Broad Ambition - Underway on the H2O

[BroadAmbition]

Grendel can you delete the failed vids?

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

So, where was I?

Tuesday Evening Robin collected us, three of us spent the evening in Norwich. Back onboard very late. 

Wednesday morning, stunning close up display from pair of otters, filmed them, will upload to YouTube when home. It was the off to home berth to collect a  third crew member for a few days onboard with us. The wind over Barton was ‘Stiff’. Sailed about midday for a side on overnight mooring at Ranworth. This time 7ft8” at Ludham Bridge so no repeat of Tuesdays nightmare 

Griff

[NorfolkNog]

Look who we saw on the Ant earlier!!!!  

[BroadAmbition]

Saw you too !

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Now when we left Irstead I had put far too much credit on t meter, we left 78p behind, not well chuffed. However on arriving at Ranworth Staithe there was 87p on the meter - Bargain, what goes round comes round. 

We spent from 1430-ish right through to 2200 in the pub!, but we were pacing sensibly so no issues. 

Thursday, sailed for Wroxham via an in / out of Salhouse & Wroxham Broads, just cos we could. 

Plenty of Pike fishermen on the river.

Arrived at the Bridge to find only 6ft2” airdraft available. B.B were toppers, the likes of us not permitted into NBD so Hotel Wroxham moorings it was.  £10 fee.

Visited a few shops, flowers for MrsG, well it was Valentine’s Day. A few drinks in the hotel bar - v. expensive. Nearly £4:00 for a pint of coke n ice. I went back to the bar, asked for a pint of San Miguel, asked if it was £8:00, a regular overhead and quipped ‘Don’t give them any ideas’

Sailed after 1500 for Acle Bridge, St Benets, on Nav lights, had to change the Port red Led whilst underway as it had failed.

Arrived in darkness, alongside on a very high tide. Dinner for three in The Bridge Inn

Griff

[NorfolkNog]

Prices in Hotel Wroxham bar are eye watering particularly for us Yorkshire folk!  

[BroadAmbition]

Friday 14th Feb - Valentines Day

Steve left for his Lincolnshire home before 0800 (collected his car from Stalham previous day). 

I ditched the gash noticing that the public toilets were locked shut. We had coffee n a catchup in the pub with Phil n Ness before they opened

We sailed at 1100, nice morning with only a stiff breeze to Womack Water as MrsG needed sommat or other and Womack was the nearest facility that is open. Left WW bound for Sutton Staithe. The wind had increased slightly but still a nice day. I was aware of the high water levels. 

There was no way I was getting caught out and repeating the nightmare we experienced on Tuesday on the Ant getting the top down approaching Ludham Bridge (More on this later)

We came alongside St Benets quay, the river was close to over topping, tide still on the up. Got top down safely, only 7ft3” airdraft, at The Bridge, wise move stopping at St Benets 

Thereafter a pleasant cruise to Sutton. Did the diesel n pump out at the Yard as they are closed on Saturdays till April time. 

Shore power connected. Visited pub (well I did) had dinner and the evening onboard for just the two of us bliss

Griff

[garryn]

Spotted this on facebook. Could it be BA?

[unclemike]

in a word no, this is r644 star supreme 4 now carrying the name goodnight irene

[BroadAmbition]

Correct. Goodnight Irene used to berthed here in t wetshed just down from ‘B.A’ for many years

Griff

[quo vadis]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

Correct. Goodnight Irene used to berthed here in t wetshed just down from ‘B.A’ for many years

Griff

Can you just imagine how difficult it would be to play I spy with Yorkshire folk 

[quo vadis]

I spy with my little eye something beginning with T 

[JanetAnne]

1 hour ago, quo vadis said:

I spy with my little eye something beginning with T 

Is it 't wind?

[grendel]

no, silly its whisky with a drop of T

[CambridgeCabby]

A drop !!!!!!!!!! ??

