Going Tidal - a doddle! (With Pics)

[SeaDave]

I took my boat onto the tidal Thames for the first time yesterday and couldn't believe how straight forward it was!

Got to Teddington for about 9ish (am) as I'd been misinformed so it was SW rather than HW. Didn't matter thoguh - went through there and Richmond lock and then took it easy through Isleworth and on into the Pool.

Houses of Parliament:

Oxo Tower:

HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge:

It was suprising how fast you had to go to be safe from the passenger cats and other boats zipping around.

At one point we tucked in behind a RIB that was giving joy rides up past Tower Bridge and back to Waterloo. We hit 30mph at one point and did an almighty leap as we crossed his wake - we then got soaked with spray as water came over the bow!

It was excellent fun - seemed too good to be legal till we flew past a police boat who didn't bat an eye.

Looking forward to doing it again V soon.

I was suprised by the lack of others there though - it was ALL commercial boats. Does no-one else do this?

 

[BrendanS]

Great fun. Try going to Lord Mayors Parade and watching the fireworks from the river.

No speed limit on that section of Thames, so no worries about police boats, they are more concerned about wash and how you behave.


You mmight want to post pics slightly smaller in future, as the size you have posted them means a lot of people won't respond as they can't find how to scroll and find the reply button.

 

[markosy]

We have been two times this year,and agree it is quite simple. However on the last trip developed engine problems at Westminster, and had to limp back to Walton at 2000 revs against the tide which took 6 hours ( I wish I bought that Aux outboard !! ). Netherless a good trip and will do again soon

 

[Roxby]

We're currently stuck in St Katherines, but will be back in the Pool asap - and yes, it does get very hairy and occasionally unpleasant with the passenger cats. Although we do about half their speed and produce next to no wake the police seem to ignore them whilst occasionally signaling us to slow down, so don't be surprised if they do wave you down.

Oh, and no matter how wide a berth you give to The Mother of Parliaments and our Cradle of Democracy, sooner or later you will get boarded going past the House of Commons.

 

[Captain Coochie]

Yup , did it loads with seaspray and its great fun getting chucked around . Suprised you didnt get boarded but maybe you called ahead to say you will be about ?I dont go too far that way now as Cuchilo has a flat bum where as Seaspray had about a foot of keel .

 

[Gavi]

Great story and photos - thank you. And this was in a 22 footer?

 

[Bilgediver]

It is a doddle unless you get a plastic bag wrapped around the prop and finish up anchored under the central span of Vauxhall bridge /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Especially if your resident consultant engineer is 400 miles away in bed and possibly not alone at 10 PM so not inclined to discuss a loss of propulsion /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

All was resolved before the next sand dredger arrived and with encouragment from police on the bridge,Woolwich Radio and various bystanders a police rib took charged and towed the boat to the Chelsea dock pontoon ... The resident engineer correctly diagnosed a fouled propeller which was cleared in the tidal current with the help of a few shifts ahead and astern and a fast return to Teddington on a rising tide followed....

No names.......no packdrill

 

[SeaDave]

Interesting that a couple of you say you've been boarded before - by this I assume you mean by the police? What sort of things do they look for/ask to judge your terroristness?

Gavi - yarp it's a Sea Ray 225.

 

[Ships_Feline]

It might be an idea if you remove your hilarious religious fancy dress outfit & beard next time then Sea Dave.

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MiskinDriver]

I get boarded about just about very time I go out! It may of course have something to do with having a similar boat to the police (Targa). They basically want ownership details, destination and departure, what you're doing, registration (if any) etc. Nothing heavy, and they're always very friendly. I now have a collection of stop and search forms. They're good at the boarding stuff - almost something to look froward to!

 

[BillyBloater]

Great pictures and story Thanks. My big tidal adventure starts this Thursday.

Is there anything that you would have done differently?

Cheers

Billy

 

[Doolittle]

[ QUOTE ]
Is there anything that you would have done differently?

[/ QUOTE ]

Post smaller pics? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I'm sorry, I hate it when my fingers do that! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[SeaDave]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Is there anything that you would have done differently?

[/ QUOTE ]

Post smaller pics? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I'm sorry, I hate it when my fingers do that! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Apologies for having to make you move the picture 3 inches to see it all. I know it's an effort. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Billy: No I don't think I'd have done anything different - apart from feel as apprehensive as I did. It's really not a big deal and for a boat like mine, the tides are seemingly utterly irrelevant which is handy!

Good luck for Thursday!

 

[boatone]

OFWOC

[ QUOTE ]
It's really not a big deal and for a boat like mine, the tides are seemingly utterly irrelevant which is handy!

[/ QUOTE ]

An old farts word of caution.

It is utterly wrong IMHO to suggest that the tides are utterly irrelevant. The stream in the tideway can reach as much as 7 knots or more at spring tides and it is only too easy for any boat to get into trouble if you misjudge the flow. In the event of engine failure you can be swept along at dangerously high speed whilst you decide what to do.

By all means say that a shallow draft boat with a goodly turn of speed has more flexibility tidewise but 'utterly irrelevant' is a dangerous attitude.

Glad you had fun though, although my experience with peeps being cautioned for speed issues is very different to yours. I have also been boarded by Jack Law and great fun it was too, especially as they were very friendly and reasonable to deal with - even my Westie seemed to approve! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[SeaDave]

Re: OFWOC

[ QUOTE ]
[quoteIt's really not a big deal and for a boat like mine, the tides are seemingly utterly irrelevant which is handy!

[/ QUOTE ]

An old farts word of caution.

It is utterly wrong IMHO to suggest that the tides are utterly irrelevant. The stream in the tideway can reach as much as 7 knots or more at spring tides and it is only too easy for any boat to get into trouble if you misjudge the flow. In the event of engine failure you can be swept along at dangerously high speed whilst you decide what to do.

By all means say that a shallow draft boat with a goodly turn of speed has more flexibility tidewise but 'utterly irrelevant' is a dangerous attitude.


[/ QUOTE ]

Fair enough - the point I should have clarified was that the tides were irrelevant to a boat like mine in terms of getting in and out of the Pool. I'd been worried about getting tide times right to hit teddington when there was really no need.

I wasn't trting to belittle the effect of the tide of the boat. Hope that's clearer now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: OFWOC

I'd like to agree very emphatically with boatone about the tide. I've been safety boat/tail end Charlie for club Tideway cruises and have seen river cruisers struggle to make 2 knots over ground against the tide, and boats lose drive due to rope or other rubbish round the prop. The one causes stress and makes for long journeys, the other gets far too exciting far too fast. To give it some perspective, if the non tidal river flow gets like a normal spring tide rate the red boards can go up.

 

[donziworld]

Re: OFWOC

Yes we like to go tidal approx three times a year. We usually moor at Chelsea Harbour over night (very friendly). We have been boarded once, standard questions, where were you born, live, work. How old ect ect.

Had engine failure once. anchor would not hold us in the tidal flow which is not good news I can tell you. we were towed back to Putney and beached by the RNLI. What great guys they are. not a cross word from them loads of help and advice.

They even stopped by over night to make sure we were ok until high water.

We would like to go more often but with petrol prices as they are it is to expensive.