Thurne Dyke

[CeePee1952]

Looking at staying overnight here with a view to having an evening meal for four of us at The Lion (Plan A!),  This will be a Friday night (3 Sep), having taken over Sovereign Light from Herbert Woods in the afternoon (2.30 takeover).  Boat is 44ft x 12ft.  What are the expectations of getting a mooring, based on experience from anyone here?  I will worry about getting a table etc at The Lion nearer the time!  Thanks in advance 

Chris

[marshman]

Doubt you will have an issue!

[tim]

Again, came past there a few times a couple of weeks ago, always seemed to be a fair bit of room

[grendel]

if you want to drive out forward, then expect to go in backwards, you wont be turning 45 foot of boat anywhere down there, worst case walk it out on the lines and rope in the other boat owners to assist fending off. I struggled to turn in a 26 foot boat in may.

[CeePee1952]

14 minutes ago, grendel said:

if you want to drive out forward, then expect to go in backwards, you wont be turning 45 foot of boat anywhere down there, worst case walk it out on the lines and rope in the other boat owners to assist fending off. I struggled to turn in a 26 foot boat in may.

Yes, I noticed there isn't a lot of room width wise down there!  Depending on the weather, I'll attempt to slowly go in backwards (bow and stern thrusters might get a bit of usage!) and hopefully with the use of binos, we'll be able to spot a likely free space way before we get to it 

Chris

[Captain]

Hi I believe there is a small private marina at the bottom nearest the pub, I know Russell a vlogger who used to post on here nosed into the dyke and turned around fairly sizeable boats down there. Only problem would be if it was very windy or two wide cruisers moored opposite each other at the narrow stretch which may make it impossible to reach.

Neil

[grendel]

11 minutes ago, Captain said:

Hi I believe there is a small private marina at the bottom nearest the pub, I know Russell a vlogger who used to post on here nosed into the dyke and turned around fairly sizeable boats down there. Only problem would be if it was very windy or two wide cruisers moored opposite each other at the narrow stretch which may make it impossible to reach.

Neil

yes, thats where i tried to turn, on a windy day, there is a big post with a bumper there, the bumper is fixed on and has a sticky out bolt head that doesnt do anything pretty to your hull, I struggled there with 26 foot, 45 foot would be impossible.

[BroadAmbition]

I once saw a newby crew try, try and try again to turn a Jewel of light round in the dyke - JoL at 46ft long 

I ended up, having stifled my guffaws reversing it out of the dyke for them, they were grateful.  They didn't really want to be in the dyke in the first place as it turned out, they were fresh out of H.W's heading for Gt Yarmouth with the instructions from the yard:-

'Follow the river, turn first left'

Which they did of course 

Griff

[DAVIDH]

It can be done. There was room at the bottom to turn Fair Statesman when i was there a couple of years ago, which I believe is the same model. As I recall, they turned it even before reversing into the private moorings on the right.

[grendel]

was he big red and white post there then, that makes things very difficult now

[CeePee1952]

48 minutes ago, DAVIDH said:

It can be done. There was room at the bottom to turn Fair Statesman when i was there a couple of years ago, which I believe is the same model. As I recall, they turned it even before reversing into the private moorings on the right.

Difficult to tell how easy he found that to turn but looks like they had favourable weather at the time?  I won't be attempting it even if the conditions are calm,  Don't want to make a hash of it on the first day - got a whole week for that to happen!! 

Chris

[marshman]

Same old story seen here too!!!! Do not people realise just how easy it is to turn a boat those bits of string boats have at the bow and stern???

All this to effort and hassle to do it with the engine - I reckon I could turn it on ropes, and probably  in the dyke with most boats in around 2 mins flat and no sweat, hassle or noise at all!!! Boats float and are so easy to turn with ropes if the width is only marginally wider than the boat is long - why do not people realise this? Or do they think it is the macho thing to hammer backwards and forwards causing issues?

I say it so many times but people will not listen!!!!!!!

[CambridgeCabby]

One thing I would recommend when mooring in Thurne Dyke is when entering the Dyke , if possible, moor on the port (lefthand) side as the wind can often leave you pinned to the bank on the right making leaving your mooring difficult .

[CeePee1952]

16 minutes ago, marshman said:

Same old story seen here too!!!! Do not people realise just how easy it is to turn a boat those bits of string boats have at the bow and stern???

All this to effort and hassle to do it with the engine - I reckon I could turn it on ropes, and probably  in the dyke with most boats in around 2 mins flat and no sweat, hassle or noise at all!!! Boats float and are so easy to turn with ropes if the width is only marginally wider than the boat is long - why do not people realise this? Or do they think it is the macho thing to hammer backwards and forwards causing issues?

