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Get Afloat on the Broads

The Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association and its affiliated organisations exist to promote and secure boating on the Broads and to encourage others to participate in it. These organisations are listed with their abbreviations on pages 6–7.

Activities for anyone interested, provided by NSBA affiliated organisations, include:

  • opportunities for people of any age to try sailing at open days of BASC, GYGSC, HBSC, MBA, NPC, RBSC and WOBYC, and at the sailing appreciation evenings at CHSC, and to try windsurfing at open days of HWC
  • opportunities to charter a skippered-sail in a historic Broads wherry with NWT, to enjoy a skippered-sail in traditional Broads yachts provided by NHFT or, if experienced, to hire these yachts
  • tuition provided at BTAC and HSC.

Our clubs welcome anyone interested to come along and participate. Join the club for:

  • regular racing, cruising or social opportunities
  • sail training for young people provided by BASC, HBSC, HSC, NSSA, NBYC, NPC, WOBYC, BTAC and GWYC
  • sail training for adults provided by BASC, HBSC, HSC, NBYC and NPC
  • opportunities in specially adapted or specially designed boats for those who would otherwise find it difficult to get out on the water – see the details of NOT and WSL
  • volunteering opportunities in heritage vessels of the NWT and NHFT
  • opportunities to develop sail and power-boat skills and to train as instructors in schemes organised by BACCC, BMYC, BTAC, HSC, NBYC, NPC, NSSA and WSL. (In some of these, e.g. NOT, you do not need to be a club member.)

The RYA OnBoard scheme to encourage juniors to start sailing is organised in this area by Holly Hancock. She can be contacted at hollyonboard@btinternet.com

There are also plenty of opportunities on the Broads to hire a canoe, rowing boat, power boat or sailing craft (big or small). Throughout this book you will find examples of all the above activities in the adverts: Colin Buttifant, Whispering Reeds, Moonfleet Marine, Repps Staithe Boatyard, Eastwood Whelpton, Doug Ashley Marine, Whitlingham Outdoor Education Centre, Ferry Marina and Waveney River Centre, Norfolk Broads Yachting Co, and information pages. See also Broads Authority leaflets and Broadcaster newspaper available in their Tourist Information Centres, or look on www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boating

You can watch events on the Broads which trace their origins to before 1900; some of the competition craft may be even older. Nowhere else in Britain is there such a rich and active heritage of inland boating, all through the year. Most of the regattas can be viewed from the shore or bankside; programmes are included in this book. In particular, long-distance sailing races take place, involving special skills and teamwork where bridges and tides are involved. See the Open Meetings list on pages 36–41 for the dates of races and regattas.

There is even an opportunity to race traditional Broads cruising yachts as a hirer. Established in 1977, the Barton Charter Yacht Regatta is unique in allowing sailors with some previous experience to enjoy the thrill of such racing in an atmosphere of friendly competition on Barton Broad. Up to 35 yachts of different rigs, sizes, ages and handicaps, can be hired to participate in this voluntarily-organised regatta (details page 12).