Bristol to Sharpness via Portishead

[Weathership]

In the not too distant future, I'm thinking of taking the nb from the K&A up to Gloucester via the Avon and Severn Estuary. Any info and tips would be welcome eg., how much do the authorities charge for the pilot? any special equipment needed like VHF, GPS etc. I take it as read that lifejackets, anchor, insurance, good weather are a must.

[nigel carton]

Here's a useful link http://www.gloucesterharbourtrustees.org.uk/smallboatguidance%202011.pdf

The cost of a river pilot is £165 unless its gone up sinse August when I did the trip.

 

Nigel

[cotswoldsman]

Have done it the other way Sharpness to Bristol, great trip Pilot won't go unless weather is good. Really only need Pilot from Portishead to Sharpness.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

Look to go on a neap tide as spring are very big, so consult a tide table then wait for a good weather window. Its a big river to be swimming in.

[Rebotco]

In the not too distant future, I'm thinking of taking the nb from the K&A up to Gloucester via the Avon and Severn Estuary. Any info and tips would be welcome eg., how much do the authorities charge for the pilot? any special equipment needed like VHF, GPS etc. I take it as read that lifejackets, anchor, insurance, good weather are a must.

 

 

I've done it the other way last year - At 2 a.m.! It was quite hairy, but exciting. You are correct about the things that are a must, but also wise to seal up doors and drainholes with tape, and protect front deck from lots of spray sometimes. I didn't have VHS or GPS, just a mobile phone was fine. Its the patch between the two Severn Bridges that are the most lively.

But your biggest problem will be getting off the K & A onto the Avon. Bottom lock at Bath is currently padlocked and could remain so for many months. Due to the next bridge in danger of falling into the river.

 

Brian

[nigel carton]

I've done it the other way last year - At 2 a.m.! It was quite hairy, but exciting. You are correct about the things that are a must, but also wise to seal up doors and drainholes with tape, and protect front deck from lots of spray sometimes. I didn't have VHS or GPS, just a mobile phone was fine. Its the patch between the two Severn Bridges that are the most lively.

But your biggest problem will be getting off the K & A onto the Avon. Bottom lock at Bath is currently padlocked and could remain so for many months. Due to the next bridge in danger of falling into the river.

 

Brian

 

The Severn passage in the dark!!! I'm impressed, bet that was fun!

[Rebotco]

The Severn passage in the dark!!! I'm impressed, bet that was fun!

 

 

Not sure "fun" was the first word I thought of - more like terror!

Especially as I didn't have an official pilot and it was my first boat just bought a week before.

My only excuse for such foolhardy behaviour is that I had to try and beat planned BW stoppages on the K & A before 31/10/11.

But fortunately I did have an old "sea dog" with me, who was very familiar with the Severn, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here now - I'd still be trying to back from across the Atlantic where the Severn would have washed me!

Still, it was pretty following the "leading lights" down the river, and I'm very glad to have done it. So now its over, yeah I could call it fun!

 

Brian

[nigel carton]

I've done it a couple of times in daylight with a pilot and thought it was a challenge! Don't suppose you took any pictures?

 

Nigel

 

Here's my effort ealier this year

 

Edited December 9, 2011 by nigel carton

[Rebotco]

I've done it a couple of times in daylight with a pilot and thought it was a challenge! Don't suppose you took any pictures?

 

Nigel

 

Here's my effort ealier this year

 

 

Love the photo, cheers. Afraid none of mine came out in the dark! Even if they had, my hands were shaking so much with a mixture of freezing cold and fear, they would be too blurred to see.

 

The river looks quite benign in the daylight, doesn't it? But I'm not fooled by that!

 

Brian

[nigel carton]

The boat pictured was being delivered to Bristol. It had a 3 pot Lister pushing us along, just made the slot into Portishead lock, it was cutting it a bit fine. I did clock the speed under the first bridge at 14mph! then you hit the choppy bit! I would think twice about doing it again with a Lister, the poor old engine was at max rpm for 3 hours! not good.

