Tidal Rivers

[sewinglady]

Hi, we are going to take our first trip on a tidal river next week. Selby to York (Naburn Lock). Does anyone have any tips?

Do we need a radio & life jackets?

And are there any book/leaflets that show the best course to take whilst on the river, i have seen one for the Thames but no other tidal waters (apart from the sea).

We have a Viking Cruiser with a 35hp outboard engine so hopefully powerful enough.

[peterboat]

Hi the Lock keeper will give you advice I have lifejackets and have always had them close to hand when on the Trent. For me to go to York I have to go out off Goole as my wheelhouse I suspect is too high for the Selby which is a shame as it a lovely canal. Enjoy the trip and dont get worried unduly

 

Peter

[Peter-Bullfinch]

Life jackets are wise. A charged up mobile phone with lock keepers numbers too. A sufficient anchor.

[Victor Vectis]

Hang on to your hat when you leave the lock at Selby.

 

We were doing 8mph (according to GPS) by the time we went under the railway bridge.

 

And look out for debris between there and Naburn, treetrunks, telegraph poles etc. There was a dead cow floating about last year too.

[Kieron G]

The boating association sell a booklet to help naviage the Ouse, with a lot of useful info. you can order it from their website.

[Naughty Cal]

I would certainly wear life jackets on that stretch the tide rips through Selby!

 

Also make sure your anchor is to hand and secured to the boat.

 

A radio is handy to contact the lockies and bridge operators should the need arise, not sure of your air draft but you may need some of the bridges swinging depending on the height of the tides.

 

You can buy "charts" for the Ouse and Trent which although basic do show you where to position yourself in the river, where the bridges and locks are and are handy to keep an eye on your progress.

 

The lockie at Selby will lock you out to make the most of the tide. Speak to him in advance of setting out on your trip.

 

Once through Naburn the river is lovely, the trip up to Ripon is well worth it as well.

 

Our favourite mooring in York is Kings Staithe. It can be a tad noisy but we have never had any trouble there.

[sewinglady]

The boating association sell a booklet to help naviage the Ouse, with a lot of useful info. you can order it from their website.

Thanks, just ordered it.

[starman]

Coming back into Selby can be a bit tricky - take advice from the lockies and local boaters.

When you exit Selby going up to Naburn look back and fix the location of it in your mind so that on your return you can turn early and let the river flow help you to the entrance. If you wait to turn unt you see the lock you are pushed past it and you can sometimes face a bit of a struggle to get back against the current.

Just commonsense really - nothing to be alarmed about if you're sensible.

Edited June 17, 2015 by starman

[Tony Dunkley]

Hi, we are going to take our first trip on a tidal river next week. Selby to York (Naburn Lock). Does anyone have any tips?

Do we need a radio & life jackets?

And are there any book/leaflets that show the best course to take whilst on the river, i have seen one for the Thames but no other tidal waters (apart from the sea).

We have a Viking Cruiser with a 35hp outboard engine so hopefully powerful enough.

 

The Ouse is a mucky river and there is often a great deal of floating debris which may be a potential problem for an outboard motor with a conventional shearpin in the propeller hub. If you have such a motor, are you able to change the shearpin whilst underway ( ie. working over the stern with the motor tilted up).

An adequate anchor and cable is essential gear to carry, and equally important is practise at deploying it in a fast current before you need to do so for real.

As this is your first time on such waters, it would be helpful to you to plan the passages between Selby and Naburn to be at the times of the smallest tides . . . . Springs every fortnight with the new and full moon, and Neaps ( the best tides for you) every fortnight with the first and last quarter ( half moon).

Edited June 17, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[Naughty Cal]

 

The Ouse is a mucky river and there is often a great deal of floating debris which may be a potential problem for an outboard motor with a conventional shearpin in the propeller hub. If you have such a motor, are you able to change the shearpin whilst underway ( ie. working over the stern with the motor tilted up).

An adequate anchor and cable is essential gear to carry, and equally important is practise at deploying it in a fast current before you need to do so for real.

As this is your first time on such waters, it would be helpful to you to plan the passages between Selby and Naburn to be at the times of the smallest tides . . . . Springs every fortnight with the new and full moon, and Neaps ( the best tides for you) every fortnight with the first and last quarter ( half moon).

Don't know many 35hp outboards that use shear pins!

 

Most, if not all use a bushed prop. Even our little 6hp has a bush rather then a shear pin!

[sewinglady]

 

The Ouse is a mucky river and there is often a great deal of floating debris which may be a potential problem for an outboard motor with a conventional shearpin in the propeller hub. If you have such a motor, are you able to change the shearpin whilst underway ( ie. working over the stern with the motor tilted up).

An adequate anchor and cable is essential gear to carry, and equally important is practise at deploying it in a fast current before you need to do so for real.

As this is your first time on such waters, it would be helpful to you to plan the passages between Selby and Naburn to be at the times of the smallest tides . . . . Springs every fortnight with the new and full moon, and Neaps ( the best tides for you) every fortnight with the first and last quarter ( half moon).

We can tilt the engine, if only i knew what a shearpin was! The engine is being serviced before we go so will see what mechanic says. Plus i obviously need to brush up on the moon cycles.

Beginning to think we might just do the L&L instead.

[Tony Dunkley]

We can tilt the engine, if only i knew what a shearpin was! The engine is being serviced before we go so will see what mechanic says. Plus i obviously need to brush up on the moon cycles.

Beginning to think we might just do the L&L instead.

 

It may be that modern engines don't have shearpins, but some sort of shock absorbing hub instead. I don't know for sure because I'm not familiar with modern outboards. However, whatever sort of arrangement is fitted to your engine, outboards with their small and easily damaged propellers operating near the surface do need taking extra care of when surrounded by the sort and quantity of floating rubbish that's often to be found in the Ouse.

Don't be put off having a run up the Ouse from Selby by anything that's been said about the river, the most important thing is that you're aware of, and prepared for the very different sort of boating and conditions that you'll find, compared with what you've been used to.

Why not go to Selby and stay at least overnight and for the next days tide when you can have a look at the river and the effect of the tide, and watch some other boats penning in or out, then you can make a much more informed decision on whether or not to carry on up to York and beyond.

You'll have some nice small tides from Wed 24th to Sun 28th, with the smallest one of the month predicted for Fri 26th.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[Tony Dunkley]

For anyone about to venture onto a tidal river for the first time, the Ouse at Selby can be a bit off-putting. The tide can be very swift there and entry into Selby Lock on the ebb when returning downriver from York generally seems to cause a good deal of anxiety for those attempting it for the first time.

 

One way that folks could begin to get themselves accustomed to this river in a rather more relaxed way than is usually the case would be to start with a run from Selby to Barmby which is about 7 miles down from Selby towards Goole.

On suitable tides and departing from Selby at the correct time, anyone doing this could enter the Derwent at Barmby with only a slowish and gentle ebb running down.

The return to Selby could also be timed to coincide with the first of the ebb, giving the opportunity for the first time entry into Selby lock to be tried in conditions which are kinder to the newcomer than normal.

[Naughty Cal]

Nice mooring just through the lock at Barmby as well.