Tide Table Link

By Norfolk Broads.Org

An excellent site that includes a tide table relevant to your holiday dates. Enter your holiday start date, and number of days then click on calculate.

Youtube Video Link

A minor collision and another of 2 boats going through Wroxham bridge.  One gets it right but the other does not.

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If you intend crossing Breydon Water or visiting Great Yarmouth you may wish to select the “Crossing Breydon Water” tab above. You can also print this information as a PDF.

www.mynorfolkbroadsboating.co.uk

• Types of boats. Their are several types of craft on offer and it’s basically personal choice. The websites or brochures will detail the different types of craft but there are some things you may want to take into consideration.
• Selecting size of boat and number of berths.  When selecting a boat, study the floor plan and the description in great detail.  You need to ensure that the cabins and sleeping arrangements meet your requirements and are adequate for the size of your party.  For example a 10 berth boat is unlikely to be suitable for 10 adults as it’s possible that some berths may only be large enough for children.  A 10 berth boat may also be unsuitable for a party of 6 single friends wanting separate beds and preferably separate cabins as the boat may only have 5 doubles. As stated study the floor plan and description in detail. If in doubt contact the relevant boatyard.

On some of the boats and in particular boats for larger parties, not all of the cabins/bedrooms may be full height in the bed area itself. This is often the case when the cabins are to the side of a central walk way. If this is a double bed it can be a little awkward for the person sleeping on the inside to get out of bed having a partner in the way. Some cabins may be restricted for space generally and may have limited access to the side of the bed making it necessary to poke your legs into a recess. This does tend to be more the case with boats for larger parties.

If cabin space and general comfort is top of your list, for a larger party you may be better advised to hire two separate boats.

The forward drive Caribbean/bath tub type craft may not be so sporty looking but they do tend to feel more spacious. They also generally have single floor level throughout

Some craft have walk round beds which to me is an important feature as if you feel the need to get up in the middle of the night you don’t have to scramble over your partner to get in and out. The other option is to have separate beds. The more agile shouldn't find it a problem.

Some berths/beds may include seating area’s that the bed requires making up of a night.  I find it best to base the boat on how many separate beds and cabins are required.

A boat for a couple is normally adequate in size but for larger parties it may be beneficial to have a spare extra berth/cabin for a storage area without compromising on space if you chose a boat that is that bit longer.

• Boats suitable for disabled people. I do not believe that any holiday hire craft can accommodate on board wheelchair use nor provide easy/wide access. If a party member has limited mobility but can get around without a wheel chair a single level floor boat is likely to be more suitable.

In my personal opinion a boating holiday is not ideal for disabled people but should you decide to go I would make the following suggestions.

1. Chose a Caribbean/bath tub type boat as they are generally one floor level.
2. Be aware that on the Southern broads the currents are generally stronger and the rise and fall of water levels greater so the boat could be significantly lower or higher than when you went ashore.
3. Avoid mooring at Yarmouth as the river rise and fall can be 3 ft to 6 ft or more. You could possibly get off with no problem but on your return the boat may be several feet higher or lower.
4. I would choose a boat with bow thrusters. Not a must but a very useful aid, especially when mooring up or leaving moorings single-handed.
5. Perhaps invest in a caravan step as an aid but extreme care is required to where you place it as uneven or muddy ground may make it unstable.
6. I would chose boat with a walk around bed so you don’t have to scramble over one another to get in and out. The other option is to have separate beds.

Norfolk broads disabled day boat trips. For day boat trips that are disabled friendly with wheelchair facilities please visit nancyoldfield.org.

• Steering positions and design of boat.  Most of the raised centre cockpit boats have great all round vision which is very helpful when reversing and general awareness. Some have single floor level with just raised seating others the saloon is part of the cockpit. It is normally necessary to lower/open the sliding roof and fold the windscreen when going through a bridge.  On a fine day you will probably have the roof open anyway.

Some craft have dual driving positions outside and inside and some of these also have single floor level.

There are also rear positioned cockpit craft. These also offer great all round vision especially for reversing.

The front steering craft have great forward vision but vision is restricted to the rear. I personally prefer the single floor level that these type of craft offer giving the boat a much roomier feel. Many offer opening roofs of which some have a split sliding roof which is useful on a sunny but windy day.  It is not normally necessary to lower/open the sliding roof when going through a bridge on this design craft but check with the boatyard official.

• Washing facilities. In addition to wash basins the vast majority of boats  have showers normally located in WC's.  A small minority of boats have baths generally with shower head and hose. Although using more water I personally prefer a bath as many shower areas are rather compact. Unlike myself.lol
• Manoeuvring aid.  Some craft have bow thrusters which is a big help for manoeuvrability, especially if it’s just you and your partner or a friend.  See the bow thruster topic for more detail.
• Power. Normally provided by 12 volt batteries but many craft also have a 240 volt inverter.  Additional 240 Volt shore power connection is provided on some craft and this seems to becoming more popular. A small amount of boats also have generators but these are predominantly on the electrically powered boats
• Electrically powered boats.  The vast majority of holiday hire craft are diesel  but there are some  electrically powered available for hire. These use batteries and an electric motor with a generator that automatically cuts in when the batteries need recharging.  These craft offer quieter cruising and lower running costs but hire charges are liable to be more expensive.  The on board appliances are likely to be 240 volt mains electric and may be similar to what your used to at home. This is excellent if shore power is available but may not  be ideal should you have to rely on running the generator for cooking etc.  You could find prolonged generator noise disturbing for both you and your neighbours.

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