The Wash to Lowestoft?

[Pluto]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Was that on her way to trade on the Fens?

 

No, coming from the fens to work on the Bridgewater, the hull is Dutch.

[ditchcrawler]

17 minutes ago, Pluto said:

No, coming from the fens to work on the Bridgewater, the hull is Dutch.

OK I knew he sort of history and that she supplied fuel to the Fen pumping stations but not the timeline, she is a bit different now Shellfen | Facebook had a lot of hull work done in Gloucester

11 hours ago, robtheplod said:

Not sure why you'd want to?   Maybe its because I live near the broads, but I can't see it being very interesting for narrowboaters?

There are one or two on there, a fat one right by Beccles bridge

11 hours ago, robtheplod said:

Not sure why you'd want to?   Maybe its because I live near the broads, but I can't see it being very interesting for narrowboaters?

There are one or two on there, a fat one right by Beccles bridge

[blackrose]

18 hours ago, Mythirdone said:

Open ocean navigation is entirely different. I would never attempt an ocean crossing on a flat-bottomed boat. Coastal navigation with a flat-bottom boat, however, seems quite doable with the proper preparations having been taken. It seems that a narrowboat could make the transit if it remained close to shore.

 

Ok, well if you're sure about taking a narrowboat to sea despite the warnings then go for it, take plenty of pictures and let us know how you get on. I'm sure we'd all be interested.

[Mythirdone]

I appreciate all of your input. You're very kind. Well, you've talked me into it. I'm gonna do it!

[Momac]

23 hours ago, Loddon said:

You need to readjust your terminology.

Anglian waterways feed into the wash, i.e rivers Stour, Nene, Gt Ouse etc. The Broads join the sea at GT Yarmouth, Lowestoft.

So in answer to your question as posted yes it is possible to get to the Anglian waterways from the wash however only a fool would try to access the Broads that way unless they have a seagoing boat. I might add that a narrow boat is not the most suitable craft for use on the Broads.

 

Agreed , but the OP seems to wants to go to Lowestoft by sea?

I asked for clarity on the destination but have not seen a response. 

 

 

[Momac]

23 hours ago, Mythirdone said:

What time of year is the best for such a transit?

When the daylight hours are long .

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, MartynG said:

When the daylight hours are long .

 

I think you'd need about 40-60 hours days of non-stop daylight as NBs struggle to meet SOLAS nav light requirements and would be unable to travel after dark, or in poor light conditions

[Momac]

22 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I think you'd need about 40-60 hours days of non-stop daylight as NBs struggle to meet SOLAS nav light requirements and would be unable to travel after dark, or in poor light conditions

Its all academic really as a narrowboat is clearly completely unsuited to a sea trip to Lowestoft. It's a trip I would be planning carefully even in a sea boat.

 

I think the OP  has not understood the geography of the area / distances involved  nor the geography  of the inland waterways .

Nav lights should be fitted or at lest temporarily rigged up as they  may be required in daylight too. Calm weather may be accompanied by poor visibility .

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

Also it would be better to go in at Gt Yarmouth and then go to Lowestoft via the Broads

[Naughty Cal]

3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Also it would be better to go in at Gt Yarmouth and then go to Lowestoft via the Broads

It's easier to enter via Lowestoft as you have places to moor as soon as you are through the pierheads. You have a long way to go inland from Great Yarmouth before you have anywhere safe to moor.

 

Finding a mooring suitable for a narrowboat at either location might be fun though.

[Alan de Enfield]

36 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

It's easier to enter via Lowestoft as you have places to moor as soon as you are through the pierheads. You have a long way to go inland from Great Yarmouth before you have anywhere safe to moor.

 

Finding a mooring suitable for a narrowboat at either location might be fun though.

 

At Lowestoft the marina right at the end (thru the scrapyard) near the lifboat testing drop-slide you'd easily moor a NB assuming they had a hammerhead free (it wouldn't fit on the fingers).

 

At Yarmouth its 'ORRIBLE against that high steel piling wall with the corugations so deep that even 'fat fenders' are not enough - if we ever went there again we'd have to take fender boards.

It's a big climb up the wall even at high water.

