Ukiyo Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Hiya, I'm new to the forum and I'm struggling to find a new pace to put my boat on the Thames. Now Lion has gone it would seem that Eel Pie is just packed out. I'm having trouble finding anywhere to move my boat to. I need to work on it and I want it to be safe. I wondered if there is a good place on the Thames where I could moor on a temporary basis but also be in a bit of a community of fellow boaters so we could watch out for each other a bit. Does anyone know of such places or somewhere I could moor the boat cheapy while I fix it up? Freya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris88 Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 It might be worthwhile asking the question on London boaters Facebook page. Regards kris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekazer Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 I know there is a community of travelling boaters on the Thames, but since the enforcement crackdowns you don't see big groups clustered together (at least not in the lower reaches near Teddington). You're probably going to need to find a marina mooring. I believe Penton Hook is very sociable, probably fairly pricey. MIght be worth contacting Taggs boatyard in Thames Ditton. Maybe try 4 All Marine near Laleham. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George94 Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 It is now very hard to find a residential mooring on the Thames in London, and if you do find one, it will not be cheap. Somebody recently paid over £400,000 for a mooring in Chiswick, with no security of tenure. it was a nice mooring. My advice to people is to go above Teddington or down to the Medway. In both cases, there will be a train to pay for, so there is no cheap solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 It is now very hard to find a residential mooring on the Thames in London, and if you do find one, it will not be cheap. Somebody recently paid over £400,000 for a mooring in Chiswick, with no security of tenure. Hiya George, Yeah I wasn't even looking for a residential mooring but just somewhere to moor while I get the boat into workable condition but there are not really moorings of any kind available now it would seem. The boat yards are being converted to luxury mansions and from hear it sounds like the more temporary options in terms of a moving community has been moved on elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelMoore Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 If you are only concerned with a temporary solution, you might try getting in touch with the bunch at Watermans Park in Brentford. They are fending off a planned eviction, but nothing will happen soon, and if you were prepared to assist with promoting their alternative development scheme for the moorings, they MIGHT be happy to have you aboard. If they succeed [their plan is excellent, very professional, far better and more commercial than the council scheme out for approval] you might even qualify for a berth. Do not count on that however. Even so, this is about the only situation that I know of that currently meets your specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 I'm intrigued about this. Why not get the boat docked and put on the hard standing at Penton Hook or T&K while you get it 'fixed up' (as you term it) then bunged back in the water and CC? It's prolly cheaper on the hard at PH or T&K than taking a mooring... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGoat Posted December 12, 2015 Report Share Posted December 12, 2015 I'm intrigued about this. Why not get the boat docked and put on the hard standing at Penton Hook or T&K while you get it 'fixed up' (as you term it) then bunged back in the water and CC? It's prolly cheaper on the hard at PH or T&K than taking a mooring... PH were a bit sniffy about lifting a larger NB out. Their maximum IIRC was 20 tons - but the length was limited as well and they may well be sniffy about folks doing major works on the hard. They look quite full of large-white-things at this time of year as do most Thames marinas. You could try Bray. A more NB friendly place is Better Boating at Reading. NOTHING on the Thames is inexpensive.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter X Posted December 12, 2015 Report Share Posted December 12, 2015 Does this work have to be done on the Thames? If you can bear to be parted from London for a while, please say so and give some idea of the size of your boat and how capable it is at present of doing a trip, because then all sorts of cheaper options open up for you. For example (subject to a schedule which works around the winter stoppages) if you go up the GU far enough there should be some places up there which suit you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGoat Posted December 12, 2015 Report Share Posted December 12, 2015 Perhaps the wants to be on the Thames as the EA is less efficient in dealing with unregistered boats than CRT?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayke Posted December 13, 2015 Report Share Posted December 13, 2015 Try ringing Thames & Kennet Marina at Reading on 0118942911. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Sorry I dropped off the map there a bit. I sometimes have sketchy access to electricity and internet etc. Thankyou so much for everyones great replies and suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 I thought I would explain a bit better about the boat. The boat hasn't even moved for a good couple of years now and is in terrible condition. It has no license or boat safety or anything at this point and needs some work doing before it could get those I suspect.. It is presently privately moored on the Thames but has to move on which was why I was looking into the Thames as it wouldn't have to go far. It is a plastic (GRP) boat and only about 23foot, so maybe it could be trailered somewhere somehow? So yes I would love to go on a continuous cruise but it's not ready for that yet and it is in that strange not very legal boating twilight. I'd like to find a way to at least make it legal to visit the CRT places. Feel free to ask me more questions about it all! Freya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George94 Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 (edited) I am sure it could be trailered, although finding a trailer could be problematic. Another option would be an outboard, bought for the trip and then sold again. You could of course do the same with a trailer, but they don't sell quickly, would need to be stored, and would also require a car with a hook. If you don't need to be close to London, the tidal Medway and Isle of Sheppey would