[Rebotco]

The boat pictured was being delivered to Bristol. It had a 3 pot Lister pushing us along, just made the slot into Portishead lock, it was cutting it a bit fine. I did clock the speed under the first bridge at 14mph! then you hit the choppy bit! I would think twice about doing it again with a Lister, the poor old engine was at max rpm for 3 hours! not good.

 

 

Yep! Know the feeling well! My 42 hp Izusu was thrashing its guts out travelling sideways to try and hit the little (sealock) hole at Portishead.

 

brian

[cotswoldsman]

I've done it the other way last year - At 2 a.m.! It was quite hairy, but exciting. You are correct about the things that are a must, but also wise to seal up doors and drainholes with tape, and protect front deck from lots of spray sometimes. I didn't have VHS or GPS, just a mobile phone was fine. Its the patch between the two Severn Bridges that are the most lively.

But your biggest problem will be getting off the K & A onto the Avon. Bottom lock at Bath is currently padlocked and could remain so for many months. Due to the next bridge in danger of falling into the river.

 

Brian

 

Just out of interest how did you manage to get Portishead to operate the Lock as it closes at 8pm, When I did it we were put under real time pressure as they were not prepared to open the lock out of hours.

[Rebotco]

Just out of interest how did you manage to get Portishead to operate the Lock as it closes at 8pm, When I did it we were put under real time pressure as they were not prepared to open the lock out of hours.

 

I don't recall them doing anything especially for us timewise. We obviously had clearance to proceed out of Sharpness and maybe they had phoned Portishead. I wasn't aware of any lock time restrictions other than that determined by the tide. Having said that, the lockies at Portishead were considerably surprised at our 2 am arrival in a nb. Their comment was something along the lines of "You must be bloody mad". I agreed.

 

Brian

[Weathership]

Thank you all very much for your tips and experiences, very useful. I thought that a pilot on board was mandatory but this seems not to be the case which is interesting. Re the closure of the Avon at Bath with the unsafe bridge, I wll not be making the trip until Spring 2013 at the earliest. Hopefully the river will be navigable by then. Please keep on with the info etc., trust me, everything is being read avidly.

[bottle]

In the not too distant future, I'm thinking of taking the nb from the K&A up to Gloucester via the Avon and Severn Estuary

 

I wll not be making the trip until Spring 2013 at the earliest.

 

Nothing like a bit of forward planning

[Capt Ahab]

The boat pictured was being delivered to Bristol. It had a 3 pot Lister pushing us along, just made the slot into Portishead lock, it was cutting it a bit fine. I did clock the speed under the first bridge at 14mph! then you hit the choppy bit! I would think twice about doing it again with a Lister, the poor old engine was at max rpm for 3 hours! not good.

I did the run from Potishead to Sharpness on a spring tide in September on The Book Barge = we clocked 16.4 knots under the bridge before we hit the holes.

[Dominic M]

I did it 7 times in the 90s. 5 in a narrowboat, 2 in a 43ft x 9ft Dutch skutsje. In those days you beached on the mud at Portishead to await the turn of the tide. You need to wait for the right weather, but it is not difficult. If you can't read buoyage and other navigation marks then take a pilot.

 

We never sealed up doors. It was never a problem and whilst exciting, not a huge challenge.

[roggie]

Cycled along the Avon in Bath last Thursday - wondered why the channel was blocked by red buoys and the river path was closed. There were about 4 nb's moored by the weir - I guess they are not going far for a while..

[Rebotco]

Cycled along the Avon in Bath last Thursday - wondered why the channel was blocked by red buoys and the river path was closed. There were about 4 nb's moored by the weir - I guess they are not going far for a while..

 

 

The waterway is closed indefinitely from Bath bottom lock westwards due to the risk of the (Victoria?) bridge falling into the river. Looks likely to remain so for many months.

 

Brian