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River Thames Boat Licencing Questions


Jennifer

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6 minutes ago, Jennifer said:

Yes agree I do think however they should have better systems really as to get a licence in early December means you have to pay a whole year for one month so no choice but to wait until January and get temporary licences from the EA until then.  Good to know we can transfer the licence if we sell in the future thanks for that.

It's because the EA is a government department and somewhat (unkindly said) hidebound that licences and registrations are somewhat inflexible. Indeed it's only due to the action of a previous Thames harbourmaster that there's any reciprocal arrangement at all. 

Of the 18,000 odd registrations of boats on the Thames there are few NBs or canal boats on the River anyway.

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38 minutes ago, Jennifer said:

Yes agree I do think however they should have better systems really as to get a licence in early December means you have to pay a whole year for one month so no choice but to wait until January and get temporary licences from the EA until then.  Good to know we can transfer the licence if we sell in the future thanks for that.

Are you really planning to head up the river before Christmas with the weather like it is now?

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It's still very nasty out there -

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Mapledurham lock - currently closed because there's a tree down blocking the lower gates - is showing a river level approaching flood conditions.

Given that contractors may have difficulty in getting plant to a site (much equipment is watre bound), I wouldn't be surprised is the schedules slip (the're very tight anyway - to keep costs down), so that the Christmas open window may be shut - and barred (!)

Even the rowers have had to cancel their 'races'.

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23 hours ago, OldGoat said:

It's still very nasty out there -

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Mapledurham lock - currently closed because there's a tree down blocking the lower gates - is showing a river level approaching flood conditions.

Given that contractors may have difficulty in getting plant to a site (much equipment is watre bound), I wouldn't be surprised is the schedules slip (the're very tight anyway - to keep costs down), so that the Christmas open window may be shut - and barred (!)

Even the rowers have had to cancel their 'races'.

We have someone who is an experienced skipper taking us and it is all planned and know about all the conditions at the moment but thanks for mentioning this as it is very important to know we are prepared for disruption but do need to go to the mooring asap otherwise we will lose it 

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5 minutes ago, Jennifer said:

We have someone who is an experienced skipper taking us and it is all planned and know about all the conditions at the moment but thanks for mentioning this as it is very important to know we are prepared for disruption but do need to go to the mooring asap otherwise we will lose it 

Good luck with that, I would just pay for the mooring even if I wasn't there rather than risk my boat.

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46 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Good luck with that, I would just pay for the mooring even if I wasn't there rather than risk my boat.

We are not risking our boat we have someone that knows exactly what to do and does it all the time at this time of year and with the current condition.  He  has checked the conditions and the day that we are going exactly we are also doing it over a number of days to ensure there is no issues because this has been planned properly thanks

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42 minutes ago, Jennifer said:

We are not risking our boat we have someone that knows exactly what to do and does it all the time at this time of year and with the current condition.  He  has checked the conditions and the day that we are going exactly we are also doing it over a number of days to ensure there is no issues because this has been planned properly thanks

I agree that as long as the skipper really knows the Thames AND the boat is properly prepared any risk is smaller than many seem to think. However the properly prepared bit means ensuring the cooling system can cope when the engine is running flat out for hours AND ensuring the fuel tank is absolutely devoid of water and muck. Then change the fuel filters, have some spares and know how to fit them PDQ.

 

It is probably safer running downstream than up as long as you can turn to come into moor and know you have enough clearance at bridges. I  well remember trying to get a 40ft GRO wide beam with a BMC 2.2 with the throttle stop right off upstream through Maidenhead Bridge. It took maybe 5 to 10 minutes making just perceptable progress with the ever present danger that if I could not keep the boat pointing straight upstream the current would smash it into the bridge.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I am sure you've done this, but please check your insurance. Mine is invalidated if someone who I have employed/paid is in control.

As is mine.

The skipper must provide his own 'Commercial Insurance' for 3rd party and public liability.

 

The same rules apply if an employee of a boatyard is moving your boat to take it (say) into the dry dock for blacking.

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On 23/11/2019 at 10:04, Jennifer said:

... we are thinking about moving to the thames early next year and for a few months may have mooring there at a friends garden mooring ...

 

9 hours ago, Jennifer said:

... we are prepared for disruption but do need to go to the mooring asap otherwise we will lose it 

Not sure I follow this.  Your friend is going to give it to someone else?

 

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5 minutes ago, Cheese said:

 

Not sure I follow this.  Your friend is going to give it to someone else?

 

I am not going to discuss my mooring arrangements on a forum and not even sure how that is relevant to my original question or how we get there but appreciate the warnings and comments. We have that all covered with a very experienced skipper who is not going to sink our boat otherwise we would not risk it.

