Winding below Osney Bridge

[RAB]

In next few weeks planning to travel down the South Oxford and spend a day in Oxford before heading upstream on the Thames. Potentially hoping to moor downstream of Osney Bridge, heard reasonable things about mooring there. Question is can you wind a 58' narrow boat at the entrance to Osney Mill Marina or do you need to go through the lock? Any other mooring advice in the area welcome.

 

Many thanks for any guidance given.

Edited June 9, 2023 by RAB

[Tony Brooks]

4 minutes ago, RAB said:

In next few weeks planning to travel down the South Oxford and spend a day in Oxford before heading upstream on the Thames. Potentially hoping to moor downstream of Osney Bridge, heard reasonable things about mooring there. Question is can you wind a 58' narrow boat at the entrance to Osney Mill Marina or do you need to go through the lock? Any other mooring advice in the area welcome.

 

Many thanks for any guidance given.

 

I have turned a 54 footer there but would not do it again from choice. It depends upon how packed the moorings and with what (narrow or broad beam, steel, wood or GRP).

 

If you can reverse in one direction, there is a mooring right at the bottom of the canal past the permanent moorers.

 

They are doing a lot of work on the railway bridge at Osney so the Osney mooring might be noisy.

[Alway Swilby]

I have winded our 58'6" narrowboat there. I wouldn't want to do it if there is a bit of a flow on.

[dmr]

There is always a fair bit of flow on that section so if you are mid turn, (assuming you don't screw up) and an inexperienced boat comes down on the flow you might be in big trouble.  We went down on "just off red boards" and a big plastic thing turned there right in front of us, pretty stressful moment.

[GUMPY]

Which entrance? Above or below the lock?

I have winded Parglena (62' X 11'6")  above the lock. Wouldn't want to do it with some fresh on.

[frangar]

I’ve tried to do it with some fresh on having done it successfully before when there was less flow on a 50ft nb….life got very interesting and we aborted the manoeuvre just before we tried to enter the lock broadside…I don’t think the hydro plant has helped as there is now quite a flow at all times. 

 

 

[MtB]

1 hour ago, GUMPY said:

Which entrance? Above or below the lock?

I have winded Parglena (62' X 11'6")  above the lock. Wouldn't want to do it with some fresh on.

 

 

I was wondering the same. The entrance to Osney Mill Marina is below the lock anyway!

 

Being picky, it's the mill stream entrance above the lock, surely. 

 

 

 

 

[GUMPY]

7 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

I was wondering the same. The entrance to Osney Mill Marina is below the lock anyway!

 

Being picky, it's the mill stream entrance above the lock, surely. 

 

 

 

 

Yes absolutely correct

Go to the top of the class

[enigmatic]

I've winded 57'6 there a couple of times, assuming we're talking about the bit above the lock.

 

Width of the channel isn't an issue but the flow does have to be taken into account. You're moving your bow out of the strongest bit of the flow though.

 

The mooring there is the best in the area IMO, though there are 48hr visitor moorings at the bottom of the canal which (if there's one free) are well-located for Oxford's attractions and would save winding.

[ditchcrawler]

I moored there and had a line tied to the cabin step that I tied the dog up with, someone untied it and pinched it.

[MtB]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

I moored there and had a line tied to the cabin step that I tied moored the dog up with, someone untied it and pinched it.

 

FTFY.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, MtB said:

 

FTFY.

 

 

Yes I often moored the dog I also moor the car, park the boat and see git gaps in carparks, life is so complicated

[RAB]

Apologies for not being clear. Yes entrance above the lock. Many thanks for all your replies.

[MtB]

43 minutes ago, RAB said:

Apologies for not being clear. Yes entrance above the lock. Many thanks for all your replies.

 

 

Although I think there is width there for a 58ft boat to turn, I'd be very wary of trying it due to the strength of the current usually there.

 

Go through the lock and turn, I recommend.

[GUMPY]

Thinking about this, and you are turning with your stern on the towpath side:

If you are coming upstream and turning you will be pushing your stern round against the flow.

