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On The Northern Rivers 2-3rd Jun 2018?

TheQ

By TheQ
in Broads Chat

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TheQ

TheQ

Posted
Posted

Afternoon Folks, this is for those who are Navigating  /  Holidaying on the Northern Broads on the 2nd and 3rd of June 2018 and haven't experienced the chaos before..

If you Don't know, that is the day of the "3 Rivers Race" when about 100 sailing boats from 14 ft to 40ft will race round the Northern Broads.

 They MAY GET IN YOUR WAY, so even if you're not interested Please read on.

You have the right to Navigate wherever you want, but noting the advice below may save yourself palpitations in the crowded waters

Sailing Boats have "right of way" over motor boats in most circumstances, however please don't go weaving around in the middle of a large fleet of boats trying to keep clear. You won't manage it . If there is a large fleet of sailing boats, keep close to the right hand bank, slow down, go forward when there is a gap, stop if there isn't..

Overtaking sailing boats, if they are going from side to side on the river (tacking), overtake by passing behind them close to the bank, as they turn away from it. It gives you the maximum time to get clear and them more time to decide where to go next, when they come back again..

 The sailing boats are their pride and Joy, they will not try to hit you, but they will use all of the river to sail to the best of their ability and get very close.

If an incident occurs that may require insurance or some sort of reporting, make a note of:

 The day, the Time, Where you are, the number of the sail, any symbol on the sail, the name and number on the hull ( maybe on the bows or stern).

Individual Boats have to carry their own insurance. So if you want things to be sorted out, don't come back a month later to the club, saying it was a white boat with white sails, as we have no chance of Identifying the boat and putting you in contact.

 

 The race.

Starts At Horning at 11:00 in fleets of about ten boats at a time, at 5 minute intervals, they will be on the water  from the Swan Inn up river towards Wroxham on the first straight  from around 10:30. The last start is around 12:30 as there is a small gap in the middle of the starts, to allow the boats to clear a bit..

 They have to Sail to:

Ludham bridge without going under it.

South Walsham Broad,

Hickling broad,

The Stracy arms, a couple of miles below Acle Bridge. ( near the bend in the Acle straight)

There will be traffic jams on the river,

 The Start Line, you will see a group of boats sailing across the river and back in an increasingly agitated manner as their start time approaches, If you are going down river, hold back keep to the right hand bank, and as they start,  follow them round the corner, going through when you see a gap. If you are coming up river slow down, Keep to the right hand bank and let them go past you. Particularly keep to the right hand bank on the Swan Inn corner.

 On the River Ant to Ludham bridge, I'd avoid that if you can between around 12:00 to 15:00 on the Saturday, really PLEASE, it WILL be chaos. IF you HAVE to be there at this time, if you can, keep to the right hand bank and slow down, if necessary stop, they are much more manouverable than you, don't try weaving around.

On the River to South Walsham Broad around the same time, it's slightly better as it's wider and less bendy.

Potter Heigham Bridges, there will be lots of Lunatics lowering masts across the river, and paddling like Mad to get under the bridges.  This can occur anytime in the 24 hours of the race, but peak times will be daylight hours on the Saturday after 14:00. If you need to go through the bridge, please look very carefully that someone isn't coming through the other way.

There will almost certainly be a log jam somewhere round the course when wind drops, all we can ask is you carefully and slowly feed yourself through when you a large enough gap appears .. We APPOLOGISE  for the inconvienence.

Other than that,  the Fleets will be all over the rivers between the above points, the general rule is keep to the right and let them go round you and please slow down. However if you see  boats coming towards you on your side of the river with none of them zig zaging across, then moving out into the river might be helpful they may be fighting the tide.

 

IF you wish to view the race by boat, Moorings.

The village Green Horning,  Cockshoot Dyke Moorings, these will be filled up 24 hours before the race, so if you want a place, get there early.

The Pubs in Horning, you will probably have to pre-book

The Church Mooring Horning, We will have a ***guardship there and there isn't a lot of room for other boats, all racing boats have to call out their number as they pass, so please don't moor there overnight if you want a quiet night.

St Benets straight probably the most comfortable place to watch the boats go by plenty of mooring places.

Acle just up river of the Bridge,  we have a ***guardship there as well , so please don't moor alongside the ***guardship  if you want a quiet night, but there are plenty of moorings along there, a bit further away from the ***guardship..

Potter Heigham, there are a few moorings just down river of Pheonix boats. Another ***Guardship just south of the bridges, but on the Herbert woods side of the river, quite noisy with all the competitors lower masts and the cheering from the crowds on the bridge as boats go through. Quite spectacular as the boats go through the hole in the wall though.

 

If you wish to watch the race by road,

Horning, the village green, the Swan Green, any of the pubs, car parking will be limited as so many come to watch.

Ludham Bridge, limited parking in the bay to the Horning side of the Bridge and the toilets Ludham side of the Bridge,, walk down onto the riverside for hair raising turning just before the bridge.

Potter Heigham, plenty of parking generally owned by Lathams. the Broads Haven, now Norada pub is open at last. Lots of people watch here to see the lunatics dropping masts and paddling like fury to go through the hole..

Acle Bridge, limited parking and I'm not sure what parking will be available as the cafe is now closed hopefully the Broads authority will open the car park for the day., a good view of the boats going through..

 

 

***Guardships are Identified By a big orange sign saying Guardship and a flashing orange light overnight.

 

Thank you all for your patience, enjoy your time on the broads and hopefully the race...

 

 

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Vaughan

Vaughan

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, TheQ said:

Ah...  I missed viewing from Thurne Dyke, where you can moor up or park somewhere in the village and walk down to the end of the dyke.

You can also walk or drive up the hill to Thurne church and from there you can see most of the whole course.

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