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Methinks 'we' do fret too much -

Folks come on here with quite a noarrow question, take umbrage when 'them 'as knows' try to put the issue / problem / challenge in perspective and said OP does a wobbly / whatever. 

The result is that 'we' get frustrated and the OP goes away in a huf.

I can only say that -

  • Currently the River has a lot of fast moving water which would challenge most NBs 
  • There are changes to the winter repair schedule mahing upstream journeys from the K&A impossible
  • ditto downstream from Reading until after the Christmas season.
  • The OP wants to move 'soon' for "whatever reason".

 

'We' can only go so far and are NOT trying to be obstructive - just helpful but can't do much if the enquirer keep schtum.

Make I feel sad....

Never mind The Management has just filled my glass with a large Whisky and some miraculous  culinary treats in store - why the expletive should I bother.

I don't care (having seen the latest post) per se where the mooring is - but an approximate location would help - just to point out the restrictions AND NOTHING ELSE.

When any major river is in spate an experienced navigator is of naught if the boat just doesn't have the power (etc) to combat the situation.

 

My Butlerese (?) has just announce dinner is served.

 

TTFN 

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Ref the original question about boat names, some years ago I applied to EA for an annual Thames licence and was told that as there was already a boat of my name registered with EA I would have to be "boat name No 2". I accepted this but never bothered to add the "No 2" to the sign-writing and was never challenged. 

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1 minute ago, OldGoat said:

Methinks 'we' do fret too much -

Folks come on here with quite a noarrow question, take umbrage when 'them 'as knows' try to put the issue / problem / challenge in perspective and said OP does a wobbly / whatever. 

The result is that 'we' get frustrated and the OP goes away in a huf.

I can only say that -

  • Currently the River has a lot of fast moving water which would challenge most NBs 
  • There are changes to the winter repair schedule mahing upstream journeys from the K&A impossible
  • ditto downstream from Reading until after the Christmas season.
  • The OP wants to move 'soon' for "whatever reason".

 

'We' can only go so far and are NOT trying to be obstructive - just helpful but can't do much if the enquirer keep schtum.

Make I feel sad....

Never mind The Management has just filled my glass with a large Whisky and some miraculous  culinary treats in store - why the expletive should I bother.

I don't care (having seen the latest post) per se where the mooring is - but an approximate location would help - just to point out the restrictions AND NOTHING ELSE.

When any major river is in spate an experienced navigator is of naught if the boat just doesn't have the power (etc) to combat the situation.

 

My Butlerese (?) has just announce dinner is served.

 

TTFN 

Not in a huff at all as I said I appreciate the advice the person who is the skipper lives very close to the mooring does the trip weekly and knows the conditions the days to leave have changed several times for this reason and we know that we have to heed the warnings otherwise it would be stupid to go but the route planned is safe and under control if there are changes we wont go on the day and change again 

 

The mooring is near Teddington 

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GU to Teddington is not a problem at any time of year. Obviously there will be some water coming down so a trip to Hampton Wick from teddington lock might be a bit slow but nothing particularly worrying. 

 

Depending on where on the GU but assuming boat is at Brentford then it's just a short tidal hop with virtually no traffic and a bit of tide to help you along. 

 

If the boat is further up the GU there are things like Denham lock which could present problems. 

 

 

ETA its on yellow stream decreasing down there at the moment whereas further up where the river is narrower there are still a lot of red boards out. 

 

 

 

Edited by magnetman
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14 hours ago, Jennifer said:

Not in a huff at all as I said I appreciate the advice the person who is the skipper lives very close to the mooring does the trip weekly and knows the conditions the days to leave have changed several times for this reason and we know that we have to heed the warnings otherwise it would be stupid to go but the route planned is safe and under control if there are changes we wont go on the day and change again 

 

The mooring is near Teddington 

Aha - then I needn't have bothered with all those dire warnings...

Safe journey and enjoy!

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Welcome to the forum, to answer your question's. You can get a rough idea with regard name by checking here https://canalplan.org.uk/boats/ but do not take it for gospel. Best to ring EA licensing themselves but be careful when I did that in 1999 they said my boat name would be "Vera 2" but when I got the licence it was for "Vera 4" so good job I did not paint "Vera 2" on the side. Surely the cheapest licence is just a Thames Licence on its own. Depends if you are going back on the canal's in the future in which case which is cheaper a Thames licence and an occasional CRT Visitor licence or the Gold licence, only you can decide that one as depends on your usage. We were moored on the Thames 1964 ish through to 2009 and it is fine if you know what you are doing.

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