Broad Ambition - Underway on the H2O

[Cal]

20 minutes ago, Meantime said:

First time we hired GA it wouldn't go under Wroxham bridge. That year Connoisseur were putting blue barrels of water on their boats to get them under the bridge and back to the yard. The next hire and we were lucky, not only Wroxham bridge, but Potter bridge as well. Don't suppose it goes under that often now.

The real benefit for me of the dual steer over centre cockpit is when it rains. Put a waterproof coat on and stay outside steering. With centre cockpit you are forever putting the roof up and down when it drizzles.

Does that not defeat the object of having a dual steer boat if you are sat outside in the rain 

[Meantime]

1 minute ago, Cal said:

Does that not defeat the object of having a dual steer boat if you are sat outside in the rain 

Not really I much prefer being outside, but on a centre cockpit boat end up closing the roof to protect the interior of the boat from getting soaking wet. Off course you still have the choice and can steer from inside if it gets torrential.

[grendel]

in that respect i like water rail, you can have the roof up, but leave the sides off and the screen down, if rain is blowing straight in through the screen area i raise the screen and leave a 4" vision slit at the top.

[Broads01]

14 hours ago, oldgregg said:

Bridgecraft do seem to like their lino!

I'm a fan of the Lowliner, too. How would you say it compares with Contessa in terms of space, Simon?

You lose the interior space above the engine because of the low air draft but is it a biggie?

I'd say it was broadly similar, John. The stern cabin on Forth Bridge 2 is lovely though with its diagonal berth better than Contessa's more basic version. Headroom is limited in the fore cabin and fore heads in particular. In the heads I think it would be comfortable if you were 5 foot 8 but my son is 6 foot 2 and found it a struggle. The outdoor helm is great but Contessa's has the better viewing height as I'm sure you know.

[Broads01]

13 hours ago, Cal said:

Does that not defeat the object of having a dual steer boat if you are sat outside in the rain 

No, that's one of the major benefits of a dual steer. As Meantime says, no weather confines you inside but you still have that option if you want it.

[Broads01]

We're moored next to BA on Thurne Dyke tonight. Jonathan is aboard with a crew of 7 and I introduced myself earlier.  

[BroadAmbition]

Monday 19th July

0300-ish and I was woken up by a constant beeping alarm.  Now just what was that? on investigation the inverter alarm was sounding.  I checked the Sterling display panel and it was showing a low voltage of 11:8v   Well I wasn't fault finding at this time in the morning so I turned the inverter off.  This meant the fridge and large cool box was off too, back to bed then said Zebedee 

On arising at a more respectable hour I checked the battery condition, the banks were showing above 12v so I turned the inverter back on so the fridge was operating but left off the cool box.   Hmmmm, have we a rogue battery going down perhaps? I would look later.  After Purdey walk we decided to try for Malthouse Broad and Ranworth Staithe, arriving at around 1000 there were plenty of spaces.

Once the crew departed with Purdey dog into the Maltsters in the blazing sunshine for the last DTS of this trip I got set too down in the engine space.  Six leisure wet acid batteries, I checked all 36 cells making sure the electrolyte levels were ok - they were.  Then individually drop tested each one which meant taking each one out of the circuit - they all passed.  So why the low voltage last night then?  Having discussed the situation with Bro and Robin, it turns out the culprit is our back up large cool box,  apparently these items are very power hungry, ours is a compressor type with a fan that runs consistently.  We should only have it turned on when either plugged into shore power or when the Beta is running.  The problem was solved, whew that was a releif

We enjoyed Pizza and drinks in the sunshine at the Maltsters, back onboard prior to sailing we 'Lost' Purdey dog for about five minutes of sheer panic before discovering that next door, their girls had 'Stole' her and she was onboard enjoying a girly fussing, panic over.  Talking of the next doors craft, it was one of those Richo's RC45 swish jobbies, it had stern moored next to us earlier, the skipper made one of the best stern moorings I have ever witnessed, he commenced his approach way out in the Broad, giving him plenty of time for corrections and ever so slowly and gently in between two boats perfectly and I told him so too - Well done that man 

