Navigating London to Bristol (in lockdown!)

[Jentreefication]

Sorry if this is a repeat thread but I don't seem to be able to view many

posts when I search so can't find any existing thread on the same topic. 

 

I'd be looking to bring a 37ft narrowboat from London to the Kennett and Avon fairly soon. Is this even possible in lockdown or are boats on stoppage? If it is a goer how long would it take roughly (I'd probably have to break it up chunks around work). 

 

Thank you ?

[dmr]

You should be doing essential journeys only, but more importantly have you checked for stoppages?, winter works often go on well into March, and even more important have you checked river flows and floods?, both the Thames and the Kennet (and the Bristol Avon) can be very difficult/impossible in winter/early spring.

Right now the entire Thames is on red boards.

 

...............Dave

[Jen-in-Wellies]

You have the government law and guidelines to consider. If this boat is a home, then moving house is allowed and you might be able to argue moving a residential boat is allowed. I am not a lawyer, so you might end up arguing it with a copper, or a court.

There are three (I think) navigation authorities on your route and they have their own guidelines. Canal River Trust, Environment Agency and (I think) Port of London Authority, each of who will have their own ideas about if your trip is OK. Here are CaRT's, which say no for your trip. Can't be bothered looking up the others, but you can.

Then there are floods and stoppages as @dmr said. Active river navigations are no joke in flood.

Any one of these can stop you.

Jen

 

[matty40s]

https://www.gov.uk/check-river-conditions-and-closures/river-thames

 

Planned lock closures: updated 22 January 2021

When	Where	What’s happening
9 November 2020 to 5 March 2021	Days Lock	Replacing head and tail lock gates and refurbishing parts of the lock chamber and lock site.
16 November 2020 to 15 February 2021	Molesey Lock	Replacing lock gates and refurbishing parts of the lock chamber.
23 November 2020 to 19 February 2021	Abingdon Lock	Reconstructing of tail layby and canoe portage.
4 January 2021 to 18 March 2021	Cookham Lock	Refurbishing tail gate cill, lock side and head laybys.
This work has been postponed	Northmoor Lock	Postponed work: repairing lock chamber wall

[PeterScott]

When all those stoppages and Accursed Virus are done:

 

From Canalplan https://canalplan.org.uk using some timings which I use if single-handing

 

This is a trip of 170 miles, 7¼ furlongs and 140 locks from Paddington Basin Visitor Moorings to Bristol City Centre Landing.

This will take 90 hours and 11 minutes which is 12 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes at 7 hours per day.

 

Bristol charges for staying in the Floating Harbour here

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/documents/20182/34144/Navigation+and+berthing+charges

for visitor for a week: £9.10 per metre - that's £109.20

Also this for general info

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/mooring-and-berthing-in-the-harbour

 

 

Also need an Environment Agency licence for navigating the Thames

for a boat of area 26 to 30 sq metres

for 31days this is £172.20

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-thames-boat-registration-charges/river-thames-boat-registration-charges-1-january-2021-to-31-december-2021

[Jentreefication]

Thank you so much. All really helpful and I'll explore the link and advice that you gave me. Would wait until conditions are right but many more things holding it back right now too hhmm. 

[OldGoat]

To add a bit more detail

- The work on Molesey Lock could quite easily extend

- The Thames usually takes at least a week to come off 'Reds'

- As a beginner (on the Thames) you should not attempt a transit until the stream is back to 'normal' or no worse than 'Yellow boards decreasing'

- There aren't any / many places you can safely leave a boat for any length of time - there have been at least two large boats pulling out their mooring pins and being sunk this winter to date (there may be more small boats suffering a similar fate, but they don't make the headlines.

+ If desparate you may be able to leave the boat at a marina,  but they're VERY expensive and not 'welcome' you because of the lockdown etc restrictions

- ALL the locks are unattended, but yu can operate them electrically, or if there's a power problem, then hand wind, but that's tedious

- EA can't stop you navigating, but take a dim view of anyone navigating in Covid restrictions, thus may be unhelpful if you get in trouble

? What size / type  of engine do you have? The Thames in normal condtions has a flow of at least 1 mph, thus progress will be slow

[David Mack]

You sound like a newbie. Would you really want to be on the Thames at this time of year?

