Malthouse Dyke

[Gallipoli]

I am just wondering, how many people don't pass boats on the Dyke leading to Malthouse Broad, personally I don't because i don't feel right doing it, also is there some form of "gentleman's" agreement around it or not? just a question 

[SwanR]

Welcome to the forum Gallipoli. 

The speed limit is 4mph down there if I recall correctly so no-one should be going that fast anyway. If there was a particularly slow boat I might well go past but otherwise I agree, knowing that space at Ranworth Staithe can be at a premium, it does feel as if one should keep to the order in which the boats arrive.

I actually enjoy mooring on Ranworth Island if we don't need shopping or to fill up with water. And from there it is often quite obvious when there are boats determined to race ahead and grab the last space. I would certainly not want to do that once out of the dyke and onto Malthouse Broad.

However if someone has obviously ignored a space down the side of the staithe that I think I can  fit in, I might well moor up there while they consider any spaces on the front.

[MauriceMynah]

I agree totally. I would never overtake heading down the dyke unless it was someone going ridiculously slowly, and I have been overtaken when going across the broad heading for the staithe. Naughty words passed my lips but I  refused to race him.

Welcome to the Forum Galipolli.

[Polly]

Ranworth Dam is usually busy so overtaking would be awkward generally. I think motor boats legitimately overtake tacking sailies, most of us have a donkey so could go in a straight line if worried about mooring. 

Hunters can fit into the dinghy dyke anyway so their lack of engine isn't a problem either.

[SwanR]

I have also seen some appalling manoeuvring where everyone turns in from the Bure to go down to Ranworth. I remember one particularly bad incident that we witnessed this year with someone so desperate to turn in before other boats that he caused a couple of very near misses with other craft. It was quite unbelievable how stupid his actions were.

[LondonRascal]

What usually happens is when proceeding with several boats everyone will be in close formation waiting, eager in anticipation to get to the Broad and get the first glimpse of the Staithe through Binoculars - is there a space - and then it is as if people 'forget' the speed limit and edge it up a bit, then a bit more over take and head off towards the Staithe.

This can cause issues where they ignore the fact someone has been quietly waiting for a space much closer to the Staithe and I have seen instances where a boat departs, someone heads slowly over to take its place but is beaten to it by a boat who has sped down from the main river.

 

[ranworthbreeze]

14 hours ago, Gallipoli said:

I am just wondering, how many people don't pass boats on the Dyke leading to Malthouse Broad, personally I don't because i don't feel right doing it, also is there some form of "gentleman's" agreement around it or not? just a question 

Hello Gallipoli,

Welcome to the NBN forum.

Please tell us a little about yourself and your times on the Broads.

Regards

Alan

[Broads01]

There can also be issues in the opposite direction with boats charging from the dyke back to the main river.  Visibility isn't that great,  especially upstream and yet common sense goes out the window sometimes. 

[Gallipoli]

Thanks for the welcome  also appologys it took so long to reply College work got in the way  as the London Rascal said, many a time have I left a space or been waiting for one and some *insert word here* has powered down from the Dyke and just taken a space from some poor person that was just waiting for one, I think that the boatyards sould inform people that it is a generally busy mooring and that be polite about the mooring there?

[Timbo]

Last time we headed down the dyke with Uncle Albert we had a couple of boats, one privateer and one hire, decide to race us to the staithe, one boat either side. I was a tad annoyed as I was not going to join in, until I noticed first one then the other suddenly drop their speed drastically. I couldn't see the old boy from the helm and started to panic thinking he had gone overboard and they'd stopped to fish him out. Bobbing down to look through the galley to the stern well I spotted the old b****r with his sailor hat on, his blue shirt and life jacket aiming my daughter's hair dryer at the offending vessels. A trick he'd taught the sea scout troop during a road safety campaign. 

You should see how slowly boats go up the Ant when they spot Uncle Albert with the hair dryer! I think it was the first time some of them had slowed to sub light speed all week!

[MauriceMynah]

That also explains his lovely hair.