Moorings below Folly Bridge, Oxford

[ianc1200]

Early last week went up with my friend in his Broom 35 to Oxford; as had been related to us we found the moorings taken over by liveaboards which none looked like they had moved in 6 months. For me it wouldn't have been a problem but my friend's airdraft meant we had to turn around and go back. I'd say anybody with a flybridge needs to cross Oxford off his list of places to visit.

 

[AuntyRinum]

Early last week went up with my friend in his Broom 35 to Oxford; as had been related to us we found the moorings taken over by liveaboards which none looked like they had moved in 6 months. For me it wouldn't have been a problem but my friend's airdraft meant we had to turn around and go back. I'd say anybody with a flybridge needs to cross Oxford off his list of places to visit.

I was there a couple of weeks ago and found exactly what you did, but managed to find a mooring further downstream.
An Oxfordshire County Council official knocked on the boat the next day and gave me a document saying that bank repairs were being carried out all the way from Folly Bridge to Iffley Lock and that all boats had to be removed.
I cleared out but whether all the static liveaboards did I've no idea. Fom what you say, it doesn't seem as though they did.

 

[RichardN]

We went through there on Saturday afternoon, two boats we recognised as we had brested up to one of them in Staines, I think their home mooring is in Droitwich so proper cruisers. We went onto the Trout Inn at Godstow (don't bother) and another boat from those moorings caught up with us the next day at Kings Lock. She was on her way towards Birmingham on a bit of a round trip.

The cost of moorings in Oxford seems to be going through the roof, the town has turned it's back onto the river, there are some awkward issues with mooring, yes those moorings were full when we went past but don't get put off too much, Oxford is still worth a visit.

 

[miket]

If you don't draw too much (<3ft) and can get under Folly Bridge, try Osney Marina if all else full of liveaboards. Excellent proximity to town.

 

[LimL]

I found the controlled but free (first night, £5 second and third) mooring between Osney Lock and bridge ideal a couple of weeks ago. Lock keeper very helpful too and EA uniformed foot patrol. My draught is 1 metre..

 

[ianc1200]

I love it when two groups of unsociable people are at each other's throats!


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...broiled-dispute-houseboat-owners-amid-claims/

Oxford rowers embroiled in dispute with houseboat owners amid claims of egg and tomato throwing

It is one of the country's most prestigious sports clubs with an annual boat race that draws millions of spectators.

But now Oxford University's Rowing Club (OURC) has become embroiled in a row with local houseboat owners, which has led to claims of eggs, tomatoes and insults being hurled at student boaters.

Thames Valley Police and the Environment Agency have been alerted to the spate of recent incidents which come against a backdrop of heightened tensions due to a renewed council crackdown on illegal mooring.

Minutes of OURC’s meeting, seen by The Telegraph, reveal the mounting concern among Oxford rowers about the escalating dispute.

Thomas Coles, the university’s rowing sabbatical officer explained to attendees “that he had been in contact with the police and the Environment Agency about the houseboats on the bottom stretch”.

He added that the rowing club’s advice to students is to report all offences to the police and pass the incident number to the sabbatical officer.

The minutes show that Mr Coles told rowers that the “wheels are turning e.g. PSPO [public space protection order] but please take care in the meantime".

Oxford’s houseboat community are campaigning against the council’s proposed PSPO which seeks to curb unauthorised mooring, and could lead to boaters having to relocate every 48 or 72 hours to avoid fines of up to £1,000.

Landowners such as a number of Oxford University colleges, the Environment Agency and Network Rail have all supported the draft order, which is staunchly opposed by representatives of the houseboat community
Mack Grenfell, who is vice president of University College’s rowing club, told The Telegraph of an incident last term “when locals threw eggs and shouted homophobic abuse at one of our club’s novice crews”.

He said it was reported to the police at the time, and recalled a separate incident which left a rower hospitalised.

Mr Grenfell, a fourth year physics and philosophy student, went on: “Since then there have been cases of drawing pins left on the towpath to puncture the tyres of the rowers who cycle down in the morning, houseboats disrupting and delaying races. I was part of a crew that had tomatoes thrown at it several weeks ago.

An Isis Winter League race two weekends ago had to be called off mid-race due to a collision between a houseboat and a St Catherine’s crew. Many rowers believe that this incident was fuelled by hostilities between rowers and locals.”

Ciara Ward, a second year mathematics student and Christ Church rower, said she has had rocks thrown at her and races disrupted by house boat residents who “intentionally drive down the river during events”.

She said: “There are a few of them that really don't like us and have been known to shout abuse or throw things at us - one man threw stones at our boat because he thought we were too loud one morning. It's been getting worse recently.”

Alan Wildman, chairman of the Residential Boat Owners Association, said he is not surprised to learn of the fracas, adding that: "everyone seems to think they have right to do what they want to do whenever they want".

"Whenever you have rowers and boats moored there are conflicts,” he said. “Rowers go tearing past quite quickly. Even though the rowing boat is long and narrow, it creates a lot of wash and rocks the houseboats that are moored on either side.”

 

[Chris_d]

Rowers making excessive wash, that's a new one!

 

[rosssavage]

Rowers TRAINING boats make awful wash. No regard to the speed limit when not actively engaged in coaching or emergency response, and a really long wavelength, beam on rolling wash.....

Just saying

 

[AuntyRinum]

Rowers TRAINING boats make awful wash. No regard to the speed limit when not actively engaged in coaching or emergency response, and a really long wavelength, beam on rolling wash.....

Just saying

You're right. It's not the rowers who are a problem, until they they scrape their blades along the side of your boat, but the coaches in their silly little motorised catamarans who race up and down the river without a thought for anyone else.

 

[Chris_d]

Agreed but the quote says rowing boats making the wash.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I've moored my boat (a "houseboat") near rowers and never had any problems in 22 years of cruising up and down the River.. a rower once collided with me when I was moored up - so I checked to see she was okay. I have steel boats which helps (helps me).

Sounds like some prats to me. Rowing is part of the river life !!

For an RBOA rep to say "Whenever you have rowers and boats moored there are conflicts,” is wrong, ridiculous and divisive.

It all comes down to attitude and you get idiots on both sides.

A bloke broke one of his blades when I was moored in Henley once. He couldn't row with one I don't think. I pootled out in my dinghy and offered to tow him back to the UTRC clubhouse. He was rather nervous and surprised - maybe he expected me to throw eggs at him.

 

[JumbleDuck]

You're right. It's not the rowers who are a problem, until they they scrape their blades along the side of your boat, but the coaches in their silly little motorised catamarans who race up and down the river without a thought for anyone else.

Do coaches on the Isis work from boats now? They always used to be on bicycles.

 

[Actionmat]

Do coaches on the Isis work from boats now? They always used to be on bicycles.

Tha would have been possible when the Thames had a working towpath.
Did that sound like I was defending coach boats? Oops, not intentional and no offence intended.

 

[TrueBlue]

Do coaches on the Isis work from boats now? They always used to be on bicycles.

Some do - even now the path has been substantially upgraded, the problem may be that the towpath is very popular with all manner of folk that the coaches can't keep up with the boats.

If the CMers put out decent fenders and moor 'properly' then there's not a problem. The downside is that the bankside is pretty solid and the few rings aren't in the right places....