An Eventful Afternoon.

[Guest]

Hi All,

Saturday went ahead as planned, arrived at WRC at about 1.00ish and paid the slipway fee, set about getting the Little Mink II ready for launch and then realised that I had forgotten my wellies. So it was off with the shoes and socks and up with the trouser legs, and I can tell you the water still feels cold. The boat slipped in the water with no drama, apart from the wind blowing straight up the slip holding it on the trailer. It just needed a bigger, barefooted shove.

Engine started and allowed to warm, we headed down river to Somerleyton. The weather was glorious. As we rounded a bend near Flixton we came across a cruiser moored via a mudweight in the channel. I gave the owner the thumbs up, at which his wife returned a thumbs down. After a conversation it transpired that his engine was overheating, I knew that there was no way that I could safely tow him to a better anchorage, and his sister was on her way with another cruiser to tow them back to Geldeston. We departed them satisfied that all was well and advised them to put the kettle on whilst they wait.

Passing the old pumphouse on the wheatacres marshes, a Marsh Harrier was perched atop the chimney, surveying it's territory.

With 2.5 metres of headroom at Somerleyton Swing bridge we passed underneath with loads of room to spare and approached the moorings at Somerleyton.

As we were getting closer to the Dukes Head moorings there was some very nice large vessels there. A hired Dayboat was casting off with three gentlemen aboard. The course it took was remeniscent of a downhill slalom skier and then all of a sudden it veered a full throttle toward the bank, hitting the biggest and most luxurious boat with the bow on her stern quarter. It hit with considerable force , and the owner of the cruiser raised his hands to his head in despair.

With that the dayboat then went aft and about and started to come across the river on a collision course to me, and something that comes from my motorcycling, I nailed the throttle to get me and my passenger out of harms way. It only required a short burst of maybe 50 metres, but I did create a bit of a bow wave which rocked the other craft on the moorings, for which I apologise . There was no way I was putting my craft near the dayboat. Looking behind the dayboat crew were in conflab with the cruiser owner.

We continued on our journey, past St. Olaves, with 2.5 metres at the old bridge, and marvelled at the swallows nesting in it's ironwork. The river meandered toward Breydon water, egrets fished in the margins, Reed Buntings were plentiful.

Onto Breydon, and with it's no speed limit's, time to give the girl it's head. The Yamaha performed faultlessly, and after a bit of trimming put in a pass of 26.9 knots into the wind. I was more than happy, and feel confident in the boat now for some salty excursions.

Time to stop playing and thankfully a less eventful journey back, detouring into Oulton Broad, just for a look, and then back to WRC. Shoes and socks off again for the retrieval and home, a good afternoon.

[Antares_9]

Sounds like you had an "interesting" outing, what jolly fun those dayboats are, :

[mbird]

Good write-up BB

Does make you wonder if the dayboat hirers get any instruction at all at times

[Guest]

Nice one Mark.... that should get Gav started.... again

[Guest]

A clip of the fun on breydon water.

[Guest]

Oh well that didn't work. Back to the drawing board

[MY littleboat]

No hasn't got me started... as I sit here in 45c sunshine - it's far too hot to worry about a dayboat as I have rigged my anchor to 'free-drop' and should such a vessel come near to my lothiathon I'm going to test it - without warning!!

Welcome to the forum BB and anyone who does 26 knots on Breydon, with or without wellies is right up there on my list and welcome to marry my sister any day.. (Too much BlackAdder these last few months!) !!!

[Guest]

I knew you'd have to reply.

See you soon

[Guest]

No hasn't got me started... as I sit here in 45c sunshine - it's far too hot to worry about a dayboat as I have rigged my anchor to 'free-drop' and should such a vessel come near to my lothiathon I'm going to test it - without warning!!

Welcome to the forum BB and anyone who does 26 knots on Breydon, with or without wellies is right up there on my list and welcome to marry my sister any day.. (Too much BlackAdder these last few months!) !!!

Thanks for the welcome, it consisted of five half hitches, one granny, two round turns and a half hitch, although that only counts as one, five clove hitches, six overhand loops, three end splices, four hangmans nooses and a monkeys fist. I nearly finished tying my shoe laces, which I counted as the 0.9, but the bridge was looming so I thought I better pay attention.

Oh, and how old is your sister?