[BroadAmbition]

Saturday 15th Feb 2020

Sailing preps, by 1030 we are in the wetshed.

Jason n Sonia Hatch visited.

I then commenced a low level deep clean through all fwd from wheelhouse, below decks, bilges, under bunks and drawers. Took me hours n hours. All done, well chuffed.

Plugged Tv into our shoreside aerial - works well. Dinner onboard again from Stalham chippy, his time one large fish n chips between us, no mushies as they had ran out. Easily enough for the two of us. Still £10:05 though. 

Watched tv, then dvd. The wind and gusts outside were doing Dennis proud, I did not give a jot

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

Sunday 16th Feb - 'Lazy Sunday Routine' - If I had been at home I would have been clay shooting this morning, can't be in two places at once.  This Sunday somehow got away from us, did all sorts of little jobs here and there, cleaned through, packed up our gear and eventually departed somewhere around 1530.

So finished 'B.A's first outing of 2020. The first time she has been out in four months - which to be frank is just not good enough.  Still, for me and MrsG it was a long overdue time onboard, much needed for both of us, although that incident on Tuesday at Ludham Bridge was far from much needed - never to be repeated again (More on this later)

'B.A' is due out again in April, before then I hope to get another one of those maintenance weekends booked in to address a few issues that have come to light

Griff

[BroadAmbition]

So what exactly happened on Tuesday 11th Feb?

Since we sailed on Sat 09th it became immediately apparent that the river levels were much higher than normal.  That Sat I was able to pass through Ludham Bridge leaving the windscreen / canopy up, this a normal scenario for us, we need 7ft8". it was somewhat tight but no great drama

Tuesday, we had sailed from Horning, destination was to be the 24 x Hr moorings at Irstead overnight, preferably on shore power. (Which happened)  The wind although no longer gale force was still strongly present, the river levels were still abnormally high.

Entering the Ant I was proper concerned that there would be less that the 7ft8" we required to pass through Ludham Bridge without having to lower the lot.  I was to be disappointed.  Approaching Ludham Bridge boat yard I could see that the Stbd bank had too many boats without a large enough gap to put 'B.A' alongside.  Lowering the canopy whilst underway on the somewhat narrow river Ant is not normally a problem even single handed but in these windy conditions with just the two of us onboard was not a possibility, we needed to go alongside.  The wind was coming straight off the port bank, the grassy one with the low quay heading, it would just have to be the port bank then.  In hindsight I should have turned her about and high tailed it off to St Benets moorings. Turning her round in that particular reach would have been a challenge but no doubt do-able

Eight attempts, yes EIGHT it took me to get 'B.A' along side close enough for MrsG to make it ashore followed smartly by mysen stern rope in hand, we had already thrown the rhond anchors onto the bank.

I had made a serious error of judgement here which immediately became apparent.

Griff

 

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

On hitting the grass, my first fooparr dawned on me I had my lightweight soft soled trainers on, should have been my boots.  I grabbed the headrope whilst MrsG took charge of the stern rope.  'B.A' was sitting parallel to the bank, broadside onto the wind about 6ft off.  In seconds she was squarely making her way out to mid river, my trainers were failing to purchase and I was slipping on the wet grass.

I noticed the slightly raised quay heading, foot ware firmly engaged, headrope round my back, forget using back muscles (Dangerous and asking for injury)  engage leg power - ALL of it.  I was at full strength, had no more to give.  'B.A' stopped her parallel march for the far bank BUT was not responding to my heaving by coming back towards me on my bit of port bank.  By now she was a good 15ft away from us.

