Carnage At Bell Weir

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

This is ... errr was a 27 - 31ft Birchwood cruiser now crashed into Bell Weir at probably 10 knots !

 

 

Then I went around a little further and saw that there's TWO boats crashed into the weir ! A smaller speed boat to the right of the Birchwood.

 

 

The worrying thing of all this is that I'm right in the firing line moored in the weir stream about 350 yards away when the water eventually drops !!

 

Malc...... this is no longer amusing.

Edited December 28, 2012 by Serenity Malc

[Richard T]

Hopefully there was nobody on board and its only broken plastic not bones or a persons life.

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

Thankfully these craft were swept away by their unthinking owners and no one was aboard.

 

I spoke to the lockie who told me that the Birchwood was for sale and the owner hadn't bothered to insure it !

 

I also enquired as to what The EA were going to do about it ? Had they put lines on both craft ? His reply was no ...... where would they put a line on ? ..... any line would pull out anyway.

 

I have to say that I'm truly scared of when the water level drops ! .... as I'm right in the line of travel when they break loose !

 

There are 9 out of 9 weir gates open ..... but 2 of them have boats wedged in them.

 

Malc. ........ yeah I'm quite scared now !

Edited December 28, 2012 by Serenity Malc

[lynalldisocvery]

Shame to see boats smashed like that, but on the other hand if he didnt bother to insure it ive no sympathy at all.

 

 

Lynall

[carlt]

Or he may be selling it because he could no longer afford to keep his pride and joy and, when times are hard, insurance is one of the first things to go.

 

Edited to add: Now the floods have swept it away he may be completely screwed if he was relying on the boat sale to keep his finances together.

Edited December 28, 2012 by carlt

[Dekazer]

Gosh, Malc, hope that everything turns out ok - those are some dramatic photos. Are the lockies keeping in touch with you? Will the EA be able to provide any other sort of protection for your boat before the water drops, or might you be able to find anyone who can? I'm thinking about something to buffer your boat from any potential collision...?

 

Shame to see boats smashed like that, but on the other hand if he didnt bother to insure it ive no sympathy at all.

 

Lynall

 

It must be very reassuring to be so certain about the rights and wrongs of other people's actions.

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

Yello,

 

Thankfully these craft were swept away by their unthinking owners and no one was aboard.

 

I spoke to the lockie who told me that the Birchwood was for sale and the owner hadn't bothered to insure it !

 

I also enquired as to what The EA were going to do about it ? Had they put lines on both craft ? His reply was no ...... where would they put a line on ? ..... any line would pull out anyway.

 

I have to say that I'm truly scared of when the water level drops ! .... as I'm right in the line of travel when they break loose !

 

There are 9 out of 9 weir gates open ..... but 2 of them have boats wedged in them.

 

Malc. ........ yeah I'm quite scared now !

 

Sad to see boats swept away, but good there's been no-one hurt.

 

Now a silly question. Please bare in mind I have no experience of rivers, how the weirs work and what goes on as water rises or falls stream wise.

 

Why is it more likely that the boats will break away as the river level falls, to my basic logic if they can't go through while it is high and flowing very fast, why would they go through when the water level, and probably therefore the flow rate drops. Is the gap between the weir piers wide enough to let it through once the top drops below the walkway at the top

Or am I missing something those more intimate with rivers and weirs know, and I don't.

 

Genuine question, I'm not trying to be funny or awkward.

 

Anyway, if they do break through as you fear I hope your boat and more importantly you come through all this unscathed.

 

Sue

Edited December 28, 2012 by Mrs Tawny Owl

[bowten]

You will be alright,just keep awake!

[ditchcrawler]

Yello,

 

Thankfully these craft were swept away by their unthinking owners and no one was aboard.

 

I spoke to the lockie who told me that the Birchwood was for sale and the owner hadn't bothered to insure it !

 

I also enquired as to what The EA were going to do about it ? Had they put lines on both craft ? His reply was no ...... where would they put a line on ? ..... any line would pull out anyway.

 

I have to say that I'm truly scared of when the water level drops ! .... as I'm right in the line of travel when they break loose !

 

There are 9 out of 9 weir gates open ..... but 2 of them have boats wedged in them.

 

Malc. ........ yeah I'm quite scared now !

Surly as water flows recede the danger of the boats coming over/through the weir will also recede so the risk to you should be less.

[bizzard]

Surly as water flows recede the danger of the boats coming over/through the weir will also recede so the risk to you should be less.

Not necessarily. As the water from the surrounding land recedes back pouring into the river which begins to resume its original normal breadth the currents speed will actually increase for a while.

[matty40s]

Not necessarily. As the water from the surrounding land recedes back pouring into the river which begins to resume its original normal breadth the currents speed will actually increase for a while.

Spot on, the Soar has now mostly dropped back into channel and the flow is very , very quick.

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

The Birchwood I'm guessing weighs 3 - 4 tonnes .... the weir stream current is again I'm guessing 6 -7 knots.