We sailed just before 1500 whish was a shade too late really as we needed to get back to Sutton boatyard for our obligatory pump out and diesel.  Thing was, we were really enjoying the sunshine and just being afloat a bit too much.  We made Sutton Yard by the skin of our teeth - They waited for us.  We passed Nyx coming down river at Irstead with MM at the helm, earlier on we had passed the smaller previous version, two Nyx's in one day! You don't see that very often

Our diesel tally was 70 x Ltrs, a lot for five days but then again we had been down south and most of our transits had been against tide - It happens

By the time we had completed the clean through, packed up the cars dried Purdey off again (Naughty dog had sneaked in yet another swimming session yet again at Richo's - got a proper telling off for that one) we didn't leave until 1900.  A tad too late really as we didn't get home till 2200 and I had work booked in Tuesday morning

So ends yet another stint afloat with some really hot weather to boot, it was as good as August 2020

Griff

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

‘B.A’ currently underway down the Bure heading for Gya and Breydon with Jonathan as skipper - unsupervised, intending to cross Breydon for his first time ever

What could possibly go wrong?  

Griff

[Vaughan]

7 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

What could possibly go wrong?  

You should be in the hire boat business Charlie.  We have to thank that, around 20 or 30 times a week, each time we let our "fledglings fly the nest"!

 

   

[Vaughan]

Sorry, I meant "think" not "thank" but looking at the sentence again, it may have been a Freudian Slip, since we thank our lucky stars for all our new customers!

[BroadAmbition]

Yesterday Saturday 24th July

There is no stopping this new skipper.

They departed from Thurne Dyke and headed off to GYA.  A brief wait for clearance under the bridges.  He then reported that they had successfully transited Braydon

'Braydon'?    Apparently its like Breydon but with less 'e' and more 'a' and that I would like it ! 

They then got carried away wi emsens all the way up the Waveney to the Locks Inn at Geldeston - Nice one.  If the chains weren't there at the footbridge, goodness only knows how far they would have got  He wanted to get to Bungay but reported that portage of 'B.A' would be somewhat of a challenge 

I instructed him to make sure they ate and drank plenty at the Locks Inn what with me being a shareholder 

I've had plenty of phone calls seeking tips / advice / queries. I did press the point of contacting me no matter how small any issues may seem - this is a good thing as not contacting me and having a silly  mishap would be kinda stupid when I'm only on end of t phone

'B.A' seems to have gained a slim pointy floaty thing on her Stbd fwd decks 

Griff

 

[YnysMon]

Brilliant. Looks they they are having a wonderful time, and all with your support and encouragement. What a great way to start off syndicate membership.

[KevinB]

Broad Ambition is a credit to her owners 

I’ve see her out on the rivers many times over the last few years and have always admired her and read about her work and care on here.

I saw her come out the wet shed and load up on Thursday evening and my first thought was hope the kayak doesn’t scratch the varnish 🙈😂

[Turnoar]

Never mind the thing on the foredeck, is that a pair of water skis on the aft cabin roof at the Yacht Station, no wonder they raced so far after Blaydon!

[BroadAmbition]

Hmmmmmmmmm, yes that photo with the boards on the aft cabin roof.  That came as a surprise. Some education was required there as I wasn't too keen on them being stowed on top of the solar panels even when I got informed they were blow up versions.  He has since moved them to the fwd coach house roof.

It's a learning curve for him and his crew, but learnt he has done so, had to start somewhere and there's nowt better than the age old 'Learn by do method' Between us we have received / replied with plenty of phone calls / messages seeking advice etc.  That's just the way we all like it and the maiden trip for them has been successful.  There is still some way to go for all of us.  Jonathans boat handling skills have been just fine - slow and easy with no mishaps

This evening they are at Ranworth staithe having successfully transited from down sarf back over Breydon to the Northern rivers

Tomorrow they have to negotiate in / out from Sutton yard for the pump out / diesel thing then tuck her up in the wetshed.

