Jump to content
Print your own personalised forum logo

Hello from Ireland

bgw

By bgw
in New Members Say Hi !

 Share

Recommended Posts

bgw

bgw

Posted
Posted

Hi Everyone,

 

I have been interested in boating since my school days when I would go on holiday with my brother in his plywood yacht on the Thames and the south east coast.

After many years I cut my 'solo' teeth on the Norfolk broads hiring from Alpha Craft for a couple of years and very soon after that purchased my fist boat - a Seamaster 30 which was kept on the Fossdyke Navigation near Lincoln.

 

Some years later I moved to Ireland and brought the Seamaster over here, but quickly found it to be somewhat limiting on the vast Shannon Erne waterways and traded it in for a Broom Crown which I still own.

 

I am involved with a local group mapping the Shannon Erne system and have, to date, completed the charts from Limerick all the way up to Beleek in Northern Ireland.

 

It is a very diverse system ranging from quiet reed lined rivers through to vast open loughs that require care in bad conditions and I never grow tired of it.

There are many harbours and jetties throughout the system from very basic (not even water taps) through to City locations - and all public harbours are FREE! but you are limited to five consecutive days (Two in Northern Ireland) to stop people trying to moor their boats permanently in them.

 

The hire boat industry has been hit hard by the recession and the weak euro but if any of you are thinking of coming over I would be more than happy to give you a few pointers.

 

Brian.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MauriceMynah

MauriceMynah

Posted
Posted

The thought had crossed my mind several times. I couldn't make my mind up as to whether to do the crossing in my boat (27' Elysian Bounty) if I was brave enough, or to have it transported there by road and kept there for a season. The other option is to hire. I will need to gen up a bit on that option.

 

I like the idea of an extended holiday on the Shannon, say a month or two.

 

Anyway, what ever I do,,, welcome to the forum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bgw

bgw

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Maurice,

 

Thank you for the welcome!

 

It would be quite possible to navigate from Dublin through the Grand Canal on to the Shannon but it would require some planning as I think there is one railway bridge that only opens occasionally. Other than than you would need to go all the way around to the Shannon Estuary on the west coast.

 

It would probably be cheaper to have it trucked over though as it is quite some journey in sea miles.

Perfectly sensible to truck it over if you were to think of spending a whole season over here though as it would work out a lot cheaper than hiring for an extended period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BroadScot

BroadScot

Posted
Posted

Hi Brian, and welcome to the NBN Forum :wave .                                                                                  

 

                                                   *******

 

MM, get Nyx shipped across the Irish sea IMHO as it can be, and is a nasty streach of water at times. You wouldn't want to spill yer whisky now whilst crossing in your boat! :norty:

 

 

cheers Iain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LizG

LizG

Posted
Posted

Hi

Have you come across any wooden boats. In 1965 6 x Herbert Woods boats went to Ted Barrett's yard on the Grand Canal, all but one has survived. I understand that care for wooden boats isn't top priority?

http://irishwaterwayshistory.com/about/irish-inland-waterways-vessels/wooden-boats-on-irish-inland-waterways/

Any info  gratefully received

Liz

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bgw

bgw

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Liz,

 

I'm not an expert on wooden boats but (most) are very beautiful to see - especially when looked after - they can have a very graceful line that shows the love put into them by the builders.

I recognised quite a few from the link you posted - and of those they are mostly in good condition, but the boat industry over here is in dire trouble after the financial crisis and wooden boats do not fair so well with neglect over their fibreglass cousins.

 

Shannon Harbour was, for a long time, almost a graveyard for old boats that were either forgotten about or bought as projects by people ill advised on the amount of effort, time and money that is required for renovation and it was a sad place to visit. There has been much effort by Waterways Ireland  to clean up the area in the last few years which involved removing most of the 'wrecks' but I am unsure how many were bought to be restored.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bgw

bgw

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Alan,

 

I would be happy to post some pictures of the system over here, but I am unsure which sub forum would be most appropriate - would there be enough demand for an "Other Waterways" section?

 

Brian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BroadScot

BroadScot

Posted
Posted

Hi Brian,

 

Alan is down at his syndicate boat Ranworth Breeze or was, he may be travelling back today. 

 

You can post your pics I would think here.... http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/forum/forum/56-tales-from-other-waterways/

 

Very sad about Shannon Harbour. Lets hope things pick up over in the Emerald Isle soon.

 

 

cheers Iain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bgw

bgw

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Iain,

 

Thanks for the link, but I suspect it is in the Members Only area as I cannot access it - I suspect it is in the "members only area" and it would be quite some time before I got to make the minimum 50 posts to get in :-)

 

Brian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BroadScot

BroadScot

Posted
Posted

Hi Brian,

 

Oh fiddlesticks, sorry, yes you are quite correct. May I suggest then just post them possibly on this thread ?

 

I use to be able to pop over from Prestwick to Eire (Dublin) but sadly Ryanair no longer fly from here only Edinburgh. :(

 

 

cheers Iain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ranworthbreeze

ranworthbreeze

Posted
Posted

Hi Alan,

 

I would be happy to post some pictures of the system over here, but I am unsure which sub forum would be most appropriate - would there be enough demand for an "Other Waterways" section?

 

Brian.

Hello Brian,

We are still on the Broads today but are going home today.

Please start your topic in the lounge, with information of the Waterways in Ireland, we love pictures on the forum.

Regards

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
650xs

650xs

Posted
Posted

good post to the op 

i loke lokikeee like ...........

 

 

i wil come to ireland soon .............

 

 

sound good shame about the industry over  there we know what it is like .......

 

 

on my list to doo 

 

give us some pics and more infer why not be our irish reporter ..........well jus t a thourght 

my contact there is still in ..........................

 

 

well dunn...............regrads ....jon from the original inbreed land ,webb feet 

 

happy boating !

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Sponsors

    Norfolk Broads Network is run by volunteers - You can help us run it by making a donation

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

For details of our Guidelines, please take a look at the Terms of Use here.

  I accept