Potter Hiegham Bridge

[Andrewcook]

As to this Fine Hot weather we are having at this time will there be any Head Room for Boats to getting under Potter Hiegham  Bridge? To Hickling Broads and other places to visit? 

[grendel]

maybe, maybe not,  will be having a look when i am up in a few weeks.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Very fews boats can now get under PH bridge.Do what I've done get a day boat.lovely stretch of river.

[TeamElla]

You could always check this simplified reference chart (see attachment)

I have been meaning to test it's accuracy since producing it months ago (using another forum members source data)

Note that you need to get the latest ONLINE tide gauge reading from the Repps tide gauge to use this chart

Link to online most recent actual gauge reading (and recent history) is in the attached pdf document

Quote

 

 

PHBridgeClearances.pdf

[grendel]

well according to that chart there should be 6 ft 10" at low water today, woo hoo, at that level I would even try taking Water Rail through without a pilot. (we reckon she need 6 ft 1" but that needs to be checked at the bridge)

[BroadAmbition]

Monday there was about 6ft2" early afternoon, not enough for 'B.A'

Griff

[BrundallNavy]

It seems to be getting harder to get under the bridge for weeks it is around 6-1 to 6-2 then you get a couple of days when it gets up to 6-5 to 6-6 it’s all about timing. It does seem to go lower at night than during the day but having done it once in the dark it’s something I’m keen not to repeat anytime soon. 

[TeamElla]

That lovely gauge in the pilot's office needs a webcam on it

Wouldn't that be something!

[PAULG]

We arrive for a week this Saturday 5th.

Was really hoping to get through on Evening light 2 but not looking good.

High hopes for Wroxham and Wayford though 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Speak to the yard and the pilots office. You can do so before you arrive. They will let you know.

[johnm]

6'6" at 1100 this morning. Low tide was about 1400 so not sure what the maximum got to. The boards are well out (showing less than available by about 4") not that I would ever trust them anyway, I just call the pilot and ask ... there was a slight delay this morning as he had to move a chair to be able to see it!

[grendel]

looking at the repps data this morning, at low tide river levels were down to 0.21m, which is off the pdf chart, so extrapolating that would mean that at low tide this morning there was over 6 foot 11" at potter heigham, currently back to 0.25m and rising, but that is still nearly 6'10" which looks hopeful for anyone wanting to head under the bridge today.

 

[TheQ]

On 02/06/2021 at 13:33, Chelsea14Ian said:

Very fews boats can now get under PH bridge.Do what I've done get a day boat.lovely stretch of river.

Oh I don't know, at least 112 boats will get under on Saturday and Sunday... if they can get there with the light winds forecast..

[expilot]

Much as I admire and respect the efforts of those clever enough to devise newer (more accurate?) means by which to measure air draught at Potter bridge, the only accurate measure is the gauge in Phoenix Fleet's office.  Nothing larger than a boat requiring 6' 8" clearance at Potter bridge has gone past my window upriver of Potter bridge since last October!  Today, the tide is lower than it has been for weeks and may touch 6' 8" - despite anyone else's calculations or assumptions to the contrary.

According to Aweigh app, today's LW at Potter bridge will be at 1506.  HW was at 10.07 this morning.

 

[BrundallNavy]

6-7ft at midday today. 

[expilot]

Based on my ten years' continuous recording of each day's HW and LW, under normal conditions, the tide at Potter drops 3" in the first half hour after HW and the remaining one inch until actual LW.  Conversely, immediately after LW it will rise 3" in the first half hour and a further inch during the period until actual next HW.  I predict that today's LW will approach 6' 8" 

[grendel]

and then of course the size and shape of the roof makes a difference too.

[Chelsea14Ian]

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

Oh I don't know, at least 112 boats will get under on Saturday and Sunday... if they can get there with the light winds forecast..

Always  get one.Yes most sailing  boats will go under. Sadly most others won't .last time I went under apart from a day boat was 15 years ago.

[TheQ]

I've been under several times with an Elysian 27. older narrower style of boat. The more modern wider boats are part of the problems

[simonp]

34 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I've been under several times with an Elysian 27. older narrower style of boat. The more modern wider boats are part of the problems

Same here - up until a few years ago we always used to hire this type of boat. We would get under a couple of times each year in boats such as Grenada Girl, Moon Quest, Crown Gem and the like. 

It's a great shame that this style of boat has almost disappeared completely from the hire fleets - the Potter pilot never failed to take us through on a Crown Gem (even with just under 6ft showing on the gauge at the bridge), but Richardsons sold them all a couple of years back. They were 6ft 3 according to the helm panel, or 5ft 11 according to the pilot, and only 10ft 6 wide I seem to recall.

We know how lucky we were to have experienced the other side of that bridge so many times - the only way we will again will be in a canoe!

[grendel]

I have never yet been unable to get through potter heigham bridge when I wanted to, usually twice each holiday when I hired from Marthams, I have yet to take Water Rail through, as we need to ascertain what she needs to get under, we think its 6'1", but i will do a test with more clearance first and see how much there is to spare.

Really its all a question of hiring the right boats, and by that I mean a marthams woodie.

[Turnoar]

I seem to think Martham had a Delight in their fleet at one time, maybe ask them next time you hire Grendel, they may well remember how it compared  to their existing builds. From my recollection of a photo I seem to think it had their stamp on it so may well have been modified slightly but a potential benchmark.

[LizG]

4 hours ago, grendel said:

I have never yet been unable to get through potter heigham bridge when I wanted to, usually twice each holiday when I hired from Marthams, I have yet to take Water Rail through, as we need to ascertain what she needs to get under, we think its 6'1", but i will do a test with more clearance first and see how much there is to spare.

Really its all a question of hiring the right boats, and by that I mean a marthams woodie.

We were happy with 6' 3" it's the canopy that's the problem! Marthams canopies are different, folding down neatly

[LizG]

1 hour ago, Turnoar said:

I seem to think Martham had a Delight in their fleet at one time, maybe ask them next time you hire Grendel, they may well remember how it compared  to their existing builds. From my recollection of a photo I seem to think it had their stamp on it so may well have been modified slightly but a potential benchmark.

Janet Anne is looking after Jacqueline as well. I think they(Martham) redesigned the canopy to folding?

[PCL023]

45 minutes ago, LizG said:

Janet Anne is looking after Jacqueline as well. I think they(Martham) redesigned the canopy to folding?

Yep the canopy was changed to the standard Martham style with folding sides and canvas top eventually, along with a redesigned rear cabin and roof. She went by the name of Five by Five from around 1984/85. (After being purchased from the yard around the same time as my folks brought their boat, Nice One).

All to give improved interior space and bridge clearance, or so I was told many years ago. 😊.... I think she may have been given the name Jocelyn originally, (before this class actually came along)? 

Cheers 

Paul