THE JOYS OF WINTER BOATING

[diesel falcon]

]Hi,

there are many arguments for and against for keeping your boat perminantly ready for a day/weekend out in winter,the weekend just gone we decided we were going to get a weekend away on the boat,so a quick call to Que Vadis for weather updates during the week sealed the deal.We left for Norfolk after work friday ,and arrived a the mariner about 7 30pm,oh dear it,s frozen over!!,so a session of ice testing revealed it was very soft ice /slushy, because of the brakish water(st olaves).After warming the boat up, and doing some preparation work we settled down with drinks and telly....outside the temp dropped to minus 8!!! .

Morning came so after several cups of tea ,it was time to test the ice again, strangely the ice was creaking and what sounded like screeming quiet loudly too,...the tide had just started to rise it was about 1/2 inch thick,sooooo started the old girl up and put her in foward gear,great large chucks of ice started to break because of the air pumping under the ice,so the decision was made to go for it!.When ready we let go the ropes and gingerly selected reverse...no proplems behind the boat so made the turn to go out of the mariner, the ice wasn,t broken here so it was slowly forward, creaking and craking our way through to the entrance to the new cut,, which had slusshy ice flows coming down it!! .Anyway by this time the sun was shinning and it was lovely and warm under the canvass(after mopping up all the water because it had frozen inside overnight) .We did a left and then a left ,to meet Que Vadis for the trip down to Braydon,ducking under st olaves bridge.

The trip down to Braydon was great ice flowing down the river but very soft stuff,there was a heavy frost on the reeds and against a cyristal blue sky looked ....stunning.Braydon looked fantastic aswell with several hundred wading birds on the ice/mud at the edge of the channel.We proceeded up the Yare past reedham,the service from the bridge was very good with very imformative operator(for Que Vadis as is tall boat).further up we we decided we might visit Rockland broad and the New INN ,but there was tooo much ice.So it was back to to plan a .

I was kicking myself i didn,t take the camara but Que had a go with his phone ,the river was like glass ,with lying snow and frost....

As you can see the light was fantastic for pictures, we arrived at our chosen mooring for the night ,Surlingham ferry and had a great night ,Yummy!! and lots of the amber necter,Sunday was overcast but brightened later.

all in all a great boating weekend.

[pks1702]

Winter can be some of the best times if you get the right weather.

Thanks for the photos they will get the AA's choking in their weak Lemon drink

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

When i was a lot younger, and i mean a lot, we used to sail on one of dads friends Ohlson 38 on the Medway in winter. It was great, with hardly any other boats on the river, even the mooring trots were empty. Winter can always provide some spectacular cruising, as well as some excellent photography. Well done Trev and quo V .

[quo vadis]

Had a lovely night out last night at the New Inn Rockland Staithe, excellent beer, food and Landlord and Landlady well worh a visit. We were the only boat moored up but the Pub was heaving they had a band on. Took a few photos of the river this morning now all I need is Trevor to post them

[diesel falcon]

There you go!!

[diesel falcon]

[quo vadis]

Thanks Trev

[donnygeoff]

nice pics....

No matter what camera you have...

You can't beat the natural light of a nice crisp winter day...

The colours in those pics are (to my old eyes) PURE

[Guest]

there are many arguments for and against for keeping your boat permanently ready for a day/weekend out in winter

Absolutely. I've always timed any of my maintenance "lifts" to coincide with the Summer School Holiday period.

The yards are practically empty, and the weather is much better for surface prep and paint drying.

The ability to go out often in the Winter whenever the weather is bright, (which is surprisingly often), is far too good an opportunity to be denied.

DF's photos show how quiet things can get, I can often do a 6 hour round cruise without passing a single moving boat.

To moor at places like Ranworth Staithe at lunchtime and be the only boat there, marvelous...

[quo vadis]

Donny or Geoff they are the best I can Do with a phone

[donnygeoff]

Quo or Vadis,

They are very very good for a phone...

[diesel falcon]

Hi,

here are a few pics from this weekend.....

[quo vadis]

Thanks Trev

[quo vadis]

no boating this weekend

Could'nt get enough of the gang interested (too busy buying and selling Transit vans apparantly)

When you collecting xxxxx you know who you are ( name witheld to protect the innocent)

[wombat nee blownup]

I was neither buying or selling Transit vans although i do have a Transit for sale but i think someone in Stamford has bought it But, i do have a wooden, Three man, (sorry person) Canadian Canoe for sale which the owners who now live near Henley on Thames has asked me to put on Fleabay but was hoping that a far more learned person than myself namely Mr. Strowager might assist with some i.d and possible reserve price to ask if i can work out how to get pictures on here. By the way a most enjoyable weekend was had at the New Inn Rockland well done them

[diesel falcon]

...---... .!!!

[diesel falcon]

THIS IS THE LAST POST IN THIS THREAD........AS THE NEXT TIME WER,E OUT ON THE BOAT IT WILL BE SPRING!!

We thought we would try the Beuchamp Arms this week as the weather was auful again

It was another fantastic weekend on the river ,the sun was patchy on saturday ,but wow Sunday morning was wall to wall and very warm.Not a lot to report on the way up the Yare,apart from a sutle increase in hire boats.....there were 2!! .

There was a visitor sunning it,s self on Reedham swing bridge ....a blurdy big seal,unfortunatly at the time of me writing this no picture is available!!(david baily eat your heart out!!)

We had a good night at the pub the weclome was warm and there was free electric...damm let that one out!!,mooring stern on there is ermm....intresting! but doable.The food was to a good standard and devoured with relish,(sorry peppercorn sauce).

Had a look at the poor chaps sunken boat,and all our thought s are with him.....hope it get,s sorted soon.

[quo vadis]

I sent a pic of the big fat seal Trev

[diesel falcon]

I sent a pic of the big fat seal Trev

Yes?? but it didn,t have it,s leg out

[wayneakp]

Nice to see you out on the river Trevor - seems we are always going in oppostire directions lol