Foil boarding in Hampton Court area.

[Chris_d]

Assuming you have been on the sauce

There are several lakes in and around Shepperton, Henley, Reading, Oxford, etc. designed specially for this purpose. The Thames however is not however designed for foiling surf boards!

There are also Rowing, Sailing and wild swimming lakes in similar locations but they all seem to prefer the Thames, sewage and all

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Not enough room?

There is room for these guys:-

Not as many of these lately at Bourne End. I only saw two the other day an no sign of the others. I know there were some down at Surbiton for a while.

Not sure where the others went.


One could argue that the sail area is too extensive for the River.

I would agree with the foil boards if they were regulated and allowed and had races. No problem. Certainly a lot betterer than the twats in their rowing boats.

However as with all things while it remains unregulated the idiots turn up.

I'd be the first to advocate for a foil board race between temple island and syphyllis caught at the club.

Great thing to see but there will be nqocd issues and of course people who use these devices will only be interested in showing off. No races would ever happen.

Nice idea though !

 

[Time Out]

Not as many of these lately at Bourne End. I only saw two the other day an no sign of the others. I know there were some down at Surbiton for a while.

Not sure where the others went.


One could argue that the sail area is too extensive for the River.

I would agree with the foil boards if they were regulated and allowed and had races. No problem. Certainly a lot betterer than the twats in their rowing boats.

However as with all things while it remains unregulated the idiots turn up.

I'd be the first to advocate for a foil board race between temple island and syphyllis caught at the club.

Great thing to see but there will be nqocd issues and of course people who use these devices will only be interested in showing off. No races would ever happen.

Nice idea though !

Thames A Raters. Designed to be used on the Thames ! Long before motor boats were king.

I’m still not convinced about controlled use of foils for use on the Henley stretch

On the note I went past Temple Island on the Bank Holiday Weekend. I kid you not a couple had swum out to the middle just downstream of the island only to take a selfie in the middle of the channel!! A foil would have had their heads off …

 

[Boathook]

Thames A Raters. Designed to be used on the Thames ! Long before motor boats were king.

I’m still not convinced about controlled use of foils for use on the Henley stretch

On the note I went past Temple Island on the Bank Holiday Weekend. I kid you not a couple had swum out to the middle just downstream of the island only to take a selfie in the middle of the channel!! A foil would have had their heads off …

I was wondering whether Raters. Back in the 1970s there was a large fleet at Surbiton sailing on the Thames. They seem to hate us kids as we headed at them in our Cadets.
@westernman where was the picture taken and possibly year.
Brings back good memories as a 12 year old sailing at Surbiton and Kingston, suppers cooked by parents for us kids after sailing in the weekday evenings.

 

[westernman]

@westernman where was the picture taken and possibly year.
Brings back good memories as a 12 year old sailing at Surbiton and Kingston, suppers cooked by parents for us kids after sailing in the weekday evenings.

No idea where/when the picture was taken.

It is on the front page of the association website at Thames A-Rater Association - high performance sailing

When I was a kid I sailed an Enterprise on the Thames at Kingston. Sometimes we went up river far enough to tangle with the A-raters. They would move quickly catching the wind high up when down at Enterprise level there was no wind at all.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Looks like Bourne End to me.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Just above the old Ferry opposite the Little Marlow STW.

 

[Time Out]

There are two places they are based. Bourne End as per picture and Thames Ditton above Ravens Ait.

They are actually quite easy to navigate through vs some of the smaller Lasers, Rockets etc as they are more predictable. Well as predictable as you can be sailing on the narrow winding Thames with constant wind shifts !

At one point it was only rowers and sailing boats you had to worry about. As this thread suggests you now have

Rowers
Sailing boats
Paddle boards (professional and Costco )
Kayaks (professional and Lidl)
Swimmers ( open and idiots)
Foilers

I have no issue with any of the above apart from the foilers.

Non open water swimmers scare the hell out of me especially kids having seen the odd drowning and performed a few rescues.

Joke all you want about foiling surfboards but I have seen what they can do in open water let alone on the narrow crowded reaches of the Thames.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Feature on the TV last night about a company starting to make foiling ferries in Belfast carrying the argument that they could go much faster that the 'usual' speed limits in inland & tidal waters / rivers because they produce no wake, and hence promised to reduce travel times, they seemed oblivious to the likely interactions with other users of the waterway...

 

[The Q]

Not seen a foiler on the broads except for a international moth, being the broads that didn't get up on to is foils..
I would think a foilboard would come to a spectacular stop on hitting river weed.

I find it totally frightening the open water swimmers who thinks it's safe to go for a swim in black wetsuits against dark waters where there are hundreds of inexperienced hire boat drivers charging up and down.

 

[ashtead]

Just like the problems with jetski idiots on the big sea but somewhat quieter . As a former Thames Dutton resident I’m sure if the issue becomes to much of a menace for the Raters and more tippy craft action will be taken. Any wise foiler won’t really want to cross a Rater be it at Bourne end week or elsewhere.

 

[Time Out]

This was after he went through 30 others today

 

[Time Out]

Zoom in

 

[penfold]

Feature on the TV last night about a company starting to make foiling ferries in Belfast carrying the argument that they could go much faster that the 'usual' speed limits in inland & tidal waters / rivers because they produce no wake, and hence promised to reduce travel times, they seemed oblivious to the likely interactions with other users of the waterway...

They can go faster, right up to the point the foils snag some floating debris or a treetrunk; that's the point at which most protagonists gave up on them in the 60s. A solution looking for a problem, not unlike hovercraft.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Artemis Technologies unveils world’s most advanced 100% electric passenger ferry - Artemis Technologies

 

[Time Out]

There is absolutely no doubt foiling technology plays a big part in future design. Both power and sail. However it does not mean you can / should use them in / on the Thames !

 

[Time Out]

No idea where/when the picture was taken.

It is on the front page of the association website at Thames A-Rater Association - high performance sailing

When I was a kid I sailed an Enterprise on the Thames at Kingston. Sometimes we went up river far enough to tangle with the A-raters. They would move quickly catching the wind high up when down at Enterprise level there was no wind at all.

9 A - Raters at Thames sailing club Kingston / Surbiton today.

 

[penfold]

There is absolutely no doubt foiling technology plays a big part in future design. Both power and sail. However it does not mean you can / should use them in / on the Thames !

I have my doubts; propelling them by electricity doesn't magic away all the problems which caused them to be dropped in the 60s/70s.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Yesterday there were two A- raters at Bourne End, a foil board which I think is hired out and about 20 paddle boards. Also several smaller sailing boats such as toppers.

Also an incredibly rare sight on the River. Nice boat actually.

I did not get a photo of it so no proof but there was a blue Mitchell patrol boat with a blue light and the words "Environment Agency" written on it.

It was moving. In fact it was very moving.

I don't know if the officer on board saw or interacted with the foil board user.

Those things are easy to disguise as a normal paddle board so they may well have missed it.

 

[ashtead]

Hopefully no B -raters involved