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http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boat ... ights.html

The clearance measurements for bridges given are at Average High Water during the summer

Bridge ..................Clearance ...Width .......Description VHF

...........................metric imp metric imp

Acle...................... 4.00 ..12' ..23.7 ..78' .....Fixed road

Beccles Road Old* ......1.98 ..6' 6" 12.6 ..41' 6"... Fixed road*

Beccles Bypass New ....3.66 ..12' ..28.9 ..95' .....Fixed road

Breydon Fixed ..........3.96 ..13' ..................Fixed spans 12

Breydon Road Lifting ..3.5 ..11' 6" ................Lifting span 12

Haddiscoe New Cut ....7.32 ..24' ..12.1 ..40' .....Fixed road

Lowestoft Harbour ..... 2.2 ..7'1" .................Lifting road 14

Ludham ..................2.6 ..8' 6" ..5.4 ..18'..... Fixed road

Norwich Carrow ........4.27 ..14' ...12.5 ..30' ....Lifting road 12

Norwich Foundry .......3.05 ..10' ...16.4 ..54' ....Fixed road

Norwich Novi Sad ......4.87 ..16' ...16.5 .........Swing pedestrian 12 Carrow

Norwich Trowse ........3.05.. 10' ...12.9 ..30' ....Swing rail 12

Postwick Viaduct ......10.7 ..35' ...................Fixed road

Potter Heigham New ..2.31 ..7'7" ...22.4 ..73' 6" .Fixed road

Potter Heigham Old* ..1.98 ..6'6" ..................Fixed road*

Oulton Broad, Lake Lothing 4.57 ..15'.............Swing rail

Oulton Broad Mutford .2.4 ..7' 10" ..6.4 ...21' .....Lifting road 14, 73

Reedham ..............3.05 ..10' ....16.6 ..54' 6" ..Swing rail 12

St Olaves ..............2.44 ..8' .....23.9 ..78' 6"....Fixed road

Somerleyton ............2.6 ..8' 6" ..16.4 ...54' .....Swing rail 12

Thorpe Rail (each) ....1.83 ..6' .....................Fixed rail

Wayford ................2.13 ..7' .....6.1 ...20' ......Fixed road

Wroxham Rail .........4.57 ..15' ....14.3 ..47' ......Fixed rail

Wroxham Road*....... 2.34 ..7 '6".. 8.00 ..26'6" ....Fixed road*

Yarmouth Haven .......2.9 ..9' 6" ...26.8 ..88' ......Lifting road 12

Yarmouth Acle Road ...2.13 ..7'.... 21.3 ...70' .....Fixed road

Yarmouth Vauxhall ....2.13 ..6' 9' ..30.4 ...100'.... Fixed foot

Air draught when Breydon tide gauge zero

Breydon Haven Bure / Vauxhall

18' 1" 12' 9" 12' 2"

Bridge Pilots

At Potter Heigham you must use the bridge pilot from Phoenix Fleet boatyard. Pilot service available 8.30am-6.00pm, depending on tide and weather conditions. Telephone 01692 670460.

 

height gauges ...

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120738.aspx

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The NSBA website has photos of them too.... :)

http://www.thegreenbook.org.uk/home/bridges.asp

A very useful link, Strowager, it shows potential skippers what to expect at each bridge.

It would be useful if it stated that the clearences given are at "average" high-water levels,

and hence will be greater at low-tide, and lower at high-water springs.

e.g Yarmouth Vauxhall is 6' 9" but 12' 2" when Breydon Tide Gauge reads zero.

Of cousrse the real fun comes when you approach them on a spring tide

(low water lower than average, high water GREATER than average)

and get through OK going one way and then find yourself caught on the return passage.

Still Dilham is a nice place to moor up!

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It would be useful if it stated that the clearances given are at "average" high-water levels,

and hence will be greater at low-tide, and lower at high-water springs.

It's a funny thing, but in all of my Broads guide books, (quite an anorak collection too, modern and historical :) ), no-one has been brave enough to publish low water clearances, and many were printed before our "claim culture" evolution.

