Mooring Buoys outside St Kats London

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I dont know how many people may have done this especially narrowboats but were heading down to St kats dock for new years and are having to moor out on the buoys in the river until the lock opens.

Has anyone else stopped on these and how easy are they to pick up with an outward tide???

 

Cheers

 

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[saltysplash]

I dont know how many people may have done this especially narrowboats but were heading down to St kats dock for new years and are having to moor out on the buoys in the river until the lock opens.

Has anyone else stopped on these and how easy are they to pick up with an outward tide???

 

Cheers

 

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Ive never been into st kats and cant really remember if there are waiting trots or not, There is the st kats pontoon but this is mainly for the trip boats. Avoid trying to tie up to one of the large ships bouys as the PLA might get upset with you.

 

There may well be a waiting pontoon just below the lock similar to the one at limehouse. It may pay you to nip down during the day and have a visual inspection.

 

If there are trots (mooring bouys) available then you will need to turn into the tide before attempting to pick up the bouy. Also check with st kats as to the weight these bouys can take safely without dragging.

 

Ive often seen yatchts having to wait midstream for the lock during busy times, this coupled with the river cruisers can be a little congested.

On spring tides there is quite a strong flow and lots of eddies around tower bridge so again, a visual inspection before the trip during similar conditions that you expect will pay dividends especially if viewed from Tower bridge which will give a birds eye view.

 

Good luck

 

ps picking up trots can be excellent fun to watch from the shore. youll need a brave crew member to lean over the bows with a boat hook or you can buy a special tool form Chandlers which allegedly connect bouy and rope in one easy movement.

I once saw a barge on the Medway use one of these poles for over half an hour.....excellent entertainment while sipping rum and coke and fishing for mullet

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Thanks for that.

 

There are def Buoys out the front for you to wait on as i checked it out with St kats when i booked into the marina.

 

Im hopeing theres not going to be much traffic on the 31st of DEC at 05:00 but you never know!..

 

I think i may take a trip down there in the car and have a look whats there before doing it in the DARK!.

 

Cheers

 

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Edited November 28, 2009 by Ads

[saltysplash]

Ive just google mapped the loc and there does appear to be a couple of lines of trots near the entrance to st kats. They do however look to be a tight fit and look rather close to the sea scout pier, (if it still is sea scouts) If you have enough power to hold against and then push against the tide you could probably sideslip upto them but you would need to be aware of your length so as not to foul the bouys or craft behind you.

[Prof]

I dont know how many people may have done this especially narrowboats but were heading down to St kats dock for new years and are having to moor out on the buoys in the river until the lock opens.

Has anyone else stopped on these and how easy are they to pick up with an outward tide???

 

Cheers

 

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We use to go into St Kath’s quite regularly, but most of the time we came UP from Limehouse, thus avoiding the need to hang around outside the lock for too long.

Once we did go DOWN from Teddington on an early morning tide, having over-nighted on Kew pier (with PLA permission). This was a VERY uncomfortable trip being wing against tide, we had the prop out of the water quit a lot; and our eldest daughter hasn’t been on the boat since due to the fact that she fell out of bed half way down the tideway, in the rough conditions – BUT – on that occasion we did arrive at St Kath’s early and had to wait, and went to the INSIDE of St Kath’s pier; but if you do, DON’T go in WITH the tide or you’ll be swept into the sloping access walk-way. AND don’t stay there if the tide turns, or you’ll not get out again ‘till the tide turns again.

Best of luck – it’s quite an experience to spend a few nights in St Kath’s and good fun locking in and out with a load of VERY nervous yachties with their nice white hulls which they don’t want black lines down!!

[WJM]

As a bit of a Limehouse regular, can I ask how much the mooring at St. Kaths will cost? I have been told it works out relatively expensive for a canal boat because the charge is based only on boat length. What made you choose St. Kaths over Limehouse?

[WJM]

It does look like there are some buoys. If it were only for a short while I think I would prefer to sit in the flow and hold the boat with the engine and rudder.

