Norfolk Broads

[Rondonay]

Oh dear, I am so sorry I missed this thread, been mega busy!
For future Broads sailing, here is the best advice I can give.
1 If you are there in peak season, plan to arrive at busy places like Horning in the early afternoon to be sure of a mooring.
2. Buy or make a mudweight, (broads anchor) this enables you to just chuck out a mudweight on any of the broads and enjoy a night’s peace and quiet. We only rarely moor at the pubs, public moorings etc, but have a dinghy for extra convenience to get to these places as required.
3. Put her nose in the reeds and throw out the mudweight into the undergrowth (north rivers only-south too tidal)
4 There is a dinghy dyke at Ranworth Staithe which can be used by yachts such as ours in the evenings after the day boats and trip boat has gone to bed, (wind up the keel)
5. Make a short gangplank. There is a lot of stern mooring and Swifts are not a good design in this respect. I used an old pine shelf 1 metre by about 20cms and covered it with non slip matting, it is very much better than death defying scrambles over the pushpit with no foot space.
6. Rondonay has no tabernacle and happily swings on the bolt through the mast step, but an A frame is essential, I think. I made a cheap one with tubing, chain and carabineers to clip on to the toe rail, I put rope mats under the ends to protect the deck when in use.
7. The only petrol on the north rivers is at Martham Boats, but Tescos at Stalham and the petrol station at Potter are in walking distance.
8 Watch out for overhanging trees! There are very few of these at sea or in estuaries.
9. Most Broads boats have small foresails, we sailed with a very furled genoa until I made a river jib.

From: robvega (forum-general@swift18.org)
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 9:00 AM
To: forum-general@swift18.org (forum-general@swift18.org)
Subject: [Swift 18] Re: Norfolk Broads




Hi Garry, Yes I'm sure it does help, but I can't claim credit for the modification, it was like that when I bought Vega. The owner before me sailed out of Boston & i think the moorings were upsteam of a bridge! Its a pretty substantial stainless steel fabrication, goodness knows how much it cost!
Rob.

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