Herbert Woods Day Boat

[tim]

Not been under ‘that bridge’ for a while so booked a day boat for Wednesday week

the nice lady asked if I was going under the bridge, when I replied I was, she asked if I was an experienced boater?

They only let experienced boaters under the bridge due to the weed build up, when I told her I’d been hiring each year for the past 12 years, she said I was ‘experienced’  😲

anyone been under there recently?

is it very weedy?

[Wussername]

I think that I am experienced, what ever that is.

What is weedy. Very weedy.

When the prop stops I suppose. That is when to know it is very weedy

With an outboard I suppose you have a lift of the outboard and a poke about.

With a day boat or a picnic boat, phone a friend, ask the audience,.

I really don't know Tim I am not making fun of your question it is very relevant.

 

[CambridgeCabby]

I think the fact that Herbert Woods is restricting who they hire to due to the weeds answers your question for you to a degree , if there wasn’t a potential problem they would be so cautious 

[YnysMon]

I think the restriction to an experienced boater makes sense, given the waters above the bridge are normally less cloudy than other parts of the rivers. That’s why there’s more weed, so if you are sensible, and in an easily manoeuvrable day boat, you should be able to avoid the worst as you can see the weed pretty clearly.

We have tried going up to West Somerton in a Hunters boat a couple times. The first time we were trying to tack up the channel above Martham Ferry, so it was a bit difficult to avoid the weed on the margins of the channel. We completely lost the ability to steer due to weed on our rudder, no engine, so couldn’t do a burst of reverse to try to clear it. Just a case of dangling over the stern to pull the weed off. Almost landed in the channel myself! Doh! 

[grendel]

I have experienced weed around the edges of Horsey, and all the way to West Somerton and back, a quick burst of reverse usually clears it, I would have been heading that way this week but we are shy 3" at the bridge according to the pilot.

[Oddfellow]

It has always been weedy around Martham Broad to Somerton. I recall comming to a stop in my yacht once about 15 years ago because the weed around my outboard was so bad. Haven't been up there in a while. I hope to borrow a dayboat later in the year to re-explore this area.  

[MauriceMynah]

Ahh but Andy, Are you experienced?

[Hylander]

20 years ago you could get most boats up there when there was room to get under the Bridge and yes there was a lot of weed.   The beauty of the place cannot be matched anywhere else on the Broads.     Saying that trying to turn a boat at West Somerton in a high wind was quite a challenge.