Daft idea - what's your average speed?

floatything

floatything

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Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

I've a somewhat quirky idea of rowing along the Avon, then the Kennet and Avon, the Thames and finally the Oxford canal (yes I know it's stupid!)

There are an awful lot of locks.

I'm trying to work out how long it might take as there is an event I want to get to by a certain date (I want to arrive rowing a dinghy). I'm hoping to raise money for a very good cause.

So - any ideas? How long does it take to go through a lock? What about the Kennet and Avon - it seems to have thousands of the things?
What sort of distance do YOU travel in a day in your boat?

Any ideas gratefully received!

Floatything
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

Thats going to take a long time but great fun, maybe 3-4weeks. You'll probably manage about a 3-4mph average rowing, locks are about 10-20mins depending on other boats, canal locks are usualy much faster. If it was me I'd cheat and take a small outboard /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

I don't think your idea is that daft. You would be luky to make one mile an hour on the canals. It would be well worth while practicing portage for the canals
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

In june 2008 I Canoed in 2 man canadian from Cricklade to Wallingford .. long days , going hard at it and with a fair following current.
65 miles. took 3 days. With my usual cruising in my mind one thing I didnt think of is getting off/out. With my 29 foot motor cruiser its one thing ..... but we found it really hard to find places to get out. .. even at locks. When the bank is 3 feet above you and your arms are tired its no easy thing. If you do it .. take PLENTY of padding to sit on.
Someone suggested portage - forget it if you are using a rowing boat.
If you are going entirely manual then I would suggest minimum effort would come from using a single kayak. But then you have all the logistics to deal with food/gear/camping etc .. for which a Kayak is not well suited .. unless you have a support crew in a camper can.
To answer you question specifically - average speed -.. on the Thames, 2 of us, working hard, including locks say 2.5 mph average. AND IT WAS HARD.
(caveat - we both fit & strong but over 60 years)
Its the stuff that memories are made of .... good luck
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

Years and years ago when the Beetle & Wedge was still a pub I rowed across from my bank to them. It took me 6 hours of solid boozing to recover. I don't remember getting back but I did notice the boat was still at the Beetle so the next day I had to get a lift over to bring it back.
So my rowing excursion of say 150 yards took 2 days.
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

Good point from Byron - even if meant as a joke.

Certainly over the water you should be able to make 4mph, canoes and kayaks do. But then you have to make an allowance for locks. The rule of thumb for canallers is allow one mile per lock, so folks talk about "lock miles" when planning a trip.

As other have said, forget portage. Even on the Thames where there are (variable, but getting better) facilities most canoes prefer to work through the locks.

Definitely forget rowing on the canals. Even though the K&A is a broad canalised river, with oars you are likely to be impeded by undergrowth much of the time, not to mention causing annoyance to powered craft.

On the Oxford which is very narrow - forget it. Too much in the way.

You could paddle, but then a rowing boat is not so suitable for paddling.
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

16km (10m) a day is what we suggest people use when planning self-powered boat trips. It might not seem much in one day but I expect after a few days it's plenty!
waterscape.com ought to have info on the K&A and the Oxford Canal re their locks.
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

[ QUOTE ]
Years and years ago when the Beetle & Wedge was still a pub I rowed across from my bank to them. It took me 6 hours of solid boozing to recover. I don't remember getting back but I did notice the boat was still at the Beetle so the next day I had to get a lift over to bring it back.
So my rowing excursion of say 150 yards took 2 days.

[/ QUOTE ]


/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif


Great stuff.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

..... and the ones that aren't that fit end up spending the night in the lock office at Teddington with borderline hypothermia !

Huddled up to the radiator with a blanket round them /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

Was doling out hot coffee and biccies to some of the miserable shiverers at Sunbury last year, I was accused of singling out the prettier ones for my attentions.

I am forced to throw myself on the mercy of the court, while fearing it doesn't have any..
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

Read the book The Unlikley Voyage of Jack De Crow by AJ Mackinnon. It should enlighten you.........
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

I've read it - it is partly what inspired me to do it! A fantastic read. I intend to stop before the channel however. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

um ok. When i was a teenager I built an Ottersports kayak and paddled from Kingston to just above Oxford and back. It took me a week'ish. Still got the kayak but lost the muscles.
Allow more time than you anticipate. It'll be boring looking from where you've come from. Do it in a sailing dinghy. Get a Gull that you can rig a boom tent on
or book into pubs that do B&B
 
Re: Daft idea - what\'s your average speed?

I'm planning no using a West 11 - a mirror clone - boom tent was what I was thinking as well - although mast raising / lowering needs to be very quick and easy.
 
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