The Great Thames rip off

[jenlyn]

£176 for a fifteen day licence, rubbish points removed from most locks. Scarce water points (advice from lock keepers" pay for water from Marinas"). Most of the moorings seem to be 24hrs and then pay daily rate. Cheapest diesel I have seen thus far is £1.16 per litre. Lots of Plastic with seemingly little knowledge of how to manoeuvre them. Beautiful River, but has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. Probably soon to be "for the Elite few only"

[David Schweizer]

£176 for a fifteen day licence, rubbish points removed from most locks. Scarce water points (advice from lock keepers" pay for water from Marinas"). Most of the moorings seem to be 24hrs and then pay daily rate. Cheapest diesel I have seen thus far is £1.16 per litre. Lots of Plastic with seemingly little knowledge of how to manoeuvre them. Beautiful River, but has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. Probably soon to be "for the Elite few only"

I assume that you are talking about the section from Brentford to Oxford. I have not done the Thames for more than five years, but I must admit that I never did find very many water and rubbish disposal points even then. I only ever needed to get fuel on one trip and it was expensive compared with that available on the canals..

Edited July 14, 2011 by David Schweizer

[Big John]

£176 for a fifteen day licence, Probably soon to be "for the Elite few only"

Seems like all licences are best bought as long-term rather than short term. Doesn't seem fair, but that's the way it goes. Perhaps something to lobby about?

As for the Thames - we're loving it!

[Proper Job]

I really love the Thames, but I may have a slightly biased view as I was bought up on it.

 

I have a gold licence as I drop on to the Thames on a regular basis. However, I do think that the short term licence rates are very steep. The charge for a 15 day licence can't be far of the differential between a standard canal licence and a gold one.

 

As for facilities, I have always found them very good. There are plenty of water points with good hoses and sufficient pressure to give short fill times. The self pumpout charges are very reasonable (I think I paid £8 for the last one IIRC). That said, there does appear to be a lot of them out of order just recently and they don't seem to be in any hurry to fix them.

 

Official EA moorings have always been few and far between. Don't forget that, unlike BW, the EA rarely holds the rights over the river banks.

 

I never buy diesel on the Thames!

[Lady Muck]

I think the facilities are great - much cleaner than on the canals for a start. but I agree the short term licenses are a rip-off. We got a Gold license this January and have spent almost 2 months on the Thames this year. Will be back there by next week, currently on the South Oxford.

 

There are plenty of places to moor that aren't 24 hour EA ones. It's just knowing where they are. I'd say, the further up you go, the more free moorings there are.

 

We usually buy fuel at Better Boating in Reading, they're reasonable.

[David Schweizer]

I think the facilities are great - much cleaner than on the canals for a start. but I agree the short term licenses are a rip-off. We got a Gold license this January and have spent almost 2 months on the Thames this year. Will be back there by next week, currently on the South Oxford.

 

There are plenty of places to moor that aren't 24 hour EA ones. It's just knowing where they are. I'd say, the further up you go, the more free moorings there are.

 

We usually buy fuel at Better Boating in Reading, they're reasonable.

I certainly agree with you on that point, my biggest problem was that I did not know where they were, and often muissed them.

 

When we were mooring on the western end of the K&A over the winter, and cruising around the system all summer, we had a Gold licence, and at that time it was cheaper to buy a gold licence rather than two lots of one day Thames licences at each end of the summer.

[alan_fincher]

£176 for a fifteen day licence, rubbish points removed from most locks. Scarce water points (advice from lock keepers" pay for water from Marinas"). Most of the moorings seem to be 24hrs and then pay daily rate. Cheapest diesel I have seen thus far is £1.16 per litre........................

To be fair, that is kind of getting on towards "worst case scenario" for a pretty big wide beam!

 

Our 50 foot narrow boat still cost us well under £100 for the 15 day licence. (They seem to be generous, and treat a narrow boat as only 2 metres beam, on the look up tables the lock-keepers use.....).

