2nd time holiday boater - help turning at Oxford

[OldGoat]

1 hour ago, ddaann_99 said:

Greart advice from everyone on here and I appreciate you all takng the time to chime in. I'm comfortable now that I can wind at the bottom of Isis lock, come back up and moor. If it's too busy to moor then heading back towards Banbury and taking a train might be an option as Athy says.

 

We're hiring the boat not from friends/people we know but from a couple who have been privately hiring their narrowboat for the last 5 years or so. They did request an itinerary of names/ages etc from me to satisfy the requirements of their insurance. Beyond that I haven't asked about licenses etc if I'm being honest.

 

In terms of the Thames I'm going to run it past the boat owners to see if they're OK with me taking the boat on the river and if their insurance covers it. Perhaps if I make good time getting into Oxford I'll head up Sheepwash and onto the Thames for a while.

 

A few last questions if you'll endulge me...

 

Is there likely to be enough room to turn my 62' boat at Port Meadow to head back down Sheepwash?

There should be no trouble with insurance for the non-tidal thames. It the tidal bit from Shepperton downwards that may require notification. But do check.....

 

Port meadow is shallow and is full of marker buoys pushing boats towards the lock. Given that I expect the river levels are down - just checked, they're only just in the green, thus today, I'd say no - especially as you're new to the river...

 

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Or alternatively, could I pay the Thames day fee at Godstow lock and carry on up to Duke's cut to rejoin the Oxford canal heading North back home??

Yes, you can pay at Godstow, though the EA is better setup for you to pay at King's - through which you would have to pass to get to  Duke's cut to get back on the canal. Ifv you get lucky there may be no-one around to take your money.....

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Is it difficut to moor on this part of the Thames should we want to stop for a couple of hours, eg shallow banks etc? Do you have to pay to use proper moorings on the river?

There are so many places you can moor for free, especially above Oxford. There has and is a problem where so many folks have camped on private land that some farmers have engaged a car parking company to 'discourage' them. If no notices and you can get the boat in, then moor.

Between Godstow and King's there are a couple of spots on the LHS, one on the RHS at the bend below King's, one before the lock layby at King's, several on the RHS after King's 

 

 

Apologies for the barage of questions here but I like to know what I'm doing in advance of getting there when the panic sets in!

It's good to ask, so many folks are afraid of the River and provided you're sensible - which you seem to be, by asking questions, then there should be no problems (haha) If you loook a the later / latest Youtube videos from Foxes afloat, you'll gest some idea of what it's like.

 

If I may make so bold, it's a bit daft yo pay some £50 for what is a two day pass - and then just spend half a day on it - Get you're money's worth already (!) Have a run up to Eynsham or even Pinkhill and return...

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Edited July 17, 2020 by OldGoat

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ddaann_99 said:

Greart advice from everyone on here and I appreciate you all takng the time to chime in. I'm comfortable now that I can wind at the bottom of Isis lock, come back up and moor. If it's too busy to moor then heading back towards Banbury and taking a train might be an option as Athy says.

 

We're hiring the boat not from friends/people we know but from a couple who have been privately hiring their narrowboat for the last 5 years or so. They did request an itinerary of names/ages etc from me to satisfy the requirements of their insurance. Beyond that I haven't asked about licenses etc if I'm being honest.

There is no problem with a private hire as long as they are meeting certain requirements such as having the correct licence with CRT, a method of proper handover, correct boat safety cert. In place, facilities for rubbish disposal etc etc.

 

Presumably they have, given that their insurance appear to be happy?

 

Normally private boaters don't bother because of the additional hassle and substantial additional costs of doing it correctly.

 

The stipulations that the owner should be meeting are set out in this pdf.

 

https://tinyurl.com/y4bmo72a

 

 

Edited July 17, 2020 by The Happy Nomad
To add truncated link

[ditchcrawler]

14 hours ago, ddaann_99 said:

Is it possible for a novice to turn a 62' boat just below the lock though? The signs seem to say 50' winding hole... 

