Thames

[dekker]

Can anyone tell me if there are any restrictions and/or problems with cruising the Thames from Oxford today?

Thanks

[Laurie Booth]

Can anyone tell me if there are any restrictions and/or problems with cruising the Thames from Oxford today?

Thanks

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/131885.aspx

[blackrose]

Which way from Oxford? Upstream of Oxford looks ok, downstream you might want to stay moored up.

 

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Bear in mind that this page hasn't yet been updated today (as of 9.52am, 9th June).

 

Edit: I do see narrowboaters going past on yellow boards and even a few on red boards. It's a personal decision, but one which should be made with awareness of the conditions. Lock keepers may warn you, but I'm not sure if they can stop you.

Edited June 9, 2012 by blackrose

[George94]

Which way from Oxford? Upstream of Oxford looks ok, downstream you might want to stay moored up.

 

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Bear in mind that this page hasn't yet been updated today (as of 9.52am, 9th June).

 

Edit: I do see narrowboaters going past on yellow boards and even a few on red boards. It's a personal decision, but one which should be made with awareness of the conditions. Lock keepers may warn you, but I'm not sure if they can stop you.

 

It's a good time to check that you have a good anchor and that the other end of the line is very securely attached!

[theiC]

As a narrow-boating newbie, from the world of sail and motor-boats (with several years based on the Thames), might I pitch in?

 

In challenging conditions, I'd suggest you need two anchors, both with decent lengths of good, heavy, chain. The boat lies to the friction between chain and bed, not to the anchor, and the anchor is there to hold the end of the chain in place; a rope rode is inadequate other than in very low-load situations. Why two? One (the bower) will hold the boat from progressing downstream, the other (the kedge) is deployed from the stern, to prevent swinging into the fairway or into obstructions etc.

 

If your boat is too long to swing in the width available, and you're making way downstream when you need to go to anchor, you would of course need to use the kedge as the bower, and vice versa, so this needs to be a deciding factor in the size of your tackle (no sniggering at the back!).

 

In my experience, a decent kedge set-up is a great help in mooring with the bow against a small access place on the bank, as one can hold the stern precisely in place and often make a mooring where none was apparently possible - this can be very helpful in busy spots, and achieved many good nights for me on the Thames. Of course, great care must always be taken not to obstruct the fairway, but it's worth noting that with that proviso, it is perfectly in order to anchor on the non-tidal Thames, though you'll need to be prepared for rowers to collide with you, as they don't expect boats to be lying at anchor, and their look-out can leave something to be desired. The perfect set-up has powerful winches at both bow and stern, but that may be going too far on a NB, unless you're going to visit strong currents often...

Edited June 9, 2012 by theiC

[dekker]

Which way from Oxford? Upstream of Oxford looks ok, downstream you might want to stay moored up.

 

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Bear in mind that this page hasn't yet been updated today (as of 9.52am, 9th June).

 

Edit: I do see narrowboaters going past on yellow boards and even a few on red boards. It's a personal decision, but one which should be made with awareness of the conditions. Lock keepers may warn you, but I'm not sure if they can stop you.

 

Thanks Blackrose. I did say Oxford to Teddington is that Up or Down stream I am unsure of this?

 

I would not be going on yellow boards does it not affect your insurance anyway?

 

Dekker

 

As a narrow-boating newbie, from the world of sail and motor-boats (with several years based on the Thames), might I pitch in?

 

In challenging conditions, I'd suggest you need two anchors, both with decent lengths of good, heavy, chain. The boat lies to the friction between chain and bed, not to the anchor, and the anchor is there to hold the end of the chain in place; a rope rode is inadequate other than in very low-load situations. Why two? One (the bower) will hold the boat from progressing downstream, the other (the kedge) is deployed from the stern, to prevent swinging into the fairway or into obstructions etc.

 

If your boat is too long to swing in the width available, and you're making way downstream when you need to go to anchor, you would of course need to use the kedge as the bower, and vice versa, so this needs to be a deciding factor in the size of your tackle (no sniggering at the back!).

