IPS and the upper thames

[Brayman]

As, indeed, did I. But I would be surprised if you didn't hit bedrock in the fairway below Clifton Hampden - I did several times although the keel simply slid over it.
Think I might be a little more cautious with an unprotected IPS hanging off the bottom

Only once did I touch it in about 15 years, I always went very slowly and watched the water and managed to avoid it every time - bar one.

 

[Wavey]

My previous boat had a draught of 4ft 6in with twins. I could get up to Abingdon but I had to be mighty careful in places. Mooring was somewhat limited and many places I had loved to moor in the past were simply off limits. 40+ years of upper Thames experience meant I knew where I could go and where to give a miss but there's always places you could get caught out, a prime example being Cookham lock cut meeting something equally substantial coming the other way.

When I saw my first Sealine with IPS out of the water at Penton my immediate thought was that's a no-no on the upper Thames. Yes it's do-able but personally I'd prefer not to risk it.

 

[byron]

Yes it's do-able but personally I'd prefer not to risk it.

That just about sums up my feelings on the subject.