Skipper

[bwood]

Hi I have a 40ft by 10ft dutch barge. I need to move it from Shepperton Marina to East London. I was considering taking on the Thames to Limehouse.

Can anyone give me any advice for a Skipper to ether do it for me or help. 

 

thanks. 

[WotEver]

it’ll help those interested if you can give them a time of when you wish to do this. 

[bwood]

Ideally next week from the 1st October. 

[Paringa]

If the barge is new to you and unproven in lumpy water i would be very wary...

 

If you have any diesel bug in the bottom of the tank it will go through the fuel filters and could block them when stirred up on the tideway. The engine stopping is the last thing you need, and then you have to deploy a Anchor... you see where i am going with this.

[bwood]

I do indeed. thank you. 

[David Mack]

What's the draft and air draft? It may be possible to go via the Grand Union, Paddington Branch and Regents Canal. Will take longer but avoids the tidal Thames below Brentford.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I've crewed on a couple of boats doing this trip, bringing my VHF radio etc. Paringa makes a very important point, about clean fuel. Anchor and lifejackets are also important, and VHF radio.

 

Depending on the cruising speed of your boat, I would set off from Teddington at about HW London Bridge (1 hour before HW Teddington), so you are looking for a day when HWLB is between say 0800 and 1500 BST (7 and 14 GMT).

 

I could crew on 8 9 or 10 October (HW 10, 1130 or 1230 BST respectively). I would be crew, NOT a pilot or skipper. (ETA, in any event the tide times are not convenient next week, 0415 and 1630 on 1st October etc. Night cruising not recommended).

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2019/07/24/teddington-to-limehouse-july-2019/

Edited September 24, 2019 by Scholar Gypsy