BlueMoon1
New member
I'm based at Shepperton. The gossip in the yard is that your insurance is void if you venture out when the river is running fast. Is this true?
Insurance cover invalidated by folly?
- Thread starter BlueMoon1
- Start date
hastylady
New member
I don't know for definate but I would work on the assumption that if the locks are red boarded then there may be a question around your insurance but other than than I can't see any problems.
Brayman
Active member
A broker I know who represents Navigators & General reckons it is a fallacy. He reckons the sea will throw at you much more than the river ever will.
Don't forget the red boards will sometimes come out quite early. As long as you aren't blatantly reckless you should be ok. No harm in checking though.
Don't forget the red boards will sometimes come out quite early. As long as you aren't blatantly reckless you should be ok. No harm in checking though.
Andrew_Fanner
New member
There may be some element of truth, if your Ins Co reckon you might be underpowered there may be questions of folly. HKJ seemed uninterested when I questioned it last year.
Ramage
Active member
As far as I know the only boats that must stop during red board conditions are the Hire Boats.
By the way if you could fill in your profile it helps others on the forum to know where you are etc!
I am usually based up at Old Windsor, but my boat is currently on the hard at Walton. Roll on April!
By the way if you could fill in your profile it helps others on the forum to know where you are etc!
I am usually based up at Old Windsor, but my boat is currently on the hard at Walton. Roll on April!
TrueBlue
Well-known member
It's all a matter of reasonableness.
Because the Thames is a Public Navigation, so you have a Right. The boards are therefore "advisory". Red boards are put out when all the weir gates are pulled. This means that there is a helluva lot of water passing through the weir channel. To prove my point, try going towards the River Wey entrance when on Red or even increasing Yellow. You'll find that there is an incredibly powerful eddy just by the House weir strong enough to sink or capsize you. (Don't even think about it...)
Once you are in open water you will just notice a very strong stream which can be up to 8 knots (not km/h), so you would need a lot of power to make any headway against the stream. Navigating near weirs at locks can be hazardous in such conditions not only because of the force of the stream, but also because you don't have much room to manoeuvre in the lock cut.
If you had an accident the insurance Co. would probably avoid your claim and strictly speaking you would be guilty of an offence under the Merchant Shipping Acts (which still apply on the non tidal part of the river).
You could stick your nose out of the Marina easily enough but you would have a lot of fun trying to get back in again, not matter how powerful your engine(s) were.
Been there, done it.
Because the Thames is a Public Navigation, so you have a Right. The boards are therefore "advisory". Red boards are put out when all the weir gates are pulled. This means that there is a helluva lot of water passing through the weir channel. To prove my point, try going towards the River Wey entrance when on Red or even increasing Yellow. You'll find that there is an incredibly powerful eddy just by the House weir strong enough to sink or capsize you. (Don't even think about it...)
Once you are in open water you will just notice a very strong stream which can be up to 8 knots (not km/h), so you would need a lot of power to make any headway against the stream. Navigating near weirs at locks can be hazardous in such conditions not only because of the force of the stream, but also because you don't have much room to manoeuvre in the lock cut.
If you had an accident the insurance Co. would probably avoid your claim and strictly speaking you would be guilty of an offence under the Merchant Shipping Acts (which still apply on the non tidal part of the river).
You could stick your nose out of the Marina easily enough but you would have a lot of fun trying to get back in again, not matter how powerful your engine(s) were.
Been there, done it.
byron
RIP
[ QUOTE ]
I'm based at Shepperton. The gossip in the yard is that your insurance is void if you venture out when the river is running fast. Is this true?
[/ QUOTE ]
Absolute and utter twoddle. The river even on it's worst days never runs faster than the tide running in or out of Langston Harbour or through the centre of London. I've heard this urban myth before, years ago, It is generated by the fact that Hire Companies aren't covered when the red boards are up "unless they have provided 'pilots' to move the boats"
I'm based at Shepperton. The gossip in the yard is that your insurance is void if you venture out when the river is running fast. Is this true?
[/ QUOTE ]
Absolute and utter twoddle. The river even on it's worst days never runs faster than the tide running in or out of Langston Harbour or through the centre of London. I've heard this urban myth before, years ago, It is generated by the fact that Hire Companies aren't covered when the red boards are up "unless they have provided 'pilots' to move the boats"
bradtarga34
New member
Went through Sunbury lock a few weeks ago and the lock keeper actually gave me a red card and said that some insurance companies might not cover you on red board conditions. Specific inland waterways policies might have something writen into the eensy weency print but I would agree with Andrew, when he checked HKJ that they didn't seem interested in the rough and tumble conditions on the non-tidal Thames! Ramage, when I'm next down at Walton I'll have a look out for your boat on the hard. I am down most nights during the cold weather to flick the heating on for a few hours and/or run the engines for a bit. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
byron
RIP
Your bog standard inland waterways policy also covers you for 30 days per annum at sea.
boatone
Well-known member
Not quite true.......depends on your policy and there is usually a requirement to notify the insurer at the time you undertake a sea trip below the Thames Barrier.
byron
RIP
Tony, read what I said... "BOG STANDARD" I didn't go into it in depth but yes, one does notify them. As a matter of interest the accepted standard of being 'seaward' is below the barrier.
