A Boat For Hickling

[Regulo]

1 hour ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

. . .  water levels ARE rising, and the land mass of the East anglian region of England IS gradually sinking, that`s how the Norths Sea evolved. The big problem is how we deal with it, and whether those in Authority are willing to invest in restoring the area back to a more usable state. And that means, the blockage just HAS to be raised. Had that have been done a couple of decades back, maybe Hickling village would be more vibrant than it is today.

I wonder if there's much point in over-investing on the river sytem, as it seems quite clear that there's no political will to protect the Norfolk coast from eroding away. There was a discussion some years ago as to whether to abandon villages some way inland to the sea. That was rejected, although it was never actually a policy for adoption, it seems. No smoke without fire, I'd say. At some stage there's going to be a break-through into the upper Thurne area, which has happened in the past. The gap was repaired, and obviously more defences were built up, but it seems unless you're Bacton Gas Terminal, you're on your own, chum!

[BrundallNavy]

MM. you will never get 6 inches by adding ballast the most I would expect would be between 1 to 2. If your serious about a bigger boat then I think you will have to move mooring. Some quite large boats have been through this year but to be based that side would severely hamper you.  

[BrundallNavy]

Application of epoxy on wood does cause it’s own problems as it traps any moisture behind and rots from within. 

[marshman]

 For what its worth, I suspect that any hint of a plan to interfere with the structure concerned, would bring substantial opposition from locals and massive objections from the biggest landowners up there - whilst I agree that the problem up towards Somerton is weed, it is cut regularly and it is not inaccessible. Any cutting I would guess have to approved by both Natural England and the EA, as indeed does any cutting on Hickling.

There has also been quite a lot of dredging up in the Upper Thurne there over the last few years - to say it needs "drastic dredging" is a little wide of mark. I have sailed it with Swallowtails Womack Classic and one of Hunters Rebels over the last 2/3 years and had only minor issues, mostly again with weed.

And I wonder where the money is going to come from? The BA has only a limited budget and has to spread that pretty thinly - anyone got a stab at the cost of raising the bridge even if you could convince everyone it was necessary? Indeed you could put me first in the queue to SAVE that part of the Broads from further commercialisation  -- the easiest way to get access for more people, is to convince them to use smaller boats!! Freemans can get through as indeed some larger boats - just convince the punters to use smaller boats ( like MM!! )  

[YnysMon]

Half our problem with weed when we took Lustre up was the active weed cutting  going on. Although the machine picks up the majority of the cut weed, you get a lot of bits floating off, normally downriver, but when we were there the strong breeze was gathering them up toward the top of the Dyke, the last turn to West Somerton, like a carpet.

[MauriceMynah]

I have been looking at Lady of Freedom, I believe it's an Alpha 31 aft cockpit.

I'd very much like to know what it's chances are with "that bridge" it looks like another boat to put on the 'interesting for me' list.

Expilot, what say you?   and Freedom boats, what say you too?

[Mouldy]

34 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

I have been looking at Lady of Freedom, I believe it's an Alpha 31 aft cockpit.

Waterside Marine Sales have an Alpha 31 for sale at the moment called Jay.  Whilst an aft cockpit cruiser,  it does have a 12'3" beam, so my guess that it probably won't fit under that bridge, but I obviously stand to be corrected by those in the know.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

Freedom boats, what say you too?

On their website Freedom say it won't pass under "that bridge" mate. Whether that is just to deter hirers from trying to "give it a go" or not however, I couldn't say 

[gancanny]

hello

             the boat at waterside is a aquafibre 31,  JAY

          the boat at freedom is a alpha amazon 31

   

[NeilB]

The Aquafibre 32 has quite a tall hull and is very boxy, think it would struggle at Potter.  Unless they have been modified the screens were a pain to lower single handed as they are very large. 

Not many about either, 3 or 4 maybe?

[expilot]

Hi MM

There used to be an Alpha 31 in the hire fleet.  Something tells me that it may have come out of Stalham Yacht Services boatyard.  It was a boat that we pilots used to have to use a specific technique to get it through THAT bridge.  We would approach the bridge at sufficient speed to guarantee safe steerage and then drop the revs to allow the bows to dip - the pulpit was unnecessarily high and particularly wide - but then we would have to pick the revs up again in order - wait for it - to get the helmsman's seat through!  I kid you not.  At THAT bridge the highest point on that particular Alpha 31 was a helmsman's seat with a particularly high back.  The ripped vinyl was a constant reminder of previous arched bridge contact.  And the technique was called?  Banana-ing.  For obvious reason.

I confess,  cannot remember the Alpha 31's name.  I keep getting "River Dart", but I believe "River Dart" may have been an Ocean 30 as opposed to an Alpha 31.  I've probably got the wrong name and the wrong hire boatyard, but the Alpha 31 I'll never forget.  Bit of a heart-pounding bum-clencher!