 

In my experience, a decent kedge set-up is a great help in mooring with the bow against a small access place on the bank, as one can hold the stern precisely in place and often make a mooring where none was apparently possible - this can be very helpful in busy spots, and achieved many good nights for me on the Thames. Of course, great care must always be taken not to obstruct the fairway, but it's worth noting that with that proviso, it is perfectly in order to anchor on the non-tidal Thames, though you'll need to be prepared for rowers to collide with you, as they don't expect boats to be lying at anchor, and their look-out can leave something to be desired. The perfect set-up has powerful winches at both bow and stern, but that may be going too far on a NB, unless you're going to visit strong currents often...

 

Wow! I think I'll stay on the cut after all.

[theiC]

Oxford to Teddington is downstream. Teddington Lock is where non-tidal meets tidal Thames, though the level below Teddington is maintained as far as Richmond, below which the river is purely tidal.

[dekker]

Which way from Oxford? Upstream of Oxford looks ok, downstream you might want to stay moored up.

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Bear in mind that this page hasn't yet been updated today (as of 9.52am, 9th June).

 

Edit: I do see narrowboaters going past on yellow boards and even a few on red boards. It's a personal decision, but one which should be made with awareness of the conditions. Lock keepers may warn you, but I'm not sure if they can stop you.

 

EA say on their site that it is getting worse over the weekend and into next week

[Serenity Malc]

Yello,

 

No yellow boards down here at Runnymede .... boat traffic as normal.

 

Malc.

[MtB]

Thanks Blackrose. I did say Oxford to Teddington is that Up or Down stream I am unsure of this?

 

I would not be going on yellow boards does it not affect your insurance anyway?

 

Dekker

 

 

 

Wow! I think I'll stay on the cut after all.

 

That seems a shame. The Thames is easy to cope with even when the yellow boards are up. The EA are terribly conservative in displaying them.

 

I doubt insurance is affected by yellow boards. The only way to find out for sure is to read your policy. I've read my third party policy and from memory it makes no reference whatsoever to river conditions other than that I cannot go in the sea and must stay inside the Thames barrier, or something. So I am insured if I bang into you even on red boards, you'll be pleased to hear!

 

Oh, and you'll NEVER get from Oxford (downstream) to Teddington in a day, if that was your intention, no matter how fast the current is running!

 

Edit: I do see narrowboaters going past on yellow boards and even a few on red boards. It's a personal decision, but one which should be made with awareness of the conditions. Lock keepers may warn you, but I'm not sure if they can stop you.

 

I don't think they can stop you. AIUI the Thames has similar status to a road, in that there is a right of way, a 'right to navigate'. No doubt one of the legally clued up bods on here will be along to contradict me on this any second

[dekker]

That seems a shame. The Thames is easy to cope with even when the yellow boards are up. The EA are terribly conservative in displaying them.

 

I doubt insurance is affected by yellow boards. The only way to find out for sure is to read your policy. I've read my third party policy and from memory it makes no reference whatsoever to river conditions other than that I cannot go in the sea and must stay inside the Thames barrier, or something. So I am insured if I bang into you even on red boards, you'll be pleased to hear!

 

Oh, and you'll NEVER get from Oxford (downstream) to Teddington in a day, if that was your intention, no matter how fast the current is running!

I don't think they can stop you. AIUI the Thames has similar status to a road, in that there is a right of way, a 'right to navigate'. No doubt one of the legally clued up bods on here will be along to contradict me on this any second

 

I was waiting for this comment, no it was not my intention but this V12 Merc engine doesn't half shift!

[AJLintern]

The stream was fine in Abingdon today, plenty of boats about. Compared to how it was when we had the last load of rain it's very benign.

[Bones]

It has been a bit frisky down here in abingdon but has calmed down, we were stillon yellow boards yesterday though.

[MtB]

I was waiting for this comment, no it was not my intention but this V12 Merc engine doesn't half shift!

 

Well yes I agree, you could do it easily in a day in that bus of yours....

[MIKE P]

At Osney Island at the moment, Boats passing up and downstream. Bit of a flow on the river, although navigation should be fine with caution.