My boat has sunk in Kingston (1939 ww2 wooden motor cruiser)

[boots]

Sorry that I am too far away to offer anything other than moral support - but I do wish you all the best and hope that this weekend is successful and that you eventually return her to former glory,

 

Good luck.

[Mr Badger]

 

 

This is a bit of an aside, but something that's puzzled me. The boat is apparently sitting on the bottom because I'd expect even a wooden boat, with the weight of the engine, to sink when waterlogged. But why isn't the Thames deeper there? My experience of punting on it at Oxford was that once you got about 30' out from the bank, it was too deep to use a punt pole, i.e. over about 12' deep, and the technique for crossing over was to push hard to get moving then just use the paddle for a few minutes until reaching shallow enough water on the far side 100 yards or so downstream. At Kingston the river width will have been hemmed in a bit more by man-made embankments, and by then various tributaries (Kennet, Wey, Mole, Colne) have added to the volume, so unless a lot of water has evaporated or been extracted the flow should be greater and I'd expect a minimum depth of 12' in midstream, especially alongside an island.

 

There appears to be a distinct eddy line where the channels reunite. This would be consistent with a deeper faster-flowing channel on one side (where the disturbed water is) and a slower shallower channel on the other (the flat water). Most of London's water supply is extracted from the Thames upstream of here.

 

[Peter X]

Just a quick one. As I think some of you said you may come down tomorrow... I won't be around until early to mid afternoon! I'm on 07879 812 789... Will be around most of the weekend though! You are all mega stars.

Mx

 

Wait until you've tried the cake before you say that. I'll take my time over breakfast etc. then give you a ring to see what else it might be useful to bring that I can carry, e.g. some carpentry tools. I don't have a pump, a wetsuit, or even a staple gun, and I can't swim, but at least I can bring cake and it'd be nice to meet a few people from the forum and see what we can do to assist.

 

Mr Badger: Some years ago I was told that the water for most of South London, apart from some areas which get it from boreholes in the North Downs, comes out of the Thames at Kingston. But I won't suggest we should all open our taps to lower the river level for Marcus, because I think Thames Water might get a bit upset with me if I did that.

[MtB]

Well I'll come over this afternoon after my boiler fix in Sunbury this morning. Just called Marcus to see if he needs anyting bringing but got his answerphone. Maybe Peter X and I will just eat the cakes sitting on the bank :D

 

MtB

[Peter X]

Well I'll come over this afternoon after my boiler fix in Sunbury this morning. Just called Marcus to see if he needs anyting bringing but got his answerphone. Maybe Peter X and I will just eat the cakes sitting on the bank

 

MtB

 

I got the answerphone too just now. Texted Marcus, who replied he's driving, arriving about 2. Finally getting out shortly, should be there around 3 myself. I'm the one in the beige trousers and dark green T-shirt.

[Naughty Cal]

Good luck to everyone involved.

 

Hope the boat can be refloated safely and without sustaining damage.

[Wanted]

Good luck Marcus and team, if I get back in time on Sunday I will swing by and see how all went/is going

[Graham Davis]

Good luck to all.

[gazza]

Good luck.

 

Top tip, make sure any suction and delivery hoses are clear of the exhaust on petrol driven pumps.

 

I know this because..... :-)

[Hair Bear Bunch]

My boat is small and manoueverable but is currently not insured or licenced. If it would be of use I can try do an online insurance overnight but can I still buy a licence at a lock? And where would be the closest slipway?

[RLWP]

My boat is small and manoueverable but is currently not insured or licenced. If it would be of use I can try do an online insurance overnight but can I still buy a licence at a lock? And where would be the closest slipway?

Almost immediately opposite Fairstar. There's a slipway where the path meets Lower Ham road

 

Richard

[Dekazer]

Teddington lock is also very close, open 24hrs and sells licences.

 

Sorry we couldn't come down to help, I've been laid up with food poisoning or gastroenteritis or something and basically can't stand up, but all power to you, team!

[Peter X]

I met MtB and Marcus at Kingston today and took this picture. In that margarine tub is some leftover cake to be distributed to people helping this weekend.

In the distance, not very visible, is Marcus's boat. We got up close in a rowing boat, a sad sight indeed, then sat around a while eating cake and biscuits and mulling over salvage ideas, then we left Marcus to get on with his preparations.

[MtB]

Yes I must say, I hadn't realised until I got there that Fairstar was in mid stream rather than adjacent to the bank. I'd assumed it was sunken on an island mooring.

