3 Rivers Race on The Norfolk Broads

[beaky]

mahem this weekend on the norfolk broads

pitty the poor hire boaters who dident know it was on

http://www.lordofsealand.co.uk/3rr2008/


jill:)

[bamamick]

Some really nice looking dinghies in those photos. I would hate to be flying a kite and have to worry about all of those starboard tack lee-boats under me.

That looks like us trying to sail out of our harbor into an east wind. Makes for good practice, but it kind of freaks out visitors.

Thank you for posting. Quite interesting.

Mickey Lake

[Concordia...41]

Wow! Talk about close-quarters boat handling! :eek:

Great pictures and even greater use of limited amount of water!

- M

[beaky]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3RRwinner08.jpg

it took some nearly two days to complete


jill

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Fine stuff - the annual scenes of carnage at Potter just have to be seen...

http://www.northnorfolk.org/museumofthebroads/images/three_rivers_003_rdax_400x300.jpg

[bamamick]

Mr. Newt, could you explain a little about your photograph? Is that a raft-up of broken boats waiting to be towed home, or do they have to drop their rigs to punt under that bridge to continue racing? I assume that this is what we call a pursuit race here, with lots of natural obstacles to overcome aside from the racing baot to boat.

Mickey Lake

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

You have to drop the rig to squeeze under the bridge - the experts start the "drop" as the bow enters the arch - the the biggest boats are 45' with TALL rigs.

If you hire a motor boat then you must take a pilot for the bridge - but as an inexperienced idiot it is possible to take a sailboat through on your own - I did this once with SWMBO, the Kids - and a brand new 38 foot gaff rigged cruiser... but not racing.

If you like traditional wooden boats then "Hunters Yard" is the place to visit.

http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/

[John Meachen]

Final results for the race are here: http://www.horningsc.co.uk/3RR_2008_final_results..pdf

Most of the classes will be totally unknown to most participants on thos forum.The images above give an idea of how the boats have evolved to cope with the local conditions.I spent a chunk of Saturday afternoon watching the competitors throng through Acle bridge which is a lot less constricted than Potter Heigham.

[beaky]

waiting for the off

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3RR08.jpg


jill:)

[John B]

I used to just live S and A, coot club etc when I was a kid.
Great to see the photos ta.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
For both Johns --

Yes, but where's Flash?

Mike

[martin schulz]

There is a very nice article in the current ClassicBoat Mag.
Strongly recommended!

[beaky]

heres one of the old martham ladys in a corner of the martham boat shed



http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/japonica.jpg


jill

[J. Dillon]

Fine thread you started Jill. That poor dog sure looks anxious to head for the shore. He makes one wonder if his goal to follow his nose or relieve himself. Maybe both. ;)

Getting all those craft under the bridge must also be a sight to see.:eek:

In the old days wasn't it a routine thing for Brixham trawlers to do the same on the Thames? Just a skipper and a boy to handle that big rig.

JD

[beaky]