I say it so many times but people will not listen!!!!!!!

Noted

10 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

One thing I would recommend when mooring in Thurne Dyke is when entering the Dyke , if possible, moor on the port (lefthand) side as the wind can often leave you pinned to the bank on the right making leaving your mooring difficult .

Thank you 

Chris

[grendel]

35 minutes ago, marshman said:

I reckon I could turn it on ropes, and probably  in the dyke with most boats in around 2 mins flat and no sweat, hassle or noise at all!!! Boats float and are so easy to turn with ropes if the width is only marginally wider than the boat is long - why do not people realise this? Or do they think it is the macho thing to hammer backwards and forwards causing issues?

not with the wind that was blowing the day i tried turning there, we got a bow rope to the far shore, pulled the bow over, went forward to moor up as i was opposite the dyke, and as soon as the bow rope was put back aboard, the boat went side on to the wind again and the nose went back into the dyke (that was the afternoon after crossing Breydon when it was closed to hire boats due to the wind).

[SwanR]

I turned Zircon Emblem at the bottom of the Thurne Dyke in October a couple of years ago. Managed to turn it ok but mooring was another matter. And some kind person continued fishing from his well right in front of me without coming out to help with the ropes which would have made so much difference.

[Broads01]

I've never had a problem turning at the end, albeit the biggest boat I've done it with was 37 foot I think. Easiest way I've found is nose in to the small marina to the right then back up slowly as far as space allows.

Having said that, if I'm moored somewhere at the mill end then reversing out is quicker and less hassle.

[750XL]

We (attempted) to go down there a few years ago in Brinks Duet when it was blowing a good 30kt+ wind side on. 
 

Never again on anything other than a calm day 

[PAULG]

8 hours ago, 750XL said:

We (attempted) to go down there a few years ago in Brinks Duet when it was blowing a good 30kt+ wind side on. 
 

Never again on anything other than a calm day 

 

8 hours ago, 750XL said:

We (attempted) to go down there a few years ago in Brinks Duet when it was blowing a good 30kt+ wind side on. 
 

Never again on anything other than a calm day 

I did exactly that this June in a 30ft boat. The wind made it a difficult job turning around at the end.

And don't get me started about the bloody day boats getting in the way when you are trying to get moored up in the wind with other boats on both sides of the dyke  

[chrisdobson45]

I attempted to turn a 30ft at the bottom of the dyke three years ago, was doing ok and then Mother Nature decided to play with me, the wind wouldn't let me get more than just over half way round, and the bow jammed against a pair of steel trench sheets on the corner. Managed it in the end and then had to squeeze between the boats moored on both sides to get out, with an audience. I said at the time "never again".

In two weeks I'll attempt it again, this time with another 5ft of length (Brinks Tempo 1), can't wait...

 

[CeePee1952]

3 hours ago, chrisdobson45 said:

I attempted to turn a 30ft at the bottom of the dyke three years ago, was doing ok and then Mother Nature decided to play with me, the wind wouldn't let me get more than just over half way round, and the bow jammed against a pair of steel trench sheets on the corner. Managed it in the end and then had to squeeze between the boats moored on both sides to get out, with an audience. I said at the time "never again".

In two weeks I'll attempt it again, this time with another 5ft of length (Brinks Tempo 1), can't wait...

 

You’re a glutton for punishment 😂😂😂 if you do attempt it, it’ll be interesting to hear how you got on. I’ve already decided that I won’t attempt a multi point turn at the bottom of the dyke no matter what the conditions are like! Reverse in or reverse out will be the order of the day!

Chris

[Broads01]

I'd always rather reverse out than reverse in because of the way the dyke opens out on to the river plus I find it easier to reverse out of a space than reverse in to one.

[andyg]

I stupidly tried to turn a concerto around at the bottom of the dyke. It didn't end well. The only time I'd wished I'd had a bow thruster..lol.. every days a lesson when your afloat. 

[stevebrassett]

I see Sovereign Light has bow and stern thrusters.  Either they will help you to turn round at the end, or you could reverse out, using the thrusters to correct any "wanders".  Purists won't like this, but if you've got them, use them.

[Vaughan]

43 minutes ago, stevebrassett said:

Either they will help you to turn round at the end,

 

I wouldn't think that was what thrusters are meant for, especially at the end of a shallow dyke where there would be weeds and Goodness knows what else, in the water.