Bank Holiday weather and plans .......

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oldgit

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All fuled up tanks brimmed and looking forward to trip up to Fambridge with RCC.
One eye on the IOSSC 8 day forecast, bang on time the weather puts its oar in.
F4-5 on the trip up, a F6 to 8 on the Sunday and who knows what on Monday. and some of us have to back for work on Tuesday so no option of waiting out the wind.
Up at 05.00. to find much braver souls than I are getting ready to depart, so back to bed for an hour or two.
What to do, to late to go to St Kats and same weather as Fambridge, to late for either Conyer or Faversham as both drying destinations.
Allington and Maidstone here we come.
Met with usual friendly welcome from Steve at the lock, bunch of boats from upper Medway clubs in the cut on their way down to Medway Yacht Club pontoon for the weekend.
This was dead handy as the owner of "Nivarna Star" has picturesque little mooring right outside Allington Castle, which we were invited to use in his absence.Power and Water. :)
Up to Maidstone Town centre to take grandkids round the museum, OG wanted to see the Terry Prachett floor which features the artwork for all his books.
Did note that the motorised crane barge set off upstream over the weekend and was gone for most of the day with two EA staff onboard.
When the rain set in on Sunday beat retreat back downriver.
Got soaked walking down pontoon so forced ourselves into clubhouse, bar still open, a few hardy souls from visiting clubs sheltering within peering out wondering about the journey home.
Ho Hum.....
Pix to follow if can find the perishing usb lead.
Ps. Yes we did have the heater on............in August :(
Low tide Allington Lock.

 
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Very nice too :)

Fambridge river festival was a teeny bit quieter than we'd imagined.
Got there at 10:55, by 11:00 we'd been around it twice and were legging it back to the railway station before the rain got too much heavier...


Oh, and tried to run the chinaspacher which instantly threw up a glow plug fault. Have decided to provide heat in the future by simply piling the diesel heaters in the middle of the saloon and setting them all alight.
 
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Murv said:
Have decided to provide heat in the future by simply piling the diesel heaters in the middle of the saloon and setting them all alight.
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Have the greatest respect and admiration for anybody setting off anywhere with a number 8 anywhere in the forecast :) Suprisingly little junk in the river but did hear a couple of clonks as stuff got minced by the props going up to Allington . :( Coming back from the Thames struggled to get over 15knots, went on blocks and power washed vast quantities of barnycules/weed/slime off bottom.Nice new coat of A/F. Back up to 22 knots. ......It was jetwashed only 2-3 months prior but not antifouled ! Might try for Conyer next weekend if Wx half decent.
 
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Having walked the river bank at Allington many times, always thinking what it would be like to cruise, but having seen the depths, makes me a little scared!

Thinking of a Fairline Targa type, with about 1m "down below"..... looking at pics on here of low tide and tidal charts.....

Are you all bonkers or what? :)

(look forward to the day I am bonkers enough to try :) )
 
It helps, very much, having the resident expert OG above to follow :)
We draw just over a metre and have an air draft of 3.7m with the arch down so it's a bit of a balancing act getting enough water under the props but enough clearance under Aylesford bridge.
Biggest problem is the amount of debris in the water but it's a very nice run with a bit of care :)
 
RobBradley said:
Having walked the river bank at Allington many times, always thinking what it would be like to cruise, but having seen the depths, makes me a little scared! Thinking of a Fairline Targa type, with about 1m "down below"..... looking at pics on here of low tide and tidal charts..... Are you all bonkers or what? :) (look forward to the day I am bonkers enough to try :) )
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This was a Xmas cruise up to lock a year or two ago, there is a couple of big 45ft Mobos in the pix. Just round the corner out of shot are some very large vessels indeed including Thames and Dutch barges. It all a case of merely picking your time to go up and to come down. The "plan" involves starting out from Rochester Bridge with enuff water underneath to get you up to Aylesford Bridge and under it without drama. Perfectly possible to get my boat up to the bridge and under without dropping Radar arch. We have airdraft of about 4.5metres including scanner and have gone under with the radiaerails still up as well. The bridge at around HW A neap tide is probably best as arrival time window is less critical. If it does all go wrong going up then its just a case of hanging around until tide ebbs. Still plenty of time to get under bridge and up short stretch to lock long before it closes. Now getting under Maidstone Bridge is a bit daunting On trip back only real decision is if to go early and punch tide or go out after. We normally opt to go out about 1 hour after HW use the ebb down and normally plenty of room to get under Aylesford Bridge. Lock keepers will not let you go out unless they think there is enough water to float in river, normally this translates into 1 M over lock sill. Simples........ For the more adventurous it may well be possible to get your boat much further up. This is our Princess 33 at Golden Green mind you we did have to remove all the bits on the roof. Probably similar draft of 1m with pair of o*******s :) One thing to note from the pictures is the complete inability for any Fairline Turdbo 36 to go anywhere own their own ever , much preffering to travel in pairs ....or better still in packs.....
 