ive nicked this post made by a 3RR crew member just for you JD;)
.................................................. ............................
In the last two years I have taken part in the Three Rivers race with Barnacle Bill, the owner of the River Cruiser “Wandering Rose” This year was to be no different, but there was a catch.
Last year Wandering Rose had been out of the water with structural problems and we had raced in a hired Javelin from Martham. This year Barnacle Bill had got somebody booked to do the repair, but it was not certain to be done in time. This left us with a question – do we take a risk and assume WR will be ready or cover our options and book a hire boat in case? An exchange of emails between the three confirmed crew members (Barnacle Bill, Rads and myself) and we decided to risk it. Nothing for it, Wandering Rose would have to be ready.
To add to the complications, Barnacle Bill works offshore and would only be returning on the Thursday night before the race, but the good news was that WR was ready for Barnacle Bill’s previous spell ashore and he and Rads were able to get her rigged for basic sailing and move her from the boatyard on Oulton Broad to her moorings at Thurne Mouth.
So we come to the weekend of the race. I had planned to take Friday off and go down early to help with the preparations. My 05:30 start was delayed when Cath and John went to the cinema in Harrogate on Thursday and left late enough for the car to be locked in the car park overnight. Cath objected to being dropped off in Harrogate at 06:00 to wait for the car park to open at 07:30. In the end I dropped her off at about 06:45, which was a reasonable compromise.
The journey to Norfolk was straightforward enough, although with the early start I had to forgo breakfast at the Friendly Farmer as they weren’t open. Arriving in Ludham I misread Barnacle Bill’s instructions for getting to the moorings and ended up at St Benet’s Abbey, but this was soon sorted and I was parked on the bank ready to walk down the dyke to the EACC moorings. Barnacle Bill suggested waterproof trousers for the wet grass, but I thought as was wearing shorts, I wouldn’t bother. A mistake, the wet grass was waist high and nettles abounded. It seemed daft to battle through it so I hailed the first passing private boat and hitched a lift!
Dropped off at the EACC I joined Barnacle Bill in preparing as much of the boat as possible, fitting the guys and downhaul for the whisker pole and dropping the mast to fit the block and halyard for the topsail.
With everything done that could be done, we lunched on pies from the butcher in Ludham and beer from Hambleton Brewery before setting off for a lively sail to Horning. With just two of us it was the small jib. A breeze like this would be great tomorrow, but the forecast was suggesting it would be a bit lighter.
Once in Horning we carried on with jobs that needed doing and were joined by Rads. His car became thestorage shed for unwanted stuff, the outboard, awning supports petrol cans etc were all piled in. A trip up to Barnacle Bill’s to collect the whisker pole and topsail jackyard and we were in a position to complete most jobs. With everything done that could be done, we retired to the Swan for food and beer. Here we were joined by John, a family friend of Barnacle Bill’s and seasoned sailor, who was joining the crew. Ale consumption continued and we were the last to leave the pub.
Shortly after leaving the pub we had the most bizarre occurrence. Walking across the car park a small hatchback came through the village at speed, sped through the car park and out of the other end, unfortunately clipping John’s hand with his wing mirror. A few moments later the car came back, stopped in the car park with the wing mirror hanging off and the driver said. “I’m sure I hit something.” Yes,” replied John. “You hit me.” Fortunately John had suffered less damage than the car and was unhurt.
Next morning Rads, John and I who had slept aboard WR headed for the New Inn for breakfast. Here we bumped in to Mike and Sally and others of their crew who had raced Camellia last year and this year were racing Myrtle the Turtle. We also filled up the water containers – cups of tea under way were a real possibility.
Back at the boat, we found Barnacle Bill already hard at work, and with him our fifth crew member, Hmmcrunchy. This was to be Hmmcrunchy’s first Three Rivers Race and only his second sailing experience. A bit later our final crew member, Phil arrived. So the last minute jobs were done, the only problem being the new gas cylinder. It was the wrong fitting, so no tea after all. All that remained was the briefing and getting up river ready for the start. The crux of Colin’s briefing is always the location of the lower Bure mark. Its position is dependent on the forecast and the tides. As Colin came to the end of his briefing he told us: “We’re going to surprise you.” He said it would be below Acle, probably below Stokesby and possibly below Stracey Arms. Oh well, take it as it comes like so much of the race.
Quanting out of the dyke for the start we were briefly stuck on the bottom. Better than being stuck in the overhanging willows and quickly sorted so we were out and hoisted sail to get above the X zone. We were quickly moored off a bungalow until it was time to rig everything and get ready to start.
Now it was a final chance to have a bite to eat before the action and then it was time to hoist and away. The topsail went up perfectly and set as well as I’ve ever seen it.

cont...............

[beaky]

