Burgh Castle BA Moorings

[Regulo]

Be advised that half of these moorings are closed. Only room for 4 or 5 boats now. 

[kfurbank]

Closed for good? or repair?

[Guest]

That's not good at all , I can't see any information from BA as to why but I do know they lease them from burgh castle holiday park , hopefully it will be the end that electric post is situated that's open and hopefully closed for a short time as its a major asset for those who have crossed braydon especially if you arrive close to sunset as the ones further one are not that big and likely full anyway hence the likelihood of hire boats moving at night would possibly increase , it is however a double mooring location and while not wishing to enter Into that debate it might be that a little give and take would be nessasary until hopefully the full length of near 140 meters is reinstated .

[kfurbank]

I've seen plenty of boats have a problem departing with the tide under them and giving the boat in front of them a hefty clump. They would have little chance if faced with a double moored boat in front of them. The tide is your friend if you know how to use it properly. In the wrong hands it's a recipe for disaster. It might be a double mooring site, but I wouldn't fancy arriving, or leaving in all but the slackest tides if double mooring, whereas single mooring I'm happy arriving single handed in any state of the tide there.

For any boat double mooring there they would need some long lines given the rise and fall and the fact that the outside boat should be tied to the bank, not the boat it's alongside. Given some of the bits of string I've seen on many hire boats, that probably rules them out from being the boat on the outside.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, kfurbank said:

I've seen plenty of boats have a problem departing with the tide under them and giving the boat in front of them a hefty clump. They would have little chance if faced with a double moored boat in front of them. The tide is your friend if you know how to use it properly. In the wrong hands it's a recipe for disaster. It might be a double mooring site, but I wouldn't fancy arriving, or leaving in all but the slackest tides if double mooring, whereas single mooring I'm happy arriving single handed in any state of the tide there.

For any boat double mooring there they would need some long lines given the rise and fall and the fact that the outside boat should be tied to the bank, not the boat it's alongside. Given some of the bits of string I've seen on many hire boats, that probably rules them out from being the boat on the outside.

Bang on right kfurbank , bits if string is very apt and your so right about the problem's leaving I got hit a few yrs ago by someone who with the tide flowing towards the bow too the bow line off first and then spun round n clouted me , then in an effort to leave fast hit the throttle n pulled a large section of deck out Including the cleat leaving that and the rope hanging off the quay , Sanderson's must have been well pleased !!! .

Having long enough and strong enough lines isn't something you find on hire boats strangely .

[Regulo]

Didn't see any signs, but the orange barrier and "No mooring" signs screwed to the quay heading seem semi-permanent to me. At least for the foreseeable future. I'm at Berney now, might nip round in the morning for a closer look.

[kfurbank]

I think there have been shallow water at low tide signs there for a while. Perhaps that is the issue?

[Regulo]

Well, I went round this morning, but nothing to enlighten us. "Shallow water at low tide" signs, and the "No mooring" sign on the quay heading, but that's it. We are the only country that puts signs up, rather than fix the problem. "Uneven road surface" - try fixing it. "Spillage" - mop it up. "Shallow water at low tide" - dredge it. I despair. It's as though BA doesn't want boats on the rivers.

[vanessan]

I contacted the Authority for clarification on this in early 2014 shortly after the caution signs appeared. Dredging was due to take place but it never has to my knowledge. I have sent an email asking for an update now part of these moorings have been closed and hope to hear soon. It is almost as if the Authority is looking for an excuse to close Burgh Castle moorings completely! 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, vanessan said:

I contacted the Authority for clarification on this in early 2014 shortly after the caution signs appeared. Dredging was due to take place but it never has to my knowledge. I have sent an email asking for an update now part of these moorings have been closed and hope to hear soon. It is almost as if the Authority is looking for an excuse to close Burgh Castle moorings completely! 

Why would they chose to close them they pay peanuts for that mooring on less its significantly gone up , not everyone is heading towards Norwich when they come off breydon and the fact that there is a mooring there when boats transit close to the end of the day will help prevent some not traveling in the dark , iv no idea if BA are responsible for the dredging but since SOB is moored in good child's then it would make sense to get them to deal with the problem its round the corner I would have thought that was a logical conclusion to a big problem but there may well be things we don't know about . 

[vanessan]

8 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

but there may well be things we don't know about . 

Therefore a good reason to contact them for an update. 

[Guest]

47 minutes ago, vanessan said:

Therefore a good reason to contact them for an update. 

Very much so given that hire boats ate out In force and how many hire boat company's know about  the restricted moorings and then can pass that on to their customer's , one would have almost thought it warranted a mariner's notice to tell all that are using the river in that area  .

[kfurbank]

Like Vanessan I also contacted the BA about this, without of course knowing at the time that Vanessan had made contact.

