From 1st November All Broads Authority Yacht Stations Will Be Closed

[ranworthbreeze]

Good afternoon all,

 

From 1 November our facilities at Great Yarmouth Yacht Station, Norwich Yacht Station and Reedham Quay will be closing for the winter as the sites revert to control of the respective local councils.

 

This means that there will be no mooring at the Yacht Stations and facilities such as toilets, showers, pump-outs, electric charging posts and water points will be closed.

 

Other water and electric points managed by the Authority will remain open (please note that electric posts may trip out with high tides, if boaters find a post that is not operational please let us know using the details below and we will fix it).

 

Our full-time and summer seasonal Broads Rangers will be continuing patrols and there will be an increased presence on the water until the end of November compared to a regular year.

 

Broads Control, supported by our Breydon Rangers, will also be available for tide and lower Bure bridge clearance information through November. Boaters can contact Broads Control for this information and other assistance on 01603 756056 or Broads.Control@broads-authority.gov.uk seven days a week between the hours of 9am – 5pm.

 

In case of emergency please contact the emergency services on 999.

 

With the onset of winter and increased likelihood of adverse weather conditions, we are encouraging boaters to wear life jackets, plan their journey ahead and ensure they reach their destination before darkness falls. For more safety advice please see our website and social media feeds.

 

If you have any questions please get in touch using our contact form or speak to Broads Control using the details provided above.

 

Best,

 

Tom

 

Tom Waterfall

Senior Communications Officer

Direct dial 01603 756034

Mobile 07986003359

 

Broads Authority 

Yare House, 62-64 Thorpe Road, Norwich NR1 1RY

 

Please note that my normal working hours are 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.

[CambridgeCabby]

It is a great shame and IMHO a dereliction of duty that the BA are failing to maintain these facilities when they know that a large amount of hire craft will still be on hire.

 

 

 

[floydraser]

My first reaction to this is that it seems to be very short notice. 

[JennyMorgan]

I have never had a problem mooring at either Yarmouth or Reedham during the winter months. No help on hand but the mooring posts are still there.

[catcouk]

14 minutes ago, floydraser said:

My first reaction to this is that it seems to be very short notice. 

I agree. Always wanting to see the best in people, I wonder if the BA had been trying to extend the lease and contracts but not succeeded in securing reasonable terms. That would explain the late notice I guess. If it was just to stop speculation, you'd imagine they could have done that a while back.

[grendel]

55 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

It is a great shame and IMHO a dereliction of duty that the BA are failing to maintain these facilities when they know that a large amount of hire craft will still be on hire.

 

 

 

but it isnt their decision, as they say the sites revert to council control on november 1st, i would imagine that the dates are set in stone, they have pointed out that rangers will be on patrol still.

[YnysMon]

I really appreciated the information though, and have noted the Broads Control contact details. That’s more than we had last year when we were on MS the beginning of November.

Are the electric posts at Reedham also out of action? I had got the impression from other forum members that they were available last year. The posts at the Yacht Stations were boxed in for the winter.

[CambridgeCabby]

21 minutes ago, grendel said:

but it isnt their decision, as they say the sites revert to council control on november 1st, i would imagine that the dates are set in stone, they have pointed out that rangers will be on patrol still.

I’m which case it is very short sighted of the local councils 

[NorfolkNog]

1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said:

I have never had a problem mooring at either Yarmouth or Reedham during the winter months. No help on hand but the mooring posts are still there.

Ditto - I've moored at Reedham numerous times in winter. No hoses but the water is still on. Can't speak for the electric We've also moored at Yarmouth and bunked over the fence to go to the shops. Also moored at Norwich - again to go to the shops and a quick pint. I'm not sure I'd fancy mooring overnight at GY or Norwich in winter though. No problem with Reedham and very handy for the pubs! 

[grendel]

1 hour ago, CambridgeCabby said:

I’m which case it is very short sighted of the local councils 

you say short sighted, but do we know when this agreement was reached, and how many years the arrangement has worked just fine, all but this year which due to unusual circumstances is different, I dont think anyone saw this coming at the beginning of this year, let alone how ever many years ago this agreement was reached with the councils involved.

[CambridgeCabby]

I understand as to the agreement with the council and the BA , but this year is unprecedented and as such emergency changes have occurred through all walks of life , its a time to adapt to the greater good not to be a jobs worth and say “that’s the rules” , we have all had to accept new regimes and conditions is it so difficult for flexibility to this agreement 

[grendel]

to be fair on the councils, they are inundated, most councils have cut back all the non essential work, which for me doing my job can be frustrating when our legal team ask for public highways extents plans, and the councils have shut down that service for the duration to free up staff for more urgent covid related work.

 so it doesnt surprise me much that they have not even spared someone to give a thought about extending the agreement a few weeks (and that assumes the BA can keep their staff there for that time too).

in my experience it tends to be the highways and recreational teams that are called upon to cover their colleagues and whose normal works are suspended during the emergency.

