Engine Size Check for Thames use?

Happy Dayz

Happy Dayz

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Hi guys, we have a 23 foot Norman river cruiser based at Stanstead Abbots. Next year i fancy going further afield likely towards Birmingham.

I have to go South towards London into the Regents Canal then i think onto the Thames West zbound to Turn North.

My engine is a 9.9 Mariner 4 stroke and does all i've needed quite easily so far, having been upto Hertford last week, previously to near Bishops Stortford and fown to Lea Vally without a hitch.

I'm asking opinion of will i need a more powerful engine for my trip, as i expect to be up against much stronger currents, especially on the Thames if i need to go onto it.

I do have a 20 hp mariner 2T, that came with the boat, it had several issue's, which i think are all fixed now and would like to sell it, but if not needed for my own boat.

Swapping engines over while afloat on my berth is no easy task for me, so not over keen to perform that task if not needed.

Opinions appreciated

Alan
 
You will probably want to keep that bigger engine if you intend cruising the freshwater navigation and definately if you intend coming out of Limehouse or Brentford and into the Thames via Teddington
 
Surely you can get to the Grand Union from the River Lea via the Regents canal?

Aha, Wiki agrees
Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London. The canal is 13.8 kilometres (8.6 miles) long
 
Great I information guys, many many thanks,

We have been on the regents canal recently, on a tour boat. being very new to canal navigation we are wary of usually well intentioned misinformation.

Alan
 
Thanks again for all the inputs.

I really do have a very limited knowkedge of our waterways and canals, which i feel u'm becomming more pationate about, anyone recommend canal maps, preferably i can have to hand on my iPad?

Boat being based in Stanstead Abbots on The Lee, I only really need North of thames upto say the the midlands.

Alan
 
oldgit said:
You will probably want to keep that bigger engine if you intend cruising the freshwater navigation and definately if you intend coming out of Limehouse or Brentford and into the Thames via Teddington
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Thanks for your reply,
tbh it's a bit or a quandary, I bought the replacement 9.9 as a bit easier to handle, afaik I have now sorted the 20hp Mariner which is 2 stroke, and just like the 9.9 HP Mariner is also electric start and complete with remotes just languishing in my nice dry shed.

Trying to decide between keeping it to go this thought about trip, but next year if at all being worth about £800 tempted to selling it on.

Might just go drastic, put both in p/e against a new lighter engine, likely 20 HP, but gping to be a lot of faffing about I really don't have the time for.

Alan
 
Im no expert but I have rescued a few house boats on the tidal section between canals, those boats that sit a life in the canal, exit & turn left at Brentford and hope for the best against a 6/8 knt tide. my only advise is plan ahead and head out on the tide so your not fighting it and plan a bolt hole if it goes wrong until the next tide. you probably know that already but just in case, :-)
 
rattler1711 said:
Im no expert but I have rescued a few house boats on the tidal section between canals, those boats that sit a life in the canal, exit & turn left at Brentford and hope for the best against a 6/8 knt tide. my only advise is plan ahead and head out on the tide so your not fighting it and plan a bolt hole if it goes wrong until the next tide. you probably know that already but just in case, :-)
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Many thanks rattler1711,

I did not know that and appreciate the advice. You mention tidal section, that tbh surprises me with canals.

Would we run aground if we get the timing wrong?

(btw - whats your mobile number lol! )

Alan
 
no problem, we're talking tidal Thames after & before the next canal lock entrance. loads of people do this every day in the season but (in my eyes) it has to be remembered a tickover is a lot les than a full throttle to punch through the tide for a few hours. once your in the basin entrance your fine but you could end up waiting for the tide at the entrance, Brentwood for example wil dry out if i recall correctly.

My mobile number if you need it quickly is 999 just ask for Thames Coastguard. If you get my voicemail Im also on Ch 16 VHF ;-)
 
rattler1711 said:
no problem, we're talking tidal Thames after & before the next canal lock entrance. loads of people do this every day in the season but (in my eyes) it has to be remembered a tickover is a lot les than a full throttle to punch through the tide for a few hours. once your in the basin entrance your fine but you could end up waiting for the tide at the entrance, Brentwood for example wil dry out if i recall correctly.

My mobile number if you need it quickly is 999 just ask for Thames Coastguard. If you get my voicemail Im also on Ch 16 VHF ;-)
Click to expand...

Many Thanks for this info, I'll start to look out for a radio - Christmas is coming ��

Bit of planning to do then, while reasonably competent with tools etc and engines and a pretty resourceful person, I seriously lack boating experience. Being safety conscious I might canvass others on my marina where we seem to be getting along really well with, to see if any fancy buddying up with this nutcase for a week or more.

Alan
 
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