A Cruise On The Ouse

[Bikertov]

At last, after years of dreaming, just over a week ago I finally bought my own boat - a Broom 29 called "A Frayed Knot", moored on the River Great Ouse in St. Ives.

The time had come to take her out on a little cruise for the very time on Sunday. Mrs B had a prior arrangement, so having driven up to St. Ives in the morning, it was with some trepidation that I started the engine, took in the mooring ropes and ventured out by myself - solo helming for my first time on the river !

The river was still considered in a flood condition, so St. Ives Lock, which is immediately as you turn starboard out of the marina, was closed to navigation. All I could do then was go to port as I left the marina, and head towards St. Ives. To get used to the boat, I did a couple of runs back and forth between the closed lock and the bridge.

The river didn't appear to be too high at all, and coming to a stop and running in neutral for a minute I didn't detect any sort of strong flow. So I decided to bite the bullet and go under St. Ives bridge and beyond. It had started to drizzle a bit by now, so I turned round, headed back under the bridge and back to the marina.

It took a couple of attempts to get back into the temporary berth I have been given, which I did stern-on to make it easier to get off via the bathing platform with a mooring rope. The boat has a bow thruster, which made it a bit easier to line things up. Hopefully with a bit more practice and experience I won't need it too much in future !

All-in-all, it was an exciting little adventure - I couldn't stop smiling all afternoon. My previous boating experience being very limited (from when I was a child on family Broads holidays), it was a bit nerve racking at first, but I can certainly get used to it.

Here is to many years of boating fun ahead of me  

 

Leaving the mooring, with heavy condensation still on the inside of the windscreen, and rubbish wipers on the outside

 

Approaching the exit of the marina, and finally onto the River Great Ouse

 

Looking back towards St. Ives Lock. 

 

Approaching St Ives bridge for the first time

 

[chrisdobson45]

Well done, frightening and exilerating at the same time, wasn't it? Kath & I were very much in the same place in April when we purchased our first boat, managing to navigate Holbrough's Dyke for the first time was scary (it felt like everyone was watching us). Even now I pray we don't meet anything coming in the opposite direction...

I'm sure there will be many great memories made

 

[Bikertov]

15 minutes ago, chrisdobson45 said:

Well done, frightening and exilerating at the same time, wasn't it? Kath & I were very much in the same place in April when we purchased our first boat, managing to navigate Holbrough's Dyke for the first time was scary (it felt like everyone was watching us). Even now I pray we don't meet anything coming in the opposite direction...

I'm sure there will be many great memories made

 

Luckily, I was the only boat mad enough to venture out, so no-one saw me, and the river was empty !

[floydraser]

Wow. Reminded me of my first time solo sailing my 22ft Seal Sinbad on Rutland Water. Chris called it right; frightening and exilerating at the same time! 

[CambridgeCabby]

For the condensation , we find a “Karcher” window vac is an essential tool 

https://www.toolstation.com/wessex-cordless-window-vacuum/p96553

seems to be the same thing for a far better price 

[Smoggy]

The cheaper window vac may be the better one depending on how the internal plumbing is, I find the karcher poor inside a steeply sloping screen as half the water goes through the fan and spits out the back.

St.ives to St.neots is the best section of the great ouse in my view.

[MargeandParge]

Alright for you the guillotine locks won't drip on you. Old Parge had a soft top which was always open if possible. I believe they are all electric now but Godmanchester used to be manual 147 turns of the windlass I think . Twas a while ago.

It was lovely and I wouldn't remember it with warmth if it wasn't.  Enjoy 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[CeePee1952]

1 hour ago, CambridgeCabby said:

For the condensation , we find a “Karcher” window vac is an essential tool 

https://www.toolstation.com/wessex-cordless-window-vacuum/p96553

seems to be the same thing for a far better price 

We can second that! It's a brilliant bit of kit  we take it every time and it's worth its weight in gold. If you get one, make sure you don't go over the full mark in the tank - the water that's been sucked up tends to fly out from the side vents! 

Chris and Brenda

[Troyboy]

How exciting. Your 1st venture out in the boat. Hope all went well and you enjoyed it. I'm sure you did. Roll on spring. 

[MauriceMynah]

2 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

For the condensation , we find a “Karcher” window vac is an essential tool 

https://www.toolstation.com/wessex-cordless-window-vacuum/p96553

seems to be the same thing for a far better price 

I don't need a tool for condensation,  I find Nyx gets plenty without one.

[Mouldy]

3 hours ago, CambridgeCabby said:

For the condensation , we find a “Karcher” window vac is an essential tool 

https://www.toolstation.com/wessex-cordless-window-vacuum/p96553

seems to be the same thing for a far better price 

I bought a Karcher Professional Window Vac.  It works really well, including upside down, which is essential for getting to the bottom of the windows.  It wasn’t easy to find and wasn’t from Amazon, but was worth paying a bit extra for.

[kpnut]

I love the title of your thread. Keep that. 

I can second/third/whatever that frightening and exhilarating feeling. 
My first solo mooring was done  against a soft bank down Fleet Dyke with no-one else around. 
My first return back to my home mooring was totally stressful. Even now I get butterflies as I come up the river. 
 

Have fun xx

[YnysMon]

4 hours ago, kpnut said:

My first return back to my home mooring was totally stressful. Even now I get butterflies as I come up the river. 
 