[Ads]

As a bit of a Limehouse regular, can I ask how much the mooring at St. Kaths will cost? I have been told it works out relatively expensive for a canal boat because the charge is based only on boat length. What made you choose St. Kaths over Limehouse?

 

 

Well as its only for one night it works out about £70 with power for a 65ft boat and the reason we choose there is we have a few other friends going in earlier in the week plus its not to far a walk to go see the fireworks from there.

 

im hoping its not going to be too bumpy moored out the front for a few hours i guess we have a slight benefit of being 10ft wide so may not roll quite as much

 

my only concern is missing the buoy and struggling to push the tide to get back to it but hopefully or 75hp engine will be man enough to make some headway!...

 

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[Naughty Cal]

Well as its only for one night it works out about £70 with power for a 65ft boat and the reason we choose there is we have a few other friends going in earlier in the week plus its not to far a walk to go see the fireworks from there.

 

im hoping its not going to be too bumpy moored out the front for a few hours i guess we have a slight benefit of being 10ft wide so may not roll quite as much

 

my only concern is missing the buoy and struggling to push the tide to get back to it but hopefully or 75hp engine will be man enough to make some headway!...

 

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You need to go past the bouy and push the tide to get back to it and moor up to it. You will never hook it trying to moor with the tide

 

And HOW MUCH?

[WJM]

Interesting!

 

You will easily push back up against the tide, the trick is to keep close to the bank out of the strongest flow. £70 is a fairly high price for an overnight mooring, but then the location is uniquely spectacular! I have been put off more by the access, it seems like there is a lot of faffing around there compared to Limehouse - and I love the Gordon Ramsey place at Limehouse!

 

I would be interested to hear what you think of the whole St. Kaths experience after you have tried it.

[GUMPY]

Having looked at this and having been up and down that piece of water many times, I would use limehouse as a break point.

Leave limehouse about 20 mins before high tide arrive st kats at high tide and straight in no waiting (apart from other inbound traffic).

Just looked at the tide tables, high tide is not until after midday so you would be out there for all of an incoming tide, not IMO a good idea unless your boat is a proper sea going boat, I wouldn't do that in either of my two boats.

As I said, far safer to lock into limehouse the evening before and do the journey up on the tide.

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I know £70 is pricey but where else could four people stay for that price in that location were spliting it between two couples so its not so bad.

 

Is lime house 24hr?? the earliest we can leave our mooring in Walton-on-thames is 7pm on the 30th as we all have to work.

 

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[WJM]

The lock keepers at Limehouse are only available until 10pm, if pre-booked. They can also be pre-booked from 5am. Teddington is open 24hours, if that helps.

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Yeh i may look into doing that irl be down there about 5AM so that could work all though no doubt its going to be"MOOR" money. I know that was bad!...

[Naughty Cal]

Yeh i may look into doing that irl be down there about 5AM so that could work all though no doubt its going to be"MOOR" money. I know that was bad!...

 

Compared to £70 for one nights mooring it will be nothing

[WJM]

Its worth knowing also that in the mouth of Limehouse Lock there is now a nice new floating pontoon. It is very substantial and well in out of the flow. It might not be what it is provided for, but I doubt if BW would either know or care if you were tied to it for the night.

 

It is more recent than this picture, on the right hand side as you come in.

 

[GUMPY]

Yeh i may look into doing that irl be down there about 5AM so that could work all though no doubt its going to be"MOOR" money. I know that was bad!...

Costs depand on what licence you have

If its EA then you may have to pay to use the lock ( not sure if this has been implemented yet )

If a Gold licence then Limehouse will be free but only on the wall.

Limehouse is not available for an hour or so either side of low tide but you could still tie on the waiting pontoon and wait for the tide to turn, low tide is about 06.30 so you may get in at 0500 but most likely will have to wait till 08.30ish. High tide is 12.40ish.

J

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Just booked into limehouse marina for a few hours till i can get in to st kats £5 which is abit of a difference but saves worring about mooring on the buoys in the river and trip boats passing.

 

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[WJM]

I wondered how you got on? Was it difficult getting in and out of St. Katherines? Was it worth the £70.

 

Any useful info for anyone who might be considering the same trip?