Some tips please for the Thames

[billS]

 

I truly hope the OP has a fantastic time on the Thames and stays safe.

 

I also hope that no damage is caused to other peoples boats if they attempt some of the manouvres suggested on here.

 

We are still waiting to hear your solution for turning a 60ft narrowboat in a 45ft channel in order to meet your criteria for always mooring against the flow.

 

Back to the OP, in any river conditions your journey to/from Aldermaston to the Kennet mouth will be much more challenging than anything you find on the Thames. County Lock in Reading can be tricky, and you will need to moor with the flow on the way down to operate the lock, as there is no lock cut as such. If you take the advice of the lady who has never actually been there, you will find yourself pinned to the weir.

 

Don't let that put you off though - unless the river is running very hard, it's pretty straight forward.

[Naughty Cal]

 

We are still waiting to hear your solution for turning a 60ft narrowboat in a 45ft channel in order to meet your criteria for always mooring against the flow.

 

Back to the OP, in any river conditions your journey to/from Aldermaston to the Kennet mouth will be much more challenging than anything you find on the Thames. County Lock in Reading can be tricky, and you will need to moor with the flow on the way down to operate the lock, as there is no lock cut as such. If you take the advice of the lady who has never actually been there, you will find yourself pinned to the weir.

 

Don't let that put you off though - unless the river is running very hard, it's pretty straight forward.

I have never offered a solution for turning the boat around.

 

You are making stuff up now!

 

We are still waiting to hear your solution for turning a 60ft narrowboat in a 45ft channel in order to meet your criteria for always mooring against the flow.

 

Back to the OP, in any river conditions your journey to/from Aldermaston to the Kennet mouth will be much more challenging than anything you find on the Thames. County Lock in Reading can be tricky, and you will need to moor with the flow on the way down to operate the lock, as there is no lock cut as such. If you take the advice of the lady who has never actually been there, you will find yourself pinned to the weir.

 

Don't let that put you off though - unless the river is running very hard, it's pretty straight forward.

It is safe to assume there are places to turn longer boats otherwise there would be a hell of a lot of boats heading in the same direction!

[billS]

Ah - so you concede that it is sometimes necessary to moor with the flow. Good, well done - that's real progress

[Naughty Cal]

Erm no!

 

Making stuff up again!

[Proper Job]

The simple answer on mooring with the flow or turning to face up stream is immaterial to the OP

 

It's a 62' narrow boat - moor it in what ever direction your going or happen to be facing at the time.

 

If the flow of the river is at such an extent that it will effect your ability to moor, you won't be moving anyway.

 

It's a hire boat - as soon as the yellow boards come out you have to stop and conact your hire base for advice.

 

Anything less than yellow boards and mooring isn't a problem (apart from the usual cock ups )

[billS]

To Naughty Cal - Well - if you have a 60 ft boat in a 45 foot wide channel - for example at Woolhampton swing bridge, and you don't concede that it is necessary to moor with the flow in order to stop to close the bridge, what is you solution?

Edited January 15, 2014 by billS

[MtB]

 

County Lock in Reading can be tricky, and you will need to moor with the flow on the way down to operate the lock, as there is no lock cut as such. If you take the advice of the lady who has never actually been there, you will find yourself pinned to the weir.

 

And that's if you can actually find it. Last night viewing from the IDR bridge, it appeared to be totally submerged!

[billS]

 

And that's if you can actually find it. Last night viewing from the IDR bridge, it appeared to be totally submerged!

 

The water last night was actually down by about a foot from its peak.

[jacloc]

Oh dear, I seem to have caused a bit of a kerfuffle.

 

I have been given a lot of good advice and really appreciate you helping me. I just hope the weather is alright now and the river won't be on yellow boards so all my homework will have been in vain.

 

So if you see a blue hire boat 'Ufton Lock', with someone looking bewildered about which buttons to press at the locks (can it be any more difficult then the LL swing bridges?) please be kind. I am usually the one doing the donkey work (by choice mind) whilst hubbie looks nonchalant on the tiller.

[billS]

Oh dear, I seem to have caused a bit of a kerfuffle.

 

I have been given a lot of good advice and really appreciate you helping me. I just hope the weather is alright now and the river won't be on yellow boards so all my homework will have been in vain.