So we started tacking down towards Swan Corner and the X zone. Our progress being much frustrated by a couple of large hire cruisers crewed by people in pirate hats who insisted on trying to edge their way through. WR is not easy to windwarfd in light airs and the problems caused by this led to us firstly having an unfortunate coming together with Slantendicular. (Steve was very good about it), and then missing our start. We eventually crossed the line about 10 minutes late.ON a broad reach down the Street we were passing plenty of boats, but that’s hardly surprising – they were the slower boats from the later starts.
I settled in to the role of doing the foredeck, which, as we came further off the wind, included looking after the whisker pole downhaul. Passing the ferry we had our first sighting of Griff in Broad Ambition, fulfilling his intention of being around to watch.
With a reasonable northerly breeze it seemed a good idea to tick off the dykes and then go for the lower Bure. All was going smoothly and, although the Ant was crowded we were lucky enough to avoid the worst crushes and rounded unscathed. So on to South Walsham which equally went quite smoothly. Things were looking good so far, but the bridges were yet to come. Thurne Mouth and there was Griff again with a cheery wave. Then it was down to Acle and the first bridge.
The approach to bridges varies. Which tack are we on? Is the wind behind us? Is the tide behind us? Approaching Acle with wind and tide and on starboard tack, we could drop the topsail first, then the main and finally the job at the last minute. Then it was down with the mast and on through in fine style, marred only by giving the jib a brief wash. Everything went back up smoothly, and we were fairly moving on in search of the mark. By now there were quite a few boats coming back, but many of these would not have done the dykes.
The mark turned out to be at Stracey Arms, which was reached quickly with the wind and tide. We were actually at Stracey fairly close to low water. It couldn’t have been better. Coming back up we were hailed from Myrtle the Turtle. “Where is the mark?” The answer – “That way!”
The return through Acle bridge started off well, but before everything was sorted we were pushed briefly on to the lee shore above Bridgecraft. We quickly extracted ourselves, but the hull took a bit of a knock on the piling just below the gunwhale. Sorted and under way, the topsail went up. Unfortunately it didn’t look right. The lashing securing it to the jackyard had worked loose. I landed the job of redoing the lacing, which kept me busy as far as Upton Dyke.
Back at Thurne mouth and it was time to head for Hickling, the last mark of the race. It made an interesting contrast with the last two years. Last year we’d retired at Acle Bridge at 8am. Two years ago we’d been here at a similar sort of time but with South Walsham still to do.
Potter bridge was looking good until the mast wouldn’t come all the way down. The problem was the gaff jaws still in the way. Nothing that gaffer tape wouldn’t fix, but underway again we spotted a split in the boom where the gooseneck was bolted on. Rads and I lashed it together and it looked as if it would serve the race out.
Candle Dyke and Heigham Sound passed with only a brief encounter with the bottom and it was on to Hickling. The token went in the basket and it was all out for home.
Potter Bridge went better this time. Generally it was the best race I’ve had for bridges. On to Thurne Mouth and it was still daylight. What a contrast to previous years! We also had the last vestiges of the flood with us as we turned up the Bure.
As we steadily tacked our way up the Bure a midnight finish seemed possible. However the wind was dropping as the darkness gathered, but not as much as we expected. Near Horning Hall we ran aground a couple of times. This delayed us briefly, but we were soon on our way until finally the ebb tide and failing wind brought us to a standstill by the New Inn.
WR suffers from a tendency to fall off the wind when tacking in light airs and this was what was holding us back. Most tacks we were losing ground. Changing to the small jib helped but it still took us a good hour to clear the boats.
So it was that we finally drifted across the finish line at about 1:20, ready for breakfast and a few hours sleep.
Looking back we finished 41st, Barnacle Bill’s best result so far. A few minor mistakes cost us around 20 minutes at the time, but they were magnified later. If we’d been at the New Inn 20 minutes earlier we may have gone straight through. However nothing is certain in this race. With a crew who only got together on the day and a boat that was only fully rigged on the day as well it was a very satisfying result. More importantly it was loads of fun.
Many thanks to all the people who make this race such a great occasion. Colin and his team for their wonderful organisation; Barnacle Bill for the opportunity to race on his boat; Rads, Hmmcrunchy, Phil and John, who along with the skipper made a great racing team; the other competitors, especially those who are so understanding when rammed by our bowsprit; and to all those enthusiastic spectators encouraging us on our way.
.................................................. .
jill

[beaky]

and the boat on the left is the one in question

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3rr_2008_12.jpg


jill

[beaky]

this is at acle bridge

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3rr_2008_08.jpg

jill

[Concordia...41]

Great tack by tack bridge by bridge commentary. :D

Thanks for including it in this tread.

- Margo

[beaky]

glad you liked it margo, if any more come up ill post them.

jill

[J. Dillon]

Jill, good yarn and glad you "posted" it . I notice in the images there seemed to be few spectators. along the banks buti I guess the bridges might be a better place to watch.

What fun, but I can see the rules might have to be bent a bit especially under the bridges when technically you are not a sailing vessel. ;)

JD

[Concordia...41]

Jack - I'm just chuckling at what must be an amazing combination of sailing commands regarding raising and lowering the mast and rowing instructions :D

And all with a deep English accent. :)

Gosh knows one never gets excited in situations like those.... ;) I'm afraid we'd be the first casualties to the fray...

