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Safe moorings London area and trip timings


Philip

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1 hour ago, junior said:

What are you doing when you get to Barbridge? Do you plan to return to where you started at some point?

 

Reason i ask is i like a long day, but that schedule looks full on to me and i think you're being a bit optimistic on the southern end of your route. If you've got no specific reason to go to Barbridge/Nantwich I'd only go as far as Birmingham if i were you. Wolverhampton 21 will be a massive effort and in my opinion the shroppie is quite boring apart from Audlem being nice. 

You must be the only person to think the Shroppie is boring?

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1 hour ago, junior said:

What are you doing when you get to Barbridge? Do you plan to return to where you started at some point?

 

Reason i ask is i like a long day, but that schedule looks full on to me and i think you're being a bit optimistic on the southern end of your route. If you've got no specific reason to go to Barbridge/Nantwich I'd only go as far as Birmingham if i were you. Wolverhampton 21 will be a massive effort and in my opinion the shroppie is quite boring apart from Audlem being nice. 

I'm doing a one way trip. Making arrangements to have the boat transported by road to 'the London area' and Lea Valley Stanstead Marina looks like it is fairly straightforward to get to, what's more a bit of added interest with the Lea Navigation, Olympics area, Limehouse Cut/Basin and the Regent's Canal; the purpose is to 'do' the Grand Union. Barbridge is where I keep it, so I would have thought the easiest and quickest route once off the GU would be to go up the Shropshire Union?

Edited by Philip
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27 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Must say its not my number one ether, long straits wth little view

Some great views across east Shropshire between Cheswardine and Knighton and also around Wheaton Aston. I'm not sure any other canal can match for the scale of engineering, relative to the length.

 

And Brewood has an excellent Indian restaurant!

Edited by Philip
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FWIW I was doing a litter pick on the Hertford Union and on the Regents Canal between Mile End Lock and Broadway Market on Thursday and there are a lot less boats than usual on these sections.There were towpath gaps in all locations and not that much breasting up.I can only assume that a lot of Continuous Cruisers moved out of central London which marries up with my experience when moored in Berko just before the March lockdown ,when a steady stream of  CC boats were  all heading north at that time.

 

So if you are planning a trip anytime soon ,mooring should be much less challenging that usual in the locations I passed recently in central London

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Rather than using the canals to transit London why not enter the river at Limehouse and travel to Brentford that way, far quicker and in my opinion a much nicer run. You need to check the tide times so you can leave Limehouse at a sensible time of day.

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3 hours ago, KenK said:

Rather than using the canals to transit London why not enter the river at Limehouse and travel to Brentford that way, far quicker and in my opinion a much nicer run. You need to check the tide times so you can leave Limehouse at a sensible time of day.

I don't have an anchor and feel a skipper/guide onboard would be sensible from everything I've read about it. Would like to do it at some point, but think it needs more planning. Besides I quite fancy doing the Regent's Canal...Islington Tunnel looks interesting and working through Camden and Hampstead Road lock would be an experience, of sorts!

 

Would a mud weight be ok instead of an anchor for a GRP? Also is single handling permitted on this part of the Thames if the person hasn't done it before? 

 

Suppose I could do what you suggest and then make a detour at Bulls Bridge...then turn around at the eastern end of Islington Tunnel. Still a bit concerned about the Thames and how to handle all the other craft.

Edited by Philip
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12 minutes ago, Philip said:

I don't have an anchor and feel a skipper/guide onboard would be sensible from everything I've read about it. Would like to do it at some point, but think it needs more planning. Besides I quite fancy doing the Regent's Canal...Islington Tunnel looks interesting and working through Camden and Hampstead Road lock would be an experience, of sorts!

 

Would a mud weight be ok instead of an anchor for a GRP? Also is single handling permitted on this part of the Thames if the person hasn't done it before? 

 

Suppose I could do what you suggest and then make a detour at Bulls Bridge...then turn around at the eastern end of Islington Tunnel. Still a bit concerned about the Thames and how to handle all the other craft.

Anyone is allowed to single hand on the Thames. I would not advise it for a novice. As you imply there's quite a lot to worry about on the tideway, in particular closed bridge arches and big boats (example below).

A mud anchor would not meet the PLA's recommendations for cruisers.  https://www.boatingonthethames.co.uk/Cruising  

dsc_9346.jpg

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26 minutes ago, Philip said:

Would a mud weight be ok instead of an anchor for a GRP?

A mud weight would not qualify as an anchor in any vessel (not even a tin bath)

To work properly and stop the boat in an emergency (which is ideally what you want it to do) the anchor and chain should be 'matched to the boat'. A bucket of concrete on a rope is no substitute - what's your life worth ?

