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Hi All,

I erm (May) need to plan a passage for a flybridge cruiser out of the broads system. The boat has an airdraft of 11ft 9in doe's anyone know what the bridge heights are through Yarmouth (and/or Lowestoft) and/or what's the situation on bridge openings? Any opinion of what way is easier?

Thanks in advance 

cheers 

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13 minutes ago, BuffaloBill said:

And you're going from where to where?

Are we talking from The Bure, Yare or Waveney?

It depends at present.. it will probably be from the Bure out to sea (south). (So I can get hold of the broads system bridge heights) but I just don't have an almanac for the seaward side bridges. I "thought" Great Yarmouth bridges are quite low and they don't like opening them?!  I know somerleyton will open and thought it not too hard to get out through lowestoft but Yarmouth will probably be closer but I'm open to opinions and the more detail the better so I weigh things up. 

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19 minutes ago, JawsOrca said:

Hi All,

I erm (May) need to plan a passage for a flybridge cruiser out of the broads system. The boat has an airdraft of 11ft 9in doe's anyone know what the bridge heights are through Yarmouth (and/or Lowestoft) and/or what's the situation on bridge openings? Any opinion of what way is easier?

The NSBA Green Book and website has most of the info you're asking for.

If you go to http://www.thegreenbook.org.uk/

then click "Green Book" in the left hand main menu, then "Bridge Dimensions and Type" on that page's sub menu, you will see the list of bridges. Scroll to the bottom of that page, and there is a note about bridge openings and contact numbers etc..

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This will require some planning and thought working backwards from the day you may have planned ‘at sea’ to the location on the Broads you depart from.

I say this, because you need to take into account arriving at the bridges at Yarmouth at close to slack low water – so if there is anything alarming going to happen you’re going to be taken toward the bridges by the current.

You would then need to book a bridge lift at Haven Bridge. Vessels wishing to arrange for, change or cancel a lift for the Haven or Breydon Bridges should contact the Port’s Operations Office the previous working day (Monday to Friday) prior to 16:45 on 01493 335 522.  More information here:

Then of course you need to be able to get under Acle bridge – this may mean having to wait for the tide at Acle to be low enough to get under but result in the problem of arriving at Yarmouth as the tide is coming in and has reduced the bridge clearance so one cannot passage under.  It may then need one day to cruise to Acle, pass under the bridge and moor up at the Bridge Inn then following day be ‘passage day’ to get the tides right at Yarmouth, bridge lift and off through the harbour and turn right. 

Approximate HW clearances in summer:

Acle                               3.66    12'

Yarmouth Acle Road 2.13    7'

Yarmouth Vauxhall    2.06    6' 9"

Yarmouth Haven      2.90    9' 6"   

Of course if you plan to depart from Lowestoft you would need to still get under the relevent bridges at Yarmouth, then head towards Reedham, down the New Cut and get Somerleyton to swing before locking out and timing such to get the town bridge lift in Lowestoft.

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Good points Robin... I think we should squeeze under Acle at high water (Just) although we would be heading to yarmouth for slack as yarmouth would certainly need to be slack so we shouldn't really be there on High.

I'd prefer to leave "Norfolk" at high water to make best use of the tide (as I believe (and I've not looked yet/some time) the tide floods down the coast?!) although the engines are rather meety so it won't matter too much... I think a bit part of the problem will be the weather so getting to lowestoft maybe a better idea as there will be berthing options unlike exiting through yarmouth. (The trip down here will be a single day though) .. 

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33 minutes ago, JawsOrca said:

I'd prefer to leave "Norfolk" at high water to make best use of the tide (as I believe (and I've not looked yet/some time) the tide floods down the coast?!) although the engines are rather meety so it won't matter too much...

Yes, the "flood" moves Southwards down the North Sea towards the English Channel, and the ebb flows North.

You didn't say whether you're heading South or North, but if heading South, then you need to exit the Yarmouth pier heads some time after low water, to use the flood to best advantage.

Your schedule  needs to primarily revolve around the sea forecast and a suitable weather "window", depending on how far you're going. Then backtrack that to schedule your inland passage to Yarmouth, which is less critical.

lowestoft_to_yarmouth_2007.jpg

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We've done this many times, Alan. It's really not too daunting. We went to  Rochester a few years ago from Burgh Castle, as I describe below.

I'd go to the RNSYC whichever way you choose and just wait for the flood,  as Strow correctly suggests. If the weather's good and settled then go to Lowestoft and wait for the tide. But you shouldn't have to as if you go through Gt Yarmouth at LW it will be Slack Water at Gorleston already (at the harbour entrance).

I'd then go in shore to Lowestoft and then follow the coast a couple of cables offshore on until Southwold. Then on to Shotley for the night and across the Thames estuary the next day.

A really nice little trip!

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3 hours ago, JawsOrca said:

Good points Robin... I think we should squeeze under Acle at high water (Just) although we would be heading to yarmouth for slack as yarmouth would certainly need to be slack so we shouldn't really be there on High.