[beaky]

heres another short one from the horses mouth as it were
.................................................. .

Well a little late as ever, here is a brief report from Moss Rose (affectionatly known as Mossy!). I met with the skipper at Coxes Boatyard on friday pm, we set off and had a great sail down the ant, through the bridge and a cracking sail the otherside as well - we met with the other crew member ( my uncle) at the staithe and Willow for a pre race tactics meeting (ok it was dinner with far too much beer, but we did talk alot!). The morning dawned windless, great! Mossy likes a bit of a blow to get going but the wind started to pick up so we thought it would be ok, I wont bore you with all the sailing details but needless to say we had 2 collisions, one at the mark on south walsham where a mate of mine sailed into us on port whilst we were on starboard! The other occured on the way back up from the bottom mark, this guy in a dinghy just sailed straight into the side of us, no real damage but we now had a fairly annoyed skipper - still the rum calmed him down! Getting back into Horning at 11.00pm, but not finishing until 3.10am was depressing. The highlight came when we were running back to thurne mouth when we were having a sing along with the other boats around us, a limerick competition ensued and there was just such a nice atmosphere - its one of the best parts of this whole event! I echo others comments about the organisation, really was excellent! I am not sure yet if I will do it next year - this was the 15th time, and I always said i would do it 15 times then no more! We shall see.
.................................................. ..............

jill

[beaky]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3RR08-1.jpg


jill

[beaky]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3RR08-2.jpg


jill

[J. Dillon]

Nice image Jill. Did you take it ?:D

JD

[elf]

stark, raving mad. There's no water there, fercrissakes.

[Concordia...41]

stark, raving mad. There's no water there, fercrissakes.

I know, we've got whole freaking oceans and you're lucky to see that many boats out on a Saturday... :(

[beaky]

hi peeps

another little yarn for you

no JD sadly i havent got the grear to take shots like that:(
.................................................. ......................................

Yarns

Welcome to our Yarns pages. I'll kick it off with a story about one of my mishaps on the Norfolk Broads a few years ago. Although technically not an East Coast story, it happened on the River Thurne, at Thurne Dyke, which is not that far from the East Coast. And the Thurne is tidal at that point, so I reckon that it counts as an East Coast river.
http://www.saileastcoast.co.uk/images/cartooncopy.jpg


