Page 35 - Anglian angling on the broads

34 Environment Agency Angle on the Broads Environment Agency Angle on the Broads 35

water side of channel marker posts. under a bridge or to raise it again on not involved in the race. They will
Conflict can arise between anglers Do’s and Don’ts the other side. In general they are find it even harder to spot the well
and powered craft when the boat’s allowed to do so and in particular camouflaged angler. Remember also
helm fails to see the angler or their Do: they have a right to do so at Broads that there will be a lot of activity in
gear and fails to pull away from the >> make yourself visible to boat Authority 24-Hour Moorings. Fishing the vicinity of racing start and finish
bank. Anglers can help to avoid this helms approaching along the is allowed at Broads Authority 24- lines, and the buoys which serve as
situation by making themselves channel Hour Moorings too, but the signs tell marks of the course and which boats
visible on the bank. Remember, the anglers they must make room for must turn round. In these places
helm is probably looking around at >> move your gear out of the way boats wishing to moor. Problems will boats have very few options on
the wildlife and scenery as well as when it obstructs a boat’s arise when either party has failed the manoeuvres they can perform,
scanning the water in front of the passage to see the other one in time to take particularly when there are other
boat. The light conditions can make >> acknowledge a helm’s action. Anglers may not realise that boats nearby. These are not sensible
fishing gear hard to see and there attempts to keep out of your a sailing craft has only one chance to spots to set yourself up to fish on
will be times when the helm cannot way. lose power from the sails and coast days when racing is scheduled.
pull away from the bank. into the bank to pick up the mooring.
Don’t: Misjudgement will mean failing to With a little give and take and good
Sailing boats are more likely to give Be aware of other boaters >> obstruct a boat’s passage reach the bank or worse, crashing manners on both sides, anglers and
anglers problems as they depend when angling afloat along the channel into it with limited control and boaters can co-exist to their mutual
on the wind for their motive power. possible damage. benefit on the Broads. Many people
They cannot sail towards the wind – >> throw objects at passing boats enjoy one or both activities – long
to be more exact, the best they can >> shout abuse Racing takes place at many places may they continue to do so.
manage is around 45 degrees from top of the mast to second guess the then flatten out and stick to the on the Broads. Inevitably helms’
the wind direction on either side. wind direction. They will be looking bank way beyond the point that you >> set yourself up in a spot that attention will be focused on sailing Philip Ollier
If they want to head to windward at the front of the sails to spot would have expected them to tack is likely to create conflict with their boats as fast and efficiently
they have to follow a zigzag course, fluttering and to see whether the off. This is because they will find it other users of the Broads. as possible, while avoiding the Executive Secretary, NSBA
gradually getting closer to where boat is pointed in the best direction easier to make progress along the other craft on the river, whether or www.thegreenbook.org.uk
they want to go. This is called relative to the wind. They will also bank when the current is against
‘tacking’. Remember also that the be looking at that boat which is on them and will often get a ‘lift’ in wind
wind is not a constant factor, it varies a collision course on the opposite direction off the bank and find that
direction frequently. This is made tack and wondering who has right of they can continue to sail along the
worse by local factors such as trees way and who should give way. The bank for a short distance without
and houses which form eddies, and last thing they will be looking for is needing to tack away. Remember,
dykes and stands of trees which an angler tucked into shelter behind Broads Authority Bylaw 29 (3) says
funnel the wind. So the helm is trying a bush with fishing gear below the “Any person fishing from a boat or
all the time to make best use of the line of the bank, virtually invisible the bank shall show reasonable
wind and the width of the waterway and streaming towards them with the consideration to any other person
to take the boat in the current. Of course, all these factors using the navigation area and shall
right direction. come into play in spades when the ensure that his rod or line does not
boat is racing and there is the whiff obstruct the passage of a vessel
Where do sailing boat of competition in the air. along a channel.”
problems come from?
Sailing boats also seem to have Mooring is another situation where
Being silent, sailing boats will sneak an unnatural attraction for the side conflict can occur. Boats want to
up on you and will give you little of the river. It looks as if they will moor alongside the bank for a
time to lift your gear – they just follow a zigzag course, reaching whole number of reasons; lunch, a
will not see you. The helm will be the bank and turning away. But no, shopping trip, an overnight stop, tea,
looking at the burgee (flag) at the for some strange reason they will to drop their mast prior to passing

Conflict can arise between anglers and powered

craft when the boat’s helm fails to see the angler

or their gear and fails to pull away from the bank. Quality fishing opportunities exist even on busy
stretches of the Broads (Photo: Dennis Willis)