Imperial wharf

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boatingdave

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Thinking about getting back on the Thames and was considering Imperial Wharf. Anyone an opinion? I'm worried about damage to the boat with the wash from passing craft but quite like the idea of being on the main river.
 
If it helps at all...the tubes on our RIB got absolutely trashed, after just 1 month at Cadagon Pier, just down the river from Imperial Wharf.

That said, our boat is only 5m and yours may well fair a lot better! But I would personally never keep another small boat on the main tideway again in that part of the river (for any length of time I mean).
 
We have stayed there two or three times, and it's a bit choppy until 9pm.

Barges seem to do OK, just make sure your springs are tight, and leave your other lines a bit slack.

I wouldn't want to keep a boat on the tidal Thames though...;)
 
We've been on the non tidal Thames before and thought it would be nice to experience the tidal section but moorings are scarce and Imperial is but one of the options we have. It's a Princess 415 so a reasonable size but it is GRP rather than steel so not as tolerant.
 
You should be big enough to soften up most waves especially if you can moor on inside of pontoon as its seems to damp down wash considerably.When we where there for the Mayors do it was not that bad.Most of the bouncing about was caused by passing leisure boaters.
 
I keep my boat on a pontoon on the Tidal Thames, seven years now without major problems from wash, the occasional weekend boaters in convoy can cause wash probs.. As suggested
earlier, tight springs and slack bow and stern lines a few fenders all is ok. Mine is only 26ft
GRP hull and timber topsides. I would say go for it, there is a station at the site as well so getting to and from should be easy.
 
" the occasional weekend boaters in convoy can cause wash probs.."

Worst case of this I can ever remember was a group of very similar large boats,mainly Brooms,come whizzing past the pontoon outside Chelsea Marina.
The offenders had left St Kats are were proceeding back up towards Teddington.
It would have been hard for them not to notice the effect their wash was having on boats moored nearbye.
 
I am not going back to that discussion, those boats only ever make acceptable wash, regardless of their speed hull design or numbers.
 
Oh dear, don't really want to get in to a thread about Brooms lol. Guys, thanks for the responses, I didn't realise as I didn't have any notifications. Apollo (bless him) has been involved in the discussion outside this thread. Still some mixed opinions which is causing some dithering my end lol. Other option is brentford but I'm worried about getting in an out as would have to go through a narrow lock on free flow which would always cause some anx. Both have pro's and cons. I will say though we are looking forward to getting back on the Thames. Been coastal for a few years and the fuel costs are significantly different although the old girl is good at stretching her legs (and gives some of the sports cruisers a run for their money too). The two comments re stretching her legs and fuel costs are of course linked. :-)
Oh and in response to the Limehouse question, no moorings available other than some larger residential at an inflated fixed cost. Have tried all the moorings suggested to me in thread. Thanks all, really appreciated.
 
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