Ever tried water-skiing behind a half decker? I did, according to a few well-known wags on the Norfolk Broads.
I hadn't planned to be dragged through the murky waters of the River Thurne hanging on to the transom of our half decker Ala. But that's exactly what happened one June evening about seven years ago after I decided to go for a solo sail down river.
We had just bought the river cruiser Salamander and I was staying on board whilst she was moored on the north bank of Thurne Dyke. Ala, moored alongside the yacht, was for sale at the time and I had spent the day sprucing her up ready for a visit by prospective buyers the following day.
It was such a fabulous evening with a pleasant breeze, clear skies and a peaceful river, that I decided to go for a run down to Upton Dyke, for possibly the last sail in the half-decker we had owned for about six years.
She was a fast old girl. Although about the same size as a Yare and Bure One Design, Ala had a bigger sail area and had been extremely quick when raced in the hands of her owner Cyril Richards and his famed skipper chum, Jimmy Clabburn.
Ala was designed in 1943 by Cyril, a Lowestoft shipyard owner and another ace Broads yacht helmsman, Ivan Darby, the Oulton Broad boatyard owner, as a prototype for a proposed Oulton Broad One Design. Legend has it that the two men got together over a pint at the Commodore pub Oulton Broad, and drew Ala on the back of a cigarette packet. They had wanted to start a new class of half-decker to be faster than the Y&Bs and Waveney One Designs.
She was built in total secrecy, because of a wartime ban on the building of private boats, in a small shed at Cyril's yard at Oulton Broad. The work was carried by retired boatbuilder Harry Francis and a 16-year-old apprentice (who told me the whole story when I traced him in 1992) using first-class timber that should have gone into Navy inshore patrol ships being built at Cyril's yard.
However, on the day after D-Day in June 1944, Cyril decided that since the war was going well, Ala should be launched. Naval ratings at the nearby RN yard booed and hissed and dubbed Ala the 'ship of shame' as she was trundled out of the shed with the mahogany in her cockpit and decks glistening under numerous coats of varnish. "Don't you know there's a war on," yelled the Navy sailors as Ala was lowered into the water by crane and quickly sculled up to Cyril's yard for fitting out.
She went on to race and beat the Y&Bs and Waveneys in open races around the Broads (apparently for huge wagers between owners) but was blackballed by the Norfolk and Suffolk Yachting Association for apparently winning too often.
But on that balmy evening in June, I was happy to slowly potter about for a few hours before sailing back to Thurne to tie up alongside Salamander. I luffed up, coasted to a halt alongside our bigger boat and stepped aboard with a painter in my left hand. But I tripped on the grab rail on Salamander's cabin roof and fell base over apex across the boom, letting go of the painter as I tried to soften the fall.
By the time I had regained my feet Ala was off on a leisurely starboard tack heading straight across the Thurne. Her bowsprit was aimed directly at two rather large and expensive looking yachts moored on the errrummmm…EACC site opposite.
I ran along the bank, wondering what best to do. There were plenty of moored motorboats about, but none had a handy dinghy I could commandeer and use to chase the sailaway Ala.
There was nothing for it. I ran back across the grass for about 12 paces, turned and sprinted back towards the river, hoping to do the longest long jump of my life (personal best: 9ft, Mark Hall School, Essex, 1966) and took a flying leap into the river, setting a new record of about 9ft 3ins.
There was a huge splash as my 16st entered the water and I plunged to the river bottom where my feet got stuck in the mud. I am 6ft 1in tall and the river was about 7ft 1in deep at that point. I was trapped under water.
I wiggled and kicked my feet and managed to free them from the mud after a few seconds of thinking that the end of my time on Earth was nigh. I got to the surface and broke into my best possible swimming stroke, a mixture of doggy paddle/crawl/sidestroke and butterfly. About three quarters of the way across the river I caught Ala, but was so knackered I could not climb on board.
I grabbed the transom, hauled in the mainsheet and steered the rudder blade with my knees. I managed to turn Ala into the wind seconds before she would have struck a rather nice 34ft yacht midships at a ramming speed of about 2 knots.
Using more knee waggling I managed to bring Ala alongside the quay heading outside a bungalow. I pulled myself along the hull to the bow and grabbed a mooring rope then managed to climb out of the river using a tyre fender as a step.
By the time I had got on board, sailed back and tied up alongside Salamander a small crowd had gathered. An elderly gent from a motor cruiser moored outside Thurne mill asked: "Are you all right, we saw you going for a swim with your clothes on?"
"Well, actually no, I am not all right, thanks," I replied. My specs were steamed up, hair matted, beard dishevelled, T-shirt and shorts covered in mud and water was squelching from my deck shoes.
"Come and have a livener," said the old boy, pointing to the cockpit of his hired gin palace. "Don't mind if I do," I said, clearly impressed at his hospitality towards a nearly shipwrecked fellow mariner. The illusion was shattered when he handed me a huge rum from the cockpit but added: "You can't come aboard, you are covered in bloody mud."
Later I tramped off to the Thurne Lion for a shower and was thankful that the then landlord Royston, known for notices banning this, that and the other, did not have a sign prohibiting waterlogged yachties from padding through the bar to the shower, which thankfully had instant hot water, even in June.
By the time I had got to the bar news of my swim, had reached sailors among the regulars.
"Hair you've bin water-skiing behoind yor half-decker," chuckled one regular from his stool at the end of the bar.
"Stairing from outside the boot? Tha's a good way of keepin' crew weight down when racin'," chortled another leading yacht skipper from the village.
Looking back, I reckon it was the daftest thing I have done in a boat. I wasn't wearing a lifejacket at the time, but always do so now. I don't sail single-handed any more and I am always much more careful when stepping ashore. I have given up "water-skiing" behind half-deckers for good.
But I always have a reminder of my Broadland Blunder in the shape of this superb cartoon by Peyton which was used when I confessed all in Yachting Monthly's Confessional column a few years ago.
.................................................. ..........................
jill:)

[J. Dillon]

Good yarn Jill. Might be a tip to pass along, steering by "humping" the rudder while you're in the water behind. Ha Ha. Happy thing you have a good aim.

BTW did you do commission the WC ? I see Peyton signed it.

