Hi everyone!

[Guest]

Just love boats but never lived anywhere in the UK that has had easy access to water. I did go on a Narrow boat along the Thames a few years ago but that's it.

So for my big birthday treat, we've hired Gliding light from Herbert Woods at Potter Heigham for a week. I have been told just to stick with the northern Broads and so was thinking a trip down past Thurne onto Stokesby. Back up and turn left and then right up to Barton Broad, I believe that you can get up to Stalham?? Basically turnaround and head back downriver turning up to Wroxham but stopping over at a few places on the way.

Question....will that take a week? Is it enough or do I need to add some extra miles on somewhere, like perhaps extend the Stokesby leg by going up to Great Yarmouth?

I have been advised to enjoy the pubs and villages along the route.........chill........relax.........don't speed and be respectful to other boaters.......no problem!

The one thing I am not looking forward to is mooring the boat...arrgghh! I guess I'm not the only "newbie" to be slightly concerned at mooring but...........

I have bought a good Broads map and a couple of books about the Broads but mooring boats isn't a big topic in them!!

Any help is much appreciated and I look forward to have a god crack with you all over the next few weeks.

Iaintwoeyes

[Antares_9]

Hi and welcome, don't worry if there is something (like mooring) that you have special worries about then ask the yard to give a bit more detailed instruction on that. Just enjoy the experience and chill.

[Boaters]

Hi and welcome.you will find many threads covering this if you go back to the past posts , which I am sure will be of help.Plenty of nice places in the Northern Broads to explore .Enjoy.

[Palmtree]

Hi,

What you have planned looks good, and as has been said take it easy. As to Yarmouth I don't think I would bother as the bit between Stokesby and Yarmouth is quite boring and feels like a long way.

Just enjoy the break.

Ian

[ZimbiIV]

Hi, don't bother with yarmouth this time because you will want to come back, just hire on the south side next time.

We always used silverline on the south.

Now have our own boat, 1st visit 18 years ago and dreamed that week of owning one, so give in when you get there and admit you can live with the stress of mooring ( goes wrong often) sell what ever you can and get the boat as soon as you can!

Just a word of warning everything is rushed on the Broads so if you want to eat at 8:00pm order at 7:00pm.

RELAX and remember when crossing a road them metal things travell above 6mph, comes as a shock 2 days in.

Consider those who think 6mph is fast!

paul

ps

some of them pubs are more than 3 miles away, so stock the fridge.

[Happy Jax 3]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Have to agree with what has already been said, forget the Yarmouth run if you only on the boat for a week. You will soon master mooring, just take it very slow.

[ZimbiIV]

The problem with mooring is nobody sees the perfect ones only the ones that go astray. Take it sloooooowwwww, you would not park a car at 70mph so why try and moor a boat at (6mph) max river speed.

Enjoy, everybody will help and you will help anybody.

Paul

[jillR]

hi ian

welcome from me to

jill

[loribear]

hi ian just a little note on mooring, always remember you can drive backwards but you can't steer backwards, just keep that in mind if you ever have to reverse to moor up.just drive it forward straighten it up THEN reverse it back, & take it slowly. lori

[Guest]

Thanks for all the replies.....I feel most welcome!

As most have said, forget Yarmouth....so we have! Looks like a week exploring the northern Broads. Interesting about the beers....there are only 4 of us hiring but we've got a 6 berth boat. It has three double bedrooms, so the spare will be used as the "beer" room as well as the other bits and bobs like foldaway chairs etc etc.

I am hoping the man at Herbert Woods will explain reversing....not really worried, just need to know the technique!

Very excited as I said, I have a great love of boats, big and small but have never lived anywhere that would allow me to have a boat.

I have been looking at Youtube as there are some great examples of "how not to do it" when it comes to mooring...hehe!!

Hopefully, I won't end up being featured on there!

Another simple question, is it important to use the "right" knots when mooring. As in, is one knot better than another? Are the Broads tidal around Horning, Wroxham etc so that you the boat will drop if left mooring tightly for a few hours...does that make sense??

Oh dear....same you cannot just "implant" a boating knowledge chip into brains for that instant knowledge feeling

Iain

[goodall_m1]

Another simple question, is it important to use the "right" knots when mooring. As in, is one knot better than another? Are the Broads tidal around Horning, Wroxham etc so that you the boat will drop if left mooring tightly for a few hours...does that make sense??