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[nbfiresprite]

On 26/03/2022 at 08:03, PeterScott said:

In the old Cutweb archives there's a tale of a boater described as a mad-professor type who would iirc navigate for a few days to go buy a box of organic eggs. His narrowboat was on the Broads, but his personal relationship had broken down and he set off one fine morning without preparations, out of Lowestoft heading for the Wash. The wind got up, the waves crashed about, lots of things inside the boat fell over, and he was lucky to beach the boat and escape. I don't suppose that helps much, but someone will be along in a mo with the full posting ...

 

I known the one you mean, I was told the tale by one of the Great Yarmouth lifeboat crew. He set off at first light crusing out of Great Yarmouth passed the Harbour masters office. The harbour master who had only just arrived tried to call him back by radio. When that did't work called out the lifeboat who followed them up coast while using a loudhailer to try persuade him to turn back or at least move futher out to sea as he was crusing only half mile offshore. The wind picked up as did the waves that close to the shore. The lifeboat did try to get close to take him, at that point water was getting too shallow for the lifeboat. The narrowboat rolled over and was washed up on the shore. The owner was pulled out the sea by the Coastguard who had been following along the coast.   

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by nbfiresprite

[blackrose]

Going off topic, I never realised that the town of Gt Yarmouth was such a shitole until I went there for the first time last autumn. Its only redeeming feature is that from there it's easy to get to some much nicer towns like nearby like Lowestoft and Southwold.

 

I think I must have some sort of phobia of decaying fairground rides and classic English seaside piers & attractions. It just makes me feel ill.

[Mike on the Wey]

On 27/03/2022 at 06:11, Mythirdone said:

I appreciate all of your input. You're very kind. Well, you've talked me into it. I'm gonna do it!

I can't work out whether you are very naive, blind to risk, closed to advice from experienced boaters or simply a troll. If you're going to do it, I have two simple pieces of advice. 

1. Get insurance (although it is unlikely that you would be covered by a standard policy for such a sea passage). 
2. Write a will. 

[Naughty Cal]

On 28/03/2022 at 07:47, MartynG said:

Its all academic really as a narrowboat is clearly completely unsuited to a sea trip to Lowestoft. It's a trip I would be planning carefully even in a sea boat.

 

I think the OP  has not understood the geography of the area / distances involved  nor the geography  of the inland waterways .

Nav lights should be fitted or at lest temporarily rigged up as they  may be required in daylight too. Calm weather may be accompanied by poor visibility .

 

 

It's a much easier trip in a boat designed for sea use than you might imagine. 

 

There really isn't an awful of "navigation" too it. We always used to joke about it and "just keep the beach on the right" but it really is as simple as that if you are heading from Grimsby or Hull to Lowestoft. 

 

Wouldn't fancy it in a narrowboat mind!

9 hours ago, blackrose said:

Going off topic, I never realised that the town of Gt Yarmouth was such a shitole until I went there for the first time last autumn. Its only redeeming feature is that from there it's easy to get to some much nicer towns like nearby like Lowestoft and Southwold.

 

I think I must have some sort of phobia of decaying fairground rides and classic English seaside piers & attractions. It just makes me feel ill.

Great Yarmouth is a dump. We actively avoid it when we can. The last time we went we were quite frankly shocked at just how run down the town had become. 

 

We are down that way for the Jubilee bank holiday weekend for a few nights staying at the campsite at Southwold by the harbour. We will be calling into Lowestoft on the way down there and calling in at Ness Point. But at no point will we be going anywhere near Great Yarmouth.

[Scholar Gypsy]

On 26/03/2022 at 07:49, Kendorr said:

It is possible, and I intend doing it next year.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ-lSsf1Pj4&ab_channel=MinimalList

 

The video is a 2 parter, so settle in for a long one.

 

You may find my resources page helpful. 

 

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/washing/

[enigmatic]

11 hours ago, Mike on the Wey said:

I can't work out whether you are very naive, blind to risk, closed to advice from experienced boaters or simply a troll. If you're going to do it, I have two simple pieces of advice. 

1. Get insurance (although it is unlikely that you would be covered by a standard policy for such a sea passage). 
2. Write a will. 

3. Look forward to being the proud owner of a submarine?

[Kendorr]

6 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

You may find my resources page helpful. 

 

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/washing/

Thank you, I'll be giving that a good read 🙂