I'd prefer to leave "Norfolk" at high water to make best use of the tide (as I believe (and I've not looked yet/some time) the tide floods down the coast?!) although the engines are rather meety so it won't matter too much... I think a bit part of the problem will be the weather so getting to lowestoft maybe a better idea as there will be berthing options unlike exiting through yarmouth. (The trip down here will be a single day though) .. 

Hi Alan,

If you are going through the two low bridges at Yarmouth you will have to plan your journey very carefully, as you may well know we need 9 ft 8 inches with the canopy  and masthead light down,so we aim at needing 10 foot clearance.

The way we plan passage through Yarmouth is to look at a low water level at Gorlston of 0.16 meters or lower, the boat you are talking about is almost 2 foot higher than Ranworth Breeze. You need to calculate your passage accordingly. The best time for passage will be during a full moon when the low water levels will be into minus levels. 

A simple rule of thumb traveling down river through Yarmouth looking for 10 foot clearance at the bridges is if you can see 7 rungs out of the water on the ladders on the approach to the Yacht Station. 

Regards

Alan 

 

 

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At 11 6 inches you will need a spring tide and arrive at LOW water not slack water,at the yarmouth bridges, on the bure we have got a 11ft air draft boat though on springs a number of times with a foot to spare, miss low by as little as an hour you,ll be stuffed, you,ll have to book  yarmouth bridges (harbour),as said.

Vessels wishing to arrange for, change or cancel a lift for the Haven or Breydon Bridges should, whenever possible, contact the Port’s Operations Office the previous working day (Monday to Friday) prior to 16:45 on +44 (0)1493 335 522. Breydon Bridge will be lifted in conjunction with the Haven Bridge but a Breydon Bridge lift can be booked in isolation using the same contact details. For bridge lifts not booked prior to 16:45 on the last working day (Friday), it is possible to arrange bookings during the weekend or bank holidays. Such bookings will be dealt with as exceptions and can be arranged by calling the above number after 09:00 and prior to 16:45 for the following day.

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If you're coming down the Bure, it'll be much faster to nip out of Yarmouth and pass Lowestoft rather than Breydon, Yare, New Cut, Oulton, Lake Lothing and out.  Yarmouth to Lowestoft under ten minutes when it's smooth.

Yarmouth's less 'leisure-friendly', but they cooperate if you book in advance.  They were doing some work on the Haven Bridge, but I think it's done now.  Have a shufty at the website or give them a buzz as below:

Wednesday: No Lifts

 

NOTE :- bridges booked for a single vessel may be cancelled in the event that the vessel cannot attend.  Please ensure that if you wish to join an existing event or wish to make a different booking, different to the times stated, that the Operations office is informed +44 (0)1493 335522.

 

If you know of anyone else who would benefit from this information, please reply with their email address.

 

 

 

 

 

   

Jack Chilvers
Operations Administrator

 

Peel Ports Great Yarmouth

01493 335522

 

07818 595996

jchilvers@eastportuk.co.uk

 


EastPortUK Cargo Handling Limited

Vanguard House
South Beach Parade

Great Yarmouth

Norfolk

NR30 3GY

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19 minutes ago, diesel falcon said:

Can,t you take high bits off ?? ie lights radar ect?

I think that is with all that stuff off already. Princess 41. I can't believe it's too bloody high to get under those bridges on normal tides. 

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Princess 41 Specification.......11ft o3 inches?? springs are once a fortnight??

Boat Ref No: NYB1526 Vessel Location: NYA BRUNDALL
Year Built: 1980 Cabins: 2
LOA (Metres): 12.55m LOA (Feet): 41'02
Draft (Metres): 00.99m Draft (Feet): 03'03
Beam (Metres): 03.96m Beam (Feet): 13'00
Air Draft (Metres) 03.43m Air Draft (Feet): 11'03
Berths: 6 Showers: 2
Toilets: 2 Hull Type: Planing
Hull Construction: GRP Engine Manufacturer: Volvo
Fuel: Diesel Engine Power: 235
Number of Engines: 2 Engine Hours: 2738
3209
Cruising Speed: 19 Max Speed: 23
Fuel Capacity: 300 Gallons Water Capacity: 100 Gallons
Drive Type: Shafts Make: Princess
Model: 41 Style: Aft Cabin
Type: Seagoing Yacht Type: Brokerage
Princess 41

Galley table and seating

Princess 41

Galley and cooker

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OK princesses website say 11.9. I'm on my mobile and can't quite copy and paste. Sadly we are on a time deadline so two week wait maybe too hard. Although it looks springs first week in April which may work. Will have a think lol.  

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18 hours ago, diesel falcon said:

http://www.norfolk-broads.org/  go here then take the reading on the red arrow off 12 3 inches, will give you low water clearace, for example april 8th = 12ft 3inches(max clearance of bridges at low water) minus 0.15 meters, gives you clearance on that day  about 11 ft 9

Hi,

Could anybody explain the difference in the "Comparative Low Water Height" that this site uses and the heights that the BA use in their books?

Cheers,

Jon

 

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The figure is calculated from Gorlston bar,which is a sea tide and not an inland tide, BA ,also use Gorleston bar,

take 12th sat , Ba , chart says -3.8. org site says .42m, the minus indicates below "mean" value, so it,s only ,04 of a metre different 1.57inches (a gust of wind!!)

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