Going Under Ph Bridge Next Week

[Ray]

Will be my first time in my own boat, it's a Hampton Safari MkIII so I understand it's narrow beam is a big advantage. 

Looking all over the net for an official air draft is fruitless, anything from 6' 4" to 6' 10". I know how full the tanks are has a bearing and the amount of crew. My own attempt to measure our specific air draft was with 50% in both fuel and water tanks, with no crew onboard and came in at 6' 6".

My crew insists that whatever the bridge height marker says we use the pilot as it's our first time and she understands this to be best practice.

I know the basics, ie open the throttle, approach confidently and aim at the keystone.

Do you think there is any height indicated on the bridge marker at which I should just go for it?

OK, that's a big ask, I know the final decision at the time has to be mine/ours but are there any indications that I can factor into my decision positively? I want to do this... can you tell? lol

[ChrisB]

Ray, use the gauge in the Pilot's office not the ones on the river.

Regards,

Chris

[Polly]

Also bear in mind the bridges are never exactly straight.

[annv]

No Ray You should approach slowly, line up to centra, check bridge is clear, when one boat length away the open up to full throttle,, it's not how fast you go it's how much water you can displace under the boat to lower it, by max revs slow boat speed. if there's  not much clearance. I f a  big gap just go briskly and steer straight all the time.John

[Ray]

Thanks guys... unless the weather changes drastically by Wednesday I really think a Safari should go through with no problem at the moment!

[johnm]

I also have a Mk3 and was told by the pilot (Patrick Richardson) that they come through at 6'3" on the pilot's gauge unless you have had stuff added on top.

I chickened on my first passage and got the pilots to do it but picked their brains for advice on how to approach and what to look for - everyone has their own way of doing it but they are the experts on that particular narrow hole!

Definitely always use the pilot's gauge as the boards are next to useless even if you can guess what they are showing.

[Ray]

Thanks John, silly question I know but is it possible to ring ahead to the pilot for his reading or is that not the done thing?

[dnks34]

I found a few years back that the BA Bridge Gauges are safer interpreted as a rough estimate (guess) only and not an accurate indication of what the clearance will actually be.

You would expect with 12ft 3 inches showing on not one but 2 bridge boards you would get 12ft under it without an issue.......err not quite!!

[johnb]

We keep our boat "up there" but always use the pilot as if I damage my boat its going to cost a lot more than the pilot. Having said that the pilots are very friendly and will give advice. We need about 6'2" for our Elysian. We always remember how helpful the pilots were when the river flooded, and it seems wrong only to use them when desperate! But that's just me. Enjoy your time on the best bit of the broads, we will be leaving the busy side at the end of this week and enjoying a couple of weeks back on the quiet side.

[Ray]

Sounds expensive dnks34!

Thanks John, we have never been north of the bridge!

[dnks34]

It was only canvas thankfully which we got repaired very reasonably.

A few days after we re measured our airdraft and it measured just under 12ft so the boat really should have passed under with no problem. 

It made us more cautious thats for certain!  

[expilot]

Ray, there are no Hampton Safaris that require anything like 6' 10" at Potter bridge - unless they have been very severely modified - and I never ever came across such an animal in the ten years I served at THAT bridge.  The old Honeymooners from Sutton Staithe boatyard, Little Gem from Richardsons and their ilk, with the full sliding canopies, needed 6' 7" for comfort, but could be piloted at less with a few tricks.  The Hamptons with a sliding forward hatch in the roof need much less.  As John M says, the only accurate gauge is the one in the pilot's office - and that reads precisely one inch light.  i.e. when it shows 6' 3" the actual air draft measured from the traditional datum line across the arch is 6' 4".  PLEASE NOTE, if the gauge shows 6' 3" there is not 6' 3" headroom between the central keystone of the arch and the surface of the water.  There is much more.

Advising to go fast through the bridge is not good advice if the high point of your boat is already at the front.  Pilots used to travel through the bridge at speed to maintain steerage, but, more importantly to drop the highest point of a centre cockpit boat, usually the canopy that has been wound down behind either the centre cockpit the central saloon.

None of the pilots old, current or new are experts, nor would we ever claim to be.  Between us we do, however, have years of experience with all manner of vessels - some much better behaved than others - and these years provide pilots with experience from which we derive expertise.

A morning back 'on duty' the other day as a favour, also proved that, even after twenty years since last piloting a hire craft through that hole, one never loses the knack.

[expilot]

Forgot to add that the Potter bridge pilots will always offer advice in advance by phone.  They have a dedicated mobile phone number which I confess I don't have at hand, but 01692 670460 is Phoenix Fleet's yard number.

[Ray]

Many thanks indeed, I will speak to the pilot on the day and if there is any doubt about doing it myself I will watch and learn from the experienced professional!

[MauriceMynah]

11 hours ago, Ray said:

I will speak to the pilot on the day and if there is any doubt about doing it myself I will watch and learn from the experienced professional!

That's what I did. When I first had Nyx I always used the pilot. After a while I had the confidence to take her through myself at 6'3" or more. Then one fateful day I got it wrong and damaged my boat. It has taken me over two years to re-gain that confidence and recently started taking her through again.

[Ray]

None of us can get everything right everytime, I'd say well done for getting your confidence back, that's not an easy thing to do after a mishap!

[webntweb]

Expilot, it's interesting that you mention Little Gem as it explains something to me that happened when we hired one.

After many years of hiring larger family boats and not being able to get through Potter my wife and I hired Little Gem 4 in May 1986.

We turned up at Potter full of confidence that the pilot would whiz us under.

Can't remember the available clearance but the pilot said it would be fairly tight but we would get through.

At the time he was training a younger guy who he asked if he wanted to have a go. The younger chap lined the boat up but a little over a boat's length from the bridge he decided it wasn't for him and the pilot quickly took over, so we got to enjoy the delights of Hickling, Horsey and West Somerton and the associated pleasures of the Lion, Pleasure Boat and If I remember correctly the Lord Nelson.

I've always hoped that young chap went on to be a successful pilot.

 

[expilot]

Webntweb, what a memory you have!  That may have been young Graham being trained.  He went on to become an excellent bridge pilot.  Sadly, no longer with us following his untimely and tragic death.