 

Not that cheap, I admit, particularly if you only have time for a week on the Thames, but not, I consider, extortionate.

 

We found no trouble finding water points, (which had a massive hose in some cases, so fill the tank remarkably quickly). Mind you we can easily go a week without needing to take on water, if we have to.

 

I would certainly fill with diesel before going on the Thames, as somewhere like Uxbridge Boat Centre, or one of the canal fuel boats is likely to undercut Thames prices considerably.

 

IMO you have failed to mention the biggest Thames rip-off at all. The price of drinks in some pubs at popular locations - that can be truly eye watering, and make the £3 pint that people complain about elsewhere look like a true bargain!.........

[Guest]

Our 50 foot narrow boat still cost us well under £100 for the 15 day licence. (They seem to be generous, and treat a narrow boat as only 2 metres beam, on the look up tables the lock-keepers use.....).

 

I'm obviously doing something wrong but I can't find the price for a 60ft NB on their web site.

 

We are likely to be doing the Thames ring this summer so I was keen to find out...how much more is it for another 10 ft.

[blackrose]

£176 for a fifteen day licence, rubbish points removed from most locks. Scarce water points (advice from lock keepers" pay for water from Marinas"). Most of the moorings seem to be 24hrs and then pay daily rate. Cheapest diesel I have seen thus far is £1.16 per litre. Lots of Plastic with seemingly little knowledge of how to manoeuvre them. Beautiful River, but has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. Probably soon to be "for the Elite few only"

 

Keeps the riff-raff out...

 

I just saw you go past - but as I'd just got out the shower I didn't want to alarm your wife by coming out to say hello.

[alan_fincher]

Keeps the riff-raff out...

As it's far more expensive for wide-beams, I take it that "Riff Raff" = "Wide Beam" then ?

 

Time for a similar policy on the canals, I think.

[blackrose]

As it's far more expensive for wide-beams, I take it that "Riff Raff" = "Wide Beam" then ?

 

Time for a similar policy on the canals, I think.

 

Don't quite understand the logic there? A Ferarri is more expensive than a Ford, so by that logic riff raff = the Ferrari? A mansion in Henley is far more expensive than a flat in Slough...

 

I pay length x beam whether I'm on the river or the canal so it makes no difference to me how charges are levied.

Edited July 14, 2011 by blackrose

[Lesd]

Our 15 day license cost £193 a couple of weeks ago (10'6'' x 58'). I thought it was very expensive, if we were going for three weeks a Gold license would have been cheaper but I very much doubt we'll be down there again this year. What I thought was a P..take was charging another £8 to moor overnight at Teddington lock afterr handing over near £2oo.

 

We loved the river though, we head back when we have the time.

 

We seemed to find elsan and bins when we needed them and only filled up with water once, no problem.When I asked a lock keeper he explained which locks had which facilities and was generally very helpful. Only paid for moorings at Eton and Teddington.

 

Perhaps Jenlyn was unlucky to find a less than helpful locky ?

[Proper Job]

I certainly agree with you on that point, my biggest problem was that I did not know where they were, and often muissed them.

 

.....

Picking up on Davids point.

 

In many cases, the refuse and elsan points are often where you least expect them to be and not always that clearly sign posted. The water point may be above the lock whilst the other 'services' are below.

[muddywaters]

£176 for a fifteen day licence, rubbish points removed from most locks. Scarce water points (advice from lock keepers" pay for water from Marinas"). Most of the moorings seem to be 24hrs and then pay daily rate. Cheapest diesel I have seen thus far is £1.16 per litre. Lots of Plastic with seemingly little knowledge of how to manoeuvre them. Beautiful River, but has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. Probably soon to be "for the Elite few only"

It's full of snobs and runs through London what else do you expect it to be like

[David Schweizer]

It's full of snobs and runs through London what else do you expect it to be like

There were certainly a few Hoo Rays around, but it gets more civilized north of Oxford where the Wedding Cake Plastics can't reach

[mickspangle]

There were certainly a few Hoo Rays around, but it gets more civilized north of Oxford where the Wedding Cake Plastics can't reach

 

Yes, Osney Bridge certainly sorts out the Gin Palaces from the Gin Bungalows.