Cliveshep
Well-known member
I should take the points made to heart unless you have oodles of power! Eight knots is considerably more than most river boats can manage. I can recall going upstream on the River Arun against the ebb and being on the plane to get under the bridge because of the current. Probably about the same speed current as the Thames in flood. I wouldn't have liked being there if the engine decided to stop at that point either.
It's all very well going up or down stream in a racing stream, but you try and turn out of it and see what happens! Once your bow gets off the stream you are at it's mercy and you'd better have somewhere to go to get out of it. Even turning around 180 degrees is fraught with hazard anywhere near moored boats, buoys, pilings, bridges etc because once broadside on you're going back downstream out of effective control like it or not until until you can get steerage way on. Downstream that can be pretty fast! If you do get into trouble there's unlikely to be anyone else around to help and being insured or not is likely to be the least pressing concern at that point in time!
It's all very well going up or down stream in a racing stream, but you try and turn out of it and see what happens! Once your bow gets off the stream you are at it's mercy and you'd better have somewhere to go to get out of it. Even turning around 180 degrees is fraught with hazard anywhere near moored boats, buoys, pilings, bridges etc because once broadside on you're going back downstream out of effective control like it or not until until you can get steerage way on. Downstream that can be pretty fast! If you do get into trouble there's unlikely to be anyone else around to help and being insured or not is likely to be the least pressing concern at that point in time!
TrueBlue
Well-known member
Exactly my point(s)!
All sorts of folks come on to these fora, and one as no idea of their experience. This forum being new and specific to the Thames has brought a whole new clutch of peeps and the comment have been very revealing. I recall comments about the stream - where surprise was expressed about winter flows.
Most boats stay well at their marinas / moorings from November to the end of March, (well it's a bit chilly and grey innit?) and don't see what really happens out of season.
Accordingly - if one cares for your fellow man - I at least feel obliged to point out the downside of whatever is proposed / asked. Such comments also inform others who may be similarly tempted.
The river can be placid in the summer, but there are so many obstructions both seen and unseen and many of these become hazardous when the wind blows or the rain, rains. To my mind boating on such a river in all conditions requires more pure boatmanship than much sea-borne power cruising.
All sorts of folks come on to these fora, and one as no idea of their experience. This forum being new and specific to the Thames has brought a whole new clutch of peeps and the comment have been very revealing. I recall comments about the stream - where surprise was expressed about winter flows.
Most boats stay well at their marinas / moorings from November to the end of March, (well it's a bit chilly and grey innit?) and don't see what really happens out of season.
Accordingly - if one cares for your fellow man - I at least feel obliged to point out the downside of whatever is proposed / asked. Such comments also inform others who may be similarly tempted.
The river can be placid in the summer, but there are so many obstructions both seen and unseen and many of these become hazardous when the wind blows or the rain, rains. To my mind boating on such a river in all conditions requires more pure boatmanship than much sea-borne power cruising.
Andrew_Fanner
New member
Some ICC training I was due to do this weekend has been scrubbed due to the river conditions, "running like a good 'un" was the quote.
bradtarga34
New member
So Andrew, ICC training eh, what trips are you planning this year then?
Andrew_Fanner
New member
[ QUOTE ]
So Andrew, ICC training eh, what trips are you planning this year then?
[/ QUOTE ]
Presupposing I can afford the fuel anymore:-( Belgium (stock up on beer), Holland (Jenever) and France (cheese). About time we did forn parts that are more foreign than the Medway
So Andrew, ICC training eh, what trips are you planning this year then?
[/ QUOTE ]
Presupposing I can afford the fuel anymore:-( Belgium (stock up on beer), Holland (Jenever) and France (cheese). About time we did forn parts that are more foreign than the Medway
bradtarga34
New member
Sounds good Andrew, always exciting visiting new places, especially forign ports of call. Saw your boat bobbing away when we stopped at the moorings to go the the Moon in Moon for lunch yesterday, looks like she is ready for a trip! We're hopefully doing Boulogne for Easter and CI's and Normandy for main holiday in June/ July, can't wait! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
BlueMoon1
New member
Thanks, guys. Much appreciated.
DorsetPete
New member
Why all the procrastination.
Email your insurance company and ask them to CONFIRMthat you are covered in such situations IN WRITING.
Question resolved!
Email your insurance company and ask them to CONFIRMthat you are covered in such situations IN WRITING.
Question resolved!
byron
RIP
[ QUOTE ]
Why all the procrastination.
Email your insurance company and ask them to CONFIRMthat you are covered in such situations IN WRITING.
Question resolved!
[/ QUOTE ]
Because that's too easy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Anyway its more fun to post here and generate some comment.
Why all the procrastination.
Email your insurance company and ask them to CONFIRMthat you are covered in such situations IN WRITING.
Question resolved!
[/ QUOTE ]
Because that's too easy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Anyway its more fun to post here and generate some comment.
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