[Another Newbie 🙈]

18 hours ago, Wussername said:

Boating, or rather helming a boat, albeit sail or motor, is never ever, about getting it right.

May I mention a strange analogy, it is with regard to flying an aircraft and I have done that as well although I have to say I am not a pilot.

On an approach, heading whatever, visibility, height, wind, QFR, on a VFR approach (Visual Flight Rules) things go wrong. It would seem to me that one is always correcting a mistake at 800 ft.

Same with boats. Experience does not only tell you how to moor a boat. It also informs you that it is not going how it should. So, you adjust. Calmly. Some do not. Go around, no shame in that. Try again. 

Wind, tide, visibility, hazards, all enter the mix. 

Therefor it it is never ever about doing it right it is knowing that it is not as it should be,  and what to do about it.

That is experience and you cannot teach that. 

Fear not, it comes very quickly and in time you will become a boatman.

You may with justification ask the question. Who are you?

Just an old Norfolk man, nothing special about me I can assure you. All I did was move boats, stern on moorings mostly, all day on turn round day, Oh! and also trial runs. 

I have done more stern moorings than any of you in my life. 

They were all perfect. The ones that were not were carried out by my mate who looked like me. 

 

🤣🤣 some very good info there.

Lucky, so far, my worst mooring attempt was by far my worst… and I learned my mistake the minute I finished tying the ropes.

Each time I started to go wrong I used a little more power, then needed more power in reverse and got that lovely pendulum affect going - didn’t figure that out at the time… I would have loved to see what the boat looked like at the time given it’s not designed to ping around like a ping pong ball!

[Another Newbie 🙈]

19 hours ago, catcouk said:

My favourite mooring moment of disaster is not on the broads. We had a senior instructor at a sailing centre; he was a great guy and really knew his stuff but he'd give us a hard time of we ballsed up. At the end of one session, we were bringing our groups back in and we could all see the pontoon. The boss was closest and, to this day, I don't know what went wrong. His boat came in far too fast. My guess is that he was trying to show off some fancy move (he was helming). They were so fast in fact that his boat didn't just hit the pontoon, it ended up sat on top of it. Funniest thing I ever saw as a sailing instructor. And yes, the boss did quite a bit of flack from all of us over that one!

So yes, even the best of us have dodgy mooring moments!

🤣🤣🤣 ahem. Well… there’s one experience I hope to never beat 😅

Sounds like a right £250 you’ve been framed moment!

[Another Newbie 🙈]

20 hours ago, YnysMon said:

I’m sure we’ve all had our dodgy mooring moments! My favourite was last summer when the boat we were on lost the ability to go into reverse as we were trying to stern moor in Beccles. That was ‘interesting’. Luckily the guy who owned the boat that we had borrowed was on hand to hop on board and give instructions, otherwise I think we would have been stuck bow first in someone else’s private mooring. 

Crickey!! Nice bit of fun to be had there!!

I’m an amateur when it comes to mooring, but having watched some YouTube videos of boats bouncing off other boats repeatedly I think I’m not that bad after all having not made contact with any boats to date 😅

[Another Newbie 🙈]

23 hours ago, kpnut said:

Hi there, welcome. Will keep an eye out, either to chat to or avoid if you’re mooring up then!!!

500ft clearance should do it!

[Another Newbie 🙈]

On 08/04/2023 at 21:29, FlyingFortress said:

And if I may ask 

Where were or are you a Docker?

Ahhhhh the username is just in reference to my dodgy docking/mooring attempts 🤣 

[broads bridge details]

16 hours ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

I've used the VHF many times requesting the bridge to be opened.Some times they will some times not.Depending if there's enough  time before train is due.You can also phone and ask.

Phone for me for now… need to look into the VHF & course side of things… keep meaning to but never have as of yet - never even paid much attention to my phone signal while out and about… don’t want to get caught short 🤣

[Another Newbie 🙈]

34 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

But there may be some stupid answers....

I apologise in advance... 

Glad to hear it! 🤣🤣

[Another Newbie 🙈]

36 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Welcome to the forum. Agree with Marge n’ Parge on the questions lark.

Which syndicate have you joined?

Thank you :)

Southern Crusader on the southern broads… but soon to tackle the northern broads also!

[broads bridge details]

Hi all,

(Apologies in advance if not most appropriate forum topic to ask in this page)

I’ve never phoned any of the swing bridges as of yet - however looking to explore more solo and maybe not always lower the canopy. 

Out of curiosity - Is it frowned upon to call a swing bridge and ask for times they are planning any openings on the day of sailing? 

[Another Newbie 🙈]

Hi all!

Been spying on the forums for a long time so about time I joined formally!

Relatively new to the boards, a few day hires and a few weeks as a syndicate which has primarily been used for me as a day boat so far to be fair. 

Taking to the broads for at least 3-4 times this year so just warning you all (and apologising) for any questions I ask that I haven’t found elsewhere!!

If you see a boat and think “what on earth are they doing”, that might be me! Gimme a wave 😅