Birthday Treat Booked -> Clipper

[JawsOrca]

I booked it!  Something I've been thinking of doing for many years and promising myself I'll do "One day" and after a strange year, including moving to suffolk (selling the Broom) and being stupid looking at a "Deben class" sailing boat over the weekend, I thought,this is becoming an problem.. there's an itch to scratch here... but maybe lets have a go on the broads..

It's not quite what I wanted, I really really really wanted a go on a hunters fleet boat but I also really wanted to do this under that bridge where it's clearly more broads heaven (and a place Orca can't reach), but sadly Hunters advise that getting under that bridge with a quant pole takes some planning and the planets really don't align in a weekend so I landed on Marthams webpage and fell in love with "Clipper" a true broads yachty made in Horning in 1937, described as well balanced and just sooo pretty.. I emailed Marthams asking if my limited experience of an estuary sailer would be enough to allow me to "Manage" and if they would let her to me.. I was honoured to get a "Sure, go for it reply".. Immediately I booked online,  we jump aboard on the afternoon of my birthday and hand her back on the monday before rushing to work! (and thank goodness we can give her back!).

To say I can't bloody wait is an understatement, it's certainly something I've wanted to do for ages, I do hope we will manage but I really welcome any advice offered, we will stay around hickling, I understand the basics of sailing but Broads sailing certainly seems a bit of a nightmare considering it's so close helmed.. but I guess Clipper will be heavy and somewhat predictable.

I'll post some pictures post event.. it's only 3 weeks away too!

Oh here's clipper: https://www.marthamboats.com/hire/yachts/24-clipper

[SwanR]

Brilliant to have something to look forward to. Hope you're enjoying Suffolk life on dry land. 

[Victoryv]

The Pleasure Boat is not open at the minute, you can use the moorings though, nice walk to the Greyhound

Don't shout it from the rooftops just how good it is above the bridge, we have just had 12 days without feeling the need to visit the dark side!

Enjoy the trip, very nice people at Martham Boats

Don't forget to buy their 75 year book

[marshman]

You will thoroughly enjoy it!!

Surprised at Hunters as they do now have a few boats with an electric outboard and to be honest, I have never had a lot of trouble quanting under the bridge although going with the tide really does help.

So if that all goes well have a look for at others to try - look at Colin Buttifants boats from the Swallowtail Yard in Ludham and Olivers Sailing Holidays at Martham Ferry both who have some "quickish" boats that may appeal in the future. You will be surprised how easy they are to sail and how quick the better ones are.

And the Greyhound is well worth the walk - a very "different" kind of offering. What is there not to like above the bridge and certainly better for being without the lunatic brigade who would so easily spoil a fragile and special place. Its absolutely unique!!

 

[BrundallNavy]

14 hours ago, marshman said:

 What is there not to like above the bridge and certainly better for being without the lunatic brigade who would so easily spoil a fragile and special place. Its absolutely unique!!

 

The Weed. 

[Tyna]

Something to wet your appetite Clipper from 9.10 mins to 11.00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1kUBHj4XF8

[JawsOrca]

22 hours ago, SwanR said:

Brilliant to have something to look forward to. Hope you're enjoying Suffolk life on dry land. 

Thanks Jean :) I'm certainly soo looking forward to it.. Loving suffolk too.. I've just brought a John Deere hat but sadly there seems to be a delay on my promised and expected free "John deere tractor" as part of my suffolk citizen package.. hopefully it will arrive soon! We certainly have both adjusted to the house and I've gone a bit nuts of antique furniture (maybe to make up for the missed feeling of the broom) and trying loving the garden and just being so close to broadland..  20 mins car trip to the waveney and canoe trips.. it was a good move!  I hope you,likewise are enjoying your norfolk life (Isn't it strange shopping in some of these stores for "Normal life" instead of holiday food!).

[SwanR]

1 minute ago, JawsOrca said:

(Isn't it strange shopping in some of these stores for "Normal life" instead of holiday food!).

Ah yes indeed. Roy’s is my local and I do notice when people are obviously holidaymakers! 😂

[JawsOrca]

21 hours ago, Victoryv said:

The Pleasure Boat is not open at the minute, you can use the moorings though, nice walk to the Greyhound

Don't shout it from the rooftops just how good it is above the bridge, we have just had 12 days without feeling the need to visit the dark side!

