Boston Marina

Dave,
When do you launch? It will need a good send off, so one or two should gather together to make up the party.
My point about the lock is that it will only operate at half tide. Can you imagine what turning 50 foot of narrow boat with a maximum speed of 4 knots in a 6 knot tide is going to look like.

I take it you have a mooring booked at Wells because last time I looked on their website, the harbour was fully subscribed.
 
Hoping to launch in a week or two but still got some jobs I need to do before then or any rain and she'll fill up, so keep a lookout as I'm hoping for a bit of a knee's up to celebrate.
Plan is to bring her around to my mooring (river Glen) to make sure she's ready before going tidal, so no point confirming at Wells yet as I don't know exactly (or even roughly) when I'll be moving
Might sound a bit over cautious but my tidal experience is nowhere near enough to risk going straight around, at least starting on a river I can run up a bank if I find any serious problems, and get tools and generator to her in minutes rather than hours
Looking forward to meeting up though, it seems there are more and more of us round here
 
The new lock is well underway....The EA have also got planning permission to install a floating pontoon form the swing bridge to the new lock. These are going to be waiting pontoons and not let as berths.
This think this means boat will be able to come to Boston and have a sensible vistors berth, for a tide. At the moment I would think they will dry out, but when we get the new flood barrierlock by the dock there will always be water in the river.
 
Hi Paul, Peter
Thanks to all for the info about Lowestoft.
We are likely to be there the weekend of 5th/6th July.
We will probably not want to go beyond the bridge as that would restrict us on leaving times and we will be heading over to Holland from Lowestoft (and there may be dragons inland!)
We will look out for any forumites - we are also easily identifed - see avatar for a clue.
 
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The plans for the link that I've seen seem to be aimed more at narrowboats than anything else, so my inlaws will be happy.

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I know one of the young lads labouring on it, so at least its providing work.

I can think of a few problems. Any boat without sufficient power and manoeverability (narrowboats) may well get washed down the river trying to go from Witham sluice through the town and into the forty foot drain. Its also quite a tight fit in there under a small bridge, but one hopes someone has done the sums and proves us all wrong. I don't see many boaters wanting to warp their boats into the lock the way we did with H.M. Endeavour getting into the Albert dock in Liverpool where the river can be strong regardless of tide. That was more of a crash landing than a docking as I remember

For my own part I am a little sad at it being opened up to boats as the forty foot is one of the last unmolested refuges for wildlife. I'm not sure increased human activity will serve the fish and the birds well. I see Grebes fishing most mornings, and if you look towards Boston from Hubberts Bridge its a most magnificent Swannery. I've counted up to twenty birds on the water. Thye like their privacy I suspect.

Without the southern link it is a bit pointless, but i'm sure that will follow in time. Commerce dictates it will happen eventually.

Tim
 
Must admit I don't much fancy the idea but I'm not sure it will have too much affect on the wildlife unless loads of people use it. We're on the Glen here and we get quite a few geese and swans, but it's mostly small mobo's because the river is very narrow. At 25ft, my Birchwood was the largest boat around and not many others are likely to want to use the river as the bridge clearances are very low, to get past one we had to take the roof and windows out of the cockpit, and weigh down with extra, ahem, weights
 
Not planning a 'Swim through' are you /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I havn't the faintest idea, but there must be a .gov.org website with the info somewhere. I'l have a look and see what I can find.

Tim
 
Trying to work out the approach speed /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I think its just for the Skips /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

cheers Joe
 
The scheme is bigger than I thought and will take 2-3 years to complete.

1) They are building a new tidal barrier just upstream of Boston Dock entrance creating a non tidal pool in/ around the entry/exit to the forty foot drain.

2) Part of Summerfields car park will be used to create the new lock which will enter the Haven/Witham on a newly contructed channel on the town side of the pumping station. There will be a new bridge to take the road over the new channel.

3) If I read it right, the current area of work is where an overflow/bypass channel is being constructed.

From what I read, the 40 ft drain was a navigable waterway until the 1960s when it was closed off to boat traffic with little ceremony or objection at the time.

Going off topic, but when you go to Horncastle these days its hard to realise there was a canal and shipping basin of some size slap bang in the middle of the town. Maybe one day that will return as well. You never know.

No dimensions I could see I'm afraid, but i'l keep looking.

Tim
 
is there much to do at Boston marina? im now looking at it as a posible alternative to a run down to Lowestoft,the forecast is for 30mph+ and my little mac is not ready for that,i need to beef up the rudders first.
 
You have to go through the "Grand Sluice" lock to get into the marina and it can only open for a brief period 2 hours before high water and then cannot be used until 2 hours after high water, again for a brief period. It caanot open when the sea side water level is higher than the river on the other side and there is not enough water in the ditch up to the lock until 2 hours before/after high water.

You are meant to book the lock 24 hours in advance and you have to buy a British Waterways licence.

Otherwise it is dead easy!!!

You should visit Boston by car for 6 hours from low to high water to see what happens. You also need your mast down to go under the bridges.

You can moor past the swing bridge but the bottom is full of shoppong trolley, a JCB bucket and loads and loads of crap. Once you leave the boat to get a drink/takeaway it is likely to be brocken into.

To summerise, I would not send my worst enemy for a day/weekend visit.

Different if you know the ropes and don't have to take a mast down, and get on well with the lock keeper!!!!
 
Boston is great once in the Marina thro' as you say the Grand Sluice
If the tides are in "normal Hours" no need to book But a call to the lockie will give you the times for locking or freeflow
If you have your mast down you can go up to the Packet inn
for a mooring and meal (2 hours at legal speeds)
Boston Motor Yacht Club to port upon entering the Witham welcomes visitors at their moorings
I'm leaving tomorrow night But will be back
Cheers Joe
 
Tim thanks for that and if you can find some dimensions it would be great
How do you know when BW are lying?



Their lips move /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Cheers Joe
 
What is very annoying about Boston is the state of the tidal approach from the commercial dock to the Grand Sluice. When the tide is in it looks pretty but when the tide is out it looks an eyesore.

The joke is that it is the Environment Agency who is responsible for this stretch. I cannot believe they have not dredged the river bed to get rid off the debris. The numerous rotting hulks should be removed also.

The town council should make the ER sort the problem out. It has been in such a state for the last ten years that I am aware of. The riverside should be a tourist attraction in Boston.

Linear pontoons could be installed with gated access and a Harbour Master appointed to manage the facility.

There is plenty of room to create decent facilities before the first fixed road bridge.

bastonjack it really would be worth your time vising Boston by road over a tide so you can see the situation for yourself. Talk to the fishermen down near the swing bridge. They are really decent, helpfull blokes. We have moored up against their boats when they have taken our masts down with their boat-mounted hyab. We have also stayed overnight there and gone to the pub opposite the fishdock.

Boston is certainly worth walking around on a sunny day.
 
Agree 100% on the Tidal Mess ,But as discussed earlier in this thread they are building a barrier/lock and there are plans for pontoon moorings(time will tell)
They could do a lot better.If you can get thro' the sluice I still think its worth a visit
Cheers Joe
 
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