Glancing to my right I didn't quite know whether to laugh or be horrified.  MrsG was valiantly hanging on for dear life to the stern rope.  She did have her boots on, not that they made any difference, she was being pulled inexorably into the river, boots and all

I had visions of 'B.A' being blown over to the Stbd bank, nestling against moored craft, head and stern ropes in the water, engine running, out of gear with me on the wrong bank AND MrsG in the wet and crinckly stuff.  This was already serious and getting worse by the second.  Some quick logical seamanship thinking  was required with a fast solution, immediately if not sooner

I bellowed at MrsG - 'Let go of the rope RIGHT NOW' there was no gentle please or thankyous besides the wind would have vetoed that, this was a direct order

MrsG did as instructed.  This did two things.  Firstly it saved her from getting pulled into the river,  (I do wonder if she would have let go without being told to?)  secondly it eased the strain I was experiencing and reduced my 100% effort down to about 70% as the stern immediately swing out into the river enabling 'B.A' to go bow into the wind, between us we were then able to pull her bow closer to the bank, get a rhond anchor in and the head rope made fast.  Her stern was well out at 90d to the bank but she was safe. My legs were on fire, MrsG was doing the tears thing, she got a major fright and also thought I was going for a dip too. (No chance, us Yorkies can walk on water if no one it watching).  My legs were on fire.  We had a quick hug then I got set to again, we were not out of the woods just yet.

Joining two ropes together I made the stern rope long enough to get ashore with it, every time the wind took a pause I heaved the stern a little closer to the bank.  MrsG couldn't assist as I had her standing on the fwd rhond anchor to stop it being pulled out of the ground.  Little by little 'B.A' came back to me and was soon alongside where she should have been ten minutes ago.

Canopy / screens down - after stowing below all gear that could have been blown into the river,  casting off was a 'Breeze' (Pun intended) and in no time at all we were through the bridge, a Stbd bank mooring was safely achieved by simply disengaging drive.

Canopy / screens etc back up, all gear returned and relax - Wow.  I was in so much shock I almost forgot to put coffee in my Rum (Almost, I did say Almost)

Debrief - Just how the hell had I not taken account of the wind FFS ?   It's not like it wasn't obvious.  That mistake could have resulted in damage to 'B.A' and other craft, ok so realistically me and MrsG weren't in serious danger although both of us would have aches and pains for a couple of days.  With another male crew member onboard things would have been easier, full crew - no problem but that is no excuse, there was just the two of us.  It just goes to show, even with the experience I have gained of approaching 60 years visiting the Broads, 24 x Yrs in  the RN - I can and did, still get it wrong, badly so.

Three days later, I brought 'B.A' safely first time alongside the moorings at St Benets prior to entering the Ant.

One does learn and is never too old to do so

Griff

 

[ExSurveyor]

It does show how easily things can go pear shaped, no doubt your experience averted the worst happening. Glad you are both ok.

[ChrisB]

Not nearly as dramatic as your experience but I lost the bow at the Thurne mouth moorings and the boat went out across the river with the wind and tide. My late wife had not yet got over a huge and invasive 10 hour cancer operation so I was effectively single handed.

It taught me a lesson which is: Your best friend when single or short handed is the centre/midships cleat. after that when mooring on my own I always used a warp on the centre and did not bother with bow and stern until the centre one was made fast and really tight. With the boat made so, you can take your time with bow and stern, employ springs if you need to and lastly dispense with the centre. Before this building up of a sweat at Boundary Farm I had only ever used the centre cleats to hang fenders off!

[NorfolkNog]

Ouch! We were out at the same time in a much smaller craft. The wind was horrendous and it always seems to blow twice as hard at Ludham Bridge. Must have been a nightmare, tenacity and good thinking saved the day, hope you both OK. 

[Polly]

Yes midships cleat was a boon on the canals when we were short-handed. I am surprised more boats don't have them. 

[ChrisB]

4 minutes ago, Polly said:

Yes midships cleat was a boon on the canals when we were short-handed. I am surprised more boats don't have them. 

I think some owners and builders are frightened of making a trip or just cluttering the side decks but the answer I found was folding ones like these. Mine came from Force 4 or Mailspeed Marine.

It goes without saying that if retro-fitting you must ensure the deck has adequate backing before bolting them in place.

 

 

[Polly]

Yes a good option.