First time on the Thames..

[BobMod]

Long story short.. Just bought a boat at Bray and planning on adventuring the Thames this summer.....

What and where is the best place to get a thames map/chart?

How long does it take to get from Bray to Penton hook generally?

Which is the better marina? Bray, Windsor, Penton hook? I was planning on living aboard midweek to be closer to work but I now have a new job so it will be long weekends on the river instead..

I know it sounds daft.. but I don't even know right now if it is left or right out of Bray to get to Maidstone LOL...

Any absolute no no's on River etiquette? or big hazards to be wary of?

Bob...

 

[sarabande]

at least you have had the wisdom to choose the same initial as BoatOne and Byron, both of whom know the river quite well....

Have you trawled the Thames Forum ?

 

[Brayman]

I know it sounds daft.. but I don't even know right now if it is left or right out of Bray to get to Maidstone LOL...


Bob...

Welcome to the Forum, there's lots of good stuff on here already and plenty of advice readily given, so don't be afraid to ask.

To answer your main question:
If you're going by boat to Maidstone then turn right when you come out of the marina (It is on the Medway you know, not a place to be seen really!)

Otherwise if you are going by car then turn right and get on the M4, or left and go through Windsor to get on the M25, the latter being more scenic and sometimes quicker.

Enjoy

 

[TrueBlue]

Best book by far (lots of detail and reasonably up to date) is
The River Thames Book by Chris Cove-Smith. He is a long time user and researches the updates.
Available from Amazon and I think you can still buy a copy from Osney Lock - but I don't expect you'll get that far by boat (we don't have enough information).

Free guide and map downloadable here from the EA


Bray to PH - about a day by boat

PH is good if you are going down river to the bit that drains or the Mudway

Bray seems to be full of active forum members and is bigger than Windsor. Also nice for access to the nice bits of the River, but then I'm biased.

 

[Mike_Gates]

River Thames Book

Best book by far (lots of detail and reasonably up to date) is
The River Thames Book by Chris Cove-Smith. He is a long time user and researches the updates.
Available from Amazon and I think you can still buy a copy from Osney Lock - but I don't expect you'll get that far by boat (we don't have enough information).

Free guide and map downloadable here from the EA


Bray to PH - about a day by boat

PH is good if you are going down river to the bit that drains or the Mudway

Bray seems to be full of active forum members and is bigger than Windsor. Also nice for access to the nice bits of the River, but then I'm biased.

We stock this book at Bray Marina.
All the best

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Bray - Windsor a couple of hours.
Windsor to PH up to three hours.
All depends on lock waits really.

As for no nos on river etiquette it depends on to whom you are speaking. If they are drinking your Scotch at the time all will be amicable

Maidstone involves the Tideway and Estuary and, depending on course, technically a little tiny bit of real sea. A good trip to make, get the tides worked in advance to ride the Thames ebb and the Medway flood.

 

[BobMod]

Brayman.. My bad LMAO.. Maidenhead even.. Also I work across the road from the Swan pub so will have to trundle down there soon too.. Just for the fun of it..

 

[TrueBlue]

We stock this book at Bray Marina.
All the best

I'm obliged; will note.

Another good reason for mooring with MDL.

As to etiquette - did you ever get around to issuing the notes to new users that we worked on a while back??

 

[Brayman]

Brayman.. My bad LMAO.. Maidenhead even.. Also I work across the road from the Swan pub so will have to trundle down there soon too.. Just for the fun of it..

MAIDENHEAD !! At least it's not on the Mudway!

Probably best to think in terms of upstream or downstream when deciding whether to turn left or right.

Good luck

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Maidenhead! From Bray? Serious cruise that. Need to stack the fridge with serious amounts of diversion as there's nowhere very nice to moor!

 

[BobMod]

Ok.. thank you again all for your advice.. I have just signed up to Penton but my main decider for that was access from the M25 to initially get to the boat.. and unfortunately the £500 lift charge (£240 out and again to put in) at Bray just wound me up during the survey process.. which basically meant that I have had to spend way more than necessary.. So I will lift at Penton.. Antifoul etc and put back in for the single lift charge at Bray (shame MDL do not own the crane) Although the shower block on Bray G/H is better.. (powerful and large stalls to swing a towel..)

Mike, thank you for your help and advice, Crane charges are no reflection on MDL Bray and all of your staff have been great..

