Least Favourite Time

[Gracie]

Handing the boat back at the end of the holiday, I get palpitations  When a flappy thingy is zig zagging in front of me and not knowing where to go usually has me abandoning the helm and running for the nearest cabin 

What about you guys?

Keep it friendly or I will set Dave, George and Betty onto you, whoever the ruddy hell they are  x

[Lulu]

Wind…… both from dog and weather! 

The  most frightening times for me have been mooring up or leaving in the wind. Trying to leave the free moorings at Potter freaked me out once. We had delayed our departure for as long as we could. We planned exactly what we were going to do. Didnt work the first time, rethought our plan and managed to safely set off but I was a complete bag of nerves. This fear also stems from when I was walking the dogs and a large oak tree came crashing down a few feet in front of me when some sort of mini hurricane thing whipped up suddenly.  We are not fair weather boaters by any means but we do try and avoid very windy conditions 

[SwanR]

My least favourite time is probably when we're on approach to our chosen moorings, that moment of hoping for a nice easy space to get into. Followed up by that moment of dithering over whether to pop the boat into the first space I see or risk going further along to see whether there's something better a little further along.

[Cheesey69]

Ludham bridge and How hill moorings. 

[LizG]

Not being able to get through Potter?

[Chelsea14Ian]

Apart from Ludham Bridge.Very cold wet days,not able to get warm

[Ray]

Agree with all of these but will add when the dog insists she really must go ashore at 2am on a wild mooring... wind and rain being an added bonus 🙄

(Dave the dog obviously 😂)

[Wonderwall]

Packing away my fishing stuff  at the end of the holiday is always very symbolic.

Watching someone who is out of reach or earshot , struggling with the handling of there boat. You can feel their pain, and sense the tension on board, frustratingly knowing you could probably help them with a little advice.

[YnysMon]

I’m with Lulu. Strong winds just make me want to hunker down and not go anywhere. It’s not the cruising bit, it’s the knowledge that we’ll need to find a mooring at the end of it and the stress of not knowing how the wind might affect the handling of the boat. 

[Broads01]

Continuous, unrelenting rain that lasts an entire day. Wind doesn't really bother me to be honest, maybe because I actually enjoy things that make boat handling more challenging. 

[NeilB]

Transiting Ludham Bridge for me, most boats travel too close which does not give enough room if you have to wait for someone to come through the bridge.  Throw in boats jostling for moorings makes for extra fun.

[YnysMon]

18 minutes ago, NeilB said:

Transiting Ludham Bridge for me, most boats travel too close which does not give enough room if you have to wait for someone to come through the bridge.  Throw in boats jostling for moorings makes for extra fun.

…and throw some some wind into the mix! Ludham Bridge when there’s a westerly whipping across, and you have to try to hold station to wait for several other boats to come through the bridge. Fun? (Not!)

[Broads01]

1 hour ago, YnysMon said:

…and throw some some wind into the mix! Ludham Bridge when there’s a westerly whipping across, and you have to try to hold station to wait for several other boats to come through the bridge. Fun? (Not!)

Yeah I must admit I can see that isn't fun, especially if you're having to hold station where it's narrow with boats moored both sides.

[ranworthbreeze]

14 hours ago, Gracie said:

Handing the boat back at the end of the holiday, I get palpitations  When a flappy thingy is zig zagging in front of me and not knowing where to go usually has me abandoning the helm and running for the nearest cabin 

What about you guys?

Keep it friendly or I will set Dave, George and Betty onto you, whoever the ruddy hell they are  x

You know how it used to be with those flappy things and bridges Grace on board Ranworth Breeze, Tan also headed below deck when encountered.

 

[DAVIDH]

42 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

You know how it used to be with those flappy things and bridges Grace on board Ranworth Breeze, Tan also headed below deck when encountered.

Haha, my wife would hide in the toilet until the "terror" had passed, on our first few trips.

[CeePee1952]

In no particular order! Mooring up at HW at the end of the holiday when there's very few spaces (if any) left! Wind, rain, early morning mist. Dropping the mudweight non-electric (I always manage to catch a few drops of water from the "sploosh"!), goose/duck poo.

Chris

[Chelsea14Ian]

Many years ago.Alan went back to London  to sit one of his exams.We met up with David at The run up to Oulton Broad. David waited for us,then wanted us to go first.I thought it odd,then I could  see why.Then all we could  see was sails.So slowly stop go we got to the YS.Not bad only one tapped us once.He disagreed,of course  he would.An eventful  day we moored up.Alan came back from London in the afternoon. 

