About ten years ago, had, in company with a friend, a catch of 17 stone in one day on Wroxham Broad, and with only one rod each. Have heard of many catches from time to time of from 4 to 10 or 12 stone, but am unable now to give names or dates.
21. What is the reason of the non-success of strange anglers which is so noticeable?
See “Roach.”
N.B. In fishing for bream, the bait should always drag on the bottom.
YACHTING.
It will have been gathered from the foregoing pages that the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk present exceptional facilities for small-boat sailing and smooth-water yachting, better, perhaps, than any other part of England. There are two yachting clubs, the Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club and the Yare Sailing Club, the latter a very flourishing institution, furnishing four or five regattas in the year for small 4-ton yachts and open boats.
There are numbers of suitable yachts for hire, but, owing to the frequent changes of ownership, it is not practicable to give a list of those who have boats for hire, which would be of any use. Enquiry at the inns at Oulton, and advertisements in the Yarmouth and Norwich papers will generally elicit suitable answers. Bullen, of Oulton, is a likely man to have a yacht to let. Open sailing-boats with awnings to sleep under, and small cabin yachts of four to ten tons, can be obtained of Loynes, Wroxham; and comfortable craft they are. The awnings of the small boats are waterproof, and most ingeniously constructed, and the boats can be rowed or sailed anywhere. Loynes may be trusted to provide everything that is necessary for comfort, and his yachts and boats are largely patronized. They are all rigged Una fashion, with one sail, and are very easily managed. Canoes and rowing boats are in plenty at the riverside, at Norwich, Yarmouth, and Oulton.
As before stated, the goods traffic on the river is carried on by means of sailing craft of from 20 to 70 tons burthen, called wherries. These are long, shallow, graceful vessels, with an enormous mast, supporting one enormous sail. The sail is spread by a long gaff, but there is no boom. There is only one halyard, and the sail is hoisted by means of a winch at the foot of the mast. There is no rigging to the mast except the forestay, which is mainly of use for lowering the mast, the latter being balanced on the tabernacle by a ton and a half of lead on its heel, so that it is raised as easily as it is lowered. These wherries sail very fast, very close to the wind, and are often managed by one man. Yachts built on the wherry plan are very comfortable craft, and easily managed.
Wherries are frequently hired by private parties, the hatches are raised a plank or two higher to give greater head-room, the clean-swept hold is divided into several rooms, and a capital floating house is extemporized.
There is now quite a fleet of permanently-fitted pleasure wherries on the rivers, which have ample accommodation for a party or family, and are to be hired at from 8 to 15 guineas a week.