JD

[beaky]

hi JD

my posts are usualy stuff lifted from other places for your entertainment

just a flavour of the norfolk broads thread

jill

[Russ Manheimer]

Thanks Jill, that was a pleasant read. I sail near some of the remaining saltmarshes in my area and can appreciate managing in thin waters.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
Anyone interested in seeing maps of the Broads, showing the rivers mentioned in Jill's extracts, can find one of the northern waters , and of the southern waters [url=]here (]here[/url).

They're large files (about half a meg each,) so be prepared.... Click on the download and it should enlarge to a readable size.

Also, please note that (a) they were produced for lovers of Arthur Ransome's books, and make reference to events that occurred in the stories, and (b) they're still only drafts and so contain a few omissions and one or two errors.

Mike

[beaky]

hi peeps

this is a close up of the wherry hathor, my avatar, sorry about the quality but i took these

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/broads_21-1.jpg

jill

[beaky]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/insidehathor1.jpg

jill

[beaky]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/broads_51-1.jpg
jill

[J. Dillon]

Jill, What a charming boat it looks quite cozy and comfortable inside.:D

Some how I keep thinking of a live aboard boat in the 1958 movie starring Alec Guinness called "The Horses mouth". He's a liveaboarder I guess on the Thames. I gotta check out that movie again.

JD

[beaky]

here we go again

130 saily types charging around the broads with their flappy bits

its the 3 rivers race on saturday

my new neighbor has to get his new boat back from the other

end of navigation in the middle of the race day

its his 1st boat so hes in for an eventful trip i bet

jill

[beaky]

luckily for him he started early enough to miss most of it.

lord paul has photos of the race day on his web site

click on boating to see them

http://www.photographs-r-us.co.uk/#

jill

[bamamick]

Made the front page of Sailing Anarchy!

Mickey Lake

[Peerie Maa]

Fine thread you started Jill. That poor dog sure looks anxious to head for the shore. He makes one wonder if his goal to follow his nose or relieve himself. Maybe both. ;)

Getting all those craft under the bridge must also be a sight to see.:eek:

In the old days wasn't it a routine thing for Brixham trawlers to do the same on the Thames? Just a skipper and a boy to handle that big rig.

JD

Trawlers have keel stepped masts, you are thinking of Thames Barges. 80 foot long flat bottomed coasters.http://www.thamesbarge.org.uk/barges/barges/repertor4.jpg

[beaky]

hi mickey


Made the front page of Sailing Anarchy!

Mickey Lake

i had a look but couldent see any mention of it:confused:

jill

[adampet]

It's moved to page 2 of the sailing Anarchy site
http://www.sailinganarchy.com/index_page2.php
The article is titled "Learning Curve"
http://www.sailinganarchy.com/article.php?get=3765

Adam

[beaky]

this year was the 50th anniversary and it was busier then ever

mayhem and fun

http://www.flickr.com/groups/three_rivers_race/pool/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/boats-on-the-norfolk-broads/

http://www.threeriversrace.org.uk/index.php5?title=Main_Page

jill:)

[Songololo]

OK, which way are they supposed to be going ... mayhem in full swing!

http://www.threeriversrace.org.uk/images/thumb/d/d0/WayfarersAndHalf-DeckersAt_Ludham2010.jpg/800px-WayfarersAndHalf-DeckersAt_Ludham2010.jpg

[beaky]

all roads lead to mecca ;)

some of the poor hirers wernt warned what was happening

saturday morning is change over day so some would have been starting on their 1st broads holiday afloat lol

[WX]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/3RR08-2.jpg
Beautiful shot.

[beaky]

this page gives the low down

http://www.threeriversrace.org.uk/index.php5?title=About_the_Three_Rivers_Race

[WX]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/beaky369/insidehathor1.jpg
Love the Egyptian motif.

[beaky]

should have known dylan would be there at the start line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXyWEICa94

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19xoaxmNylE&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgztiKPrqo0&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATx_apKRIXQ&feature=channel

[Dr.Spoke]

In all the years sailing on the broads the Three Rivers has been my goal.... But I've never got 'round to it... I've got to persuade my dad to give it a go soon. Not on his boat ( small steel-hulled dutchman), but we must be able to beg, borrow, rent, or steal a boat. Anybody want to lend us a white boat for next year? Or something bigger?

