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boatone

boatone

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29 Jul 2001
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Just a few cables from Boulters Lock
www.tmba.org.uk
Would hate anyone to think the issue re underwater obstructions at Henley has faded into oblivion Was there again this morning with the assistance of both EA Thames and EA Hydrometry doing some further investigation with the ARCboat - a remotely controlled mini survey boat. Data needs to be processed before we can see what the outcome is but it was an interesting exercise and I am grateful for the co-operative effort.
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Thanks for the update, Tony.
With all the budget cuts, I was expecting someone in waders, rope around his/her waist and a long stick. May have even been more productive and less expensive.
Do you know if they found anything?
 
My props are at the menders, no idea of the financial damage yet, on inspection my efforts in dressing the props to enable a return home to civilization , were rather impressive to say the least :)
Replacement props are just tad " fine" and the revs at WOT do confirm this.
Think the rule is 1" = 50 RPM......... ?
 
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Maybe you should have asked the residents on the island, as mentioned below from a thread in May. It may have been cheaper...

Quote from an owner who fouled the rocks at Henley. For those of you who have not read the previous thread re submerged rocks at Henley -
'We also have a warning of shallow water in the Henley and Rowing Museum area up stream, from one of our moorers which may be of help to you.
“We moored alongside the park at the public moorings (as they have done for years) in Henley and enjoyed a nice lunch.
Upon starting engines to leave, it was obvious that we were fouled in some way on the starboard engine and the boat would not move. Turned both engines off and a residents from the adjacent island who saw our predicament came across in their row boat and advised that the mooring side walls had been renewed but that contractors had left large rocks in the water without any warning signs!
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Read more at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?479741-Henley-mooring-submerged-rocks!#v6cX8j0LRlpyBVrK.99
 
Thank you Boatone.

I for one and am sure that is echoed, appreciate you taking this up and for following up. Hopefully safer moorings for us all next season.
 
Think B1 has an update but it does not mention a large rock marked "Property of HTC" with lumps of old OldGits props embedded innit !
 
boatone said:
The data collected this morning has to be processed - its not a real time visual. May take a few days to find out what, if anything, shows up.
We did, however, recognise just how much historical debris there is immediately adjacent to bank and up to 2 or 3 feet out into the river.
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Hi

So its now the 14th december and hence longer than a few days and no news on the results of the model boat - was this just a PR exercise?

AB
 
oldgit said:
Think B1 has an update but it does not mention a large rock marked "Property of HTC" with lumps of old OldGits props embedded innit !
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I have spoken to the EA people who undertook the survey run and understand that there was no detectable evidence of a specific obstruction other than the considerable debris already mentioned along the bank-side.
However, this does extend in some places up to 3 feet or so from the bank and the depth is well under 3 feet along much of that stretch - below 2 feet in one or two places.

I'm afraid it will need to rest there for now although both the EA and I will continue to pursue possible action by HTC to improve matters.
 
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To be fair that 50-80m of bank has been always been dodgy. I remember hitting something there about 20 years ago in a single outdrive boat and making a mental note to avoid that section. However large boats seem to regularly manage to moor there, but for every one you see successfully moor there are just as many who go in and then back out again having found the bottom. Whatever the obstructions are they are buried so its a lottery if you hit soft mud/gravel or something hard.

If they were serious about finding something the only way is get to somebody in there in waders, all the faffing about with Sonars and model boats is very impressive to the layman but hugely reliant on how data is interpreted.

Anyway at least some evidence has been found to hopefully persuade HTC to look into it, and as they are planning to refurbish all the moorings there is hope.
 
Chris_d said:
If they were serious about finding something the only way is get to somebody in there in waders, all the faffing about with Sonars and model boats is very impressive to the layman but hugely reliant on how data is interpreted. .
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I actually was prepared to ask a sub aqua club for help but the hoops we would have to jump through to do that are considerable - consent, channel closure, safety procedures etc etc.

As far as the EA are concerned this is Henley Town Councils problem as the riparian owner. The obstruction (if there actually is one) is not obstructing the fairway so outside EA responsibility for keeping river navigable.

As I have said previously, it is up to boat owners to take care when approaching moorings and ensure there is adequate depth - not just here but anywhere on the river.
 
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