BSS standard, could, mean a downgrade in safety to meet the BSS standard? I take on board the comments about sea worthiness, and the BSS doesn't assess whether a boat should, or is capable of going to sea and I accept that. But, all the rest of the "safety items that the BSS does cover, are equally, if not more important when further away from land. I think that Independence has proven to be a safe AND seaworthy vessel, hopefully the BSS thinks so as well. As I say a test of the BSS test.

I think the trip was actually completed over three years. It was shown on TV as three series shown 2010 to 2012. The first leg of the journey was London to Cornwall which wasn't recorded. The next three legs were Cornwall to Penarth, Penarth to Scotland, and then Scotland and back up the Thames are getting lost and guided by the Sheerness lifeboat near the river Medway estuary. At least the first leg of Robin's journey has been captured by some forum members and the crew themselves. Would make a cracking TV series.

Those are the rules for everyone within an area that the BSS applies, which I accept now covers Independence since she is now in a BSS area, however it has managed a good few years without one, and managed a thoroughly testing sea journey, hence my opinion, and it is just my opinion, that this will be a good test of the BSS test. I'm not going to start talking technical semantics here, or get drawn into a long winded discussion as the thread was more started as a light hearted mischievous dig at the BSS, and yes I do accept it has its merits, but I'm equally convinced it has it's shortcomings. I don't think Robin is expecting the boat to pass without some modification, yet the geography hasn't made the boat any less safe.

Maybe we can persuade him to do a Timothy Spall and carry on round the coast next year. I believe Timothy went clockwise? so Robin could carry on going anti clockwise. Might need a television production to help cover the fuel costs though

What's needed at Potter is a decent riverside pub in which to wait for the bridge to lift!!

I thought I would start a separate thread so as not to hijack Robin's thread. As the title suggests, this could be a good test of the BSS test. A boat has been built to a safe standard, and spent a few years on the coast and been maintained by its previous and current owners. The same boat has been subject to a weekends meticulous scrutiny by the crew who's very lives would depend upon her. She has now completed an exhausting journey from Plymouth to The Broads where she will now require a BSS!! If ever there was a test of how safe a boat is, then I would have thought the journey just completed would be it. Compared to how the boat is likely to spend the next few years the journey just completed was a real test. I wonder what the test of the BSS test is going to fare To my mind Independence has already passed her test, but I'm sure the various nuances of the BSS test are going to find some areas that need modifying for her "safety"

Now is probably the time for those with a vested interest in bridge lifts (I don't go under Haven and can just about squeeze under Breydon ) to intereact with the BA and Peel Ports. A story appeared on the EDP website back in January about the port control possibly relocating to Liverpool. I cannot see any update on the website, but I did hear on The Beach radio that the local consultation was happening with staff and local users of the port. Ironically that meeting was yesterday! If its bad enough getting a bridge lift now, what will it be like if the control moves to Liverpool. Here is the link to the original story. http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/jobs-to-go-in-great-yarmouth-port-reshuffle-1-5360856

All this talk about tolls, short visit tolls, BSS, snitches etc is pretty unnecessary to be honest. Team Indy have just completed a most extraordinary voyage that should be celebrated and has been a shared enjoyable experience for many. The rest is just the paperwork. Anyone who has taken the time to follow Robin's adventure from the start will know he is a man of principle and how much research he does. The paperwork is Robin's business, but I have no doubt that Indy wouldn't have been without a toll, even short visit, for long, and I'm equally certain the plans for getting a BSS in a timely manner are well in place. The preparation for the voyage and it's success is testament to the planning so far. The BA would have been damned if they did and damned if they didn't with such a public arrival, so probably had little choice ultimately. Carry on celebrating getting your boat to The Broads and the rest will still be there in a few days when hopefully we get to share the further tales of maintenance, updates and care.

WOW indeed! I think Griff said somewhere the journey was 320 nautical miles? If so then very roughly 10 litres per mile. Don't suppose a lift out, transport by road and lift back in would have been much cheaper, and a lot less fun for the crew and the rest of us.

I believe Robin has talked of the possibility of a trip to Holland, and certainly some fair weather trips to sea, so it could be worth researching, at least an email to Louise. I believe they also have a cruise in company club that does trips to places such as Southwold. Not sure if that is only open to people who have, or are thinking of buying from them, but again Louise is the person to contact. https://www.nya.co.uk/fuel-club/

For those with big tanks based in the Brundall area there is also the NYA fuel club. You pay an annual membership fee and get issued with a fob. You can then fill up 24hrs a day using the fob and get a highly reduced rate. The pump is linked to the office for automatic billing and it is assumed that you will be declaring the 60/40 split. The membership fee is £250 per year, and I don't know the current discounted price, so have no idea how much you need to purchase to save money, but the 24hr availability is convenient.

Its still reporting position so waiting for the bridge I presume.

Getting closer, almost there. Can I just add what a sterling effort by team NBN. Nearly 180 users online at the moment and I would think the numbers have been high for most of the weekend on and off.

It doesn't appear to have slowed down, or stopped. Hope Robin is not intending to wade out to the layby pontoon between the bridges. Hope the crew are not to tired to later with a couple of beers.

7 knots

I can almost hear the collective forum cheer now that they are in the harbour. I'm sure there'll be an even bigger cheer once that Pink dot appears on Breydon Water.

For those who don't do Facebook, and maybe worried, quick synopsis. Robin has admitted to having an anxiety attack during yesterdays leg of the journey during some of the rougher seas and has taken the decision to complete the last leg of the journey by train, leaving Independence in the very capable hands of Griff and the rest of the team. It must have been a very tough decision and he gets my respect even more for opening up on Facebook and all respect to Griff for being a true friend in need.

The bridge is manned 24hrs a day because the control room is basically the wrong side of the river. In the old days they used to swing the bridge open after the last train of the day and then row across the river and go home. The next day before the first train through they would row back and close the bridge. These days due to elf and safety they are not allowed to do that and due to the requirement to not block the navigation someone has to sit in the control room just in case the bridge needs to be swung for a boat. Having said that, the way the tide can rip through there, its probably a good thing that elf and safety stepped in.

The BSS does cover a boats sanitation system. See attached Page 64. It isn't onerous and is mainly concerned with ensuring there is a closable valve fitted in any discharge line of a toilet or tank with over board discharge. I believe the attached is the current BSS regs, maybe a BSS examiner, if there is one who is a member, could confirm. ecp-private-boats-ed3_rev2_apr2015_public_final.pdf