help moving boat on tidal thames

[Hessie]

Hello,

 

I need to move my boat from hackney to staines but have limited time in which to do it. The quickest way looks to be along the Thames from limehouse but I am afraid of the central London section with a 40ft boat and 28hp engine.

 

 

Are there people you can hire to come with me and help pilot the boat.

 

Ta H

[alan_fincher]

Can't help too much on the pilotage thing, but I don't think you need to be too concerned about the 28 HP in a 40 foot narrow boat.

 

The trip is done on an incoming tide, and you are carried along by the river, not fighting against it.

 

In fact maybe 4mph of your speed over ground is coming from the river.

 

It's not a situation where you need lots of engine power at any point. We were travelling at twice canal speeds with considerable ease.

 

I travelled with another boat, and watched forum member Janet_S tackle it on a small hire boat of only around 34 feet.

 

The biggest "difficulty" I believe that is faced by a short narrow boat is the amount of front to rear "pitching" you will get on the rough bits.

 

Even our 50 footer does a fair bit of "rocking" between front and back, and a 40 footer will be more noticeable, as you are typically supported by the peaks of a smaller number of "waves". The longer the narrow boat, the less bumpy the ride, it seems to me.

[Keeping Up]

Yes as Alan says it is a very easy trip, I've done it many times (mine was the longer boat that Alan was standing on, to watch Janet S). You can easily make the journey without ever going at more than 3mph through the water; 28hp is more than plenty, and being 40ft you will not need a VHF radio. The lock-keeper at Limehouse will tell you when to go, and all you have to do is let the tide push the bows in the right direction and potter along until you reach Teddington.

 

Check that your insurance company does not impose any special conditions. Ours for example insists that we must travel in convoy with another boat.

[Tim]

Have the anchor at the ready and make sure fuel is full, filters clean, water trap drained, engine in good nick. I'd be happy to come along for moral support depending on when, I've done the trip twice.

[blackrose]

The main thing to watch out for on the central London tidal section is other river traffic, some of which can be moving very quickly and some of whom don't seem to appreciate that you can't. It starts right away as soon as you leave Limehouse so watch out for those fast hydrofoils and have someone standing on the bow to give you the thumbs up if it's all clear as you enter the river.

 

Sometimes it's difficult to know the intention of some of the passenger vessels when they hang around the jetties but don't dock, so just give them a wide berth.

 

As has been mentioned, you don't need a powerful engine going upstream with the tide, just a reliable one. If you're coming back the other way and want to turn into Limehouse then you will need a bit of power to turn against the tide and then into the lock.

 

Here is the very useful Thames tideway handbook (upstream edition) which shows you exactly which spans of each bridge to go under. It's worth printing it out. For some reason it's written so that you have to read up the page (so remember that bit or you'll be in a muddle).

 

http://www.waterscape.com/media/documents/33

 

Despite being of the multi-tasking gender I expect you'd probably find it difficult to steer, watch out for river traffic and read the handbook at the same time, so what I do is assign someone who's literate to stand with me and tell me in advance which bridge is coming up next and what span I should be taking, as well as any other hazards to watch out for that are described in the handbook. Also assign someone the role of looking back every few minutes to see if anything is coming up behind you and do it yourself too.

 

The only caveat to that is that it's worth calling the PLA (or VTS?) to ask if any bridge spans are temporarily closed for maintenance and noting these down on your handbook before you leave. If they ask you if you have VHF radio explain to them that you are only 40ft in length (it's not compulsory for you).

 

Enjoy the trip.

Edited March 6, 2011 by blackrose

[the grinch]

when are you thinking of going? a date would be useful if you want a crew.

nothing much to worry on, best to leave limehouse as soon as you can get over the cill then the water is very low for most of the journey, aim to potter about in the brentford - isleworth section until the barrier at richmond opens and go through.

[Hessie]

Sorry have been having internet probs.

 

But have checked with insurance company now and am covered for that bit of Thames.

 

I was hoping to got this w/e, but realise everything is getting v short notice now.

 

Thanks for link, is very useful.

[BlueStringPudding]

You're a braver lass than I!!!! (Terminal ditchcrawler, me) Hope it goes well.

[Tim Lewis]

Hello,

 

I need to move my boat from hackney to staines but have limited time in which to do it. The quickest way looks to be along the Thames from limehouse but I am afraid of the central London section with a 40ft boat and 28hp engine.

 

 

Are there people you can hire to come with me and help pilot the boat.

 

Ta H

 

 

A useful document:

 

http://www.stpancrascc.co.uk/media/system/downloads/guide.pdf

 

Lockeepers at Limehouse are extremely useful people to talk to about your passage.

 

Tim

[BlueStringPudding]

Having heard back from Hessie today - she made the trip up the Thames safe and sound - and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Hessie]

I see Lisa beat me to it, but thanks for all the information and links.

 

After a gritted teeth start i finally managed to relax and enjoy the trip. Big boats are not as scary as I thought! Plus my nightmares didn't come true (Polly didn't sink, no one fell over board and drowned/ I didn't collide with a clipper). Many thanks to Allan for all his calm guidance.

 

Will see if I can post a couple of pictures.

 

Hxx

[WotEver]

A useful document:

 

http://www.stpancrascc.co.uk/media/system/downloads/guide.pdf

What an excellent document. I've learned loads.

 

Tony

[Keeping Up]

I see Lisa beat me to it, but thanks for all the information and links.

 

After a gritted teeth start i finally managed to relax and enjoy the trip. Big boats are not as scary as I thought! Plus my nightmares didn't come true (Polly didn't sink, no one fell over board and drowned/ I didn't collide with a clipper). Many thanks to Allan for all his calm guidance.

 

Will see if I can post a couple of pictures.

 

Hxx

 

I'd like to say it was a very enjoyable trip indeed. With good weather (albeit a bit chilly) and plenty of very well-behaved other traffic on the river to make it interesting. The boat performed immaculately as we pottered along at between 2 & 3 mph, and finally we had an interesting display at Teddington when we were asked to reverse back out of the lock because they were launching the lifeboat (on the other side of the river, just below the lock) and it needed to pass through in a hurry. It's the first time I've seen a boat enter a lock at such a high speed (I'd guess at between 20 and 30 mph) and yet still stop before reaching the other end!

[M.t Major]

If you need next time some one to take you on the Thames I have been working on the Thames for about 6years now just inbox me

 

 

James