Faversham - 1.6m draft, fin keel

[mrming]

Despite being based just round the corner at Conyer Creek, we haven’t yet visited Faversham by boat. I walked there on Monday and had a good look at the Creek at half tide. Navigation looks fine (dare I say, easier than Conyer). The boat is a 32’ fin keel drawing 1.6m. We keep her in a soft mud berth where she dries upright. So we’re happy to dry out, but don’t want to spend a night or two at a jaunty angle. Can anyone advise on where we might dry out reasonably upright? Perhaps Iron Wharf?

 

[oldgit]

We used to go to Town Wharf and dry out a few years ago

Unfortunately due to the present argument between KCC and Peel Port the sluices in the old lock gates are no longer flushing out the creek and the silt has built up on the wharf, doubt you could even get on with a decent spring tide.

 

[Cantata]

Agree with Fred that Town Quay is probably not for you at the moment. Iron Wharf is a possible, suggest you ring them first to check they can fit you in. And as you dry make sure you’re leaning in.
The gutway all the way up does pretty closely follow the dotted line on plotters from ancient surveys.

 

[mrming]

That’s very helpful - thanks both! Sounds like we need to wait for a likely tide / weather combo and then give Iron Wharf a call.

 

[mattonthesea]

Plus 1 for calling iron wharf. Lovely people. We draw 1.5 and had to wait for a towards spring tide for lift out and launch. The bend where the red can is close to the starboard bank needs a little clearance. How do I know?

 

[oldgit]

If only Peel and KCC could get their act together , a pair of reliable functional lock gates above the bridge and with a few tidy moorings and perhaps some shorepower that tidal pool could be an absolute honeypot for visiting boaters. Faversham has managed to retain all of the charm that Whitstable waved goodbye to years ago.
Faversham would benefit greatly from boating visitors staying for a few day and spending money in the vast choice of pubs and eateries.
In the dim and distant past Rochester Cruising Club did arrange visits to stay afloat above the old lock gates.
The lock sluices in action.


Think they were timed to lift around a couple of hours after HW for maximum effect.

 

[Richborough]

These rivers silt up so quickly. Our dry Dock broke away at the stern. 6 weeks work to move it back into place . Meant a mini digger being craned into Dock to clean up 100ft long with a foot deep of silt. Back in 2014 Faversham was getting bad without the bridge sluice how long before that section is unavagble. Peel ain't short of money fix it.

 

[oldgit]

Peel ain't short of money fix it.

The Medway is virually moribund at the moment, trade dropping off with each passing year only thing active is the Gas Terminal and simply politically expedient to keep that alive.
The income from a few ships going to Scotline at Rochester, ballast yard on Medway City Est and cars at Sheerness probably mean that Peel are hemorrhaging money and would gladly say goodbye at the first chance.
They make their money elsewhere.

As for paying out a few hundred thousand for a set of gates for a few leisure boaters (most of whom refuse to pay the Port Registration fee on principle")
Can just imagine the howls of anguish when the prospective New Marina above the new gates starts asking a commercial rate to moor there, lets call it £50.00 a night.