Oh dear....same you cannot just "implant" a boating knowledge chip into brains for that instant knowledge feeling

Iain

Iain, to try to answer your questions...

1) Most Broads cruisers seem to have loops spliced into the end of the ir mooring lines that are passed over the "cleats" t shaped fittings on the boat. Most of the moorings have short posts that you tie to. When mooring take a turn around the post to hold the boat.

Once alongside then add another turn or two around the post and then tie off to the line coming from the boat with a couple of half hitches.

The turns around the post are what takes the strain the hitches just stop them falling off!

The closest "real" nautical knot to this is "a round turn and two half hitches" which you can find on various websites etc.

(Actually any knot that won't come undone on its own but which you can untie when you want to.

The amount of tidal movement decreases the further up the rivers you go. Boats hanging on their lines because they were moored too tightly is only really a problem downstream of Acle, there isn't really a lot of tidal range north of Acle Bridge.

(The Sourhern Broads are a different kettle of fish, but you won't be going there!)

I personally wouldnt expect more than a foot or so in Horning or Wroxham and you shouldn't tie the boat up with the lines too taught anyway.

A bit of slack allows her to ride any wake from passing boats etc as well as allowing for tidal movement.

A "nautical knowledge chip" might seem good but actually the more you worry about things the more it forces you to THINK things through.

After the first day or so it will all start to seem normal to you. And that is when complacency can give rise to mistakes!

(and this from someone who wrapped one of his mooring lines around the prop on his last Broads trip!)

Martin

[Hockham Admiral]

hi ian just a little note on mooring, always remember you can drive backwards but you can't steer backwards, just keep that in mind if you ever have to reverse to moor up.just drive it forward straighten it up THEN reverse it back, & take it slowly. lori

Unless you have a bow-thruster, lori! (or wait a significant time until your helm affects the course)

[Hockham Admiral]

Iain, welcome aboard!

Just had a look at Gliding Light's brochure and she does look the part!

You won't have too much trouble with reversing as the helm position is excellent for aft view and if you have a bow-thruster you will find it relatively easy! (if you remember to move the control Left when you want your stern to move Right!

When are you coming for your hols?

[Guest]

Hiya Hockham Admiral...

Not aware of a Bow Thruster on GL1 but I may be wrong and just not read that bit yet. We are due to arrive at Potter Heigham at about 4pm on Saturday 14th May and then cruise for the week.

Any thoughts on the best (and easiest) place to moor up for our first night? I did think about heading down to Stokesby to the Ferry Inn but we wouldn't arrive until about 6pm or slightly later and risk no moorings left. So my other plan was just to head down to Ludham? Or my third option was the easiest of the lot and just pop down to Thurne and stay around there for the night.

I must say, I do feel a little less anxious now that I know "seasoned" boaters still make mistakes occasionally. And as someone said, when it all goes right, no one notices and there isn't a video cam for miles but a single little mistake and everyone spots it and there's loads of videos around!!

[Hockham Admiral]

Hiya Hockham Admiral...

Any thoughts on the best (and easiest) place to moor up for our first night? I did think about heading down to Stokesby to the Ferry Inn but we wouldn't arrive until about 6pm or slightly later and risk no moorings left. So my other plan was just to head down to Ludham? Or my third option was the easiest of the lot and just pop down to Thurne and stay around there for the night.

Iain, Hi

Well, yes!

A bit further, but if you contact HW asap you could ask if you might pick her up a bit earlier (shouldn't be a problem at this time of year). And here we will be:

http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/phpBB3/ ... 29&t=10068

About 2.5 hours from Potter but lots of friendly folk to help you moor up on your first night! You won't miss us as the NBN burgee will be flying on several boats!

Here's a pic from last year:

[Boaters]

Hi and welcome from us two.as John said a good first night could be had at Salhouse.Enjoy.

[Guest]

Salhouse sounds like a good option and looking at the maps, it's quite an easy cruise from PH to Salhouse.....so it won't tax my navigational skills!!

However, timings could be tight....our daughter is in the Royal Navy and the day before we are in Plymouth for a "family day" aboard HMS St Albans before it embarks on a six month Duty over in the Gulf Oman. So Plymouth to PH.....long journey although at least it's on a Saturday, so less traffic around. I will contact HW and see what they say.

Maybe see some of you on the 14th!

[Hockham Admiral]

Do please try, Iain!