Wed 28th and Bro' will be onboard with his lot for five days

Griff

[BrundallNavy]

I don’t see the blue fender on the front. I thought it was compulsory on your first time out. 

[Broads01]

I watched Jonathan come in to moor at Thurne and he did an excellent job. Not only that, once moored he had some proactive "defending" to do with the boat leaving near to and then some more with another boat passing, no, steaming through.

[MauriceMynah]

Poor bloke isn't going to be able to get away with anything!! Just watched him turn at Sutton basin. did a very good job.

[Karizma]

We were at the Lock Inn the same evening as BA, so I tried looking for a 'Purdy dog' to say hello to the crew........ little did I know that it was Johnathan et al on board  / in the pub!

BA then came into Hippersons on the Sunday afternoon and had to wait in the basin with Johnathan at the helm whilst Karizma got a pump out - did a great job 

[JTR641]

Right - here's the inside story on all of BA activity over the last few days....

 

New crew all did a great job feeling their way into roles to keep things looking tidy. Not many places you can hide when you're at the helm of BA on the Norfolk Broads - she's a bit recognisable! Then, you've got the Griff PR machine keeping everyone up to date in the background 

 

We've had a good explore. Stalham to Salhouse to Thurne to Yarmouth to Gelderstone to Beccles to half way across Breydon (sometimes referred to as Braydon by those not 'in the know') to be turned around by Rangers warning of a spring tide to back across Breydon up to Ranworth to Sutton to Stalham. Not a bad cruise for the newbie crew.

 

Some how the weather seemed to miss us. We had sunshine all the way. Saw some proper lightening and heavy rain in the distance but it wasn't until we were heading to Stalham that we had the first drop of rain on BA. 

 

Tremendous thanks to the BA co-owners for manning the 27/4 boat-a-pedia. That gave us all the info we needed to enjoy ourselves safely and confidently. 

 

Thanks to all who cheered and waved and came over to say hello. We'll be back soon!

[YnysMon]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. That’s what it’s all about basically. Good to hear you were supported by all that cheering and waving! 

[vanessan]

7 hours ago, JTR641 said:

half way across Breydon (sometimes referred to as Braydon by those not 'in the know') to be turned around by Rangers warning of a spring tide

Welcome to the forumJTR641. I’d be interested to know what time you were crossing Breydon when you got turned back. Rangers must have been on the ball. 

[JTR641]

17 hours ago, vanessan said:

Welcome to the forumJTR641. I’d be interested to know what time you were crossing Breydon when you got turned back. Rangers must have been on the ball. 

Hi Vanessan - I've consulted the log book to confirm details (Griff tells us off if we don't maintain the log!).

 

We were underway on Breydon by 10:20. Aiming to arrive Yarmouth YS just over an hour before high tide. Anticipating 6ft9inch of air draft. The ranger approached from Yarmouth at some speed (estimate >15mph) performed a 180 and came alongside us. They advised the bridge was already at just 6ft3inch air draft with more than an hour to go before high tide.

 

I was impressed with the Ranger service. They advised each craft behind us. Most vessels did a 180 and sought berthing at the south end of Breydon. Important to note that the Ranger recognised BA as a private vessel and didn't advise us to take a course of action. Rather, they advised us of the circumstances so we could take appropriate action. Quite right too. I believe they gave more direct advice to hire vessels, as it should be.

 

At around 14:00 the Rangers came back to the moorings on the south rivers entering Breydon and advised the bridge now offered 7ft. They assessed each vessel and advised on crossing times based on height above water line.

 

We crossed Breydon, made the turn at Yarmouth, lowered mainmast and foremast and went under the bridge with 7ft 9inch to play with. Windscreen up at 7ft 7inch. 

[BroadAmbition]

Nice one - Well explained

 I've consulted the log book to confirm details (Griff tells us off if we don't maintain the log!).

Too right ! 

Griff

[vanessan]

That is good Ranger service! Nice to hear.