Narrowboat wedged across fast-flowing River Kennet

[nine9feet]

I don't know the river well so was wondering how bad this boat situation is?

 

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/60ft-narrowboat-becomes-wedged-across-7035650

[mango]

50 tonnes?? Britiish Waterways???

 

The press strikes again.

[FadeToScarlet]

Some neighbours went for water just as the most recent floods were abating,and got themselves wedged against two moored boats at 90 degrees across the river. We ended up bringing our boat and pushing their bows upstream against the flow at full throttle, to get them unstuck.

[JDR]

Glad everyone's OK, came very close to being in the same situation in the same place once. Very awkward approach downstream with landing stage under a bridge and a dogleg right/left turn into lock.Not a lot of room for error. There's a road running opposite the lock so should be possible to tow it back towards the IDR moorings.

Edited April 25, 2014 by JDR

[Martin Megson]

I agree a tricky lock to enter in a strong flow.

I suppose it could weigh 50 tons - if it was carrying 30 tons of cargo :-)

[luctor et emergo]

It be sitting on the bottom...

[MtB]

Truly perplexing.

 

I can't see why they don't just reverse back up the river and try again.

 

MtB

[JDR]

Truly perplexing.

 

I can't see why they don't just reverse back up the river and try again.

 

MtB

The front is on the floats above the weir, the stern is resting on the edge of the entrance, they're side on to the flow.They won't get off with engine power but should be possible with ropes.

[twbm]

Been there, done that .... with a motor an butty. If you're going to cock up, cock up in style.

 

The flow around the bend under the bridge is weird even when the water's not high - it pays to really hug the same side as the lock is on. ( I now know). There's a lot of rubble and other big chunks just where the bow is to get stuck on.

[JV44]

As said can be difficult if you don`t know that bit of river even when it is not charging through ,2 boats off our island are stuck in county lock heading upstream as I type not sure if it`s due to said boat or more likely the fact Fobney has been padlocked to stop boats heading down .

Hope she drops back quick as we are heading to Newbury for blacking next weekend

[MtB]

That lock is a vicious lock to enter going downstream as a fast flowing stream enters from the right just before the lock mouth. This means if you try to gingerly approach the lock your bow gets swept sharply the the left and onto the weir, and the stern gets stuck on the left hand lock piling. Guess how I know this. One has to get some speed on to get into the lock safely.

 

Looks to me as though this boat does not have its stern against the lock piling so isn't fully across the stream like I was. We got off by people on the bank pulling us off with our stern line...

 

MtB

[billS]

That lock is a vicious lock to enter going downstream as a fast flowing stream enters from the right just before the lock mouth. This means if you try to gingerly approach the lock your bow gets swept sharply the the left and onto the weir, and the stern gets stuck on the left hand lock piling. Guess how I know this. One has to get some speed on to get into the lock safely.

Eh? The channel at the right before the lock mouth leaves the river. Your bow gets pulled to the left by the weir itself.

[ditchcrawler]

Eh? The channel at the right before the lock mouth leaves the river. Your bow gets pulled to the left by the weir itself.

I am trying to think back, do you think it possible he was going up stream, stopped to pick up crew and his bow swung out and round, I can't remember if the river is wide enough for that. Otherwise I can't quite work out how his bows would get right over the other side and his stern against the lock.

[dmr]

If you take the turn into the lock a bit wide then the flow will get the back end and swing it toward the far bank. However in this case I reckon he just didn't know to stop under the bridge so went round the bend in the centre of the channel. Realising his mistake he then did everything he could to power the stern back into the near bank (which is what I would do in that situation) and although it looks like he managed this it was too late as the front had got stuck on the far side.

 

I would think if going upstream most boaters would have worked out that its a difficult turn into the flow and would have kept the front well in...unless another boat came downstream and forced him to swing out????

 

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

[ditchcrawler]

If you take the turn into the lock a bit wide then the flow will get the back end and swing it toward the far bank. However in this case I reckon he just didn't know to stop under the bridge so went round the bend in the centre of the channel. Realising his mistake he then did everything he could to power the stern back into the near bank (which is what I would do in that situation) and although it looks like he managed this it was too late as the front had got stuck on the far side.

 

I would think if going upstream most boaters would have worked out that its a difficult turn into the flow and would have kept the front well in...unless another boat came downstream and forced him to swing out????

 

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

That is quite possible. As tou say the normal thing would have been the bum over the other side.

[mark99]

That is quite possible. As tou say the normal thing would have been the bum over the other side.

 

 

LOL

[ditchcrawler]

In the news paper report a chap goes on about opening a relief channel to easy the water flow. where and how does this work?

[dmr]

In some places the Kennet is split into several channels (typical of a chalk stream) such as above Newbury so by controlling the various sluices the flow in the navigable channel can be reduced, at least for a short while.

However I am sure that in Reading the channel takes 100% of the Kennet and there is no alternative route. It might be possible to open a sluice further upstream and divert some flow into one of the adjacent lakes for a short time.

 

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

[JV44]

Our friends stuck in the lock said they had come downstream went wide saw the weir stuck her into reverse took out the safety bouys protecting the weir with a vengeance stern went right as they reversed with flow pushing against it and bow stuck against far wall ,Fobney got locked as no overshoot the weir protection in place now and will stay locked till they sort that ,hope they have put sign on downstream end of Oracle at traffic lights to warn boats heading up .

Widebeam got stuck by flow underneath Burghfield bridge last night as we walked to pub and we tried to help I jumped on and backed her up fpr another bite at it but just to wide a craft sitting deep as well and not enough power to punch through in the small brige hole German lady new to boating no pins no pole short ropes brutal lesson learned .

Burghfield weir sluices look fully drawn so they are trying to flash it off quickly but as said it all ends up at county with no way round it

[kremmen]

Does anyone know if this is moved and what the K&A is like. I saw a boat headed that way this morning.

 

Paul

[Bunny]

Funny thing is that the 'River Conditions ' e.a web site has ' upstream of Blake's lock no stream warning ' ????,Bunny

[kremmen]

Thanks. Just had email saying county lock shut.

 

Paul

 

Following heavy rainfall,County Lock 106 is again impassable for boats due to high river levels until further notice.

 

You can view this notice and its map online here:

http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/894/county-lock-106-reading

 

You can find all notices at the url below:

http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

[larryjc]

Quick question as we will be heading that way soon, hopefully when the flow has eased a tad. I should know this as we came up there last summer, but can't remember. Is there somewhere to stop/tie up under the road bridge? The google maps image doesn't show much for obvious reasons. The obvious thing to do is set the lock and open the gates before getting anywhere near it.

[DaveC]

The Kennet is closed from Newbury according to CRT email.

 

The lock landing for downstream is under the bridge - a large notice tells you that.

 

Dave

[ditchcrawler]

The Kennet is closed from Newbury according to CRT email.

 

The lock landing for downstream is under the bridge - a large notice tells you that.

 

Dave

That is up stream