Scholar Gypsy

St Pancras Cruising Club have now published details of their trips in 2015: January 8th to 12th 2015 - Royal Docks April 3rd 2015 - Limehouse to Brentford May 9th 2015 - Thames Barrier, Brentford and Teddington (photo below) May 16th and 17th 2015 - Barking May 23rd and 24th 2015 - Gravesend (photo below) For further details and registration forms, please click here

I enjoyed his tax strategy: "My fuel usage strategy is to firstly minimise/eliminate my fossil fuel consumption, and secondly obfuscate where ever possible my tax liabilities and my payment of them."

Earnest has one on their exhaust - you can see it clearly in this photo, taken from the TNC blog mentioned above. (114 miles in 15.5 hours!)

This thread caused me to buy an old copy of Reed's Nautical Almanac at a local second hand shop this morning, Havengore does indeed sound a little hairy - max draft 1.5m at high water springs... I will now read the sections on Kings Lynn and Boston, preparing for my trip across the Wash in 2015..

One could attach to the dowels as described above a piece of thin plastic tube. Stick the dipstick in the hole, put finger over end of tube, and lift up. you can then see the level of the fluid. Put bottom of tube back in the gearbox, take your finger off and allow the fluid to run back into the gearbox. I did try to get this to work in my diesel tank, but gave up as I couldn't find a safe way to weight the end of the tube and be confident that said weight would not fall off & rattle around in the tank (or worse).

so is the cylinder on the top part of the cooling system, or the exhaust? I think the former, and the exhaust is lower down, on the port side, next to the turbocharger?

It does sound like a water system team. It is also worth checking the weed hatch - if you have been moving the boat recently. The one and only time I thought I had a hull leak (1980), that was the problem. Somebody had not tightened it enough....

And this book from the RYA shop gives you a pretty good idea of what to do. (£14.49, also available as an e-book).

As anyone got good enough eyesight to see if the bottom gates are single (south of Banbury) or double (north)?

Brentford is C&RT, Teddington is the EA, the water in between (well most of it until you get to the boundary marker just below Teddington) is PLA..

See this thread, which is also running hot today. As far as I can see the PLA regs don't define what a narrow boat is!

Well, you did ask... An extract from the current PLA General Directions is below. I think in plain English this means (noting that the term narrow boat is not defined) any narrowboat can transit between Brentford & Teddington (clause 1a), contacting VTS by telephone (3) any pleasure vessel, not planning to fish, and less than 13.7m, can go anywhere without a radio (clause 1) - I agree with comments above about the wisdom of doing this a convoy of boats over that length can go down as far as Bow Creek (1b), provided one of them has VHF, can speak English (clause 5d), and can communicate by phone, walkie talkie, shouting or semaphore to the others (1b iii), and that they give 7 days notice (4a) I am not quite sure what the rules are for a 40 foot coal boat - that might count as bunkering .... In practice the third rule applies to well organised convoys going down through the Barrier. When we went to Gravesend we all had VHF and we a had a serious safety boat as well. ======================== 4. USE OF VHF RADIO (1) With the exception of General Directions 4.2, this Direction shall apply to: • Reporting Vessels; • Passenger Boats; • Tugs; • Bunker Vessels; • Vessels engaged or intending to engage in fishing; and • Vessels of 13.7m or more in length overall except: a) narrow boats greater than 13.7m in length overall navigating between Brentford and Teddington; Pleasure Vessels greater than 13.7m in length overall navigating to the west of Bow Creek, provided that: i) they are travelling in company or a flotilla; ii) they are not the lead vessel of that company or flotilla; and iii) there is a lead vessel, which complies with the requirements of this Direction and is able to communicate immediately and effectively with all other vessels in the company or flotilla; or c) vessels under oars. (2) On all vessels fitted with VHF radio, the Master shall ensure that VHF channels utilised by London VTS are used only for reporting safety of navigation, emergency and urgent communications and for no other purpose. All such VHF communications shall comply with the guidelines contained within IMO Resolution A.954/23 (proper use of VHF channels at sea). Note: London VTS Operates on the following VHF channels; Outer Limits to Sea Reach No.4 Buoy – Channel 69 Sea Reach No.4 to Crayfordness – Channel 68 Crayfordness to Teddington – Channel 14 (3) A narrow boat excepted under Directions 4. (1) a) above, shall call London VTS by telephone and report it’s estimated time of departure from the point of departure and estimated time of arrival at it’s destination. (4) Any vessel or group of vessels planning to exercise the exemption under Direction 4. (1) above, shall either individually or through the lead vessel: a) provide at least 7 days notice to the Harbourmaster of their intention to navigate on the Thames; comply with any conditions for their passage required by the Harbourmaster; and c) report, through the lead vessel, to London VTS prior to commencing navigation on the Thames, providing details of the vessels involved, their destination and estimated time of arrival. Upon completion of the passage the lead vessel shall inform London VTS of their arrival. (5) On every vessel to which this Direction applies, at all times when underway or at anchor there shall be: a) an operational VHF radio capable of communicating with a Harbourmaster at the VTS Centres; an effective, continuous listening watch maintained on the VHF channel appropriate to that part of the Thames in which it is navigating or lying; c) compliance with the communications requirements set out in these Directions for the use of VHF radio; and d) manning and operation of the VHF radio by a suitably qualified person, capable of communicating effectively in English. (6) Prior to a vessel’s departure from a berth, pier or anchorage, the appropriate PLA VHF channel shall be monitored for information that may affect the safe navigation of the vessel, including the routine half-hourly VHF navigation information broadcast made immediately prior to the intended departure time. Note: Notwithstanding that only Reporting Vessels routinely report their movements (see General Direction 13), other than in the Thames Barrier Control Zone (see General Direction 27), other vessels to which this Direction applies should generally “listen and learn” from VHF radio traffic. They must however, report in an emergency and when required by the Harbourmaster. (7) Reports by Specified Vessels navigating in the Thames shall always be prefixed with the word ‘SPECIFIED’ in any VHF communication with a VTS Centre or other vessel.

Some recent IWA coverage on this here - implies that discussions are underway but no decisions taken? The thread on the incident (August 2014) is here. I can't find anything more formal on the PLA website.

Here is an extract from the guidance I mentioned earlier. I have not tried the torpedo approach myself.... Calling VTS is a good idea - not so much to ask permission, but to let everyone else in the area know what you are doing. Watch out for clippers coming upstream from Canary Wharf pier (on the north/left bank). I've found the link to the photo album that RichardN mentioned earlier. Here it is. (SG comes around the corner at No 43, with a bit of left rudder later on to counteract the Eddy).

And NC will need to load up with beer and donuts if they fancy a crack at the last mile of the Ouse above Bedford - I think the railway bridges are a nominal 2m?

I agree, as well as seeing more of the river, you have a couple of hours to get used to the tideway before tackling the most challenging section (Wapping to Westminster). Good to do this with another boat, as Richard N says. Many insurers require an extra premium if you want to go through the Barrier.

There aren't that many pubs, which is why the ones that are there have to be visited. What's your headroom, with all the moveable bits folded down? NB you might want to use the New Bedford River which will save some time...

GOBA is very good value. Beware, they may ask you to write an article for their excellent magazine. Here's my effort...

I am surprised that Leo No 2 and Indigo Dream have not yet given a plug for this, so I will instead: http://www.thamescruising.co.uk/

ely, like most EA sites, is 48 hours. ETA: Ely moorings belong to City Council, but still 48 hrs.

I agree - I am always happy to come along as crew (and bring my VHF radio etc etc).