Hi from suffolk

Orwell boy · 07 September 2015, 21:23

just a note to say hi ,and a little info re my current situation .. I am new to ribs but fairly happy to be on board . Having traded my sportsboat late last year ,for a highfield oceanmaster 500 with a Honda 90hp ,I must report that it seems to fit my boating needs fairly well ,main boating is out on the river orwell and stour in Suffolk ,with occasional trips to sea and into other rivers and estuaries in the area ,nothing to serious yet ,but confidence with great emphasis on safety is growing , especially happy with the ease of single handed launch with the lightweight 5 metre on an unbraked trailer (and that's from a pretty hairy steep slip at levington ) look forward to friendly discussion on the site ,a bit of banter and hopefully will pick up some good info from those more experienced rib users ... thanks !

Bucksribster · 07 September 2015, 22:47

Welcome to rib net. You live in a great part of the world. I've done a lot of sailing in that area when I lived there, but have yet to bring my rib that way. I used to keep a boat at Titchmarsh Marina, and that looked a good place to launch a rib.

Have you been up to the Deben or Ore?

Orwell boy · 08 September 2015, 21:24

Thanks for the welcome Bucksribster , sure is a good part of the country for a bit of boating ,plenty of rivers to explore and those from the south who I meet tell me its a pleasure this way as theres so few people by comparison ! ,maybe that's why theres so few responses to my intro as I may be the only one in this neck of the woods ??? or alternatively maybe its because I have a Chinese ally rib (haha surely not) ,in my defence I do tow it with a landy ........ in answer to your question I have dabbled with the Deben last week funny enough athough with a rather chilly north westerly blowing (in September) and dressed a little summery I gave it up freezing as a bad choice ,as for the ore I hav,nt got confidence for that far yet but it is high on the agenda ,and if I don,t get to do it this year I have heard there is a reasonably priced slipway near Aldeburgh yacht club however I,m told its 14 miles from the sea even though you can throw a stone over the spit from the slipway to the sea ,quite amazing really

Fenlander · 08 September 2015, 22:37

I'm "only" a sibber these days but have been about the area on and off for decades as holiday/weekend crew on larger craft. Personally I find the stretch from Aldeburgh to the sea very bleak/muddy and if the weather gets up the Ore/Alde entrance can be a baptism of fire with its shifting shallows! Have you seen this chart? http://www.eastcoastpilot.com/Ore2015v4.pdf

We live in Cambridgeshire and there are several launch site options available to us for a day out broadly in your area but for the past couple if years we chosen West Mersea on Mersea Island. The free slip and pontoon are in a very sheltered area and the run out to sea is quite a gradual introduction where you can do as little or as much as you want. If it turns rough while you're out the return is free from hazards which you risk at Aldeburgh or Southwold for example.

Wonder if you've been to Mersea?

This thread has loads of info with pics etc from post #16... http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/launchi...a-52571-2.html

willfinch36 · 09 September 2015, 13:58

Hi & Welcome I am also on the Orwell, Launch up at Woolverstone though.

Wonder if I saw on you on the Deben last weekend as I popped up to the Maybush for Lunch.

See you about.

Will

Shadow · 09 September 2015, 16:38

I'll keep an eye out for you. If you launch from Levrington with a Landrover probably saw you a couple of weekends ago. Look out for the 'dolly Dewdrop' (with a name like that you cant miss us!) Hoping to be down at Levington for weekend of 27th...
Tim

Orwell boy · 09 September 2015, 21:25

Great stuff folks ,looks like ive been found !!
thanks fenlander for the chart ,looks a bit challenging for the ore ,glad I got the plotter chucked in with the boat ,but looks like a chart may be essential for that one !............Great tip re Mersea ,and a free slip ,now theres a rare thing (ha ha don't tell me the nearest parking is in Colchester !!!)
Willfinch ,no not me last w/e on the Deben ,I think it was Monday this week I gave it a go ,poss was in the winkles café last w/e as I do enjoy a full English coming by road from time to time !
Thanks for reply Tim ,was me I reckon sun before last trying to get in before the rain about 3 ish ,got soaked, I will keep an eye out for the dewdrop

Fenlander · 09 September 2015, 21:46

>>>re Mersea ,and a free slip ,now theres a rare thing (ha ha don't tell me the nearest parking is in Colchester !!!)

Well that is a fair question and you'd have to do further research re trailer parking. For sibbing we have found a quiet back road just minutes (with boat on transom wheels) from the slip so we park up there, set up and trundle to the water. I guess the same locations would be possible if you were happy to launch, tie on pontoon then street park the trailer on your LR and walk back to the boat. For example parking with trailer attached is possible about a third of the way up Victory Road.

Bucksribster · 09 September 2015, 22:45

I used to keep a ( sailing) boat at West Mersey. It was badly damaged in the hurricane, which was 1987.....

Gettin' old :-(

If I recall the entrance to the Ore by Shingle Street was not much worse than the Deben, and Orford was very nice. You could take a rib all the way up to Snape Maltings on the tide.

I would be interested to know if there are good walk-ashore places to moor a rib on the Orwell / Deben / Ore. For example I used to love the Butt and Oyster on the Orwell, but I cannot see how to get ashore from a rib, apart from mooring at Woolverston and walking down.

willfinch36 · 10 September 2015, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucksribster

I would be interested to know if there are good walk-ashore places to moor a rib on the Orwell / Deben / Ore. For example I used to love the Butt and Oyster on the Orwell, but I cannot see how to get ashore from a rib, apart from mooring at Woolverston and walking down.

Went up to Orford a few weeks ago, getting over the bar there was no worse than going into the Deben.

They have a pontoon at Pin Mill, if you get the tides right can use 1hr30 either side of high tide at a guess.

Orwell boy · 10 September 2015, 10:16

Thanks again folks ,truly great response ,,,I bought my first sports boat from Bob Spalding back in 97 ,and to be honest I think I have gleaned more info from these few threads than I have in the previous 18 years ,bit staggering really especially when you think I like to chat to likeminded people round the slipway etc ,,, I think buying a rib and joining this forum has been a big bonus ,now for me I need to see if theres any threads on here re beach and jetty landings as I am very partial to a full English from the water , however I usually fear either getting left high and dry or being in someones way

Bucksribster · 10 September 2015, 23:09

You've reminded me of all the great places on that part of the coast. Must tow the boat round there. Might be too late this season, but definitely next.....