Made to go on Thames with strong flow

[GSer]

Interesting. We were at (below) Eynsham a couple of weeks ago when the yellow boards came out and we were humming and hawing as to whether we should proceed, and the lock keeper not only advised us that we should (in case it got worse) but also told us in no uncertain terms that we couldn't overstay on the 24 hour moorings below the lock, thus effectively forcing our hand. As it turned out we were fine - big engine - and had a great time, though it was hard work. The lock keeper never asked though about our engine or our experience.

 

 

Yellow boards are just an information board about increasing/decreasing flows, they do have the effect of advising non powered craft not to venture onto the river. Most of the yellow boards on the Thames say stream increasing, 'cos the little sign that flips over the 'in' replacing it with 'de' has been lost.

 

Paul

[Hairy-Neil]

I have seen Thames lock keepers hand over powered operation of their lock to regular experienced crews while they attend to other things.

 

There was one that used to leave the office key hidden for us to operate his lock out of hours....

[Chertsey]

Yellow boards are just an information board about increasing/decreasing flows, they do have the effect of advising non powered craft not to venture onto the river. Most of the yellow boards on the Thames say stream increasing, 'cos the little sign that flips over the 'in' replacing it with 'de' has been lost.

 

Paul

I don't have the booklet to hand, but the impression I got was that unpowered craft shouldn't even think about it while people with engines might want to give it some careful thought. Certainly we saw other narrowbaots struggling quite hard to get into the lock through the weirstream. I prefer WJM's theory that we looked like we knew what we were doing!

[Hairy-Neil]

Certainly we saw other narrowbaots struggling quite hard to get into the lock through the weirstream.

 

Keynsham Lock can be a bugger to get into with a large boat.... the eddy from the weir causes all sorts of steerage problems with 'normal' flows. On yellow boards it's not for the feint hearted....

[magnetman]

Keynsham Lock can be a bugger to get into with a large boat.... the eddy from the weir causes all sorts of steerage problems with 'normal' flows. On yellow boards it's not for the feint hearted....

I think you mean Eynsham lock not Keynsham lock.

 

I've not seen any boats out for a couple of days here at Abingdon, the EA are advising that Thursday may be alright for moving if it doesn't rain today. Its currently raining

[Hairy-Neil]

I think you mean Eynsham lock not Keynsham lock.

 

Yes, indeed....

 

 

I was miles away, on the Avon instead of the Thames....

[carlt]

I think you mean Eynsham lock not Keynsham lock.

 

I've not seen any boats out for a couple of days here at Abingdon, the EA are advising that Thursday may be alright for moving if it doesn't rain today. Its currently raining

Keynsham Lock can be pretty tricky at times, too:

 

Clicky

[moggyjo]

The yard brought the boat back from Eynsham to Dukes for my mate today, on red boards, I honestly don't know how they managed it, with such a weak engine and the stern out of the water and now known a very weak hull Got to do the whole trip again in November for replating