[alan_fincher]

Yes, Osney Bridge certainly sorts out the Gin Palaces from the Gin Bungalows.

Or has the potential to turn one into the other!

Edited July 14, 2011 by alan_fincher

[jonk]

Our 15 day license cost £193 a couple of weeks ago (10'6'' x 58'). I thought it was very expensive, if we were going for three weeks a Gold license would have been cheaper but I very much doubt we'll be down there again this year. What I thought was a P..take was charging another £8 to moor overnight at Teddington lock afterr handing over near £2oo.

 

We loved the river though, we head back when we have the time.

 

We seemed to find elsan and bins when we needed them and only filled up with water once, no problem.When I asked a lock keeper he explained which locks had which facilities and was generally very helpful. Only paid for moorings at Eton and Teddington.

 

Perhaps Jenlyn was unlucky to find a less than helpful locky ?

 

We paid about 108pounds for a 57' narrowboat a few weeks back, which at the time I thought expensive but after going from Oxford to Teddington and taking 14 days to do it, it seemed more reasonable. Only paid for mooring at Windsor and Teddington (8 pounds IS expensive when at Kingston it is free and only a few minutes upstream from Teddington!)

 

John

[Guest]

Does any mind if I bump this post as I think it got missed an I still can't find the info.

[jonk]

Does any mind if I bump this post as I think it got missed an I still can't find the info.

 

Look at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/powered_annual_registration_form_(non-hire).pdf

 

Sorry - that might be only annual fees

 

Try http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/visitor_registration_form.pdf

John

Edited July 14, 2011 by jonk

[Guest]

Look at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/powered_annual_registration_form_(non-hire).pdf

 

Sorry - that might be only annual fees

John

 

Indeed I can find the cost of the annual fees in table form based on length v width but not the short term costs.

[jonk]

Indeed I can find the cost of the annual fees in table form based on length v width but not the short term costs.

OK try http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/visitor_registration_form.pdf

 

John

[Guest]

OK try http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/visitor_registration_form.pdf

 

John

 

Splendid - cheers..

[jonk]

Splendid - cheers..

 

You're welcome

John

[john6767]

To be fair, that is kind of getting on towards "worst case scenario" for a pretty big wide beam!

 

Our 50 foot narrow boat still cost us well under £100 for the 15 day licence. (They seem to be generous, and treat a narrow boat as only 2 metres beam, on the look up tables the lock-keepers use.....).

 

Not that cheap, I admit, particularly if you only have time for a week on the Thames, but not, I consider, extortionate.

 

We found no trouble finding water points, (which had a massive hose in some cases, so fill the tank remarkably quickly). Mind you we can easily go a week without needing to take on water, if we have to.

 

I would certainly fill with diesel before going on the Thames, as somewhere like Uxbridge Boat Centre, or one of the canal fuel boats is likely to undercut Thames prices considerably.

 

IMO you have failed to mention the biggest Thames rip-off at all. The price of drinks in some pubs at popular locations - that can be truly eye watering, and make the £3 pint that people complain about elsewhere look like a true bargain!.........

 

Interesting that they round down on size. Our boat is 50ft as well, and using the real sizes that puts it in the 31 to 35 sq m category, so I had assumed £33 per day/£109.50 for 15 days. If they round the width down, and then round down the resultant area then it does fall into 26 to 30 sq m at £27 per day/£93.50 for 15 days. Was that what you were charged?

 

As I only want to do 4 days it does work out expensive as I would either buy 3 days, and take advantage of the fact that is really 4 days/3 nights, but I may just buy a 15 day license anyway as its not much more. If you can use the full 15 days then I think it is not too bad. Have I got this right?