On The Northern Rivers 1st 2nd June 2024?

[TheQ]

Yep it's that time again , a gentle warning for those on the rivers who wish to watch / avoid / get through.

The Three Rivers Race 2024

There will be around 100 sailing boats starting in roughly ten boat Groups from 11:00 to 12:30 on the 1st June at Horning Sailing club, racing from there, to the furthest points shown below then back to Horning. The race lasts up to 24 hours for each boat.

For those who wish to Watch by foot or car, best viewing points are:

The Swan Green, at the start and any pub in Horning, 

Ludham bridge, about a hour onwards after the first start,

St Benets Abbey,

Acle Bridge, and pub

Stokesby by the pub,

Thurne Lion Dyke, by the windpump.

And the popular one Heigham bridge, and the river banks either side of the Thurne there. I reckon in normal wind conditions 4hours after the start onwards.

Low water is just about 2 hours after first start this year, I expect many to do the short legs first then head for Hickling broad next. But it always depends on wind strength.

Next posting, advice for those on the water..

 

 

[TheQ]

For those wishing to watch on the water.

Best viewing points,

Horning Staithe, and any pub moorings in Horning.

Cockshoot broad Dyke,

St BENETS Abbey straight, 

Mud weighting on South Walsham broad, not too close to the turning bouy please.

Stokesby moorings,

Thurne Lion moorings, 

Potter Heigham moorings.

For those wishing to avoid the race:

Through Horning go before, about 10:30 on the 1st June or after about 13:00. 

Especially Avoid between the Ant between Ant mouth to Ludham bridge from 11:30 to 14:00 this will be very very crowded, and not for the feint hearted.

Potter Heigham bridge difficult to say an exact time as it depends on the wind. But they won't start getting there before 15:00ish .

 

Next posting for those who wish to get through the race...

 

 

 

[TheQ]

For those who wish to go through the race. 

Note 1, helms cannot always tell you which way to go, they have a rope in one hand and the tiller in the other. If they do, they normally point at you and then the direction they want you to go.

Note 2, they will get very very close, 6 inches is a big gap sailing on the broads, their boats will turn away from the side of your boat, their sailing boats are a lot more fragile than any motorboat, they wish to finish the race.

 

On the 1st...

This is only hopefully helpful advice after 45 years of sailing and being involved with the race..  Advise, not the law, the law is here..

https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating/navigating-the-broads/byelaws-and-speed-limits

If going down river at the start in Horning keep right, each start is at five minute intervals, follow through immediately after a start. Over take on the right when a gap appears.

If coming up river at the start, keep right, slow down, go forward when there is a gap,  noting that a group will sail past you, but keep right and slow right down.

Between there and Ant mouth, groups of boats will head down river, if going down river, keep right, go through within the speed limit when there is a gap.. if you are coming up river , come to near stop, let them go around you, ONLY  if they are ALL on your side, go to the other the other side of the river to go through..

The River Ant to Ludham bridge, I really advise you not to go through between about 11:30 and 14:00.. but if you must..

Keep right, keep slow, let those coming towards you go around you. If going in the same direction as the boats , just keep right and follow, there just isn't enough room to get past and they probably will be tacking across the river in one direction..

For the rest of the course the boats will have mostly split up into small groups or be single.

Generally keep right,

if overtaking from astern while they are tacking always pass behind a boat as it leaves the bank.

If passing boat coming the other way, keep right, slow down, let them pass you, don't weave around. Only if there are no boats the other side and the boats coming towards you are steady on your side do you move to the other side safely..

Hopefully that'll cover all problems on the river..

 

Note 3, all boats, like yourselves, are required to have their own insurance therefore see Notes 4 and 5

Note 4, if somehow you are in an incident, make a note of the number on the sail and it's symbol if it is has one. Also note the boats registration number and name.

Note 5, Sailing boats can't or don't want to stop in a race, you may contact Horning Sailing club, https://www.horning-sailing.club/ but they cannot by law give you contact details , they can contact the other boat if you give them the details and then that boat contacts you to sort things out...

 

otherwise, just go out there and enjoy watching the race and the Norfolk broads.

[TheQ]

59 minutes ago, TheQ said:

The Three Rivers Race 2024

There will be around 100 sailing boats starting in roughly ten boat Groups from 11:00 to 12:30 on the 1st June at Horning Sailing club, racing from there, to the furthest points shown below then back to Horning. The race lasts up to 24 hours for each boat.

