Anyone for The Thames

[Bunny]

Well the sun IS out , at the moment , the yellow boards are starting to appear on The Thames, time to head 'up north' . Anyone else making a run for it this week-end , off The K and A up to Oxford . There are two of us , just wondered if there were more boats making the trip. Bunny.

[churchward]

Well the sun IS out , at the moment , the yellow boards are starting to appear on The Thames, time to head 'up north' . Anyone else making a run for it this week-end , off The K and A up to Oxford . There are two of us , just wondered if there were more boats making the trip. Bunny.

I hope you enjoy it, have a safe trip.

[kremmen]

Not going anywhere at the moment. Loads of reds out. Just seen a dutch barge ( ebony pearl ) will be coming up the k&a soon as he can remove wheelhouse.

He just scrapped under Sonning bridge.

Have fun.

 

Paul

[Bunny]

Thank you. We are moving on Sunday from Aldermaston Wharf so expect to see plenty of 'yellows' by Monday but the pinch points will be Clifton/Culham and of course Osney. Will keep an eye out for the Dutch barge and expect to meet it on a corner, as you do. Cheers Bunny.

[GSer]

Thank you. We are moving on Sunday from Aldermaston Wharf so expect to see plenty of 'yellows' by Monday but the pinch points will be Clifton/Culham and of course Osney. Will keep an eye out for the Dutch barge and expect to meet it on a corner, as you do. Cheers Bunny.

 

 

Have a great trip and take care.

 

I'm as far as the coventry now so i think the greyhound might take a visit tonight

[DaveC]

Might be worth a check with your insurers regarding navigation on the Thames with red boards displayed.

 

 

 

Dave

[Tony Brooks]

Downstream lock landing at Fobney still under water but at least boaters are leaving the lower gates open at the moment - had to dissuade some walkers from closing them a while ago.

 

Personally I would be heading for Brentford from Reading if I absolutely had to leave the K&A. Looking at the flow I think upstream would be hard going at the moment.

[nigel carton]

I shall be heading that way, picking a boat up from Nottingham castle marina on Monday and delivering to Devizes wharf.

[Trix]

im going to sit it out for a another week , the flow is improving on the K&A but im to much of a novice to attempt the thames despite the great need to get to the grand union let me know how it goes

[MtB]

Downstream lock landing at Fobney still under water but at least boaters are leaving the lower gates open at the moment - had to dissuade some walkers from closing them a while ago.

 

Tony, what's the reason for leaving the bottom gates open at Fobney, please?

 

 

MtB

[dmr]

Because going upstream getting on to the lock landing is a bit tricky, especially with a longer boat, and the option to go straight into the lock and then go up the ladder can be a welcome PlanB if PlanA goes wrong!

Also picking up crew when leaving the lock going downsream is not easy so leaving the bottom gates open is easier all round.

Same applies at Newbury town lock, though its easier than Fobney (there was briefly a shopping trolley off the lock landing that made it very hard for a deeper boat, and heading downstream the bolts sticking out on the right when going down made collecting the lock crew tricky).

 

However if you go out of Newbury downstream going down and meet a widebeam coming up then the state of bottom gates is the least of your problems!

 

............Dave

[Tony Brooks]

Tony, what's the reason for leaving the bottom gates open at Fobney, please?

 

 

MtB

 

 

As I said - the lower lock landing is under water. It has been as much as about 3 feet, but yesterday it looked about 6 inches. You could use it if you had wellyboots on. Leaving the bottom gates open allows both up and downstream boats to get off or on the boat while in the lock.

 

Thats ignoring the cross flow form the by-wash/waterfall at the head of the downstream landing.

[IdealStandard]

im going to sit it out for a another week , the flow is improving on the K&A but im to much of a novice to attempt the thames despite the great need to get to the grand union let me know how it goes

 

I hope for both of our sakes that it stays dry for the next week or so. You could consider navigating with someone more experienced? There will be plenty of people making a break for it.

[MtB]

Thanks, I hadn't connected up the significance of the lock landing being underwater. Too much alcohol I expect.

 

Obvious now you say it, knowing the lock. Absolutely nowhere to alight other than on the (submerged) fabricated lock landing. VERY risky single handed.

 

 

MtB

[Bunny]

Fobney is a bit of a b...er , have had to walk into Reading before now when I could't get picked up. We do tend to leave both Fobney (down the ladder) and Country lock bottom gates open , have been grateful in the past coming upstream to find the lock ready for us.Plan to go up-steam rather than London. We are booked for the Ribble link Ap 25th, so need to get a move on probably have to wait 24hrs for Culham and the 24hrs for Osney. Don't do red boards , not nice slugging through the top water. Have had them following us down one year , that was o.k , but the water skier the back didn't like it, got as far as Caversham before we had to stop. Abingdon to Caversham in 6hrs, and still on yellows.....Just.....Bunny.