Other Norfolk Broads Vessels

Reedlighters

Reedlighters were the traditional working craft od the Broads marshmen. They were usually clinker built, broad for their length, pointed at both ends and with very flat bottoms. When fully laden, there was virtually no freeboard and the marshman needed very good balance to avoid swamping his craft. A typical reedlighter, like the one on display at the Broads Museum at Stalham, could carry about 3/4 of a cart load of reed.

The marshmen used the lighters to penetrate deep into the reed beds, using a network of dykes. In the summer they would transport sedge, in the winter reed. The lighters were the only way of getting bundles of reed out to the navigable rivers, where they could be stacked at the nearest staithe to await collection by wherries.

Rowing Boats

A number of rowing boats are mentioned in Coot Club and The Big Six, notably those belonging to Port and Starboard, one belonging to Dr Dudgeon, and one belonging to the Towsers. Ransome gives few details of these, although he does describe Port and Starboard's as "long, light and narrow" (Coot Club, Chapter 11). With each rower using two oars, it is clear that these boats could move at a considerable speed.

White Boats (Yare and Bure One Designs)

Flash is the main example of these racing keelboats, and you can find out more details about them on her page. Ransome does mention two other "White Boats" by name, Grizzled Skipper and Shooting Star. These were both presumably intended to be fictional names at the time he wrote Coot Club, but it is worth noting that a real white boat named Grizzled Skipper was launched in 1938. 

Other Vessels

There are sundry other vessels mentioned in passing, including a hulk occupied by the Breydon Pilot, another hulk used by the eelman Harry Bangate, a provision boat moored near Acle Bridge and a houseboat moored in Horning. 

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