Despite my fopar on Maidstone.. I may still get out there at some point as I used to do Burnham to Chatham every day and there are a couple of really nice bits despite the mud LOL... For now it will be an adventure from Hampton Court to Oxford over the next 6 months...

Oh.. and since there is a big red 880 written on both sides of my boat.. feel free to come up and say hello.. Tarka Two...


Bob

 

[Mike_Gates]

Lock etiquette

I'm obliged; will note.

Another good reason for mooring with MDL.

As to etiquette - did you ever get around to issuing the notes to new users that we worked on a while back??

This one? We normally have it on our web site. Must have expired

How to go through a lock

Wait / stay moored until the lock keeper beckons you to enter.

Observe his directions as to which side to moor and how far up to go.

Don't jump the queue - unless the keeper "calls you in"

Have your lines ready to loop over the bollards.

Don't rush in, slam the engine(s) in reverse - with the result that your back end goes every-which-way, so that your crew can't get a line ashore efficiently.

Make it clear to following boats which side you intend to moor (folks behind may be about to position themselves to filter in on the other side of the lock - it all helps to fill the lock quickly and smoothly if they know what you're doing).

Don't treat the lock as your exclusive property and moor up in the middle, plan ahead and move up to the head, or be prepared to move up without being asked should, inevitably, boats appear 'out of nowhere'. There's nowt more infuriating to miss a locking because some selfish ignorant asterisk couldn't be asterisked again to move up. Many lockies have given up asking skippers to move as they often get some form of abuse when doing so.

If going upstream you're likely to be the only boat in the lock moor towards the back end - if you do the keeper can fill the lock more quickly without causing you any distress (i.e. he can let the water in faster).

One keeper (the previous incumbent at Shiplake) castigated me for using his furniture to stop my boat - a finer point of navigating.

Stop your engine(s) when you have made the boat secure

Turn off any radio or other sound generators.

Turn off any kettle or naked flame.

On leaving do NOT start your engines until at least the gates are open / opening.

It is good etiquette not to start your engine until the vessel ahead of you has started his.

It is polite to exit the lock in the order in which you entered, unless directed otherwise.

Be polite to the keeper; exchange seasons greetings, comment on his floral arrangements, whatever - just make him feel that he is doing something useful and that his presence counts.

Be prepared to exchange pleasantries with your fellow boaters, especially if one appears to be an EA launch (but isn't).

Do not hang about in mid stream if a space is available on a layby (everybody does it, mainly to save their gelcoat, but a boat not making headway has no control.


Although the lock infrastructures are pretty solid, don't cause undue turbulence by rushing or out, and similarly when using the laybyes.

Don't rush madly between locks, especially if you're towards the back. You won't enjoy the experience and may well miss the next lockfull any way. Just proceed at a reasonable pace; after all that's what you're on the river for, isn't it??

If the lock is unattended, read the instructions and pretend YOU are lock keeper with all the 'professionalism' that goes with the job


Most of the points above are more about good practice than formal etiquette, but to my mind etiquette is rooted in good practice - even if some of that may well be out of date to modern eyes and deemed to be anachronistic.

Too many people treat the "lock experience" as an unpleasant interlude; best to be endured - not enjoyed. To me locks are part of boating and a welcome change from just moving along. Working through a lock should be done with care and it requires a lot more expertise than plain cruising.

 

[byron]

Be prepared to exchange pleasantries with your fellow boaters, especially if one appears to be an EA launch (but isn't).

Hmm! is that a veiled reference to me?

 

[TrueBlue]

Hmm! is that a veiled reference to me?

Yes,

but since writing that Steve has bought one and there is another seen occasionally,


Soooo - Get boating Mr A.

 

[Ian45]

Hello Bob,

An exciting time ahead for you. There are many helpful people on the forum and can give you good advice when needed.

We just got back from a down/up river cruise since last Friday and it was a real joy what with the weather and all. I'm sure you will have many enjoyable weekends finding beautiful little moorings and eateries and also make new friends along the way.

If we see you on the river we will give you a wave.

 

[byron]

Yes,

but since writing that Steve has bought one and there is another seen occasionally,


Soooo - Get boating Mr A.

Which one? There was a beauty for sale down on the Broads I think he wanted £28,000 certainly any offer to me would have to be in that region before I would consider it. They are after all rarer than hens teeth.