I take your point about paying for a day's license though and making it a car ocular route including the short stretch of the Thames. Thanks to everyone for your input. 

You dont use the winding hole you carry on down isis lock, as you leave Isis lock have a crew member hold your front line and walk along the lock landing with it, Once the stern leaves the lock let it drift out and the crew member with the front line can pull the boat round so you are facing back into the lock, Dont even need to close the bottom gates while you turn,

 

You wind where the red marker is 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2020 by ditchcrawler

[ddaann_99]

Thank you kindly all who have commented. I feel far better armed to take this on now. Much obliged!

 

[KenK]

If you have the time leave the Oxford at Dukes Cut and use the Thames to Oxford, there is plenty of good mooring on the river in Oxford and there is no current to speak about. Access to Oxford from the river is just as easy as from the end of the canal and the run down the river is far nicer than the last few miles of the Oxford. Going back you could use Isis lock and travel back up the Oxford but I wouldn't bother it is without doubt the worst section of the canal.

[ddaann_99]

23 minutes ago, KenK said:

If you have the time leave the Oxford at Dukes Cut and use the Thames to Oxford, there is plenty of good mooring on the river in Oxford and there is no current to speak about. Access to Oxford from the river is just as easy as from the end of the canal and the run down the river is far nicer than the last few miles of the Oxford. Going back you could use Isis lock and travel back up the Oxford but I wouldn't bother it is without doubt the worst section of the canal.

Thanks for the tip, the Thames does look more appealing to be fair. Just waiting on permission from the owner now! 

[Jess--]

given the option we would drop onto the thames at dukes cut in the morning and purchase a day license (which covers until midnight the next day) and then head down the thames to abingdon.

stop there overnight and then head back up to isis lock the following day.

 

Actually if I'm totally honest with 10 days we would do 1 1/2 long days to hit the thames then spend just under a week on there (much more pleasant boating on wider / deeper water) and then spend the last 2 days coming back to napton

[ddaann_99]

13 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

given the option we would drop onto the thames at dukes cut in the morning and purchase a day license (which covers until midnight the next day) and then head down the thames to abingdon.

stop there overnight and then head back up to isis lock the following day.

 

Actually if I'm totally honest with 10 days we would do 1 1/2 long days to hit the thames then spend just under a week on there (much more pleasant boating on wider / deeper water) and then spend the last 2 days coming back to napton

Good shout that thanks

[Rob-M]

16 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

given the option we would drop onto the thames at dukes cut in the morning and purchase a day license (which covers until midnight the next day) and then head down the thames to abingdon.

stop there overnight and then head back up to isis lock the following day.

 

Actually if I'm totally honest with 10 days we would do 1 1/2 long days to hit the thames then spend just under a week on there (much more pleasant boating on wider / deeper water) and then spend the last 2 days coming back to napton

Canal plan shows that as nearly 26 hours so that would quite long  1 1/2 days.

[Onewheeler]

1 minute ago, Rob-M said:

Canal plan shows that as nearly 26 hours so that would quite long  1 1/2 days.

Too right. I've done it in three longish days: four is more comfortable.

[john6767]

2 hours ago, Jess-- said:

given the option we would drop onto the thames at dukes cut in the morning and purchase a day license (which covers until midnight the next day) and then head down the thames to abingdon.

stop there overnight and then head back up to isis lock the following day.

 

Actually if I'm totally honest with 10 days we would do 1 1/2 long days to hit the thames then spend just under a week on there (much more pleasant boating on wider / deeper water) and then spend the last 2 days coming back to napton

1.5 days from Napton to the Thames, that does not really sound doable.  It you want to push on then I would say 3 days, we would normally work on 4 days.

 

I think the Dukes Cut and then down to Abingdon and then back through Isis lock sounds a good idea. A 1 day Thames licence would do it, stop at Thrupp on the way down and get off early For the trip to Abingdon.

[ditchcrawler]

The boat may have a Gold Licence