oops - take care on the Broads!

[robtheplod 239]

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/bridge-trapped-under-potter-heigham-bridge-norfolk-broads-1-6878539?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=DM31736

 

[Feeby100 9]

Ooo what a matter with people can they not see it to low 

[Wanderer Vagabond 4717]

Isn't that a bit of a regular occurrence?

[The Happy Nomad 925]

38 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/bridge-trapped-under-potter-heigham-bridge-norfolk-broads-1-6878539?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=DM31736

 

Interesting that the photos of the boat in question show that the bow is a GRP boat and the stern is made of wood. 😜😜 The photo captioning implies it's the same boat.

 

The second pic. is actually of a different boat that got stuck a few days previous.🤣

Edited October 11, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[robtheplod 239]

The hire company maybe don't emphasise the need for caution, or they shouldn't be permitted to go that route if a risk of this is apparent?

[The Happy Nomad 925]

17 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Isn't that a bit of a regular occurrence?

Yes, especially at the current water levels.

 

Wroxham bridge and even Ludham bridge are proving a challenge at the moment.

 

Wroxham though has a height gauge so boats tend not to 'go for it'.

[Wanderer Vagabond 4717]

8 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

The hire company maybe don't emphasise the need for caution, or they shouldn't be permitted to go that route if a risk of this is apparent?

Things must have changed significantly then.  On the four occasions in the past that I've hired on the Broads ( a few years ago now) there was strong emphasis that the hirer didn't go through Potter Heigham bridge without a pilot.

Edited October 11, 2020 by Wanderer Vagabond

[The Happy Nomad 925]

2 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

The hire company maybe don't emphasise the need for caution, or they shouldn't be permitted to go that route if a risk of this is apparent?

Not 100 % sure but It actually looks like a day boat from a yard up on Hickling broad, possibly Whispering Reeds, so really that would be 'on the route' to go south. It should normally pass at the correct state of tide and importantly with a pilot.

3 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Things must have changed significantly then.  On the four occasion in the past that I've hired on the Broads ( a few years ago now) there was strong emphasis that the hirer didn't go through Potter Heigham bridge without a pilot.

There still is. Though of course it doesnt mean people adhere to it, and as a result lose their deposit in the process.

[FredDrift 16]

10 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

The hire company maybe don't emphasise the need for caution, or they shouldn't be permitted to go that route if a risk of this is apparent?

Isn’t it the case that the Broads boat hire companies collectively fund bridge pilots at Potter Heigham & Wroxham and that no hire boats should pass under either bridge without the services of the pilot?

 

You’d imagine damage occasioned by hirers hitting these bridges is outside of any insurance provided by the hire companies.

 

 

[The Happy Nomad 925]

30 minutes ago, happynomad said:

Isn’t it the case that the Broads boat hire companies collectively fund bridge pilots at Potter Heigham & Wroxham and that no hire boats should pass under either bridge without the services of the pilot?

 

You’d imagine damage occasioned by hirers hitting these bridges is outside of any insurance provided by the hire companies.

 

 

I dont think they all subscribe any longer.

 

But they do require you to use one and if your yard isnt part of the scheme you have to pay the pilot direct your self.

 

A small number of Wroxham based yards also got their own staff to take you through Wroxham.

 

(Thats what it was when we last hired).

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[Detling 205]

It used to be standard entertainment for drinkers in the pub garden next to the bridge on a Saturday afternoon, when Saturday was changeover day.

[The Happy Nomad 925]

The days of lots of boats being able to fit under Potter and Wroxham, particularly Potter are diminishing year by year.

 

The 'floating gin palaces' that the yards tend to include in their fleets these days combined with on going rising water levels mean some of the best bits are out of reach to the significant majority of hirers.

 

That's not always a bad thing though.

[PaulD 45]

North of Potter Heigham is the best part of the Broads. Pity we couldn't get through last time - it was a long time ago.

[Keeping Up 696]

One of the highlights of my sailing times was "shooting" Potter Higham bridge in a 35ft sailing boat, without an engine. Sailing towards it as fast as possible, dropping the mast at the last possible moment and hoping your momentum will be enough to (1) let you steer through the bridge and (2) get the mast and sails back up before drifting back into the bridge. No pilot involved then (it was the 1970s)

[The Happy Nomad 925]

2 minutes ago, Keeping Up said:

One of the highlights of my sailing times was "shooting" Potter Higham bridge in a 35ft sailing boat, without an engine. Sailing towards it as fast as possible, dropping the mast at the last possible moment and hoping your momentum will be enough to (1) let you steer through the bridge and (2) get the mast and sails back up before drifting back into the bridge. No pilot involved then (it was the 1970s)

Not for sail boats defo.

 

But definitely for motor boats. We hired in the early 70's, or rather my Dad did and we once hired 'Courier' from Norfolk Broads Yachting Company. She was a wooden boat with significant evidence of repairs to her cabin tops. I can still remember the pilot at Potter Heigham taking us through explaining the damage had been caused the season previous by a hirerer taking it under the bridge without the assistance of the bridge pilot. 🙄🙄

 

 

[magpie patrick 273]

I was mildly surprised by the size of boats moored at Horsey Wind Pump when we visited on our recent holiday. Presumably these will normally fit under Potter Higham bridge?

 

I also wonder if Juno (Viking 23) would fit if i got her there?

[mark99 2015]

6 fat lads would sort.

[The Happy Nomad 925]

2 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

I was mildly surprised by the size of boats moored at Horsey Wind Pump when we visited on our recent holiday. Presumably these will normally fit under Potter Higham bridge?

 

I also wonder if Juno (Viking 23) would fit if i got her there?

Canopies and screens down those boats should easily pass, at the correct state of tide.

[RS2021 4]

All hire boats should use the pilot for Potter. The GRP boat appears to be a day boat so would normally not have a problem, but river levels are very high at the moment. The wooden boat is a Martham's boat being taken back to its base by the yard. Another video shows a tug ramming it to get it through. There is also a picture out there somewhere of hire boats which were stuck the wrong side of Wroxham bridge being taken through ladened with barrels full of water for extra ballast.

[BlueStringPudding 540]

2 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Things must have changed significantly then.  On the four occasions in the past that I've hired on the Broads ( a few years ago now) there was strong emphasis that the hirer didn't go through Potter Heigham bridge without a pilot.

That was my experience too when hiring on the Broads. Admittedly, it was many years ago. But we had to hand over to a pilot to take us through. 

[robtheplod 239]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

The days of lots of boats being able to fit under Potter and Wroxham, particularly Potter are diminishing year by year.

 

The 'floating gin palaces' that the yards tend to include in their fleets these days combined with on going rising water levels mean some of the best bits are out of reach to the significant majority of hirers.

 

That's not always a bad thing though.

We always hire a canoe when going on the broads these days - great to get away from the busy lanes into the many shallow areas full of wildlife..

[big d 47]

I grew up there and had great fun kayaking, we often came across hire boats that had failed to fathom the term non navigational.