[dylan winter]

should have known dylan would be there at the start line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXyWEICa94

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19xoaxmNylE&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgztiKPrqo0&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATx_apKRIXQ&feature=channel

Thanks for posting links

I will be uploading more from the race over the coming days - including action from Potter Higham - but each film takes about five hours to upload to youtube - please feel free to lift any of the shots of your own boats - its at full definition so the stills from the film should work pretty well

Dylan

[beaky]

hi dylan

im really looking forward to your time on my turf

jill:)

[dylan winter]

In all the years sailing on the broads the Three Rivers has been my goal.... But I've never got 'round to it... I've got to persuade my dad to give it a go soon. Not on his boat ( small steel-hulled dutchman), but we must be able to beg, borrow, rent, or steal a boat. Anybody want to lend us a white boat for next year? Or something bigger?

buy an old wayfarer and do it

loads on ebay

unfulfilled ambitions are terrible burdens

or rent one of the woods boats

quickly - organise it now

time is of the essence

who knows what might happen before then

I decided to quit dreaming about sailing around Britain and make a start - its been a wonderful experience - and I have several more years to go

Dylan

[Dr.Spoke]

Thanks Dylan,
But boats I've got - just not one suitable for that race: and I was under the impression that racing the hire-boats was a big NO-NO!
I also live in another country... so no buying boats in the UK. My parents live in Catfield - so we can probably fix something - but if my dad bought yet another boat my mum might just kill him, or me for suggesting it!
Anyway, I'll sort it for next year...

Phil

[John Meachen]

I spent an hour or so on Acle bridge Saturday afternoon and I had my camera with me.The results are here http://s578.photobucket.com/albums/ss226/John_Meachen/Coastal%20scenes/Three%20Rivers%20Race%202010/ I make no claim to being a photographer.

[beaky]

nice pictures john :)

here is a slide show from paul ....

http://www.lordofsealand.co.uk/20103rr/

http://www.photographs-r-us.co.uk/#/boating/4531892106

jill

[beaky]

more from dylan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D6NCOPZThE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFefzJcbgD4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agNdb0g3rUY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUU97URdRbw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUU97URdRbw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9SGvtFwgMc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEAMgcLS11U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrZMYL2_1a4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CMJi7awR9Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmAl_FGZsF0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4UhrnRC6x0&feature=related

[beaky]

and for some local chat about it ......

http://www.thenorfolkbroads.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8612

some really nice piccies over there to

[J. Dillon]

Nice images and video's.:D Thanks for posting them beaky.;)

JD

[barnacle_bill]

Thanks Dylan,
But boats I've got - just not one suitable for that race: and I was under the impression that racing the hire-boats was a big NO-NO!
I also live in another country... so no buying boats in the UK. My parents live in Catfield - so we can probably fix something - but if my dad bought yet another boat my mum might just kill him, or me for suggesting it!
Anyway, I'll sort it for next year...

Phil

Hi Phil,

There are two yards which hire out their boats for use in the 3RR. These are Martham Boat Developments (Martham) and the Norfolk Broads Yacht Company (Horning). The latter yard has better quality boats, and consequently books up quite quickly. All the hire boats are very under-canvassed compared with the privateers however, and consequently your chances of finishing are quite limited. Having said that, it's about the taking part for most people - a few years ago my own boat was out of the water for a year, and we hired a Javelin from Martham just to be in the race.

If you're going to enter, you will need to get in contact with the organisers really by early April. Information on the entry procedure is here: http://www.threeriversrace.org.uk/index.php5?title=How_to_Enter

A cheaper option would be to try to get a place in a crew. If you post on one of the local forums, you may well find someone with a spare place on board. I met ALL of my current crew via the Norfolk Broads Forum: http://www.the-norfolk-broads.co.uk/

Lastly, to hopefully whet your appetite further, here's an account of our race this year, written by one of the crew: http://www.threeriversrace.org.uk/index.php5?title=Wandering_Rose_2010

Hope this helps.

[Dr.Spoke]

Looks like my Dad is in the early stages of a half-decker restoration. He'll be taking the lines off soon and weighing the hull, then down to McNamara's to design a new rig for her. Mention of Carbon spared balanced lug with a small "spitfire" jib. Some discussion of what to do about the centre-plate... Should be fun to see th e progress, maybe even a long holiday in the winter for some work on her