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RobBradley said:
Are you all bonkers or what? :)

(look forward to the day I am bonkers enough to try :) )
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OG is most certainly bonkers. I recall a reccy by car to inspect Favedsham Creek at low tide - have pic somewhere of him peering over the town quay at a vast expanse of mud with small boats scattered around like flotsam.
However his bonkersness enables the rest of us to be more circumspect so I, for one, am happy to for him to continue with his crazy antics.
To be fair, he seems to get away with it most of the time so maybe the rest of us are just wimps ?
 
boatone said:
to get away with it most of the time?
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and ........that sums it up nicely :) Really do miss not being able to get to upper reaches of Medway. An adventurous Thames boater ventures forth, throwing caution to the wind ! H,mm those trees need cutting back. :)
 
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oldgit said:
and ........that sums it up nicely :) Really do miss not being able to get to upper reaches of Medway.
An adventurous Thames boater ventures forth, throwing caution to the wind ! H,mm those trees need cutting back. :)
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Ah yes, my iconic CLB (cute little boat) Was that really 6 years ago? I really miss that Hardy 27!

At least I knew that wherever you ventured I would have no major problems ! Significant that I have never ventured that far from home on any of my larger boats .........
 
boatone said:
Ah yes, my iconic CLB (cute little boat) Was that really 6 years ago? I really miss that Hardy 27!

At least I knew that wherever you ventured I would have no major problems ! Significant that I have never ventured that far from home on any of my larger boats .........
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No you don't really -
Two engines squashed into a tiny space, nowhere to hang net curtains....
 
oldgit said:
IMG_20171119_0943018011.jpg


Inspires hope, but I know the luck that generally my other half and I seem to suffer, would love to visit when I do get a boat, but think I will tag along with those in the know for the first few :)
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If you do decide to give it ago, RCC moorings would be the ideal place to begin your trip into the unknown. Easy first overnight top and cheap fuel for guests. Takes about 1.5 hours at 5/6 knots to get from us to lock ,so dead easy to work out when to leave. We have several club members who also have moorings up on non tidal Medway ,they come and go on regular basis. Only suggestion is that unlike the Thames, if you do decide to venture further up , the river does tend to meander through the middle of nowhere , need to be fairly self sufficient for say 24 hours in gas/water, any shops to tend to be miles away and very basic . This will not suit those who demand a major leisure centre or Waitrose within plain sight of their mooring. and MDL no more than a lock away. No name no pack drill. :):):).
 
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oldgit said:
If you do decide to give it ago, RCC moorings would be the ideal place to begin your trip into the unknown. Easy first overnight top and cheap fuel for guests. Takes about 1.5 hours at 5/6 knots to get from us to lock ,so dead easy to work out when to leave. We have several club members who also have moorings up on non tidal Medway ,they come and go on regular basis. Only suggestion is that unlike the Thames, if you do decide to venture further up , the river does tend to meander through the middle of nowhere , need to be fairly self sufficient for say 24 hours in gas/water, any shops to tend to be miles away and very basic . This will not suit those who demand a major leisure centre or Waitrose within plain sight of their mooring. and MDL no more than a lock away. No name no pack drill. :):):).
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Thank you, we have a waitrose very close to home! Stock up before hand... :)

Know Medway well, lived in Gillingham for 20 years, for my sins. Now live in Greenhithe, and right on our front door are anchoring points, how convenient...!

My partner and I have been looking around at various clubs in the area, and RCC is top of the list, already have the member application :) As it only 20 minutes drive away, its ideal, or at worst a short train ride.

Since walking the river banks down towards Maidstone many years ago, seeing all those boats, was always there, wanting to do the same. Go explore. The itch has never gone!
 
Do you have any photo's of Fambridge ?
It was a bit miserable that weekend unfortunately especially for the marina celebration

Jon
 
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