Enjoy the trip, very nice people at Martham Boats

Don't forget to buy their 75 year book

Ahh many thanks for the heads up! Big shame the pubs not open but will find the greyhound for certain!  Certainly looking forward to being above that bridge for a few days, I think the last time we really spent any time there was on Janet 3, but I really can't remember when that was..at least 10 years ago.. Will certainly grab the book,they emailed over the boats guide and that alone is an interesting read but will certainly grab to read when afloat!

[JawsOrca]

19 hours ago, marshman said:

You will thoroughly enjoy it!!

Surprised at Hunters as they do now have a few boats with an electric outboard and to be honest, I have never had a lot of trouble quanting under the bridge although going with the tide really does help.

So if that all goes well have a look for at others to try - look at Colin Buttifants boats from the Swallowtail Yard in Ludham and Olivers Sailing Holidays at Martham Ferry both who have some "quickish" boats that may appeal in the future. You will be surprised how easy they are to sail and how quick the better ones are.

And the Greyhound is well worth the walk - a very "different" kind of offering. What is there not to like above the bridge and certainly better for being without the lunatic brigade who would so easily spoil a fragile and special place. Its absolutely unique!!

 

Thank you sir, I'm a tad worried about being able to control her considering it's such close quarters but I'm hoping to just stay up there will give us space and yup away from pesky moboers! plus I guess they are heavy and predictable. But I was nervous on the estuary, Whatever happens it will make memories away from this current world.  For sure I doubt it will be a one off but it doesn't make much sense but I really do want to try Ludhams, I was honoured to stir through the bridge one year as a passer by and still remember every moment..  Sadly I did really want the space although I didn't talk them but the FAQ's on their said dont' try the bridge in a weekend but maybe at least soon we will do a half decker.. I do really miss sailing!

Intrigued and looking forward to the greyhound now.. I will save the adventure of checking out until we are aboard though!

[JawsOrca]

4 hours ago, Tyna said:

Something to wet your appetite Clipper from 9.10 mins to 11.00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1kUBHj4XF8

Oh wow geez thats a huge sail!! and its kinda a gaff rig, I hoped it was a gaff but read somewhere it was a bermuda..

Thank you so much for sharing..such a pretty thing though!! Geez can't wait!

[CambridgeCabby]

The majesty of those early wooden yachts is breathtaking , Clipper is a real beauty !!!

[Tyna]

1 hour ago, JawsOrca said:

Oh wow geez thats a huge sail!! and its kinda a gaff rig, I hoped it was a gaff but read somewhere it was a bermuda..

Thank you so much for sharing..such a pretty thing though!! Geez can't wait!

Clipper is a high peak gaff. My partner who had her last week end said one tip for you is to take the tacks slowly. If you try to spin her around fast she looses all momentum. Enjoy.

[marshman]

Always always take the tacks slowly - the boat has momentum (way) so use it to its fullest advantage.

Your tack can often be 60' or more - shove the tiller right over and rudder underneath turns at right angles and acts as a water brake.

Ok there are exceptions to every rule but its not a dinghy and use the way on the boat to your advantage - once you feel the boat slowing down, then you can shove it over more quickly to start your new tack.

You cannot do it every time particularly if the  wind means you are doing a long tack ,short tack procedure - you have little room to use the way onit on the short tack, but on the long one ease her round - not fling it round!!

[JawsOrca]

Thanks MM.. We had a falmouth gypsy and she was a bit like that, just had to slowly let the wind take her around but she needed miles to turn.. I think thats what I'm kind of wondering on the broads! how on earth do I find miles of waterway to get a slow tack in when I'm about to crash into a day boat.. We will see!

Appreciate any more tips! Broads sailers are certainly brave I feel!

[JawsOrca]

I received a link to Clippers skippers guide. 

