Sailing Yachts Speed

[Andrewcook]

Can Sailing Yachts can go as fast with Wind in their Sales as they like or do they have to obey the rules as to the Cruisers do what ever the Speed Signs says where ever on the Broads?   

Andrew Cook 

[marshman]

Not a lot they realistically can do if they break speed limits, and without any method of telling what speed you are going, how would they know?? When its breezy, hand held speed apps are hardly the most important thing on your mind!!!

[Guest]

The speed limit byelaws only apply (with limited exceptions) to motor vessels. A yacht under power falls within the definition of a motor vessel and so would have to obey the speed limits, but a yacht under sail does not.

[Guest]

Should have added that a sailing vessel, like any other, is subject to the general requirement to navigate with due care and attention and at a safe speed.

[ChrisB]

Years ago a guy I worked with in Wokingham was left a river cruiser by an aged uncle. He was an International 12 man living in Reading and had no use for the boat. I was roped in to help sail it to Potter for disposal as the air cooled engine was really only fit for scrap.

As we sailed down the Bure the wind started to increase from the north, we had too much sail up and as we passed St Benets ( where the moorings may have been lower than today ) we hit our hull speed. We had the perfect trough half way along the hull as we reached along past the moorings. Thank the Lord nothing was on those moorings as our wash must have been 2ft high and swamped them. It was not until Thurne that we could luff up and get some sail off. Luckily for us a wooden motor cruiser came up from Acle and seeing our plight in strengthening wind and failing light took our line towed us to Potter. 

[Cheesey]

Had a great time once going past the turn off for oulton broad heading towards GY.

I pass this sailie on the corner bits and he would fly past me on the straights rigging singing as he went.

Effortlessly.

Then I'd catch him on the tack for a corner.

That's when I fell in love with the rag and stick ( no not Mrs cheesey )

[JennyMorgan]

Some sailing dinghies are perfectly capable of topping 20 mph with ease! A few winters ago there was a C-Class catamaran on Oulton Broad, she easily topped 30 mph! 

[TheQ]

River cruisers (not built for racing) tend to have a big wash as you are pushing a caravan through the water. Boats built for racing (including cruisers) generally make a lot less wash, moving all that water slows you down...

Having planed a Yeoman keel boat for several hundred yards, I can say it's exciting and somewhat frightening, (midwinter, only other lunatics like us around).

The problem sailing a planing boat is that you rarely get to do it, unless on a broad, Most river sailing clubs have the problems of trees and buildings getting in the way, meaning just as you get up to speed to lift off, the wind stops and you fall in backwards..

Mamning a rescue boat on a wind down river race, is a problem, once clear of the trees, as when the wind is in the right direct you can't keep up within the limits...

 The fastest Dinghy I know of is the International Moth , the dangly thing off the bows controls the pitch of the aerofoil betneath the water. Their top speed is around 30MPH but I doubt on Norfolk Rivers you'd have a steady enough wind to keep them upright.  Note, NO or little wash!

 

[ExUserGone]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

aerofoil betneath the water.

Unless it's capsized you must mean a hydrofoil not aerofoil.....

[TheQ]

I agree whole hear

16 minutes ago, Dilligaf said:

Unless it's capsized you must mean a hydrofoil not aerofoil.....

I agree whole heartedly, except for a couple of spectacular crashes I saw in some compilation somewhere.

[ExUserGone]

The first time I came across a boat with the hydrofoil it was sailing with a group of small dinghy's on the blackwater, as we cruised through it suddenly lifted up and left us standing, it was a bit of a surprise to say the least.