Current On the Thames

[johnnie1uk]

Hi all

We are fairly new to rivers, have done a short trip down the Severn and must have been doing 6-7 knots on tickover on a low amber board, whats the current like on the Thames, in the near future we are going up to Oxford., I know a lot depends on the weather so do river conditions change quickly?

[MtB]

Typically 1 or 2 knots in summer.

And no, bad weather takes about a week to show up in the water levels and current...

[johnnie1uk]

Thanks Mike

[twbm]

What Mike said .. and you're going upstream which is the easier direction, I think.

 

Do the 'ferry glide' into moorings - just enough power to hold against the current and a little bit of rudder.

[NickF]

When I went upstream a few years ago there was so little current I couldn't get the boat going slow enough to stay still over the ground and ferry glide in.

[johnnie1uk]

Great, I practised the "ferry glide" on the Severn, thanks.

[kremmen]

Current flow at Reading . Just over 20 currently cubic meters per second. A few narrowboat owners commenting on the flow but no one reporting problems especially going up stream.

 

Paul

Edited July 1, 2016 by kremmen

[Phil Ambrose]

Typically 1 or 2 knots in summer.

And no, bad weather takes about a week to show up in the water levels and current...

Actually rivers all vary in how quick they respond for example our river, the Lark will respond in 24 hours so wherever you go if it's a new river to you ask local advice.

Phil

[Bobbybass]

The speed limit on the Thames is 8 KPH which is about 4 knots.

Tricky if your trying to maintain steerage on a fast flow..

 

According to the Thames newsletter..'Splash'... which they sent to me yesterday...they are now vigourously enforcing this limit with 'police style' speed guns and intend to take a dim view of speeding....with full prosecutions for offenders.

 

I 'think' warnings are issued first.?

 

Whether that is true..I don't know..but thats what they say.

There was a 'check' going on at Windsor yesterday..when I came through on my cruiser.

 

New speed campaign

 

The issue of our new campaign speed poster comes as an early season reminder from our Waterways Enforcement team, that the speed limit is 8 KPH. This is about 5 MPH or 4 knots.

 

Enforcement offices will be operating speed campaigns throughout the river during the season , using the same speed recording apperatus as the police use on the roads. They will also be operating advisory speed checks , using a speed board to indicate to boat skippers how fast they are actually travelling.

 

We have had a number of successful prosections for speeding, as exceeding the limit is a criminal offence and conviction will earn you a criminal record.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Bobbybass

[Drayke]

It’s mainly the cruisers that do the speeding, had a few go past to day speeding and creating quite a wash. There are not many canal boats can speed.

[john6767]

It’s mainly the cruisers that do the speeding, had a few go past to day speeding and creating quite a wash. There are not many canal boats can speed.

I agree. Have been doing 5mph downstream on the Thames, and the big cruisers go past you as though you are standing still, with a wash that is breaking over 2 foot high banks. Many just don't seem to care what they do, so some enforcement would be good.

[MtB]

Actually rivers all vary in how quick they respond for example our river, the Lark will respond in 24 hours so wherever you go if it's a new river to you ask local advice.

Phil

 

 

The OP was asking about the Thames specifically, not the Lark.

 

And local advice was what I was offering him!

[Phil Ambrose]

 

 

The OP was asking about the Thames specifically, not the Lark.

 

And local advice was what I was offering him!

He finished his post with "I know a lot depends on the weather so do river conditions change quickly" so I supposed that was a general question, the answer being depends on the river, the Thames slowly, other rivers more quickly and some very quickly

Phil