If you are coming downstream and turning your stern will get pulled round by the flow, thus making it easier.

I turned coming upstream as I CBA to take the wheelhouse down.

[Tony Brooks]

5 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Thinking about this, and you are turning with your stern on the towpath side

If you are coming upstream and turning you will be pushing your stern round against the flow.

If you are coming downstream and turning your stern will get pulled round by the flow, thus making it easier.

I turned coming upstream as I CBA to take the wheelhouse down.

 

I suspect downstream from the Canal. What you say was true before that turbine was installed, but now, in summer with low flows in the channel, the flow into the top marina tends to push the bow the wrong way and the boat onto the nose of the island. Then pivoting the boat is trying to push the bow upstream against the flow to the turbine.  Having tried it that way once, I think if there was space and with low flow that I would now try it the other way round and use the bow line on the Osney side to pull the boat round.

[Eldog]

I went through about a week ago.  Lots of building work going on although not a problem in the evening.  The Thames generally very benign except at Osney where the stream is really fast.  I wouldn't want to turn there.

[Onewheeler]

22 hours ago, MtB said:

 

 

I was wondering the same. The entrance to Osney Mill Marina is below the lock anyway!

 

Being picky, it's the mill stream entrance above the lock, surely.

Osney Mill Marina has an upper part and a lower part (I know, I moor there!)

 

It's a bit tight turning above the lock but feasible if there's no fresh on (but beware that the current goes up when the lock is filling!) If in doubt, go down through the lock and there's plenty of room to turn below the next bridge down. (There is plenty of room immediately below the lock too but you'll be facing the wrong way which makes it awkward unless you have a bow thruster). There's no room to turn in the lower entrance to Osney Mill due to long term overstayers moored opposite (which is a pain in the arse for me!)

[MtB]

39 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

There's no room to turn in the lower entrance to Osney Mill due to long term overstayers moored opposite (which is a pain in the arse for me!)

 

Really?! Goes to show how long it is since I've boated through there.

 

ISTR there was a long term problem with CMers above Osney Bridge and in Dukes Cut, so is the Thames filling up with CMers and overwhwelming the enforcement too? 

 

 

[Tonka]

2 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Really?! Goes to show how long it is since I've boated through there.

 

ISTR there was a long term problem with CMers above Osney Bridge and in Dukes Cut, so is the Thames filling up with CMers and overwhwelming the enforcement too? 

 

 

Yes

[Onewheeler]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

Really?! Goes to show how long it is since I've boated through there.

 

ISTR there was a long term problem with CMers above Osney Bridge and in Dukes Cut, so is the Thames filling up with CMers and overwhwelming the enforcement too? 

 

 

Yes... There seems to have been some limited chucking-out of CMers opposite Christchurch Meadows, but they've just moved. There are now a few below Osney Lock opposite the lower entrance to Osney marina, upstream of Sheepwash channel (which was otherwise a nice, quiet spot to tie up), around Donnington Bridge and in various other places. Also tied up near the Perch and going down towards Sandford Lock.

[Mike Todd]

15 hours ago, Tonka said:

Yes

I have been told that permanent moorers on Duke's Cut are there legitimately ie they pay rent to the landowner which is neither EA nor CRT. I assume that the landowner is not fussy about the condition of the boat so long as rent is paid.

[Onewheeler]

On 10/06/2023 at 21:47, Onewheeler said:

Yes... There seems to have been some limited chucking-out of CMers opposite Christchurch Meadows, but they've just moved. There are now a few below Osney Lock opposite the lower entrance to Osney marina, upstream of Sheepwash channel (which was otherwise a nice, quiet spot to tie up), around Donnington Bridge and in various other places. Also tied up near the Perch and going down towards Sandford Lock.

Pleased to see that enforcement letters went up on the CM boats upstream of Sheepwash channel on Tuesday. Probably won't do any good though, although at least a couple seem to have moved off.