Hickling Broad Navigation Marks

[Nickwaiheke]

Thinking about exploring this broad, I noted the navigation marks but from the look of the water (could be misleading I know) it didn't seem like shallow water around them. Can one of the experiences locals advise what their purpose is?   many thanks 

[ChrisB]

It depends how much you draw, weed can be a serious problem up there.

[grendel]

to my knowledge the depth is pretty consistent with a few shallow parts, but the important fact is that weed cutting only takes place on the marked channel.

there are links here- https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/water-depths to depth maps of all the broads, be aware that some parts of hickling outside the marked channel were last surveyed back in 2014.

[Nickwaiheke]

Brilliant thank you!!

[grendel]

I can vouch for the weed on horsey mere, I went around the edge of it last year and spent more time in reverse trying to clear the weeds out of the prop than I did going forward, its nasty stuff, grabs you and doesnt want to let go. the fact the water is fairly clear and you can see it doesnt seem to make a lot of difference.

[johnm]

I sail the Broad regularly and the weed on Hickling is dominant anywhere outside the main channel. I would not advise fixed shaft motor boats to go outside the main channel unless they know the area - outboards at least have the opportunity to lift the leg to clear the weed. Most sailing craft will also struggle outside the channel, yachts especially but even half deckers struggle. Even many of the performance sailing dinghies won't stray as the results can be spectacular as my son has proved!

As an aside to this topic, do not stray outside the channel in the Heigham Sound area!! Luckily, the visible weed is showing and acts as a deterrent to those unused to the area but the shallows come right up to the line of the posts and regularly catch some of the hiring yachts out.

[Broads01]

How is Barton by comparison? On our recent visit I saw a cruiser travelling northbound hugging the western edge over some distance, seemingly oblivious of there being any marked channel at all. 

 

[YnysMon]

When we first visited the Broads (not that long ago…2014’ish) I noted that the advice was to keep within the marker posts on Hickling but that most of Barton was navigable for sailing boats. We mud weighted on our first evening near the sailing club just outside the posts, but only because two or three saileys were already mud weighted around that area, so we judged that would be a safe place. Apart from that we have kept strictly within the marker posts when sailing.
We have ventured past the posts on Barton when sailing but never on Moonlight Shadow. We have noted though that there seems to be a favoured spot for cruisers to mud weight on the north east corner of the Broad, not far from where the Broad narrows to up river.

[BroadAmbition]

I’ve mudweighted over most of Barton Broad without any issues, Turkey Broad being a favourite. I always go very slowly if outside the marked channel though 

Griff

[RumPunch]

I live in Barton, and sail pretty much anywhere on the main broad, with my yacht drawing 1 metre. I don't venture far into Turkey Broad, and treat the island on the Neatishead side with caution as I caught that once still twenty feet or so outside the markers

[RumPunch]

Oh - and I sail a dinghy at Hickling ( not as often as I should ) - I'd not dare take the Yacht up there for fear of the weed

 

[marshman]

On Barton unless you know the area, it is getting more difficult south of the main channel from the Ant towards Neatishead. I think there may be more buoys than seagulls these days and whilst Griff might like Turkey Broad, I would leave him to it - they have recently joined up some of the buoys and that is not always obvious. Outside the main channel down towards Neatishead, it is getting more difficult too as mentioned.

However elsewhere in most cases you can nose up towards the reeds without too much issue although even here there is more reed than there use to be but its unlikely to cause you too much of a problem.

[Boaters]

I bought a Seagull outboard in the seventies from Beales in Hickling when he gave up hiring out powered dinghies because of the weed,he got fed up with going out to retrieve them when they got stuck.If I  am right he had a hand operated petrol pump  at the garage.Got back more than I paid for it when I sold the outboard a  couple of years ago