Blackfeather asked ......

[boatone]

Having only moved to the Thames a fortnight ago I was shocked to see that the level had risen by more than 4 or 5 inches in 48 hours.
I came onto the river for a bit of relaxation now I'm worried my boat is going to end up on the bank.
Seriously though, at this time of year what amount of slack does one need to leave on mooring lines, or to put it another way how much rise and fall can one expect? Yesterday I put extra fenders on at different heights - bad/stupid idea?

It can rise much more than that, sometimes in less than a day if there's been really heavy rain - and the rain at the moment means it may well get worse before it gets better.
If you're on a floating pontoon mooring the pontoon will take care of everything for you but a bankside mooring can be a problem when it's like this. The strong winds are also exacerbating the problem as too much slack means the boat is continually moving around and possibly snatching. My view would be to make sure you have two good length springs which will accommodate rise and fall more easily than short head and stern lines. If you can take the head and stern lines away at an angle rather than short that will also help. As you're in a marina, even if bankside, presumably the marina staff are keeping an eye for you?

The ultimate problem will arise if the level gets so high that the boat rises above the bank. Then you need to make sue it can't actually drift over the bank and get stranded as levels drop. Doesn't happen often but Brayman may tell a tale or two if he feels inclined !

Welcome to the Thames !

 

[Flynnbarr]

To much water in the winter,to little in the summer!
If your bank side the marina should be looking out for you and if it look like bursting its banks they should have scaffold planks with something heavy on one end,ie lead,a loop of rope through a hole in the other end,tie a couple onto your boat.
More damage can be caused going back down than whilst rising.i have seen a boat sink as a result of this,not nice.
I am bank side and try to check on a daily basis when it's like this.

 

[Brayman]

In the 2007 floods I was marooned in Abingdon for three weeks and one of the precautionary things I did was to tie a piece of rope to the bottom eye of a hanging fender and then pulled it round under the hull as tight as I could and attached it to a cleat on the other side. This had the effect of placing the fender on the chine and below so that when the water rose the boat didn't float over the bank. We were on the way to put some scaffold planks down when I got a call from Chris_D of this parish to tell me it wasn't worth it. We gained extra confidence knowing that Chris looked in on it every day on his way to/from work. At least Blackfeather lives nearby and can keep an eye on those fixed pontoons at Wargarve. Good luck Simon, not the best of welcomes to the Thames unfortunately.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Ah 2007!
The year we were stuck at henley for a week after the trad rally
The tents had swans in,the booms floated off and we watched the umpires white hut float off downstream at a rate of knotsnow that was a year to remember!

 

[Blackfeather]

Thanks all for the very useful tips.

We are actually on a fixed pontoon at Val Wyatt. I've been down there this morning and the yard staff have (very helpfully) put another line on the other side to the pontoon, stretched to the opposite pontoon to keep her from rising over the pontoon itself (too many pontoons?).

It's all a bit scary, being on the coast seems easier!

Presumably the EA does what it can to try to regulate the flow at times like this?

 

[boatone]

Presumably the EA does what it can to try to regulate the flow at times like this?

The EA try to maintain the levels in each stretch close to a target "head level" - usually between -3" and +6". As the flow increases they pull more weir gates to allow more water to move downriver. However, once all the weir gates are fully drawn the river is, effectively, in free flow and there is nothing more they can do until the levels start to subside again.

Didn't realise you were on a fixed pontoon so you are lucky that the ropes to the adjacent pontoon solution is available ! Hope you don't lose too much sleep worrying, I'm sure the Val Wyatt peeps will be on the ball.

(I have problems closer to home with trees down and blocking drive - good job the neighbours are younger and fitter than i am!)

 

[mlines]

Thanks all for the very useful tips.

We are actually on a fixed pontoon at Val Wyatt.

Nice to meet you today, hope you enjoy your stay on the Thames.

I am sure your boat will be well looked after, as mentioned just be aware of the delay effect of the river, the peak will not be until 36 to 48 hours after the original weather.

Martin