Whatever, with an Aplha 31, remove the pulpit and put a standard helmsman"s seat on board, 6' 8"(?) at Potter - probably. The Alpha 31 that I remember, despite being aft cockpit, needed all of 6' 10" at THAT bridge.

[BuffaloBill]

3 hours ago, expilot said:

And the technique was called?  Banana-ing.  For obvious reason.

I was taught to do it that way back in the 60's. Something that Iv'e never forgotten.

You do need good timing though........

[webntweb]

5 hours ago, expilot said:

I confess,  cannot remember the Alpha 31's name.  I keep getting "River Dart", but I believe "River Dart" may have been an Ocean 30 as opposed to an Alpha 31.  I've probably got the wrong name and the wrong hire boatyard, but the Alpha 31 I'll never forget.  Bit of a heart-pounding bum-clencher!

Hi Expilot,

According to Craig, SYS had a couple of Alpha 31s - River Lark 1 & 2

[expilot]

That's the one!  Good piece of research Webntweb.

[grendel]

M.M I guess it depends where you want to hickle.

[MauriceMynah]

Thanks all, Yes, that does make it a contender. If I understand Expilot correctly if I remove the pulpit rail (I'd do that as I hate them) and the fixed helm seat (I'd do that too cos I hate fixed seating in the cockpit) I would need 6'8"

That just puts it within limits for a good example of the model.

Grendel, I hickle as and when I can but only if it doesn't frighten the otters. I'm not entirely without feeling you know. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

7 hours ago, gancanny said:

hello

             the boat at waterside is a aquafibre 31,  JAY

          the boat at freedom is a alpha amazon 31

   

Exactly the same mouldings though, which was Aquafibre. Built at different yards though, and yes, Alphacraft did build some. Maffets had one called "Raven" which was white and grey, so check the numbers, and you may find it`s that one. I did have a look aboard, and she was quite spacious, but unlike the Freedom one, Raven only had a fixed double in the fwd cabin.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Thought one was listed as 32ft.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

8 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Waterside Marine Sales have an Alpha 31 for sale at the moment called Jay.  Whilst an aft cockpit cruiser,  it does have a 12'3" beam, so my guess that it probably won't fit under that bridge, but I obviously stand to be corrected by those in the know.

That`s actually an Aquafibre 32AC, and that particular boat was Maffett cruisers Jay, which John got from Riverine Boatcraft. Karen and i hired it for a weekend and went to one of the NBN October meets. About 2012-13 i think?. She was a lovely boat, but yes, the windscreen was bloody heavy to raise and lower.  I also left a piece of my scalp on a fibreglass edge in the companionway surround. To say the air was blue is an understatement.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

13 minutes ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Exactly the same mouldings though, which was Aquafibre. Built at different yards though, and yes, Alphacraft did build some. Maffets had one called "Raven" which was white and grey, so check the numbers, and you may find it`s that one. I did have a look aboard, and she was quite spacious, but unlike the Freedom one, Raven only had a fixed double in the fwd cabin.

Sorry, i was thinking of the wrong thing. Yes, the Freedom one is an Alpha 31, the Jay is (ex Maffets ) Aquafibre 32AC.   I believe the Alpha 31 is about 11ft in beam, is that right?.

[NeilB]

The Alpha 31 and AF32 are different hulls, the 31 could plane with enough HP and had a bolt on keel for inland use but the 32 is full displacement.  Jay was either Lady Pauline or Lady Carina when I worked at Kris Cruisers, they were originally built mid 80’s for Eurocruisers in Staines.  Both were sold to Bill Maxted in Loddon.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

19 minutes ago, NeilB said:

The Alpha 31 and AF32 are different hulls, the 31 could plane with enough HP and had a bolt on keel for inland use but the 32 is full displacement.  Jay was either Lady Pauline or Lady Carina when I worked at Kris Cruisers, they were originally built mid 80’s for Eurocruisers in Staines.  Both were sold to Bill Maxted in Loddon.

Yes, Riverine Boatcraft was Bill Maxteads fleet at Loddon. He also had a Hampton 25, which John also bought, but decided to sell on, plus the Aquafibre 32. 

[Smoggy]

On 21/07/2019 at 10:02, Ray said:

I wonder if anyone's done this mod to a boat? I've a chainsaw you could borrow!

Yep been there and done that.......

[MauriceMynah]

Well, curiosity got the better of me and I went to look over Jay. An interesting boat with both plus and minus points. Not too sure about it so I'd like to see others of that model. I also looked over an Ocean 30 with a small stern cabin on the  starboard side. Not for me. I'll look over one some time without that extra cabin, as I like a nice big open planned cockpit.

The thing I noticed on both  craft was the lack of stowage space, far less than my 27 footer, which in turn is less than the 25 footer I used to own.

Lady of Freedom seems to have larger windows than Jay, so I'd like a closer look at something similar.

 

[CambridgeCabby]

John , aboard Cerise Lady we have an abundance of stowage space , so much so that even Katie has failed to fill it all , next time we run into each other come aboard and have a gander