For those who wish to Watch by foot or car, best viewing points are:

The Swan Green, at the start and any pub in Horning, 

Ludham bridge, about a hour onwards after the first start,

St Benets Abbey,

Acle Bridge, and pub

Stokesby by the pub,

Thurne Lion Dyke, by the windpump.

And the popular one Heigham bridge, and the river banks either side of the Thurne there. I reckon in normal wind conditions 4  hours after the start onwards.

Low water is just about 2 hours after first start this year, I expect many to do the short legs first then head for Hickling broad next. But it always depends on wind strength.

Next posting, advice for those on the water..

 

[William92]

Oh blimey, jumping in the deep end then, I'm departing Wroxham on the 1st 

I think the main take-away is "be slow, be predictable, and if they want to use the full width of the river just ahead of you then go slower so they can"?

 

I got caught in a race (southern rivers) on my first visit to the Broads, about 15 years ago. For that one we just nosed in as tight to the reeds as we dared and waited. It was a hell of a spectacle.

[kpnut]

Head for Coltishall for the weekend if you can get under the bridge. 

[YnysMon]

But I want to get somewhere where I can watch. I guess mooring spots like Acle, Potter and Ludham will be popular! 

[MauriceMynah]

My two favourite spots are Cockshoot dyke and St Bennets Abbey, but you need to get there early

[kpnut]

I moored at Potter at about 10.39am on the Saturday a couple of years ago. That was good, being able to watch without having to walk anywhere, although I did go to the staithe at one point to see the de-masting action at closer quarters. I expect Ludham bridge might be good as you’d moor above the bridge and view from the bridge but then when you have seen enough, you’d be able to carry on your journey upstream. 
I did think about mooring on the side of the Bure below Fleet dyke entrance, but thought I’d get too worried if yachts were needing to tack near me. 

[CeePee1952]

Many thanks for the info - we will be leaving HW hopefully between 1300 and 1430 on 1st June for the start of our week on board Olympic Light. We're going to make our way towards Acle/ Stracey prior to going down south on the Sunday afternoon so will be "saily aware" more than usual 

Chris and Brenda

[Gracie]

Nooooooo Chris, stay in the boat yard, you can't helm through that lot, you'll have palpitations, well I would 

Seriously though, what a fantastic sight, all those flappies gliding along and the skill of the crews amaze me, brilliant.

Good luck, hope it all goes well

Grace x

[TheQ]

The latest news is there are 118 entries. Ok there's normally a couple of late drop outs but it does look like a well attended year.

[TheQ]

The good news for the racers is the weed cutter is doing the upper Thurne and Hickling Broad.

The race starts  one week tomorrow..

[TheQ]

A weeks time and I'll be recovering by sleeping in ....

The start is about mid out going tide, so they should clear Horning fairly easily.

The forecast is beginning to firm up, it's looking like a Northerly of reasonable speed. It does however mean getting up the Ant, on the Saturday will be much less likely, as it will be full tide going out and wind against them.

I suspect the majority will make a dash for the lower Bure bouy First, to catch low tide there,  then go up with the tide to Potter and beyond.  That'll be hard work 4- 5 hours of tacking up river...

Then back down to Thurne , and do the legs on the way home..

There will always be those who do it differently especially the very fast boats..

[dom]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

The forecast is beginning to firm up

Rain or dry do you think? I'm tempted to head up to spectate, but can't decide if it's worth the drive given the gamble with the weather.

[TheQ]

At the moment it's looking dry.. but it's still early to be certain..

[LizG]

Just seen Ladybird cruiser 13 out practising in the wind with a reef in 20:30hrs

[Mouldy]

Stiff northerly forecast for much of Saturday on my weather app.  Should make for some exciting racing.  

[BrundallNavy]

The water seems very high at the moment I hope this doesn’t affect the racers at Potter. Does anyone know where I can get a program from.  

[LizG]

Sailing club or in the newsagents! £2 Even features 2 of my photos from last year!!!

[William92]

Navigated past the racers between the Ant and Potter (having departed Wroxham at 4.30ish), moored up in Potter and took a mild impact from a poorly timed tack about 10 minutes later 🤭

 

Spectacular sight though!

[Hylander]

Has the race finished?    I did manage to get to watch on the web cam at Potter the yachts demasting to get through the bridge.    

[CeePee1952]

58 minutes ago, Hylander said:

Has the race finished?    I did manage to get to watch on the web cam at Potter the yachts demasting to get through the bridge.    

Don’t think so as a couple of sailies have gone past Thurne dyke about 30 minutes ago? 

Chris

[Lulu]

Two boats sailed passed us at 1.40am this morning 

[Hylander]

1.40 blooming heck cant you sleep?