Trip up the Thames this summer, where's good?

[IanD]

59 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

The time taken to wind paddles down in an emergency, such as a boat getting caught on the cill when descending 

 

Been there, done that, nearly lost the T-shirt -- it wasn't the cill, the bows got caught on a protruding stone next to the bottom gate recess, and by the time we manged to wind the sodding hydraulic paddles down -- which took what seemed forever -- the stern of the boat was perilously close to sinking... 😞

 

I can't understand why they didn't simply add a bypass valve to divert oil past the rotary pump, then opening this would have allowed the paddles to drop smoothly and quickly without damage. Thankfully there are few of these monstrosities left... 🙂

Edited August 20, 2022 by IanD

[Murflynn]

12 hours ago, john6767 said:

...............................   in the upper Thames there isn’t really  a shortage, particularly with the low numbers of boat movements.

 

really?   Come to Abingdon and find out what is really happening   ..................   only a dribble of water at the weirs and a constant stream of hire and private boats in both directions.   Perhaps there is a parallel universe that I'm unfamiliar with ?

[john6767]

13 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

really?   Come to Abingdon and find out what is really happening   ..................   only a dribble of water at the weirs and a constant stream of hire and private boats in both directions.   Perhaps there is a parallel universe that I'm unfamiliar with ?

Lechlade is deserted at the moment, very few boats moving on the way up from Oxford.  Will be below Oxford later next week, but if you want it quiet and don’t mind self serve locks, then get above Oxford.

[oboat]

30 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

really?   Come to Abingdon and find out what is really happening   ..................   only a dribble of water at the weirs and a constant stream of hire and private boats in both directions.   Perhaps there is a parallel universe that I'm unfamiliar with ?

Went through last week no prob's, I grant you lots of activity but mostly day boats, Sups and kids.

We have now been out 3 weeks and I have been amazed at the number of vacant 24 hr moorings. Lechlade, Oxford x2, Reading x2, Herley, Shepperton , Sunbery, Kingston x3. Maidenhead x2. Even Marlow both above and below the lock, people in the High St but not a boat problem. Didn't look at Abingdon.
No problems at locks as in other years. Never even had a full lock.
Now the only boat on an EA mooring below Kingston.

Edited August 20, 2022 by oboat

[cheesegas]

Thanks all. Forgot to reply! Made it from Limehouse to Wallingford with a brief stint down the Wey, did 3 long days at the start to get further out than our usual Thames cruising territory, then lots of short days, moored up by 2-3pm in time for a pub lunch and a good walk around.

 

Aimed to wild moor as it’s nice and peaceful, paid only at Windsor on the way back and Cliveden and near Basildon on the way out. The gangplank and swimming shoes saw a lot of usage! 
 

Did quite well on diesel as there’s little to no flow with the dry weather, and just missed the 15 min lockings. And we didn’t have to use any of the slow water points luckily.

[oboat]

4 hours ago, cheesegas said:

Thanks all. Forgot to reply! Made it from Limehouse to Wallingford with a brief stint down the Wey, did 3 long days at the start to get further out than our usual Thames cruising territory, then lots of short days, moored up by 2-3pm in time for a pub lunch and a good walk around.

 

Aimed to wild moor as it’s nice and peaceful, paid only at Windsor on the way back and Cliveden and near Basildon on the way out. The gangplank and swimming shoes saw a lot of usage! 
 

Did quite well on diesel as there’s little to no flow with the dry weather, and just missed the 15 min lockings. And we didn’t have to use any of the slow water points luckily.

When did you transit back into Brentford?

[cheesegas]

1 hour ago, oboat said:

When did you transit back into Brentford?

About a week ago, was going to go to Limehouse on two tides, stopping on the Brentford pontoon but it didn’t work out with timings. 

[Mike Adams]

Going up river on the first day found 3 lockeepers on most locks had to wait a few minutes at a small lock because of the 15 rule. Complete nonsense the whole thing as the larger locks let down twice the number of boats in the same time. Expect chaos at the weekend. Both the pump out and Elsan are out of action at Boveney due to repeated severe vandalism and not likely to be fixed soon. Lock steps are also lethal as covered in a lot of slime.

[Paringa]

22 hours ago, cheesegas said:

About a week ago, was going to go to Limehouse on two tides, stopping on the Brentford pontoon but it didn’t work out with timings. 

I am going from Teddington to Chiswick pier, stop overnight, then on to Limehouse the next day. Never stopped there before but needs must...

[Paringa]

2 hours ago, Mike Adams said:

Going up river on the first day found 3 lockeepers on most locks had to wait a few minutes at a small lock because of the 15 rule. Complete nonsense the whole thing as the larger locks let down twice the number of boats in the same time. Expect chaos at the weekend. Both the pump out and Elsan are out of action at Boveney due to repeated severe vandalism and not likely to be fixed soon. Lock steps are also lethal as covered in a lot of slime.

And don't forget some awfully slow filling water points.

[GUMPY]

4 hours ago, Paringa said:

I am going from Teddington to Chiswick pier, stop overnight, then on to Limehouse the next day. Never stopped there before but needs must...

I aways used to do Teddington to Limehouse in one hit. It did mean using the lock at Richmond.

Is it the  restricted opening hours at Limehouse to blame ?

Edited August 25, 2022 by Loddon

[Paringa]

20 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Is it the  restricted opening hours at Limehouse to blame ?

Yes

[GUMPY]

36 minutes ago, Paringa said:

Yes

On a positive note if you time it right and can push against the last of the tide from Chiswick you won't arrive at Limehouse during the 3rd and 4th hours  after HT when tidal run is at its maximum.

[john6767]

As there was some discussion about the Thames locks restrictions on this thread, I thought I would update our observations as we are off the Thames and up the Oxford canal tomorrow.

 

Basically the published restrictions have in my observation made no change at all to how things work on the Thames.  There is no timed locking, you rock up and assuming there is a lock keeper on, he does what he has always done, turns the lock for you if it is against you.  There is no attempt to group boats up in the locks any more than there always has been, our record being 13 boats in a lock, ok us and 12 canoes.  I did observe two lock keepers telling canoes to carry them round the lock though, so I don’t think they will cycle the lock just for canoes.

 

Over the bank holiday weekend around Henley it was very busy as you would expect, but a lots of the boats were all the day boats from Hobbs, but come Tuesday is has been very quiet again back up to Oxford.  Of the locks downstream of Oxford about 60% have been manned, above Oxford more like 30%.  Out of hours the locks are still usable on self serve as usual.

 

All in all a great time to try the Thames if you have never done if before, few boats about, and virtually no flow on the river.

[Victor Vectis]

Thanks for that John.

We've still a couple of weeks before deciding which way we turn at Wigram's.