 

Here's the kicker ...... I'm moored about 350 yards down the weir stream with my 12ft fibreglass open motor boat along side my barge.

 

4 tonnes @ 6 - 7 knots ? .... it might be a big bump .... enough to wake me up in the night !

 

It also might wipe out my open boat or could cause significant damage to my barge.

 

Malc.

[bizzard]

If your barge is moored stern on to the current and tied up securely you could run your engine in forward gear all the time. This would slow up and divert any floating debris around you.

[Tony Brooks]

Sad to see boats swept away, but good there's been no-one hurt.

 

Now a silly question. Please bare in mind I have no experience of rivers, how the weirs work and what goes on as water rises or falls stream wise.

 

Why is it more likely that the boats will break away as the river level falls, to my basic logic if they can't go through while it is high and flowing very fast, why would they go through when the water level, and probably therefore the flow rate drops. Is the gap between the weir piers wide enough to let it through once the top drops below the walkway at the top

Or am I missing something those more intimate with rivers and weirs know, and I don't.

 

Genuine question, I'm not trying to be funny or awkward.

 

Anyway, if they do break through as you fear I hope your boat and more importantly you come through all this unscathed.

 

Sue

 

 

 

From memory Bell weir and many Thames lock weirs have large Buck gates that raise up to let water flow underneath them so at the moment the gate is raised but the flow is so great some water is still flowing over the gate. AS the flow drops they will start to lower the gate and at that point the boat might be able to go over the gate.

 

 

Can the OP get a couple of flood lines out from a strong point towards/in the bow to stout trees? In that way of the boat did come his way the line might deflect it out into the river and if it hit his boat they would be there to help take the strain.

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

Thanks Blizzard for that little gem of advice .... I'll bear it in mind .... briefly.

 

Malc.

[DeanS]

I know nothing about rivers, but wouldnt the loose debris in a river be pulled towards the faster flowing centre of the river....so if you're on the sides...it may very well only bounce off you briefly....

 

 

forever the optimist.

[John Holden]

From memory Bell weir and many Thames lock weirs have large Buck gates that raise up to let water flow underneath them so at the moment the gate is raised but the flow is so great some water is still flowing over the gate. AS the flow drops they will start to lower the gate and at that point the boat might be able to go over the gate.

 

 

Can the OP get a couple of flood lines out from a strong point towards/in the bow to stout trees? In that way of the boat did come his way the line might deflect it out into the river and if it hit his boat they would be there to help take the strain.

 

Surely if the EA are aware, they will just leave that one gate obstructing the boat and keeping it penned until such time as it can be recovered safely?

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

Unusually for The Thames, this particular lockie was as about as helpful as a hand brake on a canoe .... so I'm guessing that The EA will do nothing about these damaged craft until the river levels drop enough for the craft to float UNDER the wedged open weir gates.

 

That's when the fun starts for me and my boats.

 

Dear Mrs Tawny .. the weir is there to control the river levels only. Craft normally use the lock beside it. x

 

Malc. ..... still scared.

[bizzard]

Yello,

 

Thanks Blizzard for that little gem of advice .... I'll bear it in mind .... briefly.

 

Malc.

With the engine going full speed ahead you could also parry the debris approaching you and deflect them away with the rudder, like playing table tennis.

[Timleech]

Not necessarily. As the water from the surrounding land recedes back pouring into the river which begins to resume its original normal breadth the currents speed will actually increase for a while.

 

I doubt that the speed through the weir will increase, though?

 

Tim

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

Don't 'Bogart' that joint Bizzdude.

 

Malc.

Edited December 28, 2012 by Serenity Malc

[matty40s]

With the engine going full speed ahead you could also parry the debris approaching you and deflect them away with the rudder, like playing table tennis.

And if you kept it up for long enough ,the boat might go back up to its mooring.

 

I do have sympathy malc, when i was told to chuck my anchor in mid stream a few weeks ago to stop me going over the bank. Peeps who had advised this had not seen the size of debris coming down,which would have torn the anchor away,with my boat at the other end!!

[bizzard]

I doubt that the speed through the weir will increase, though?

 

Tim

The speed probably won't but the volume could if the level increases above the weir, which would increase the currents speed below. There looks like another further vertical yard of sluice opening to go, that's if the sluice boards can fully uncover them. Or did someone say they are fully open, not sure.

[carlt]

I do have sympathy malc, when i was told to chuck my anchor in mid stream a few weeks ago to stop me going over the bank. Peeps who had advised this had not seen the size of debris coming down,which would have torn the anchor away,with my boat at the other end!!

Having moored for several years on a tidal river with a faster flow at normal times than any inland river in flood my advice was sound.

 

If the anchor is set correctly then the debris will not hit the warp.

 

The initial advice was dismissed before I had the opportunity to elaborate on the technique.

[bizzard]

Yello,

 

Don't 'Bogart' that joint Bizzdude.

 

Malc.

No I won't, its in the oven roasting at the mo, and i'm a neat carver.