I enjoy coming  across sailing ⛵️ boats.Always a challenge. Just take time and be polite (both ways).

[Hylander]

12 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Continuous, unrelenting rain that lasts an entire day. Wind doesn't really bother me to be honest, maybe because I actually enjoy things that make boat handling more challenging. 

I agree with you about wet days.   What are you supposed to do with yourselves?     Set off and you have the joy of a misted up windscreen,and  a dodgy windscreen wiper to boot.    Stay put read a book, stand at the window just praying it will stop soon and thinking ,  oh dear ,  those soggy old ropes I will have to deal with.     Hearing the bilge constantly churning.  As has been said not being able to get warm.   Yes ,  the joys of boating.

[Tyna]

The Wind! We were gently floating our flappy thing down the Bure with the tide and no wind in sight. Approaching the waterworks a very strong gust of wind came from nowhere and knocked our Thurne class flat on it's side with the main sail  almost touching the water. The first thing I knew was whilst still sitting on the bench I was looking down at my partner who was up to his armpits in water. The yacht righted itself and we bailed like fury.

A motor cruiser who witnessed it came to our aid and told us he had seen a mini tornado type event come almost straight down on us from above. It certainly did not come from over my shoulder as my hat was loosely plonked on my head and there it remained. Since then I have lost my confidence in sailing and only go out on calm days.    

[Gracie]

6 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

You know how it used to be with those flappy things and bridges Grace on board Ranworth Breeze, Tan also headed below deck when encountered.

 

Ahh yes, I remember you describing how Tan would run and hide when encountering bridges and flappy thingys, bless her. As you know I'm exactly the same although I blame my Mum for my phobia. When I was little on our boating holidays she would love to helm until said bridges and flappy's appeared, she literally left the helm calling for my Dad to take over immediately So it's her fault I'm a fruit cake  

Hope you are keeping well Alan x

[stumpy]

6 hours ago, Tyna said:

The Wind! We were gently floating our flappy thing down the Bure with the tide and no wind in sight. Approaching the waterworks a very strong gust of wind came from nowhere and knocked our Thurne class flat on it's side with the main sail  almost touching the water. The first thing I knew was whilst still sitting on the bench I was looking down at my partner who was up to his armpits in water. The yacht righted itself and we bailed like fury.

A motor cruiser who witnessed it came to our aid and told us he had seen a mini tornado type event come almost straight down on us from above. It certainly did not come from over my shoulder as my hat was loosely plonked on my head and there it remained. Since then I have lost my confidence in sailing and only go out on calm days.    

Tyna I'm sure Vaughan will confirm, in Norfolk and Suffolk that's known as a duzzy Rodger - no-one knows where they come from!

[CambridgeCabby]

My least favoured time whilst afloat is when we approach a full mooring spot where you can see at least one available place would be feasible if the already moored boats would tie up in a more considerate manner .

I also dislike it when approaching the taxi rank side of Ranworth and a 44 footer is moored up with its dingy tethered to their bow drifting out across the channel. Years ago you often used to see privateers and hirers alike rowing the dingy round to the dingy dyke so as not to cause an obstruction , behaviour i haven’t witnessed now for many a year.

 

[Speleologist]

1 hour ago, CambridgeCabby said:

My least favoured time whilst afloat is when we approach a full mooring spot where you can see at least one available place would be feasible if the already moored boats would tie up in a more considerate manner .

I would never assume that anyone has moored in an inconsiderate manner without knowing who has left, which we generally do not know. The week before last I was out in a boat only about 7metres long. if I moor close to another boat, to avoid taking up too much space and another does the same next to me, rather than next to the other nearest boat and I then leave then it might look as if the last arrival has been inconsiderate, but they have been exactly the opposite. They have moored to leave the largest possible gap.

[Speleologist]

As for Gracie's original question, I don't have a least favourite time. I tend to subscribe to the view that there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong gear. I like being out in any conditions and there is something very satisfying in managing to stay warm and dry despite the elements. There's not even any particular dislike of the end of the trip when I'm going back home to sail in the Mediterranean and get paid for it. These days, as the years advance, I'm also less likely to be concerned about my former least favourite time, when the bell rings and the landlord calls "Time gentlemen please!"

[addicted]

My least favourite time is September. I know the trees look spectacular in their beautiful reds and gold but that doesn't compensate for the fact that everything that has been so enjoyable during the Summer is coming to an end and balmy evenings sitting topside on your boat with a glass of something palatable won't be happening again anytime soon .

 

Carole