 

So if you see a blue hire boat 'Ufton Lock', with someone looking bewildered about which buttons to press at the locks (can it be any more difficult then the LL swing bridges?) please be kind. I am usually the one doing the donkey work (by choice mind) whilst hubbie looks nonchalant on the tiller.

 

No - we should be apologising for using your thread to indulge in our favourite game of talking bollocks. Hopefully you willl be able to sort out the useful bollocks from the bollocks bollocks

 

Hopefully by March the Kennet and the Thames will have sorted themselves out and you will have a great holiday.

 

I would advise contacting CRT re Fobney Lock nearer the time. There will be a closure for gate work going on there from February 24 until March 7, but bad weather may cause it to over-run.

Edited January 15, 2014 by billS

[matty40s]

More gate work, they were chopping the paddle gear off in September!!

[OldGoat]

Oh dear, I seem to have caused a bit of a kerfuffle.

 

I have been given a lot of good advice and really appreciate you helping me. I just hope the weather is alright now and the river won't be on yellow boards so all my homework will have been in vain.

 

So if you see a blue hire boat 'Ufton Lock', with someone looking bewildered about which buttons to press at the locks (can it be any more difficult then the LL swing bridges?) please be kind. I am usually the one doing the donkey work (by choice mind) whilst hubbie looks nonchalant on the tiller.

 

 

Psst - 'ere guv -

Some unexpurgated words from EA about push buttons:-

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/133159.aspx

 

 

Lorra general leaflets about the River, the first pdf shows what's where, akshully the last one is better:--

 

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/133183.aspx

 

 

and absolutely nothing about in which direction you should moor

 

What ever you do, Don't tell Fred (or Allan or Boiler or Phyllis Or......)

[Naughty Cal]

Why would the EA tell you which way to moor?

[MtB]

Why would the EA tell you which way to moor?

 

Same reason as you do...?

 

MtB

[Naughty Cal]

Do the DVLA tell you how to drive?

[MtB]

Do the DVLA tell you how to drive?

 

No, but I'm sure you will be, soon!

 

 

MtB

[OldGoat]

Heavens To Murgatroyd - it was a joke; that's why I put it in small print.

 

Dear oh dear, you just can't get the right sort of posters nowadays........

[alan_fincher]

 

 

and absolutely nothing about in which direction you should moor

 

What ever you do, Don't tell Fred (or Allan or Boiler or Phyllis Or......)

 

Well I'm out of here anyway, trying to enjoy my nice leisurely narrow boat trip across the Wash to Hunstaton.....

 

(If only those ruddy RNLI blokes would stop towing me back to where I don't want to be........)

[Alastair]

 

Well firstly you'll be needing a 23m long bow line but I'll let that one pass....

 

I'd like to see you hop off the stern of a full length narrowboat whilst holding the bow line then run 20+ metres up to the bow so you can attempt to hold the boat while you let the flow tuck you in quietly.

 

Far easier and less fine judgement required to moor going downstream when single handing. Or maybe you didn't notice I mentioned single handing

 

MtB

Well since I have far more experience of motoring on a river than I do anywhere else, I'll chime in now.

 

Moor pointing upstream. Why? Well if the flow gets up, you'll have more luck stemming the flow going forward than astern. Also, with a rapid flow, it isn't great having your rudder jammed over by the flow (do tie the tiller over).

 

Now technique for mooring pointing upstream: Wear a buoyancy vest or lifejacket. Nose in to the bank/pontoon. Leave engine ticking over, in gear. Have bow and stern lines run full length of the boat; so you can be at either end and hold them. Current is pressing you against bank as long as engine is keeping you nose-in. Go to bow of boat, step off with both bow and stern lines in hand. Tie in bow line. Tie stern line to same point. Now get back on boat and take boat out of gear (but leave engine running). Get back on shore - now pull stern of boat in using stern rope and tie up appropriately. Fit springs. Turn off engine.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Alastair

[OldGoat]

Well since I have far more experience of motoring on a river than I do anywhere else, I'll chime in now.

 

Moor pointing upstream. Why? Well if the flow gets up, you'll have more luck stemming the flow going forward than astern. Also, with a rapid flow, it isn't great having your rudder jammed over by the flow (do tie the tiller over).

