Going on Thames from Limehouse to Teddington/Brentford in 1st week of October

[Jason King]

I'm planning to go on the Thames from Limehouse to Teddington on either 2nd, 3rd or 4th October 2010.

 

But my 60 foot narrowboat doesn't have VHF so I'd appreciate tagging along with another boat that does have it.

 

If you're only going from Limehouse to Brentford, that's good too!

 

If you can help me out, please pm me or email jason cough kingjason ahem co etc uk.

 

Thanks!

Edited September 16, 2010 by Jason King

[bottle]

Hi Jason

 

Cannot help with the trip, sorry but I would edit your post to disguise your phone number and e-mail from the spybots.

 

ie, zero, seven, 562, four, seven etc.

 

and

 

jason {at} kingjason dot co dot uk

[alan_fincher]

I know I'm going to get pilloried here, but.....

 

You rather sound as if you will be going anyway, even if you don't find a VHF radio to tag along with, (or at least that's how the post reads to me).

 

Whilst some would say "good luck to you" or "lots of people do", the regulations of course no longer allow this.

 

I do wonder what line an insurer would take if you got into difficulties, whilst travelling without VHF on a boat that must have it.

 

The other option, of course is to advertise for someone who is qualified, and has a radio, to see if they want to hitch a free ride on your boat. You would then be legal.

 

Before you ask, sadly I can't, (although I'd love to!....)

[Jason King]

Wrong end of stick I think! If I can't find someone to go with from Limehouse, I'll be entering the Thames at Brentford instead. That's the plan.

 

Regulations allow me to buddy up with a boat with VHF, but not to travel alone without it.

 

 

I know I'm going to get pilloried here, but.....

 

You rather sound as if you will be going anyway, even if you don't find a VHF radio to tag along with, (or at least that's how the post reads to me).

 

Whilst some would say "good luck to you" or "lots of people do", the regulations of course no longer allow this.

 

I do wonder what line an insurer would take if you got into difficulties, whilst travelling without VHF on a boat that must have it.

 

The other option, of course is to advertise for someone who is qualified, and has a radio, to see if they want to hitch a free ride on your boat. You would then be legal.

 

Before you ask, sadly I can't, (although I'd love to!....)

[alan_fincher]

Wrong end of stick I think! If I can't find someone to go with from Limehouse, I'll be entering the Thames at Brentford instead. That's the plan.

 

Regulations allow me to buddy up with a boat with VHF, but not to travel alone without it.

 

Fair enough, I got the wrong end of the stick because you only said.....

 

I'm planning to go on the Thames from Limehouse to Teddington on either 2nd, 3rd or 4th October 2010.

 

and didn't mention plan B.

 

Good luck, whatever ends up happening.

[Dr Bradley]

Within a similar timescale, I am planning the same trip, without a VHF licence. I have choices. Get a licence, and radio, team up with a convoy or go up to Brentford.

 

A convoy would be great and if it happens I'd be glad to join in. Conversley, I can get the licence and the radio and charge the rest of the convoy 50 quid each for me to accompany them.

[alan_fincher]

A convoy would be great and if it happens I'd be glad to join in. Conversley, I can get the licence and the radio and charge the rest of the convoy 50 quid each for me to accompany them.

Oh alright then....

 

£40, (each!), and I already have the licence and the radio.

[homer2911]

I'm planning to go on the Thames from Limehouse to Teddington on either 2nd, 3rd or 4th October 2010.

 

But my 60 foot narrowboat doesn't have VHF so I'd appreciate tagging along with another boat that does have it.

 

If you're only going from Limehouse to Brentford, that's good too!

 

If you can help me out, please pm me or email jason cough kingjason ahem co etc uk.

 

Thanks!

 

 

For around £200, you can buy a hand-held radio and pay for a one day course to obtain your permit - you will have both for life. It's a course you can't fail, and in terms of the cost of a life-time's boating, it's not too onerous. Go for it mate!

[Dr Bradley]

For around £200, you can buy a hand-held radio and pay for a one day course to obtain your permit - you will have both for life. It's a course you can't fail, and in terms of the cost of a life-time's boating, it's not too onerous. Go for it mate!

 

But the course is £120, and what if that is the only day in your life you need it. Only on the Trent or the Severn would it be useful, and even here not compulsory. Elsewhere it's just another boy's toy. £320 quid is a very expensive 3 hours.

[RichardN]

I think the £200 quote was for the course plus a cheap radio - If memory serves I have seen hand helds for around £80, even a pmr radio which also had vhf for around that. It won't be an Icom, I suspect they are £200 and very nice bits of kit.