[marshman]

Not only that but the guys working them are in some cases seasonal - they will probably be out of contract and perhaps have other things lined up. I doubt its got anything to do with "jobs worth" - whilst Rangers will be about, they do have other things to do in the winter months. Or do you want them patrolling until the last hire boat is back? Don't forget that most yards hiring have a downstream limit of Stokesby in winter months - will that start early November? Or are you assuming that rule has been changed?

I think that as of next week thing will quieten down a  bit.

[rightsaidfred]

13 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

It is a great shame and IMHO a dereliction of duty that the BA are failing to maintain these facilities when they know that a large amount of hire craft will still be on hire.

 

 

 

Sorry but I don`t see how you justify that statement, their is nothing new here those yacht stations have always been on seasonal contract, the rangers/attendants are mostly on seasonal contracts and the yards that are still hiring have been doing so in the past in full knowledge of that.

Given this it is the responsibility of the hire yards to ensure the safety of their clients and control their lettings according to the prevailing circumstances, are the hire yards gong to pay the extra costs of maintaining the yacht station facilities during the off season or is that something else to come out of the Navigation budget.

Fred

[Vaughan]

I think Fred is quite right in this and I would add that the hirer of a boat is the "charterer" and is responsible for it. 

It is not all down to the BA, or the boatyard!  If you want to hire off season, there are certain constraints that you must have sense enough to be aware of.

Yards usually avoid letting off season as they are afraid of extra damage and more call-outs to heating systems, batteries and bedding.  They also want to get boats winterised and get on with winter maintenance ready for next Easter.  There is never enough time, in Winter.

This year is exceptional of course, but the responsibility for safely navigating the boat is always with the charterer.

[JennyMorgan]

21 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

It is not all down to the BA, or the boatyard!  If you want to hire off season, there are certain constraints that you must have sense enough to be aware of.

As we have seen this year a number of hirers are first time visitors both to the Broads and to boats. In this instance surely it is up to the hire yards to inform their clients of the constraints and shortcomings of hiring out of season. Perhaps they do. 

 

[Meantime]

The yacht station is a seasonal facility. As such there are many seasonal facilities that will close, Bewilderwood for one closes on the 1st November. I believe Petits animal adventure park also closes. The Pleasure Beach will be closed etc. They will not be staying open because a few hire yards have decided to extend their season. 

Many pubs have restricted opening hours in Winter, with some not opening Sunday pm thru till Weds. 

If you decide to go boating in the late Autumn or Winter, I use mine all the year round, then you accept that there will be less facilities open and plan around it.

My only gripe and it isn't restricted to just this year is that I think the yacht stations should be left open all year round, but not manned beyond the traditional season. Ignoring the safety moorings and layby pontoons, there is a long distance between the safe 24hr moorings at Berney Arms and Stracy Arms.

[Vaughan]

5 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Perhaps they do. 

Of course they do! But the responsibility in maritime law rests with the charterer.

Edited to add :

The decision whether or not to let a boat to an unsuitable hirer, certainly rests with the boatyard!

Edited October 30, 2020 by Vaughan
line added

[JennyMorgan]

Just now, Vaughan said:

But the responsibility in maritime law rests with the charterer.

I don't doubt that but in order for a charterer to be able to make a decision they need to have knowledge and or information. Winter lets should perhaps, if they are not already, be limited to experienced crews. 

[NorfolkNog]

18 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

be limited to experienced crews

Indeed. Swancraft. Bridgecraft - no restrictions, no problems, everyone's happy 

 

[JennyMorgan]

26 minutes ago, Meantime said:

My only gripe and it isn't restricted to just this year is that I think the yacht stations should be left open all year round, but not manned beyond the traditional season. Ignoring the safety moorings and layby pontoons, there is a long distance between the safe 24hr moorings at Berney Arms and Stracy Arms.

I haven't and probably won't be out this winter but even last year I used the moorings at both Reedham & Yarmouth. It was clear that they were closed but nevertheless the moorings posts remained. If the moorings are left 'open' but unmanned then I suspect liability becomes the issue as perhaps does the requirements of the insurers.

[YnysMon]

Haven't I read somewhere that northern yards that are still hiring into November and later are advising that craft should not be taken beyond Stracey Arms? 

[NeilB]

The guy on Brooms fuel berth told me yesterday they were hiring up to 21st December, I didn't ask about any restrictions though.

[vanessan]

37 minutes ago, NeilB said:

The guy on Brooms fuel berth told me yesterday they were hiring up to 21st December, I didn't ask about any restrictions though.

I notice from Broom’s website that they ask anyone looking to book between October and December to phone them. Maybe asking relevant questions of the would-be hirer and outlining any restrictions? 

[NorfolkNog]

1 hour ago, vanessan said:

Maybe asking relevant questions of the would-be hirer and outlining any restrictions? 

Faircraft Loynes used to do that. As I say no one has ever restricted me! (I must look trustworthy)