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24 minutes ago, Philip said:

I don't have an anchor and feel a skipper/guide onboard would be sensible from everything I've read about it. Would like to do it at some point, but think it needs more planning. Besides I quite fancy doing the Regent's Canal...Islington Tunnel looks interesting and working through Camden and Hampstead Road lock would be an experience, of sorts!

 

Would a mud weight be ok instead of an anchor for a GRP? Also is single handling permitted on this part of the Thames if the person hasn't done it before? 

 

Suppose I could do what you suggest and then make a detour at Bulls Bridge...then turn around at the eastern end of Islington Tunnel. Still a bit concerned about the Thames and how to handle all the other craft.

The rules vary depending on the length of your boat but manning rules only kick in for larger vessels. The river is only really busy between Limehouse and the London Eye, mostly the passengers ferries and the high speed ribs. The first time I did it we left Limehouse at 3.00 pm on a Saturday and that was interesting but to be fair not unsafe. PLA publish information for leisure boaters on their website. I've done the trip several times in both directions never had a problem but obviously you need to consider all the risks especially the weather. Good luck with your trip whichever way you decide to go.

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1 hour ago, KenK said:

The rules vary depending on the length of your boat but manning rules only kick in for larger vessels. The river is only really busy between Limehouse and the London Eye, mostly the passengers ferries and the high speed ribs. The first time I did it we left Limehouse at 3.00 pm on a Saturday and that was interesting but to be fair not unsafe. PLA publish information for leisure boaters on their website. I've done the trip several times in both directions never had a problem but obviously you need to consider all the risks especially the weather. Good luck with your trip whichever way you decide to go.

Just to add there is a lot of freight traffic on the river at the moment - the usual rubbish barges (to Nine Elms and Wandsworth) but also a lot of traffic (various sites, up to Putney) for the Thames tideway tunnel (see my photo above). Personally I worry more about these boats, either overtaking you or meeting them at a bridge where they have priority, than about the passenger boats and RIBs -- which are much more maneuverable.  The PLA link is https://www.boatingonthethames.co.uk/Cruising, but also check the notices to mariners on the main PLA website.

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1 hour ago, KenK said:

The rules vary depending on the length of your boat but manning rules only kick in for larger vessels. The river is only really busy between Limehouse and the London Eye, mostly the passengers ferries and the high speed ribs. The first time I did it we left Limehouse at 3.00 pm on a Saturday and that was interesting but to be fair not unsafe. PLA publish information for leisure boaters on their website. I've done the trip several times in both directions never had a problem but obviously you need to consider all the risks especially the weather. Good luck with your trip whichever way you decide to go.

Thanks!

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A mud weight would not qualify as an anchor in any vessel (not even a tin bath)

To work properly and stop the boat in an emergency (which is ideally what you want it to do) the anchor and chain should be 'matched to the boat'. A bucket of concrete on a rope is no substitute - what's your life worth ?

That's fair enough and as I say I think something like the Thames tideway needs particular respect and planning. Only asked because a mud weight is deemed ok in place of an anchor for a boat as light as this (approx 1 tonne) for the Manchester Ship Canal seaworthy certificate. 

Edited by Philip
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3 hours ago, matty40s said:

You've obviously not done it in Winter or early Spring then, fantastic views at that time.

I think I have done it at most times of the year, I didn't say it was bad but there others I would rather do

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23 hours ago, KenK said:

The rules vary depending on the length of your boat but manning rules only kick in for larger vessels. The river is only really busy between Limehouse and the London Eye, mostly the passengers ferries and the high speed ribs. The first time I did it we left Limehouse at 3.00 pm on a Saturday and that was interesting but to be fair not unsafe. PLA publish information for leisure boaters on their website. I've done the trip several times in both directions never had a problem but obviously you need to consider all the risks especially the weather. Good luck with your trip whichever way you decide to go.

Is there perhaps some confusion/link with the Trent - IIRC single handing is not allowed at the tidal end

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6 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

Is there perhaps some confusion/link with the Trent - IIRC single handing is not allowed at the tidal end

I think you are right - although the locals say the port authority (ABP) are not really bothered if you stay above Keadby ....

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On 28/06/2020 at 14:23, Philip said:

 Also is single handling permitted on this part of the Thames if the person hasn't done it before? 

 

On 28/06/2020 at 14:41, Scholar Gypsy said:

Anyone is allowed to single hand on the Thames.

 

But your insurers may not permit it. Some insurers also require that boats travelling the Thames below Brentford should do so in convoy with at least one other boat (so there is someone to take you in tow if you get engine problems etc.)

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