Ludham Bridge Clearance - Gleaming Light

[750XL]

We've finally took the plunge and booked Gleaming Light from Herbert Woods for late October.

Last year we had a bath tub so thought we'd go for something different.

Southern Broads are a no-no due to tide times but our favourite spoke is north of the Ludham Bridge. Wild mornings, bit of fishing, we leave it.

Air draft of Gleaming Light is 8ft 10" and I note the general consensus is Ludham Bridge is 8ft 6" on an average day, according to the markers.

I understand this is a bit of a piece of string question depending on tides, rainfall, etc etc, but has anyone had any luck passing at that air draft?

If it's a complete no-no I'm tempted to contact Herby Woods and see if we can change to something with a bit of a lower airdraft.

I've seen in the past boatyard staff ballast boats with exceptionally high tides but not sure if this is a Richardsons thing or Herby Woods.

Many thanks for your helpful insight. Very excited to get on the water after a very stressful few months (health, redundancy, all that lot!)

[Mouldy]

3 hours ago, 750XL said:

We've finally took the plunge and booked Gleaming Light from Herbert Woods for late October.

Last year we had a bath tub so thought we'd go for something different.

Southern Broads are a no-no due to tide times but our favourite spoke is north of the Ludham Bridge. Wild mornings, bit of fishing, we leave it.

Air draft of Gleaming Light is 8ft 10" and I note the general consensus is Ludham Bridge is 8ft 6" on an average day, according to the markers.

I understand this is a bit of a piece of string question depending on tides, rainfall, etc etc, but has anyone had any luck passing at that air draft?

If it's a complete no-no I'm tempted to contact Herby Woods and see if we can change to something with a bit of a lower airdraft.

I've seen in the past boatyard staff ballast boats with exceptionally high tides but not sure if this is a Richardsons thing or Herby Woods.

Many thanks for your helpful insight. Very excited to get on the water after a very stressful few months (health, redundancy, all that lot!)

Personally, I’d be looking for some with a lower airdraft.  Sometimes the clearance at Ludham is less than 8ft.  Our boat has an airdraft of 8ft 3ins and there have been times in September when we haven’t been able to negotiate the bridge.

It is true that the height boards are pessimistic, probably by three or four inches heading from The Bure, but slightly less in the opposite direction.

Spring tides and the weather also affect the river levels, so if cruising The Ant is an important part of your holiday, I’d definitely be looking for something lower to hire.

[SwanR]

I haven’t hired that boat but have hired similar in mid October. We’ve always had high water levels at that time and didn’t go up the Ant because of it. That’s not to say we couldn’t have done if we had been able to time it for low tide but I didn’t want to chance it or be stuck to a timetable for two days just to get under the bridge. 

[BroadAmbition]

Did Ludham bridge twice last over the last week, 7ft9" and 7ft 11" (In the dark at about 0400)

Griff

 

[RS2021]

Statistically you only have a 25% chance of getting through Ludham bridge in October if the air draft of your boat is correct. In practice its likely to be generous so your chances are probably closer to 50/50. And the days you can't are likely to be clustered together. You say tides aren't suitable for going south which suggests high tide during daylight hours during your holiday. This won't help as if water is generally high you will at least need to pass Ludham near low tide. Also check whether you are on springs or neaps. You will get better clearance around neaps.

If you really want to go up the Ant in October I would go for a lower air draft boat. Gleaming Light looks like a nice boat, but if you stick with it you will need a plan B.

 

[CambridgeCabby]

The quoted airdraft of 8ft 10” certainly has a bit of a safety allowance built in, I have seen Gleaming Light many times above Ludham bridge as well as Brooms Captains which are a similar design .

That said , they are a relatively high airdraft boat and would need (I believe) minimum 8ft 6” clearance at Ludham and for the water / fuel tanks to be full , in October it is very rare for Ludham bridge  to be anything over 8ft 2” we were often restricted by this on Cerise Lady which had an airdraft of 8ft, so if upstream of Ludham bridge is essential I would consider a lower airdraft .

[Puddleduck2]

The concrete walkways under Ludham Bridge are at 8ft 3" airdraft, so if the water level is below the concrete you have that much extra space. Take it very slowly if in any doubt.

[Mouldy]

11 minutes ago, Puddleduck2 said:

The concrete walkways under Ludham Bridge are at 8ft 3" airdraft, so if the water level is below the concrete you have that much extra space. Take it very slowly if in any doubt.

I wouldn’t swear to that - possibly more like 8ft.  We went under in July and the river was a few inches below the concrete.  Height markers were showing 8 feet and we went through with very little clearance.

I still think that the chances of getting under Ludham Bridge that late in the season in a boat with a stated airdraft of 8ft 10ins are slim, even allowing for a bit of safety built into that figure and the inaccuracy of the height boards.

[Broads01]

I tend to agree with posts so far, there's a strong chance you won't fit under Ludham. Some designs of boat lend themselves towards edging ultra slowly up to the bridge so you can visually judge whether you'll make it through - Gleaming Light isn't one of those. You have to make a judgement on the basis of the height gauge as to whether you'll pass or not and nobody wants to take any chances.

It's true that Richardsons help their boats through when the need arises but that's because they're based above the bridge. I wouldn't expect Herbert Woods to do similar unless one of their boats was stuck above the bridge.

[grendel]

20 hours ago, Puddleduck2 said:

The concrete walkways under Ludham Bridge are at 8ft 3" airdraft, so if the water level is below the concrete you have that much extra space. Take it very slowly if in any doubt.

there is a post I made somewhere where I posted a copy of the sketch I made, and the cill to top height on one corner is under 8 foot, but to alll intents and purposes if you can see the cills at water level you have 8 foot.

[grendel]

Here we go, here's the page from my notebook again, you will note a difference of 6" between the cills, but the ludham side cill is 2" higher than the other side, the high side cill has only 93 1/2" clearance, so if you can only see that one call, that's all you have, in reality at the centre of the bridge you will have a bit more. Your 8'3" is only from the call Wroxham side of the bridge, when that call is exposed, you have 7' 11" at the other side of the bridge to the water ( effectively  8' at the centre of the span)

[750XL]

Had a change of heart and downgraded to Adventure Light as we'd really love to visit the Ant again, and possibly Wroxam for the first time.

Few pennies saved as well for the odd 

[SwanR]

Sounds like a sensible decision. We had Zircon Emblem a few years back. Spent a week on the north but without doing the Ant. Still had a great time but feel a bit the same about wanting to get under Ludham Bridge. 

[Mouldy]

8 hours ago, 750XL said:

Had a change of heart and downgraded to Adventure Light as we'd really love to visit the Ant again, and possibly Wroxam for the first time.

Few pennies saved as well for the odd 

Good move.  If The Ant is an important cruising destination, then something that will pass under Ludham Bridge easily is a better option.

Enjoy it!

[750XL]

At 6ft 5" we may even get under Wroxham this year which would be nice!

[BroadAmbition]

You should do. I need 6ft4” for ‘B.A’ 

Took her through recently with the board stating 6ft3”, had at least two inches to spare. The boards are not accurately calibrated 

Griff