 

[mrsmelly]

5 minutes ago, David Mack said:

You sound like a newbie. Would you really want to be on the Thames at this time of year?

 

I wonder if this boat ever got recovered?

[Jentreefication]

I've lived on boats before but not for several years so somewhere between rusty and a newbie ? 

 

I don't want to be on the Thames for any length of time but the boat that I'm looking to buy is in London and I need to get it to Bristol so just figuring out what/when is possible.

 

The engine is a Mitsubishi K4D

[Chris Lowe]

Depending where in London the boat is, the closed Hammersmith bridge needs to be taken into consideration for the routye.

[BEngo]

Take it to Watford or Uxbridge.  Get P&S or UBC to put it on a truck.  Get it craned back in in Brissle. AB Tuckey will do the move.  There are others too, particularly for a shorter boat like yours.

 

Quicker,  possibly even cheaper.  Safer. 

 

N

[dmr]

Have you got a mooring in Bristol? They are usually not easy to get. Also there is no casual mooring in Bristol, just paid for visitor moorings that are rather expensive and time limited (this is because Bristol is just such a lovely place ?)

 

If you have a mooring and need to get a boat then buying a boat in London is not ideal as you may well be paying a hefty "London Premium". As you are willing to move a boat to Bristol then finding a boat in the midlands, or even better up North, might save a lot of money.

 

...............Dave

[Tim Lewis]

4 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

Depending where in London the boat is, the closed Hammersmith bridge needs to be taken into consideration for the routye.

 

Not if you enter the Thames at Brentford

[Jentreefication]

6 hours ago, BEngo said:

Take it to Watford or Uxbridge.  Get P&S or UBC to put it on a truck.  Get it craned back in in Brissle. AB Tuckey will do the move.  There are others too, particularly for a shorter boat like yours.

 

Quicker,  possibly even cheaper.  Safer. 

 

N

This is probably my best bet. As much as I'd love to do the journey right now it's not particularly practical, especially as the sale needs to go through quickly and I cant afford rent and boat payments at the same time. I don't know if Bristol Harbour are allowing movement at the moment which could be an issue for craning in. 

6 hours ago, dmr said:

Have you got a mooring in Bristol? They are usually not easy to get. Also there is no casual mooring in Bristol, just paid for visitor moorings that are rather expensive and time limited (this is because Bristol is just such a lovely place ?)

 

If you have a mooring and need to get a boat then buying a boat in London is not ideal as you may well be paying a hefty "London Premium". As you are willing to move a boat to Bristol then finding a boat in the midlands, or even better up North, might save a lot of money.

 

...............Dave

No I'd be cc'ing on K&A and the canal. I nearly got a boat in the harbour but residential moorings are almost impossible to find and you can't get away with blagging it these days. 

 

I'm buying from a friend who has had to sell her really lovely little boat due to a change in circumstances. Is a really good price considering all recent work and upgrades ?

[OldGoat]

11 minutes ago, Jentreefication said:

This is probably my best bet. As much as I'd love to do the journey right now it's not particularly practical, especially as the sale needs to go through quickly and I cant afford rent and boat payments at the same time. I don't know if Bristol Harbour are allowing movement at the moment which could be an issue for craning in. 

No I'd be cc'ing on K&A and the canal. I nearly got a boat in the harbour but residential moorings are almost impossible to find and you can't get away with blagging it these days. 

 

I'm buying from a friend who has had to sell her really lovely little boat due to a change in circumstances. Is a really good price considering all recent work and upgrades ?

I am probably out of order and certainly cynical.-

Hovever,  it may well look great and comfortable on the inside, but could be a 'dog' as regards hull condition and working mechanical details - batteries, engine, heating etc, etc. 

My comments are based on various forums posts. It's a minefield....

