Wind, Not Indigestion!

[ginbottle]

Please can anyone offer some advice? As most of you will know, we are old, but new to boating! We have a little, old boat (Norman 20) and as it seems to be a bit breezy, we are wondering what are safe conditions to take to the river? We are moored on the Thurne. The motor is a 9.8 hp?

[Vaughan]

Depends which way the wind is blowing, I would say.

In a side wind a boat like yours will go quite a lot sideways, so be ready for that. Your biggest problem might be mooring up again. Choose the windward bank and push your bow against the wind gently into the bank, keeping the engine in ahead until someone gets off with a line. You can sort the sternline out later!

To be honest, if you are concerned enough to ask about it, maybe you are better to stay moored, and see how the day develops.

Hope you have a very enjoyable Christmas Day!

[ginbottle]

Thank you so much for your sensible and very helpful reply, Vaughan. We will wait and see if the wind drops a bit. We have our daughter, her husband and his guide dog staying with us in our shack over Christmas, so are hoping to treat them to a trip along the river, but won't take any chances!

We all wish you a very Happy Christmas too!

[fishtone]

Looking at wind strength over next few days you would be best to wait until Tuesday when wind speed is due to drop to 7mph. Enjoy your trip. I went out last Tuesday and it was fantastic so lovely and quiet and traffic free just how the Broads should be.

[Vaughan]

It's difficult to describe this without a sketch, so here goes :

1/. approach the mooring against the tide and turn up into the wind.

2/. Nudge the bow up into the bank and then hold it there with slow ahead gear, keeping up into the wind by steering.

3/.Someone now has plenty of time to get ashore and make fast the bow line to a post.

4/. you can now pass the stern line up the side deck to the person on the bank. At the same time stop the engine, to prevent the stern line getting round the prop.

5/. walk down the bank a little way, and pull the stern in.

6/. If you have to moor on the leeward bank, stop a few yards out and let the wind blow you in.

7/. This is why I don't moor on the leeward bank, as once you are there, the wind may not let you get off again, even if you have a bow thruster.

I always recommend this method as it gives you loads of time to handle your mooring lines. You should try always not to be in a hurry, when handling a boat.

Hope this helps, and have a good trip!

[ginbottle]

Thank you ever so much for this amazing sketch with explanation! I have been showing it to my family, as we are all bowled over that someone who doesn't even know us, would go to so much trouble to help us out! You are so very kind. I have taken a photo of it, to make it easier to locate while out and about, as I struggle greatly getting any wi-fi .

[Gracie]

That's the problem with this Forum, everyone's so damn helpful all the time, Just kidding of course, you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer bunch of friends we haven't met yet

Have a lovely time out on the rivers, stay safe and warm

Grace

[MauriceMynah]

Firstly the Norman 20 is a great little boat and you have no need to worry about how safe it is in the wind. More than safe enough would be my assessment. It is however quite light and may blow about a bit. This can be helped by adding a bit of ballast., This isn't a good idea if the boat is trailer based but is fine if it lives in the water.

If you know a sea angler who makes his own beachcasting leads he may be able to help you with some compact ballast.

The 9.8 (ok ;lets call it 10  ) outboard is a perfect size for that craft. I'm assuming it to be a 4-stroke so it will offer relative quietness, plenty of 'grunt' and good economy. Win win win all the way round. the 10 horses will not turn a hair at any extra ballast you might put in.

It is of course possible (even probable) that a previous owner has already ballasted the craft so trial and error is the order of the day. Perhaps when we see you out and about we might be able to have a squint and help.

As I've mentioned before, I'm moored at the Pleasure Boat on Hickling broad so keep an eye out for me.  Have fun.

 

[VetChugger]

MM is quite right. Normans are fine boats but then I might be a bit biased! As for safety, the designer described the boat as being suitable for estuary and calm coastal waters with a suitable engine. They have been built with inboard engines combined with both outdrives and shaft driven as well as outboards. They will also get on the plane willingly with the oomph needed. They were also built at a time when the GRP layup was almost armour plating compared with todays thicknesses. Grand cockpit size as well. Rest assured, you have a very safe and stable boat that will suit the Broads nicely.. Of course they are a small boat and will "wobble" a bit with onboard movement but you will get used to this.

Have fun and be safe, don't forget the life jackets!

[ginbottle]

Thanks again for all the helpful advice and comments! We decided to give the planned Christmas Day trip a miss, mainly due to the wind and the fact that I had a meal to cook!

Boxing Day seemed a bit calmer and as our family were returning to Cornwall on 27th, we thought a short trip would be fine.  The weather was lovely, sunny and a bit on the chilly side, but for the time of year and all that...

We donned our life jackets, even the 5 dogs who were with us and set off, a mass of orange!

Headed down, or is it up (?) towards Hickling Broad. Got past the sign that said "Hickling Broad" and took some pretty photos. However, the wind seemed to increase and not knowing what might be ahead, we decided we had better turn around  where the river was wide enough and head back to the shack! Well, that was the plan, but when we arrived there, the wind was blowing us sideways and made it very difficult to moor along the front of the property ( we never attempt to drive it into the very narrow mooring dock). After a couple of attempts, narrowly missing the neighbour's boats, my other half decided we would be safer going to Potter Heigham, where there is more open mooring space. We did this ok-ish, sat in the boat for a while, discussing our options and decided we would be likely to freeze to death, if we didn't take some sort of action! There is no heating on the boat, but plenty of warm throws, which the 5 dogs were curled up on! Eventually, it was settled, the skipper would swallow his pride and go and ask for help from our neighbour in the next shack, who we had spoken to a couple of times and who seemed like a nice guy...fortunately he is! He came out on Boxing Day, without a grumble and guided us safely back to our mooring, giving us some very helpful tips and advice along the way!

It felt good to be back in the safety of our little shack, but we weren't daunted by our adventure and next day, took our daughter, her husband and his guide dog, together with huge amounts of ballast (MM), in the form of 3 heavy suitcases and endless carrier bags ( my daughter doesn't understand the concept of travelling light) back to their car, parked at Potter Heigham. They said they will be back for their holidays in the Summer, so by then, we are hoping to be much more experienced in this boating lark!

Happy New Year!

[tjg1677]

Normans are great little boats, my first boat was norman 23, it was about twenty five years old when i bought her and was still solid, these little boats are pretty bombproof and i think will serve you well. Had a yamaha 9.9 fourstroke on mine and it was happy doing canal speeds, but on the trent, went like stink!! Incredibly reliable and economical engine it was too.

 and long may you have fun with your new playground

Trev