Great Yarmouth Tidal Streams And Passage Times

[Davydine]

Hi All,

 I was looking at passage times for heading through Gt.Yarmouth from North to South and then back again. I have always understood that the slack water time 1 hour after low water is the best time to pass through the yacht station because that is roughly when the incoming tide starts to flow up the Bure, but does the tidal flow in the Yare and Breydon Water change at about the same time or is it closer to low water?

Thanks!

David

[Smoggy]

Breydon water is the yare, the bure turns later.

Best time depends on air draught for the bridges on some boats, nearer lw is better for me, lower boats aim for lw +1-1.5 for low flows.

[Wonderwall]

Don’t over think this .

The tide is driven from Yarmouth , it pulls and pushes up  and down the broads from there .

Ideally, you want to tackle Breydon Waters , around the estimated slack water time .  Normally this is after low water , which should then push you up the broads , when the water is coming back in . 
I really don’t want to sound rude , but it’s kinda common sense . 
Don’t underestimate it , but don’t over think it .

if you can cross the road , using your dynamic risk assessment, you can sail the broads 😜

[Mouldy]

It’s a common misconception that the best time to go through Yarmouth is an hour after low water.  As Smoggy stated, if you’re in a boat with a high airdraft, it may be necessary to pass through Yarmouth nearer low water, as the bridge clearance will already be reducing as the tide begins to flow back up The Bure.

As long as you plan to cross when the Yacht Station is manned, if you’re not sure, a call to the staff there may be advisable.  Given the name and airdraft of your boat, they’ll give you the best times to negotiate the bridges, so you can plan your crossing times accordingly.

[grendel]

with an air draft under 6 foot, i have passed through great yarmouth at non optimal times, in fact tidal flow is less nearer high water than low, at low water the tide is literally gushing out of the bure, so heading against it is a slow progress at full power, whereas heading against it near high water there is a lot less flow. but that is only achievable if the tides are within their normal range, and you have the airdraft to get under the bridges at high tide. ideally i try and cross N to S about 1 hour before high tide on the yare, with the current flow this means I am pushing against tide, but with the river flow so the tidal influence is less, plus i get the last of the flood across Breydon, headed S to N i try and arrive either just as the tide is starting to flood just before Breydon Bridge, or once again 1 hour before high water on the Bure.

But this is dependent upon having a low air draft and clearance at the bridges. 

for a novice the best approach is to follow the 1 hour after low water advice (you will never get it spot on as the tides can often be up to an hour early or late.)

[MargeandParge]

Also after low slack water should anybody be unlucky and break down the tidal flow should push you inland which is better than the alternative 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[RS2021]

As Mouldy says, phone the Yacht Station. They are on the ground and if you call them shortly before you plan to go they can also give actual advice of weather and tide rather than predictions.

First time I did it I was advised to get to GY up to 1/2 hour before Low water (we had a high air draft boat). I thought it would be quiet, but Breydon was already very busy with a stream of boats ahead of us!

Also remember if you end up punching the tide, your boat may be capable, but fuel consumption goes up significantly. That's where 'all inclusive' hire charges come into their own...

[Davydine]

I am probably over thinking it!
I should have added that I have done the trip several times before. Getting under the bridges is always the deciding factor.

I am always aware of the water gushing out of the Bure and how long it takes for the incoming tide to overcome that flow, but I had never really thought about what is happening in The Yare, hence the question.

[Mouldy]

19 minutes ago, Davydine said:

I am probably over thinking it!
I should have added that I have done the trip several times before. Getting under the bridges is always the deciding factor. . . . . . . . . .

And the clearance under the bridges will be reducing between low and slack, so airdraft is always a factor in deciding the best time to cross.  Heading south to north, there is always the option of mooring temporarily at the yacht station until the current is favourable for heading up The Bure.  Going in the opposite direction, it’s a little more difficult, but because Breydon is so wide, the push of the current is not so difficult to deal with as punching the tide through GY.

[Broads01]

I was almost caught out going north at slack water in October and needing 8 foot 3. It was very, very tight and how I wished I'd been there an hour earlier.

[MauriceMynah]

You couldn't have been there an hour earlier,  you were needed on your boat.

[marshman]

The trouble with waiting at the Yacht Station is that they now charge you - wasn't that long ago if you wanted to wait for the tide, it was free!

You might as well just bang on and spend the money as diesel - it will catch up with you soon enough!

[FlyingFortress]

12 minutes ago, marshman said:

The trouble with waiting at the Yacht Station is that they now charge you - wasn't that long ago if you wanted to wait for the tide, it was free!

You might as well just bang on and spend the money as diesel - it will catch up with you soon enough!

Is that the case? 😳

Must be a fairly recent change in policy. I was caught out a couple of years back trying to make a High water passage and had to wait for around an hour and a half but I was not charged when I explained to the Ranger what I was doing.

[Broads01]

After squeezing through the bridge I stopped for about 45 minutes. A ranger came over and when I said it was just a short stop he didn't charge me. I don't know if that was just good luck and it might be different another time.

[Davydine]

1 hour ago, FlyingFortress said:

Is that the case? 😳

Must be a fairly recent change in policy. I was caught out a couple of years back trying to make a High water passage and had to wait for around an hour and a half but I was not charged when I explained to the Ranger what I was doing.

We stopped this April, for as long as it took us to run to asda and back (and I do mean run!) certainly no more than an hour, but they did charge us for the privilege.

[stumpy]

I seem to recall the yardstick for 'waiting for the tide' is not leaving the vessel  - as soon as you do "Kerching!"

[FlyingFortress]

2 minutes ago, stumpy said:

I seem to recall the yardstick for 'waiting for the tide' is not leaving the vessel  - as soon as you do "Kerching!"

Maybe that's the thing then.

😳