I’m not surprised. Having been standing on the back of your boat when you were approaching and then mooring it looked an impossible mooring. Right in a corner with hardly more than the length of your boat to manoeuvre. 

[kpnut]

9 hours ago, YnysMon said:

Right in a corner with hardly more than the length of your boat to manoeuvre. 

The corner actually makes it easier Helen as I only have to worry about knocking one neighbour’s boat.
There’s just about room to get my bow right up to my opposite neighbour at the right angle that my stern just misses the bow of my neighbour’s boat. And then shunt round an inch or so at a time, forward and back till I’m round. Can’t think it does the morse control much good, mind you. 

[addicted]

I well remember the first time we  ventured down to St. Ives from our berth in Ely  in our newly acquired Sheerline 950 aft cockpit. We arrived at St Ives bridge having been told that boats like ours went easily under the bridge wth the canopy and radar arch in place we approached the bridge which looked intimidatingly low and at the last moment Tony bottled out and said    **** this! I am not taking Hot Gossip under there!  Fortunately there was room on the quay for us to pull in, tie up and dismantle  everything top side  and we cruised under happily. We moored  in the basin next to the Dolphin where we had a very good view of the bridge and boats passing under it and had the reasassuring sight of boats like ours going under  with canopy etc. in place with plenty of clearance.

 

 

Carole

[mikeyboy1966]

I’m hoping to get down this weekend,

seems like ages since the weather has been fit and the river not in flood,

fingers 🤞 

[mikeyboy1966]

1 minute ago, mikeyboy1966 said:

I’m hoping to get down this weekend,

seems like ages since the weather has been fit and the river not in flood,

fingers 🤞 

Saying that,I’ve just looked at Jones webcams and it’s chucking down at st ives and it looks like the river levels are rising again.

[Bikertov]

Only 2 more weeks before Jones lift out the boats for winter, including mine.

I'm planning to be down this Sunday and next, to at least be able to go for a quick spin again. The more practice the better !

Also, I need to prep the boat in advance of the lift out - fill the diesel, empty the water tanks, remove soft furnishings, sort out a dehumidifier etc.

Other things can wait until after, but I do need to start a proper list of work to be done, and what I can do vs what the boatyard will be doing..

[mikeyboy1966]

Have you been thru a lock yet?

[Bikertov]

7 minutes ago, mikeyboy1966 said:

Have you been thru a lock yet?

No, not yet - that will be the next challenge, and certainly not done solo !

I think I have a key for the electric sluice control panel, but still have to get a windlass. More money to spend in the chandlery ...

Bearing in mind the locks were closed to navigation last weekend, I'm not holding out much hope this side of winter. But probably best I just chug up and down for the next few visits to get use to handling, mooring etc.

When I try it for the first time, I will ask someone from Jones to show me how it's done.

[mikeyboy1966]

If I come down Sunday Ill see if I can see you,I’d be happy to go through with you if it’s operating,

failing that I can show you the score from the lock side.

[Bikertov]

1 hour ago, addicted said:

I well remember the first time we  ventured down to St. Ives from our berth in Ely  in our newly acquired Sheerline 950 aft cockpit. We arrived at St Ives bridge having been told that boats like ours went easily under the bridge wth the canopy and radar arch in place we approached the bridge which looked intimidatingly low and at the last moment Tony bottled out and said    **** this! I am not taking Hot Gossip under there!  Fortunately there was room on the quay for us to pull in, tie up and dismantle  everything top side  and we cruised under happily. We moored  in the basin next to the Dolphin where we had a very good view of the bridge and boats passing under it and had the reasassuring sight of boats like ours going under  with canopy etc. in place with plenty of clearance.

Carole

Maybe I was too brave - it was starting to drizzle, so visibility through the windscreen was getting a bit worse. On the upside, at least it meant there was no-one on the quayside to watch me screw it up

I wasn't sure how the flow under the bridge would affect my progress, or whether any currents around the arches would push me around unexpectedly, but looking at the river in general it really didn't seem to be a strong flow at all. So I just lined up as best I could, took a deep breath and went for it.

The result: St.Ives Bridge 1 - TV Aerial 0  

I won't do that again too soon ... Note to self - lower (what's left of) the aerial next time 

[mikeyboy1966]

12 minutes ago, Bikertov said:

Maybe I was too brave - it was starting to drizzle, so visibility through the windscreen was getting a bit worse. On the upside, at least it meant there was no-one on the quayside to watch me screw it up

I wasn't sure how the flow under the bridge would affect my progress, or whether any currents around the arches would push me around unexpectedly, but looking at the river in general it really didn't seem to be a strong flow at all. So I just lined up as best I could, took a deep breath and went for it.

The result: St.Ives Bridge 1 - TV Aerial 0  

I won't do that again too soon ... Note to self - lower (what's left of) the aerial next time 

You must be brave,,,,,,

I’d never have admitted to hitting the bridge

[Bikertov]

It was only the aerial, a mere scratch !

[Smoggy]

There is a text service that warns of strong stream advice (when they shut the locks) you can sign up to, the EA do it, very handy for a bit of advance warning if you are the wrong side of a lock as you can usually make a bolt for your mooring while they are still open.

This is handy too.

https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/station/6178