[Jentreefication]

Yep I totally hear you. The benefit of me buying from this friend is that I've been privvy to her whole process of buying it and renovating it long before she had any plans of selling it. So I'm not just basing this on looks although she is a beauty ?

[dmr]

13 minutes ago, Jentreefication said:

This is probably my best bet. As much as I'd love to do the journey right now it's not particularly practical, especially as the sale needs to go through quickly and I cant afford rent and boat payments at the same time. I don't know if Bristol Harbour are allowing movement at the moment which could be an issue for craning in. 

No I'd be cc'ing on K&A and the canal. I nearly got a boat in the harbour but residential moorings are almost impossible to find and you can't get away with blagging it these days. 

 

I'm buying from a friend who has had to sell her really lovely little boat due to a change in circumstances. Is a really good price considering all recent work and upgrades ?

 

We have stayed in the harbour many times and the harbourmaster patrols several times everyday. One or two boats have spent some time on the "Bristol" Avon (semi tidal) between Bristol and Lock 1 but its not allowed and very high risk. Increasing numbers of boats CC on the Avon between Bath and lock 1 so its hard to find moorings and you have to be confident to CC on an unpredictable river. The Canal above Bath is the best option but its very busy with strict enforcement so you will likely need to go up Caan Hill flight for a while each year to get the distance done. There is a good K&A Facebook group.

 

.............Dave

[TheBiscuits]

4 minutes ago, Jentreefication said:

I'm not just basing this on looks although she is a beauty ?

 

 

Enough about her, what does the boat look like?  

[Jentreefication]

7 hours ago, BEngo said:

Take it to Watford or Uxbridge.  Get P&S or UBC to put it on a truck.  Get it craned back in in Brissle. AB Tuckey will do the move.  There are others too, particularly for a shorter boat like yours.

 

Quicker,  possibly even cheaper.  Safer. 

 

N

Can you suggest alternative spots for craning in other than Bristol harbour, as I know they're not open currently? I've been looking but maybe not searching for the right thing..

 

[blackrose]

From Brentford to Reading took me 3 days and then another 8 days from Reading to Bristol, single handing on a widebeam.

 

It was in spring and I was pushing against the current until I got to Newbury or was it Hungerford? I can't remember, but it was hard work as the rivers had been in flood and were still flowing fast.

[blackrose]

26 minutes ago, Jentreefication said:

Can you suggest alternative spots for craning in other than Bristol harbour, as I know they're not open currently? I've been looking but maybe not searching for the right thing..

 

 

I think by the time you're allowed to do this sort of thing you'll have waited for at least couple of months and then you might as well take it by water. 

 

Ray Bowern will be the cheapest boat mover. He's a broker. I reckon it could still cost as much as £1.5k to move a small boat your size. Call him on Monday and see what he says about moving it by road at the moment. 07860 729522

[dmr]

Foxes hire base right at the bottom of Devizes (Caan Hill) locks.

If you don't mind doing the flight then Devizes Wharf is also used, need council permission as its a car park.

Possibly Bradford on Avon wharf, I think they have craned there but I have not personally seen it happen.

None of these have a crane so you will need to pay for crane hire.

 

There is a crane at a yard on the River Avon (Keynsham?) and the trip up to Bath would be a very peasant half days boating as long as choose a low flow day, but you should have confidence in the boat before tackling a river.

 

.............Dave

[Rebotco]

There is also a suitable crane at Hilperton (Nr Bradford on Avon)

See https://www.hilpertonmarina.com/services/

[Chris John]

10 hours ago, Jentreefication said:

Sorry if this is a repeat thread but I don't seem to be able to view many

posts when I search so can't find any existing thread on the same topic. 

 

I'd be looking to bring a 37ft narrowboat from London to the Kennett and Avon fairly soon. Is this even possible in lockdown or are boats on stoppage? If it is a goer how long would it take roughly (I'd probably have to break it up chunks around work). 

 

Thank you ?

You do understand the term Lockdown I take it?