I guess it's much safer to publish minimum bridge clearances and let people use vague average rise and fall figures to calculate their own low water maximum clearances. :naughty:

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Howard, Hi

So are there NO pilots for private boats?

Hi John

Not at Wroxham, no but I believe the Potter pilots will take private craft but not sure what the fee is. Having said that you couldn’t have bought a better ‘Broads’ boat :mrgreen: and I suspect you have more chance than most in getting through. As I’m sure you know (granny, eggs and all that) the bridge gauges at Wroxham are pretty pessimistic and as long as you remember the offset and don’t be put off by the ‘gallery’ it’s a breeze. (but don’t go in the Shed first) :naughty::naughty::naughty:

cheersbar

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  • 10 months later...

edited in by jill for reference

 

bridge phone numbers ...........

 

    Reedham 01603 675372

Somerleyton 01502 730510

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit hit and miss I know but......

Assuming 6' 6" clearance at AHW, what does this drop to at LW with the current river conditions?

Our V20 is 7' 6" with the canopy up and 6' 6" with it down. The screen won't fold down so 6' 6" is the best I can get :oops: . My only fear is that if I do get through, I won't get back some 3-4 days later.

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A bit hit and miss I know but......

Assuming 6' 6" clearance at AHW, what does this drop to at LW with the current river conditions?

Our V20 is 7' 6" with the canopy up and 6' 6" with it down. The screen won't fold down so 6' 6" is the best I can get :oops: . My only fear is that if I do get through, I won't get back some 3-4 days later.

If my memory serves me right Potter is 6' 6" at AHW to the CENTRE of the arch.

I often wish that they would give the bridge heights at say 4' left and right of centre on arched bridges as that is usually the bit of the boat that is going to hit or miss...

I don't think that there is actually much tidal movement at Potter anyway and I am sure that "expilot" commented on one post that they prefer to go through against the tide to give better handling at a slow SOG.

I would say that, even with a private boat, use the pilot as they know how to shoot the bridge,

and can tell you whether it will fit or not.

Saying that the only time that I have managed to get a hire-boat through Potter the pilot still managed to scrape the bridge with the aft grab rails on the return trip.

(is it time to change your avatar photo, I looked at it and thought no chance! I then remembered that you had got the V20)

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Yep, I should change my avatar but the Fairline 40 reminds me of the good (very good) times :dance .

We'll play it by ear and see what the pilot thinks on the day - thanks for the advice.

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I often wish that they would give the bridge heights at say 4' left and right of centre on arched bridges as that is usually the bit of the boat that is going to hit or miss...

The radius often had me wondering too, so I posted this on another forum a few months ago...

post-669-13671395884_thumb.jpg

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Think I'll still use the pilot though :wave .

Absolutely ! As you can see, I covered it in disclaimers.

I did it to satisfy my curiosity, and see how much it differed to an old Hamilton's Guide scale drawing from many years ago.

It shows how close the gauge is, bearing in mind a squarish peg going through a round hole ! :)

No substitute for the Pilot whenever the levels are tight.

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  • 3 years later...
  • 4 weeks later...
2 minutes ago, Bob48 said:

very useful information , the good lady and i are planning on going to the Rising Sun  at Coltishall, plenty of room under Wroxham bridge for us at 7'6"  Crown Gem is only 6'9"

 

Hi Bob,

With that boat you should have a very good chance of also getting under Potter Heigham bridge with the Pilot. I also think your boat is lower than the 6ft9" stated ;)

cheersIain

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The 7' 6" is the height to the top centre of the bridge from the

water level and NOT the clearance for a boat.

The height gauge gives the 'true' boat height for passage through

based on average width, about 8'. I have seen 'true' clearance of

7' 6" on several occasions and I'm waiting for it to be that again

when I'm down to take our new boat through for the first time to see

what I can then safely take her through at. She's 6' 10" exactly at the

gauge height and is the tallest boat we've owned. :facepalm:

The average gauge reading is around 6' 9" to 7' but can differ a

lot more each way than that so depends on the day, AND if you

need to get back!!

Edited by BuffaloBill
  • Like 1
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