 

Now technique for mooring pointing upstream: Wear a buoyancy vest or lifejacket. Nose in to the bank/pontoon. Leave engine ticking over, in gear. Have bow and stern lines run full length of the boat; so you can be at either end and hold them. Current is pressing you against bank as long as engine is keeping you nose-in. Go to bow of boat, step off with both bow and stern lines in hand. Tie in bow line. Tie stern line to same point. Now get back on boat and take boat out of gear (but leave engine running). Get back on shore - now pull stern of boat in using stern rope and tie up appropriately. Fit springs. Turn off engine.

 

Precisely - from one river boater to another.

However, there are some who prefer to be contentious. My initial suggestion was to an experienced hirer who had no declared experience of using rivers.

Most of the contrary posts were from folks who visit the Thames in the summer season when there is (often) low flow and so their method can be made to work. But it's not for a novice.

Going forward - you always have control.

[ditchcrawler]

 

Well I'm out of here anyway, trying to enjoy my nice leisurely narrow boat trip across the Wash to Hunstaton.....

 

(If only those ruddy RNLI blokes would stop towing me back to where I don't want to be........)

So it was you in the GOBA magazine :-)

[Bunny]

Our winter mooring is just beside ABC at Aldermaston and leave towards the end of March each year. The Kennet in some respects can be a bit trickier than the Thames. With the amount of rain we have had this year it would be wise to check the 'board' status of Blakes Lock ( Has been known to be red when Sonning is on yellow, which can indicate that the Kennet is still, increasing or de-creasing).Aldermaston to Ufton swing bridge no problem. After Ufton swing bridge the river joins you on the right , can flow a bit fast, we usually try to travel faster than the current to maintain steering, the river branches off to the left further down, before you get to the lock, so time to slow down and moor for the lock. After Tyle Mill lock and swing bridge, stop and collect crew,(moored boats sometimes doesn't make this easy ) the river will come in again on your left, with a lively current , usually there are moored boats on the opp corner, put on some revs / speed otherwise you could clip one of them. Sulhamstead s/bridge/lock no problems. Theale swing bridge , worth getting off with a stern line first not middle to put round a bollard, have known the current catch the stern. Shenfield lock , Garston lock , Burghfield lock , Southcote lock all no problem. The river section can twist and turn here , use your horn on blind bends. Fobney lock , check the landing stage the other side of the bridge (make sure not underwater) . You can either , leave the bottom gates open and then climb down the ladder back on the boat or be picked up from the landing stage leaving the gates open or closed . A small weir comes in under the landing stage and catches the stern, if you have enough crew get the stern line on asap to collect locking crew. The first time we locked Fobney I walked to Reading !! That was a very long time ago but I can still remember walking along the dual carriage way trying to hide my windlass! The Kennet twists a bit here , and can flow well, watch out for fallen trees that may not have been cleared from this winter storms. I had a black eye last spring and the following boat almost lost 2 crew over the stern. Keep bikes ect off the roof (low bridge in Reading also). Coming up to County lock the lock mooring is on the right under the bridge. You wont see the lock , its a dozen yards beyond the bridge set at an angle. Get that stern line on first, and wrapped round a bollard, tie up securely. Set the lock, open both top gates and go for it. Coming out , stay in the lock, both bottom gates open , boat ready to leave, press the traffic light button , green.... go. watch the arched bridge as you leave the Oracle, can be low at the edges. Straight on to Blakes lock, no problem. Blow you horn on entering the Thames and enjoy the trip. Recommend The Cunning Man for overnighting on The Kennet. Bunny.

[billS]

Theale swing bridge , worth getting off with a stern line first not middle to put round a bollard, have known the current catch the stern.

 

According to the resident expert on this subject - you are doing it wrong. Apparently you should turn the boat so that you moor facing the current...

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

According to the resident expert on this subject - you are doing it wrong. Apparently you should turn the boat so that you moor facing the current...

 

I believe that this posting shows what can happen if you moor facing downstream ...

[b0atman]

Lines in locks two people on boat 1 front 1 back lock keeper will help put them round bollards .Engine off in Thames locks .With regards mooring fees I had to pay above Sonning lock Still lots of flood water about so best of luck with water and happy boating.

Edited January 28, 2014 by b0atman