It's kinda publicly available online and I'm sure Martham won't mind sharing as it makes for interesting reading.  Any probs with sharing shout and/or remove.

https://www.marthamboats.com/pdfs/Clipper.pdf

 

[grendel]

I do love their skippers manuals, a nice lot of history in them too

[TheQ]

4 hours ago, JawsOrca said:

Thanks MM.. We had a falmouth gypsy and she was a bit like that, just had to slowly let the wind take her around but she needed miles to turn.. I think thats what I'm kind of wondering on the broads! how on earth do I find miles of waterway to get a slow tack in when I'm about to crash into a day boat.. We will see!

Appreciate any more tips! Broads sailers are certainly brave I feel!

It's not a case of taking miles to turn, but when you approach a bank, you gently curve up paralleling the bank before pushing the rudder slightly more to tack away. You have to slowly persuade that large lump of lead hanging beneath to curve round. It doesn't want to change directions.

Remember to look at the tide tables, how you sail with the tide is different than against. With the tide is a slightly  sharper tack, Against the tide is keeping it a long tack along the bank in the slowest part of the tide.. and all tacks are an S bend once you are finished one you are into the next there generally isn't a straight line between. Unless it's very long tack short tack along the river.

Stay inside the posts on Hickling, there are places outside the posts you can go, but unless you are a regular sailor at HBSC you have no chance of knowing where they are.

Have a look here http://www.thegreenbook.org.uk/ at Diary Dates to see what club is sailing where and when to avoid them if you wish.. There is a sailing event going on somewhere on the broads every single day.

 Always assume a motorboater is an idiot, if you signal where you wish to go there's a chance they'll go there, if you signal where you want them to go there's a chance they'll avoid it..  Be prepared.. If they are an accomplished motorboater, they'll anticipate where to be anyway.. and you won't then have a problem.

There's normally a shortage of moorings in Potter, the most available are the Martham side of the bridges.. Moor there and take a wander down into Potter.

[grendel]

water depths for the thurne - https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/water-depths/river-thurne, and for hickling

https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/180746/DEPTH__Hickling-Broad-and-Heigham-Sound.pdf

it may be a bit out of date as the last time it was surveyed outside the marked channel was 2014

 

[Victoryv]

"Always assume a motorboater is an idiot" !

Invisible actually, we came down the river about 9.30 during the three rivers race, no wind, which seemed to make predicting where the boats were going more  difficult, lots of reverse, lots of stopping but all done completely without being seen, I know this because not one crew member even gave us a glance never mind a thank you!

 

 

[YnysMon]

17 hours ago, TheQ said:

Always assume a motorboater is an idiot, if you signal where you wish to go there's a chance they'll go there,

Last time we sailed I adopted the practice of pointing to me first then where I was intending to go, either that or pointing at them and then where I wanted them to go. Seemed to work apart for the occasional idiot.

Take care if you go up to West Somerton, as someone else mentioned, it tends to be very weedy there. Don’t do what we did with a Hunter’s boat. Coming back from West Somerton the weed was too much for the Torqeedo and we had to tack against a stiffish breeze past Martham Broad. We overshot one post slightly and got stuck in the mud. Luckily a BA weed cutter was going past and pulled us off.

[TheQ]

That's what I tend to do point to me then to where I want to go, or point to them and there I want them to go.. it doesn't work all the time so you do have to  be prepared..

 

All this nature conservation and cleaning up the rivers is a disaster..    The weed and Lilies are growing up everywhere.. it's a hazard to Navigation.. Now what are BA going to do about it..

Seriously though the weed will slow river flows and cause more mud to drop out of the water causing more shallowing. 

I can see hire companies having to fit weed cutters to their blades, and sailing boats in front of their rudders...

[Lulu]

Im so confused.  What is the official etiquette?  If they point, are they pointing where they intend to go, or pointing where they want you to go? 

[TheQ]

10 minutes ago, Lulu said:

Im so confused.  What is the official etiquette?  If they point, are they pointing where they intend to go, or pointing where they want you to go? 

It depends on the situation.. 

What I tend to do is:

Point to me, then to where I want to go, if the motorboat is not at present in the way.

or point to them and then where I want them to go.. if the Motorboat  is in the way.

 

It doesn't work all the time so you do have to  be prepared..

[grendel]

21 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I can see hire companies having to fit weed cutters to their blades, and sailing boats in front of their rudders...

just trying to work out how hire boats will fit a sailing boat in front of their rudder, perhaps after the weed cutter on the prop has chewed it up?