Anyway the answer from the BA is not good in the short term. Half the mooring is closed because the sheet steel piling has deteriorated and there are holes and sharp edges. The BA are finding it hard to maintain secure and safe fixings for the timber fendering and safety chains. The open section is in slightly better condition and being monitored and kept open for now.

The BA manages the moorings and maintains everything apart from the steel piling which is owned by the EA and it requires major investment for them to replace it. The BA are in discussion with the EA to find out their plans, but don't expect anything to happen this year.

The ranger did also mention that boats have been mooring up stream of the BA mooring, and makes the valid point that this is private land and they do no guarantee the depth of or the ground conditions. There have been ongoing reptile surveys along there and Adders have been seen along that section of piling.

So it looks like we are in the hands of the EA, and don't expect any quick action, and the remaining section is only open subject to regular inspections.

[marshman]

Sadly the EA are ducking out of all of their responsibilities for old piling, which is why so much has had to be pulled.

Whilst not wishing to empathise with the BA, it is a real issue and something which i guess, caught them a little on the back foot. Any piling is a major headache as any private owners with any will testify to. Even the wooden stuff is expensive so cannot imagine what cost steel piling would be although i guess it does not now have to go down quite as far as it used to as it is no longer a flood protection issue.

[vanessan]

14 hours ago, marshman said:

Sadly the EA are ducking out of all of their responsibilities for old piling, which is why so much has had to be pulled.

Whilst not wishing to empathise with the BA, it is a real issue and something which i guess, caught them a little on the back foot. Any piling is a major headache as any private owners with any will testify to. Even the wooden stuff is expensive so cannot imagine what cost steel piling would be although i guess it does not now have to go down quite as far as it used to as it is no longer a flood protection issue.

I have now had the same reply from the BA as kfurbank and it is a sad situation. It can surely be only a matter of time before the rest of the moorings go the same way. Double mooring at Burgh Castle has got to be a bad idea with the fast tides, IMO at anyway, so it will probably be a non-starter. Shame, I love the Burgh Castle area and all it has to offer.  On second thoughts, maybe it is just the excuse I need to stop off at the Fisherman's and have a break from cooking. Assuming there is a space of course! 

[Regulo]

Next . . . Commissioner's cut moorings are closed on the Norwich side. Norwich YS attendant knows nothing about it. There's a digger behind the orange fencing, so it may be a safety precaution. . I'm now at Loddon, basin rammed full, one mooring left at Pye's mill!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Regulo said:

Next . . . Commissioner's cut moorings are closed on the Norwich side. Norwich YS attendant knows nothing about it. There's a digger behind the orange fencing, so it may be a safety precaution. . I'm now at Loddon, basin rammed full, one mooring left at Pye's mill!

Yea spotted commissioners cut this afternoon , my guess its for timber replacement as the opposite side was done a while back but as per usual BA tell no one and why do it in season ? Its not as if its dangerous river green was far worse a few yrs ago n they took forever to do anything .

Its beginning to look like BA are chasing their tail regarding Mooring's .

[TeamElla]

On 2017-5-31 at 3:29 PM, Regulo said:

Well, I went round this morning, but nothing to enlighten us. "Shallow water at low tide" signs, and the "No mooring" sign on the quay heading, but that's it.

It's not so much shallow water there as a steeply angled bottom.

If you try to lower a mudweight when moored there, it will quickly find the mud and then keep sliding down the bank until it finds the bottom proper several feet out.

Steve

 

[addicted]

the EA was responsible for managing the navigation on the Gt. Ouse  and their answer to deteriorating moorings was to simply close them off. During the last couple of years we were there we saw  umpteen moorings lost mainly due to them being damaged by the narrow boats that started to arrive in huge numbers. By the time we left in 2010 the Old West was becoming almost unnavigable due to necessary dredging not being done. The whole system is now a disgrace we're told by people we know who still moor on that system.

 

 

Carole

[marshman]

Careful Addicted - you could infer the BA were doing better!!!!!

[ExUserGone]

As an ex Gt.Ousey I will step up and say the BA are doing better than the EA, they are much better at making up excuses and ducking out of essential maintenence than the BA.

[addicted]

You're not wrong there,I well remember Leo Magill on the Ouse, We used to own Beau Jangles, when she was moored opposite the Cutter at Ely.I  think you did a trip out to the Wash with her subsequent owners?

 

 

Carole

[ExUserGone]

I did indeed do a trip out with beau jangles, that was before I realised what a total prat the subsequent owner was, he got himself banned from the goba forum in the end due to his constant sh*t stirring, I'd already banned him from the ouseabout forum way before.

For an old RLM l took Leo all sorts of places from the wash, most places between york and maldon.

[quo vadis]

I would love to take QV to sea but don't know how to work the thingy

[ExUserGone]

7 hours ago, quo vadis said:

but don't know how to work the thingy

Are you sure that shouldn't be in the beavers thread?