 

This makes any prep work very difficult as access is only available from a dingy, or larger boat moored alongside. Fairstar is also listing at about 20 degrees to starboard making the port gunwale a foot or two underwater, but the starboard gunwale about four or five feet under.

 

In my (inexperienced) opinion people turning up will be unable to help due to lack of access and facilities. In my view a decent sized dory or work flat needs to be permanently moored alongside, with a powerful generator aboard for the pumps when the time comes.

 

A dingy or two with oars and/or outboard needs to be available to make trips to the shore for tools and materials easy. Then with two or three peeps to help, wrapping the boat with polythene will become a whole lot easier, as will running the pumps.

 

Once the boat is up, the next immediate task before the petrol for the genny runs out, will be to identify and fix the leak that sunk her, or she'll go straight back down again. My view is that something significant failed (such as a cooling hose) and sunk the boat in an hour or two. Marcus disagrees with me! But whatever, raising the boat is not the whole task. Keeping her floating could turn out to be a very stressful phase II if tools, materials etc for emergency hull repairs are not immediately to hand once she rises.

 

Just my opinion...

 

MtB

[RLWP]

My idle speculations are that the increased stern gland leak contributed, followed by some spectacular rain ingress in a couple of the massive showers we have had

 

Can't beat a bit of idle speculation...

 

Richard

[bizzard]

Can you not move it to shallow water once its raised ? to fix it.

[RLWP]

Can you not move it to shallow water once its raised ? to fix it.

 

Bizz, they really need someone with some expertise to help them with this. Someone like you

 

Richard

[bizzard]

 

Bizz, they really need someone with some expertise to help them with this. Someone like you

 

Richard

I'm suffering from a spot of Sciatica at the mo, the reason why I've not been on here much in the last couple of days. Can't sit at a computer for long.

[RLWP]

No computers needed at Kingston, or getting in the water. They lack knowledge and experience, they have plenty of raw enthusiasm and muscle

 

Richard

[bizzard]

No computers needed at Kingston, or getting in the water. They lack knowledge and experience, they have plenty of raw enthusiasm and muscle

 

Richard

It seems like they're doing the right things, curtaining it around and all and if they have enough pumpage, i'd hire two or three big petrol ones, but firstly seek out a shallow spot to move it to immediately its raised, just in case.

[magnetman]

Someone said earlier in the thread that the boat had been badly grounded. I think there was a certain amount of flak directed at the contributor but it is possible he knows the boat and circumstances. IMO

[MtB]

No computers needed at Kingston, or getting in the water. They lack knowledge and experience, they have plenty of raw enthusiasm and muscle

 

Richard

 

How do you wrap a hull that's five feet below the surface on one side, without getting in the water?

 

MtB

P.S. Ohhh.... I geddit...! You get MARCUS to go in the water!!!

[Marcuswarry]

Great to see Mike & Peter x, peter the plum cake is delicious!!!

 

It's true that it's not that easy to help at this phase... Because it involves me diving in and out of the thames, nailing down battons.

 

I agree with Richard... I think it sank due to a small leak through the stern gland, nothing major happened... IMO. There was a huge amount of wake on Saturday night apparently, and I suspect that caused more water to go in above the waterline too... Where the warm weather might have increased the size if the cracks...

 

I think I may get a few tubes of sticoflex at the ready though... Just in case some cracks need to be filled quickly... Although, oddly enough, being under water for nearly a week, will have helped quite a bit on that front.

 

I think the most fun day, will be the day we try I raise her... That's when it would be hugely helpful to have pumps & maybe some buoyancy... (Although it spend t sound like this option is generally favoured...). I'll let you know when that is... And maybe if all goes well, we can have a nice drink at the boaters inn afterwards too!

 

Thanks for all your help & support!

 

Marcus

Hello magnet man, yes we grounded the boat on the way to Kingston... But it wasn't too bad.. Me and my sister got in the water, and pushed her away! Grrrrrrr! I think if it had been badly damaged during that episode... We'd have know about it pretty soon?!

Mx

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Almost immediately opposite Fairstar. There's a slipway where the path meets Lower Ham road

 

Richard

Just having a look at google, where can I park a car with a 19' trailer??

 

Edited to add... scrap that plan, they've moved the goalposts on the BSC since I was last on the river. Not sure what I can do to be of any use?

Edited August 1, 2014 by Hair Bear Bunch

[MHS]

Hope all goes well Marcus.

I wish I wasn't 200 miles away, as I love a challenge, and would really fancy pitching in to help.

Can't wait to see the photos once she's afloat.