 

I am sure that the requirement is that you maintain a listening watch on vhf which you can do that with a cheap hand-held and without a licence, just be careful where you have the radio so you can hear it. It is a very good idea to go on the course so that you communicate 2 ways but VTS are happy for you to ring them using your mobile phone eg last time we came down we signed out that way whilst waiting in Limehouse Lock for some plastic boats to get themselves sorted, our radio does not work well down inside a lock though we can hear very well.

 

Yes you can buddy up with someone but you are still responsible for your own boat. Having a radio means that you know what is going on, you get to hear all the broadcasts. The tidal Thames is always a bit of an adventure, to my way of thinking is important to have a radio, (and an anchor ready for deployment, life jackets for all, breakables stored, fuel filters cleaned ... oh and make sure you get BW's excellent guides to the Tidal Thames either as a download or from the Limehouse lock keepers ) In an emergency if you have to use the radio no one is going to ask you were you licence is though being on the course should it make it easier for you to get your message across.

 

Richard

[Dr Bradley]

I think the £200 quote was for the course plus a cheap radio - If memory serves I have seen hand helds for around £80, even a pmr radio which also had vhf for around that. It won't be an Icom, I suspect they are £200 and very nice bits of kit.

 

I am sure that the requirement is that you maintain a listening watch on vhf which you can do that with a cheap hand-held and without a licence, just be careful where you have the radio so you can hear it. It is a very good idea to go on the course so that you communicate 2 ways but VTS are happy for you to ring them using your mobile phone eg last time we came down we signed out that way whilst waiting in Limehouse Lock for some plastic boats to get themselves sorted, our radio does not work well down inside a lock though we can hear very well.

 

Yes you can buddy up with someone but you are still responsible for your own boat. Having a radio means that you know what is going on, you get to hear all the broadcasts. The tidal Thames is always a bit of an adventure, to my way of thinking is important to have a radio, (and an anchor ready for deployment, life jackets for all, breakables stored, fuel filters cleaned ... oh and make sure you get BW's excellent guides to the Tidal Thames either as a download or from the Limehouse lock keepers ) In an emergency if you have to use the radio no one is going to ask you were you licence is though being on the course should it make it easier for you to get your message across.

 

Richard

 

Any ideas on where to get one in London? All the cheaper ones I've seen are on line (Maplins - £45, online only. I can't have it delivered to the boat. I quite like your idea of getting one for listening only. I've used them before at sea, but never had a licence.

 

Got the BW guide - wouldn't leave without it. Just as I wouldn't do the trent without the chart so I don't run aground.

 

Getting on a course in the short term can be difficult - they do seem to get booked up.

[RichardN]

Any ideas on where to get one in London? All the cheaper ones I've seen are on line (Maplins - £45, online only. I can't have it delivered to the boat. I quite like your idea of getting one for listening only. I've used them before at sea, but never had a licence.

 

Got the BW guide - wouldn't leave without it. Just as I wouldn't do the trent without the chart so I don't run aground.

 

Getting on a course in the short term can be difficult - they do seem to get booked up.

 

 

I have no very helpful answers.

 

I could not find the £45 on Maplin's web site, that sounded too cheap but no there was one here.

 

I have no idea where to buy one in London. There must be specialist shops, the only thing I could think of was to take a wonder up Tottenham Court Road or talk to somewhere like Limehouse Marina and see if they are willing to let you have a radio delivered to them there - thinking about it having a chat with Robyn could be worthwhile as she does have a small chandlery now, I have no idea what she can do but I did wonder if she could order something for you?

[alan_fincher]

I think around £70 to £80 is about as cheap as you'll generally find either a hand-held or a fixed set, but the latter would also definitely need an antenna bought.

 

In fact a hand-held may well let you hear London VTS all the way from Limehouse to Teddington, but it is unlikely it would let you call them as you got towards Teddington. An external roof mounted antenna used with a handheld improves radio performance enormously.

 

Generally by the time you have paid to have the certificate issued a course in the south will e at least £100, and possibly more. Further north, (e.g. Nottingham, I was quoted less. Of course a £100 course tends to cost a lot more by the time you have travelled to the venue, and fed yourself.

 

It's all a bit of a game. The course is highly oriented to using the digital calling facilities, (not used on the Thames at all), or to making and cancelling mayday calls - that kind of thing. I'd estimate that less than 20% of it has much relevance to anything a narrow-boater is likely to get involved in, and a lot of it is not really about radio or radio operation at all.

 

However, I do think the radio pretty essential, and I'd not go without one, even if my boat were below the length where they become mandatory.