Trent cruise - advice / comments?

[max campbell]

We're considering cruising the Trent from the junction with the Soar northwards and return. I'm assuming it's tidal from Cromwell lock, is this correct?

 

How easy is it to find overnight moorings?

 

What's the nature of the river - is it a pleasant cruise or a bit straight & boring?

 

Are the locks manned? Do I need any special key or windlass?

 

How strong is the stream in the tidal bits? Do you have to go with the tide?

 

Any help or comments welcome.

 

Max

[Momac]

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

 I'm assuming it's tidal from Cromwell lock, is this correct?

Yes

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

How easy is it to find overnight moorings?

Moorings are at the locks.

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

What's the nature of the river - is it a pleasant cruise or a bit straight & boring?

Its not boring to me but my boat is not a narrowboat.  

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Are the locks manned? 

Yes

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Do I need any special key or windlass?

No

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

How strong is the stream in the tidal bits? 

up to 3 knots , occasionally more. Flows depend on how much fresh is on and spring/neap tides

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Do you have to go with the tide?

Passage planning with regard to tides is essential

25 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Any help or comments welcome.

You will need the chart for the tidal river .

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by MartynG

[Jen-in-Wellies]

37 minutes ago, max campbell said:

How easy is it to find overnight moorings?

For the most part, you are limited to mooring at proper moorings. The nature of a river navigation. Many of these will be floating to account for rises and falls in level. Especially important on the tidal bit! Moor in to the flow, ie bow facing south. I've never had any problems finding any. Double, or more moor if you are in a narrowboat to make best use of the limited availability. Don't crash in to yoghurt pots as you come in!

 

37 minutes ago, max campbell said:

What's the nature of the river - is it a pleasant cruise or a bit straight & boring?

Remarkably varied. Lots of hills till surprisingly far down, so plenty to see.

 

37 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Are the locks manned? Do I need any special key or windlass?

Not been for a few years, but manned during opening hours. Vlockies on the non-tidal ones now and I believe at Stockwith (tidal to the Chesterfield canal). Non tidal can be worked with a watermate key outside opening hours. Tidal are lock keeper run, times based around tide times. Book in advance for these so they know you are coming and advise the best times.

 

37 minutes ago, max campbell said:

How strong is the stream in the tidal bits? Do you have to go with the tide?

Time your passage to go with the flow. Strength varies spring to neap tides. I've done 8mph plus over the ground with a good tide pushing the boat. Upstream and down. As always more fresh water flowing down can make both the tidal and non-tidal stretches exciting to lethal. Don't underestimate the place. The tidal section can have the Aegir, a local version of the Severn Bore on certain days. Search youtube for an idea of why you probably don't want to meet this afloat!

37 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Any help or comments welcome.

VHF radio can be useful for talking to lock keepers and other boats/ships. You can meet big stuff around Keadby, if you go that far. Get the Trent Charts for the tidal stretch. There are sand/mud/rock banks and sunken islands in non obvious places you need to know about. Don't cut corners, especially on a falling tide as the river is shallow there and you can end up high and dry. The Trent has a reputation of catching out boats with inadequate cooling. Boats that have been fine for years on canals overheating with the hours spent at full load. It is an idea to travel with a boat of similar size/type. That way you can help each other if there are any problems. I've towed an overheating boat before. Another boat has tied up to mine so I can clear a fouled prop on another occasion. Not always possible, but gives extra safety margin.

 

Jen

Edited August 16, 2021 by Jen-in-Wellies

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Fuel consumption will be high going upstream on non-tidal. Especially with a stronger flow of fresh coming down. Don't run out! Going upstream on the non-tidal will take longer than you expect. Times on the tidal section, going with the tide are similar upstream and down, as the strength of the tide determines speed more than flow rate to the sea.

Have an anchor ready to deploy if you run in to engine problems. See many and varied threads on CWDF on the best/worst type of anchor, based on virtually no experience of anyone using on on inland waters. I've probably started it off again here too. An anchor is at a minimum no worse and probably better than no anchor.

Wear a life jacket. If you fall in it gives you a chance.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Jen-in-Wellies

[nicknorman]

Locks are varied. To get past Nottingham you go on the Beeston cut which has “ordinary” wide locks, manually operated. Ditto the first lock after the Soar (Cranfleet). So in reality the mechanised locks only start after Nottingham if you join at the Soar.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Aegir at Stockwith. Don't happen often, but you need to know when one is due!

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Jen-in-Wellies

[nicknorman]

And worth bearing in mind that the wave height is greater in shallow water, so if you do encounter one it’s best to be in the middle, not at the sides.

[pete.i]

Sounds like another place NOT to go with a narrowboat IMO.

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

5 minutes ago, pete.i said:

Sounds like another place NOT to go with a narrowboat IMO.

 

Lots do and most everyone survives! Planning and boat preparation are important though. Treating it as just another ditch crawl isn't the right attitude. The OP is asking the questions, which is a good approach. It is a major route too and from the north east waterways and with the frequent stoppages on the cross Pennine canals, sometimes the only way.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Jen-in-Wellies

[max campbell]

Excellent comments and advice, thanks Martyn, Jen and Nick. I'll digest later - I may have supplementaries!

 

BTW we are in a narrow yoghurt pot (Viking 28) with an outboard (30HP).

 

Max

[Momac]

3 minutes ago, max campbell said:

Excellent comments and advice, thanks Martyn, Jen and Nick. I'll digest later - I may have supplementaries!

 

BTW we are in a narrow yoghurt pot (Viking 28) with an outboard (30HP).

 

Max

The boat should be no problem

How may hours can you run between refuelling if at say 5 knots  ?

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

A few photos.  This is handy for tide planning

https://nbsg.wordpress.com/2019/06/06/spring-cruise-4-trent-lock-to-cromwell-lock/

 

[Dave123]

The Trent is a wonderful river. Some really nice moorings. Gunthorpe to Hazelford is especially pretty. I think a search on here will bring a list of mooring sites. Some have limited space so I'd aim to stop early

[max campbell]

Thanks, all. After the comments on here, we feel that the outboard needs a service before we do the Trent, we had doubts about the cooling for a couple of days last cruise.

 

One day, but not next trip!

 

Max