Cruising the Thames - First Timer

[bottomlesspit]

Hi. New to motor cruising. Sealine 310. (Having sailed yachts for years). Looking to go into up river into non-tidal thames.
Is there an "idiots guide" to what is required to meet legal requirements? Registration/Safety Certs?
Are rules different for short term visitors?
Anyone recommend and good books re river navigation/tips/etc?
Ideally looking to get up to Henley, maybe a bit beyond.... Any 310 owners out there, how is it for bridge heights etc?

TIA

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Where you arrive at Teddington, assuming the lock is functioning, you can buy a Visitor registration for 1, 3, 7 or 31 days. There may be others I can't remember.

If the vessel is kept elsewhere you tick boxes on a form to say it meets safety requirements (needs checking but I think visitors do not need a BS scheme certificate) and that the lavatory does not discharge overboard. You need minimum 3rd party unsurance.


Pay the fee then you go and have an enjoyable time on the River which is a very wise thing to be doing.


For full yearly registration a BS scene certificate is needed.

 

[bottomlesspit]

Where you arrive at Teddington, assuming the lock is functioning, you can buy a Visitor registration for 1, 3, 7 or 31 days. There may be others I can't remember.

If the vessel is kept elsewhere you tick boxes on a form to say it meets safety requirements (needs checking but I think visitors do not need a BS scheme certificate) and that the lavatory does not discharge overboard. You need minimum 3rd party unsurance.


Pay the fee then you go and have an enjoyable time on the River which is a very wise thing to be doing.


For full yearly registration a BS scene certificate is needed.

Thanks

 

[Pump-Out]

Is there an "idiots guide" to what is required to meet legal requirements? Registration/Safety Certs?

Yes:
River Thames: boat registration and application forms

 

[riverliver]

my Nicholson's ordnance survey guide to the Thames is a great beginners guide to all things Thames but I have had it ages and not sure if its been updated but an old one is cheap as chips on eBay etc and well worth getting Great for planning your trips up to Henley.
Also the River Thames App is very good and free

happy boating

 

[mersey]

my Nicholson's ordnance survey guide to the Thames is a great beginners guide to all things Thames but I have had it ages and not sure if its been updated...

2025 edition is available

Link

 

[ducked]

Where you arrive at Teddington, assuming the lock is functioning, you can buy a Visitor registration for 1, 3, 7 or 31 days. There may be others I can't remember.

If the vessel is kept elsewhere you tick boxes on a form to say it meets safety requirements (needs checking but I think visitors do not need a BS scheme certificate) and that the lavatory does not discharge overboard. You need minimum 3rd party unsurance.

Naive question - If your lavatory does discharge overboard, is there any way of temporarily (so not filling it with concrete) disabling it that would be acceptable to authority?

(I cant think of one)

 

[Chris_d]

Naive question - If your lavatory does discharge overboard, is there any way of temporarily (so not filling it with concrete) disabling it that would be acceptable to authority?

(I cant think of one)

The lockie used to go on board and seal the seacock at Teddington, not sure they do that any more and now all you do is sign to say it doesn't discharge overboard.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

It's just a tick box but yes years ago a seal of some sort presumably a cable tie or something was attached to the seacock.

It would have been something that was inspected again when the visitor leaves.

 

[oldgit]

Hopefully not treaching Granny to suck eggs.................. a visitors point of view.
Airdraft. ?????

First you have to get there. Lifejackets.
Where are you starting from ? Fuel. Hopefully Diesel ?
Getting the tides right. Timing is all.
The well heeled might like to break this trip at St Kats Dock.
For a stress free trip we need to time our arrival at the first scary bit ie. Richmond Tidal Barrier.
Barrier lifts about 2 hours before HW (Richmond) , the ideal time to arrive is just as the barrier lifts other wise its using a less than clean lock or mincing about downstream waiting for ages for barriers to go up.
Teddington Lock is about 40 mins further up.
Dependant on which lock is actually functioning .( phone the lock office, they are pleased to advise) you can moor at the appropiate waiting stage.
You will of course have all your fenders out and mooring ropes ready ???
You will either be waved into the lock or via a set of hard to see traffic lights.
Nobody has ever asked to check the bogs on any of my boats ever,

Probably you will be asked to please go through the lock and moor up on the long stretch of lock moorings on the left hand side.
A chance to settle down and have beer or two before walking back down to lock island to attempt to work out how long you are going to stay.
You can buy more time if you need it.
Having arrived, you might want to know
A. Where you can Moor and the tips to ensure you get a mooring.
Sometimes somebody will come round to collect sometimes in over the interent.
The busy honeypot locations where you need to arrive early esp at weekends . Hampton Ct. Windsor. Henley etc
and the tucked away locations such Lady Lyndises lawns which only the locals know about.
We love Runnymeade and Cookham.
B. Where are you going to eat.
C. Water. where can you fill up , take every opportunity.
All the marinas will take a overnight visitor without problems ,we have been known to go in in order to top up batteries and fill up with freshwater.
The short trips you are likely to make each day between locks will simply not be enough to put any decent charge into your leisure batteries,


On the tidal bit we normally plan to do the trip from the Medway at around 10-12knots remembering that 2-3 knots might well be tide.
Download your map of the Thames barrier and call them when barrier in sight as to which gate to go through.
Remember to change radio channel as you go up.......and they will be watching you.
Stow all or any loose stuff away before the barrier it can get lumpy in the Pool. Personally everybody stays in the cockpit and nobody goes out on deck.