Wroxham Bridge bash

[RayandCarole]

Sat outside Wroxham hotel having ice cold lager this lunchtime, Rickos blue and white bathtub went through, no pilot, gave bridge hefty bash sliding sunroof appeared to jump off / detach but think it stayed on cabin top, unfortunately didnt get name or number, but hopefully Rickos will check and blue and white bathtub being returned for somm roof damage

Ray & Carole

[Viking23]

There are a lot of skippers that ignore the use of a bridge pilot, on Sunday 16th August at 9:00 am I observed Grenada Girl attempt to go under Wroxham bridge towards Coltishall, it started to go under and appeared to hit the starboard screen on the brickwork of the bridge, after a bit more messing about, they reversed out and started to head back down river, as if nothing had happened...

A few snap shots on the Barns Brinkcraft site, web cam and you can follow the sequence.

Looking at the Summer Craft website, they use a bridge Pilot....

BUT not this time....

Edited August 19, 2015 by Viking23

[LadyPatricia]

More proof that people don't read handbooks or listen during the handover. I think most hire boats now have stickers at the helm saying pilots must be used at Wroxham and Potter.

 

 

[Boatingman]

In recent yes every boat I have hired as a sticker by helm re bridges and pilots

 

Ray

[Siddy]

Should be charge £50 for failure to use a pilot each way, if hire base only get one pilot use reported charge for non use.

Damage boat with no pilot all cost covered and possible cost to next hirer if delayed or boat upgraded due to theres not ready for them. Why should the base lose out and put all over costs up.

It's not much to get through the bridge and only hits the ones miss using the system.

 

 

 

 

[RayandCarole]

And for today

Brinks Sonata 2 tried to get under bridge without fully lowering radar arch, fortunately he stopped boat before arch hit the bridge and backed out seems no damage done

Ray & Carole

 

[Hockham Admiral]

Will they never learn, Ray?  

[RayandCarole]

Seems not John

he was very lucky it seem to stop the boat before the arch hit the bridge

fun times

Ray & Carole

[Hockham Admiral]

Are you at Brundall tomorrow?   

[Viking23]

It looks like Brinks Sonata had an earlier encounter...

[Hylander]

Years ago before all of this Nannying started we all used to take the hire boats through the bridge ourselves and think nothing of it.   We used to hire from Connoisseur and so had no choice.

 

 

[BroadScot]

Years ago before all of this Nannying started we all used to take the hire boats through the bridge ourselves and think nothing of it.   We used to hire from Connoisseur and so had no choice.

 

 

Yes Monica, agreed I did likewise!

Iain.

[RayandCarole]

Hi Johnn

no we are At wroxham till Tuesday varios med appointts next week all being well hope to be at Brundall from Wed on

fingers crossed

ray & Carole

 

[Seriously]

We also use to go through alone before the rules changed . No damage either. My issue  is pilot always seems congested . So I'm not a rule breaker so turn around and come back . I'm gutted as not been up to coltishall for years . ;(  

[Viking23]

Years ago before all of this Nannying started we all used to take the hire boats through the bridge ourselves and think nothing of it.   We used to hire from Connoisseur and so had no choice.

 

We hired about three Connoisseurs from Porter and Haylett over the years,  and we never had any issues taking them through ourselves, sometimes on the first day of hire. No dangly chains in those days lol.

[riyadhcrew]

I've hired C40s and C45s from Connoisseur and gone straight through the bridge on leaving the yard.

My personal method was to stand in the centre of the boat (to the right of the wheel) so that I was in the centre of the bridge arch.

If someone at the helm positions themselves at the centre of the arch, the boat will be to one side.

[Maxwellian]

Pilot told me, If you know it will fit. Stand in the middle and go straight through. Two things help. Knowing it will fit and confidence.

then he took us straight through.

[MostlyAfloat]

For some reason I always gravitate to these topics, not from some perverse sense of looking for carnage to someone else's property (mostly hire fleets I would guess) but just to see how in hells name some people ever think it was going to fit through in the first place!

The one and only time I've ever been through P.H bridge a pilot ran it through both ways and to say you couldn't have got a rizla paper between the gap would have been an understatement, and was only too glad he had the local knowledge and skill and confidence to steam the boat through (can't remember the boat in question) and a cheeky grin to go with it as we exited at speed.

Boats have got bigger, tides higher (even at their lowest?) than they were, which by that thinking alone rings my alarm bells, now my upcoming broads visit (2weeks today!) and the chosen boat, I KNOW will not fit under Wroxham or Potter bridges and no amount of axle grease around the bridge entrance will get it through, so I know they are the terminus points, end of and accept the joys beyond those points are forbidden fruits...

Maybe it's the "See that big red button?.... Whatever you do... DONT PUSH IT" syndrome that makes these people get temporary lobotomies and blindly edge towards a lets ruin the boatyards (or owners) day.

Or is it the 'man thing' of never supposedly asking for directions? Been their, done that one, but at least no boats got injured, just an extra gallon of 4star or two wasted.... (Some of them boatyards are well hidden and hard to find... Honest..)

Now here's an idea.... Maybe boats could be fitted with ballast tanks that take on water and drop the draught by a few inches.. (And yes I know I haven't thought it through that well (if at all) and yes I know the bottom of the boat would probably be hitting a few rusty bikes and shopping trollies on the way through...) to then flicking a switch to drain said tanks... Et voila!... I feel a patent coming on... Please form an orderly queue for my royalty payments... 

Now it's up in the loft time and find my fishing gear.... Nice day forecast, no plans, bbq later and a few pints of Canadian blonde home brew....

enjoy your day everyone! 

Ray

[Viking23]

The idea of ballast tanks have been suggested before, so I think the patent office won't be processing your application under those criteria. lol  There are many trailer sailers that use water ballast.

Boats regularly went under Potter Heigham bridge in the 70's because they were designed to fit through, the roof line angled down to give clearance. Those same boats from the 70's still fit through, but less often, these boats tend to have the same cross section profile along the full length of the boat, particularly the bath tubs. Centre cockpit cruisers were also designed to fit through. Modern trends are for more interior space for less people, or better segregation for a few couples. This usually means multiple level cruisers, which are less suitable for the older generation or those with mobility issues.

I must say, I am pleased to see new designs based on one level, but even these could struggle to get through Potter Heigham, as people prefer more head room.

[RayandCarole]

Well changeover day today so maybe we will get some more entertainment sitting outside the Hotel

Ray & Carole

[SwanR]

Barnes' yard looks quite full. Maybe there'll be a few trial runs heading your way later.

[dnks34]

Barnes do trial runs!?

[RayandCarole]

Well loads of boats going through this morning without bothering with a pilot. San Carlos 2 tried it and hit bridge with an audible crunch eventually got himself out and then took the pilot for second attemt

Ray & Carole

 

[RayandCarole]

Gold Gem, no pilot, dinghy left on roof, couldnt see if it survived, what could be better than watching the antics with an Ice cold Peroni or two

Ray & Carole

[riyadhcrew]

I wish I was with you Ray. We could laugh twice as much together.