Boating back on - this wednesday!

[oldgit]

Boats on salt water will not have a navigation authority , unless locally, its the PLA. ?

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I wonder if inland waterway use can be described by the wording. Creeping along the upper Thames at 4.3 knots in a motor cruiser is not very sporty and it is not on an "open waterway"...

- all forms of water sports practiced on open waterways, -

 

[Parabordi]

Given the number of navigation hazards and u/s locks along the river, my guess is we'll be restricted to pootling up and down the reach our boats are moored on for some time. Still, that's better than no boating at all.

That is my plan, anchoring out in the Weir Stream!

 

[Old Crusty]

That is my plan, anchoring out in the Weir Stream!

Yes, I'm just ironing my Speedos ready

 

[oldgit]

IMHO.
Calling motor boating on the Thames "a sport " is stretching it a bit, unless eating and drinking and arguing with your crew and grumbling about other boaters, is considered a sport !

 

[Old Crusty]

Having re-read the government advice, you can understand why much legislation contains no punctuation. In the above, I see a distinction between 'all forms of water sports practiced on open waterways,' and 'the use of privately-owned motorised craft (in line with the guidance issued by the relevant navigation authority)'

Now we wait to see what the EA Thames Waterways Dept makes of the latest DEFRA statement. This may take some days to be published. My reading of the guidance is that boating on the Thames is included in the list of permitted activities. Not that we'll be going anywhere very soon.

 

[DogsBody]

Not according to the email the EA just sent out - you can go out on the water in a rowing boat, or you can go fish there but no to taking a motor boat out. They did however point out that now we can all access our boats, we should make sure they have the appropriate licence on them!

 

[Outinthedinghy]

EA are saying they are hoping to allow non essential (!) leisure boating to recommence from the beginning of June perhaps with some modifications to behaviour.

I wonder if something silly might happen like powered lock operation with a limit to the number of boats allowed in locks to adhere to social distancing requirements.

ETA from ea email.

"
We will work as fast as we can to get the navigations ready for non-essential leisure cruising. We hope to allow some leisure cruising from June and will provide a further update setting out how and when you will be able to resume further leisure boating over the coming weeks.
"

 

[Old Crusty]

The EA just proved my point - QED.

 

[Mark26]

hmm, just read the EAs email,
It says no boating until June and there will be no assisted passage, but doesn’t make clear if power will be on at locks - I suspect not.
Their email does seem to be in contradiction to the announcement from the RYA.

 

[Mark26]

I Read “in line with the guidance issued by the relevant navigation authority”
To mean, that we have to comply with their normal rules, not that they can overrule the general “all uk boating can resume” statement from deffra etc

 

[oldgit]

Whens Teddington going to open. ? got some new fenders that need testing .!

 

[Parabordi]

The EA just proved my point - QED.

I am so glad they emailed, its so much clearer now!

 

[Old Crusty]

Whens Teddington going to open. ? got some new fenders that need testing .!

Barge lock for you then, full sluices!

 

[Actionmat]

Replace the house graphic with a boat and what's the difference?

 

[Mark26]

I wonder if inland waterway use can be described by the wording. Creeping along the upper Thames at 4.3 knots in a motor cruiser is not very sporty and it is not on an "open waterway"...

- all forms of water sports practiced on open waterways, -

Don't knock it, they are trying to help you get out.

 

[oldgit]

Barge lock for you then, full sluices!

Its not the lock , ...its the locals.
Have now have aquired sufficient fenders to make it almost impossible to see the hull of the boat.
This might make it difficult to get any other boats in the lock with me

 

[Parabordi]

Have now have aquired sufficient fenders to make it almost impossible to see the hull of the boat.
This might make it difficult to get any other boats in the lock with me

Remember to lift fenders between locks otherwise you are a duffer

 

[Old Crusty]

Its not the lock , ...its the locals.
Have now have aquired sufficient fenders to make it almost impossible to see the hull of the boat.
This might make it difficult to get any other boats in the lock with me

You are the chandler's friend! Don't forget to buy fender covers too, a navy blue looks best on the Thames, and some scrubbing kit for cleaning after passage through each lock. Be warned, boats with long arrays of fenders are usually assumed to be hire boats, given a wide berth by most of us and generally shouted at by lock staff. We can always get another boat alongside you - narrow boats fit perfectly by well-fendered vessels from abroad

 

[oldgit]

You are the chandler's friend! Don't forget to buy fender covers too, a navy blue looks best on the Thames, and some scrubbing kit for cleaning after passage through each lock. Be warned, boats with long arrays of fenders are usually assumed to be hire boats, given a wide berth by most of us and generally shouted at by lock staff. We can always get another boat alongside you - narrow boats fit perfectly by well-fendered vessels from abroad

Actually not one of my interesting collection of fenders is new and no one from the Medway will have any idea what a "Fender Sock" actually is .
Old tyres are more us !
Difficult to detect my boat handling skills from those of the hire boat skippers and am well used to being shouted at by my wife and crew, lockies shouting at me just adds a little variety. !