both offer a number of options. A 23 ft GRP cruiser is not an ideal vessel for living aboard. You need to be very careful that any money spent will be perceived by a potential buyer as having added value when you come to sell it. It would be all too easy to spend time and money on it, and then find it's all been wasted when you come to sell. As you will. My advice would be to get off the canals and upper Thames. You don't want the hassle of trying to jump through hoops to get a BSS. But, having said that, I would advise, if you make any changes to electricity, gas, or heating, that what you do is BSS compliant. Not only will you be safe, but so will other people, and if you want to get BSS later, it will be less of a problem. Good luck. Edited December 20, 2015 by George94 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 I thought I would explain a bit better about the boat. The boat hasn't even moved for a good couple of years now and is in terrible condition. It has no license or boat safety or anything at this point and needs some work doing before it could get those I suspect.. It is presently privately moored on the Thames but has to move on which was why I was looking into the Thames as it wouldn't have to go far. It is a plastic (GRP) boat and only about 23foot, so maybe it could be trailered somewhere somehow? So yes I would love to go on a continuous cruise but it's not ready for that yet and it is in that strange not very legal boating twilight. I'd like to find a way to at least make it legal to visit the CRT places. Feel free to ask me more questions about it all! Freya Sounds like best plan would be it comes out the water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 (edited) Sounds like best plan would be it comes out the water Yes but you make that sound easy. Even if I get hold of a trailer then there is still the problem of where the boat goes to for the time it is out of the water. I assume being only grp and small it might be possible to get it onto a trailer without a crane or anything too? Edited December 20, 2015 by Ukiyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George94 Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Yes but you make that sound easy. Even if I get hold of a trailer then there is still the problem of where the boat goes to for the time it is out of the water. I assume being only grp and small it might be possible to get it onto a trailer without a crane or anything too? Freya You need what is called a slipway. There are quite a few around. Where are you - roughly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 A 23 ft GRP cruiser is not an ideal vessel for living aboard. You need to be very careful that any money spent will be perceived by a potential buyer as having added value when you come to sell it. It would be all too easy to spend time and money on it, and then find it's all been wasted when you come to sell. As you will. My advice would be to get off the canals and upper Thames. You don't want the hassle of trying to jump through hoops to get a BSS. But, having said that, I would advise, if you make any changes to electricity, gas, or heating, that what you do is BSS compliant. Not only will you be safe, but so will other people, and if you want to get BSS later, it will be less of a problem. Good luck. Great posting! Yes I definitely want to get everything legal and BSS compliant and get the certificate. that's basically the end goal. As to the value of selling, that is one thing but there is also the value of using it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Well, if its in the water, with no BSS, and in terrible condition, there's 1) running the gauntlet of no licence etc 2) the fact that it might break down/be unsafe etc on the river, remember this isn't messing around in a paddling pool its quite possible to sink, pollute etc however I don't know the details of the condition of the boat 3) if you overcame those it will cost ££££ and need to be done fast. Out the water, the clock's not ticking (as fast), storage on hardstanding is always cheaper than in the water. 23ft GRP boats are usually driven on/off the trailer on a slipway, if needs be using a hand winch to pull it up the rollers the last few feet, if you can't get the trailer fully underneath a floating boat (depends on the slope of the slipway and the capability of the tow vehicle - plenty of boatyards use a tractor with towball mounted on a loader or hitch which makes the job easy, compared to eg a normal car or even 4x4 which will hve a fixed height towball and can only go forwards/backwards on the slipway to vary the height). I don't know your living arrangements either, I don't think you've detailed them - but you did say in post #5 you're not looking for a residenial mooring??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 You need what is called a slipway. There are quite a few around. Where are you - roughly? There is a slipway nearby oddly enough. I'm not there right now but the boat is not a million miles away from Eel Pie island but it needs to move on soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Also forgot to add, while you might need to buy a trailer, there's a good chance you'll be able to later sell it at same price you bought it, if no longer needed. So no net loss there (unless you keep it or are unlucky in the trading). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ukiyo Posted December 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 (edited) on the river, remember this isn't messing around in a paddling pool its quite possible to sink, pollute etc however I don't know the details of the condition of the boat 3) if you overcame those it will cost ££££ and need to be done fast. Out the water, the clock's not ticking (as fast), storage on hardstanding is always cheaper than in the water. This! I would actually feel safer with the little boat on the canal or a more inland river than taking the boat too far out into the wider stretches of the Thames right now! Edited December 20, 2015 by Ukiyo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George94 Posted December 20, 2015 Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 It's a shame you have to leave the vicinity of Eel Pie, but at least you have several options close by, and you are not in thrall to EA or CART. I presume you have tried the Eel Pie Boatyard? Or John Watson at Lot's Ait. Or BJ Wood at Isleworth. Or Newmans on Swan Island. Even if they can't help, they might have some ideas. And they are all only a cycle ride away. MSO is currently home to a similar GRP boat on hard-standing, but I don't know if they have room for any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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