IPS and the upper thames

[martin]

Hi

I am considering my next boat and from time to time we like to come up the Thames to visit Marlow/Henley etc.

The new boat may have IPS drives which I am concerned may not mix well with the shallow areas of the Thames.

Has anyone got experience of taking a boat with IPS to the upper Thames? If so did you have any problems?


M

 

[boatone]

Its simply a problem of draft and available depth of water. Unfortunately the Thames has lots of shallow bits and, although the fairway depth is generally well maintained to meet defined depths along the stretches, there are no such guarantees regarding depths bankside which is a different matter entirely.
My general feeling is that mooring depths of around 1 meter are fairly easy to come by but local knowledge is invaluable if you have deeper draft. As always, care is the watchword.
I know someone with a Rodman 40(?) based in Shepperton that I see fairly regularly and who appears to manage ok.

 

[oldgit]

Having bashed several outdrive props up there,would have though that any boat with IPS will need to exercise great care.
The river bed its entire width consisting of rocky hard debris and plus those unprotected forward facing props could make for an interesting day out.
With the boat draught plus the IPS needing around 5ft ? or so of water,any deviation from the the main channel especially when trying to get alongside a mooring would need some caution. ?

 

[martin]

yes, I make you all right there...was hoping someone would prove my doubts were wrong.
I have had a couple of outdrive boats based around Marlow and bought a spare set of props after having a few dinks.
But no actual damage was ever done the leg you could just raise the outdrive and back up a bit...
I am thinking that IPS, with the extra draught and being forward facing it could be asking for trouble!

 

[oldgit]

Something else to consider would be regards repairs.Half the Thames is capable of fixing busted outdrives with one hand tied behind their back and with a blindfold on,simply due to the amount of knackered outdrives constantly requiring attention.
Doubt there is a dealer with IPS knowledge within 100 miles and he has got to find the bits,wonder how much a set of new phospher bronze IPS props cost as compared to a recon alloy set for an outdrive from Steel Developments.
IPS is probably fine in the "Med" where the bottom will always be 10M away but in a shallow river with a rocky bottom and the odd shopping trolley ?

 

[boatone]

but in a shallow river with a rocky bottom and the odd shopping trolley ?

I feel one should defend the state of the non tidal as it really isn't as bad as you suggest!! You have made a number of references to "rocky bottom" but there are few places where this is the case - notably just below Clifton Hampden. The major length of the river is soft mud/silt and reports of damage due to grounding in the fairway are few.
I know you will now quote a certain incident (will you ever let me forget?) where I required your assistance to ease me out of a rather shallow resting place but that was soft mud and, if truth be told, I only attempted to moor there to stop you moaning about the delay in finding a mooring for the night so that you could get to the pound shop before closing time - and Henley doesn't actually have a pound shop!

 

[dash300]

Just watched hoards of tri athletes swim past us at Windsor. Some realised the depth and actually walked for a bit and they were quite near the middle of the river!!!!

 

[oldgit]

" where I required your assistance to ease me out of a rather shallow resting place but that was soft mud "
I had totally forgotton about that !

However if my very shakey memory is correct,that "soft mud" had some very interesting rock like lumps innit cos when we parked nearbye sometime afterwards,one of my legendary 10 min prop swaps took place.

 

[boatone]

However if my very shakey memory is correct,that "soft mud" had some very interesting rock like lumps innit cos when we parked nearbye sometime afterwards,one of my legendary 10 min prop swaps took place.

Brain cell can't recall I'm afraid

Oh, peraps should tell you pound shop in Wallingford has closed …….

 

[oldgit]

Brain cell can't recall I'm afraid

Oh, perhaps should tell you pound shop in Wallingford has closed …….

Does this country stand for nothing any more !!!!

Disgusted of Medway.

 

[Ramage]

Does this country stand for nothing any more !!!!

Disgusting of Medway.

Fixed that for you Fred!

 

[darren123]

IPS on the Thames

Hi

I am considering my next boat and from time to time we like to come up the Thames to visit Marlow/Henley etc.

The new boat may have IPS drives which I am concerned may not mix well with the shallow areas of the Thames.

Has anyone got experience of taking a boat with IPS to the upper Thames? If so did you have any problems?


M

Hi Martin
We sold a new Sealine Sc42 that moors at Harleyford
He was the first Sc42 to have the IPS joy stick control and he is always going down to Marlow and up to Reading ok

 

[oldgit]

Hi Martin
We sold a new Sealine Sc42 that moors at Harleyford
He was the first Sc42 to have the IPS joy stick control and he is always going down to Marlow and up to Reading ok

Actually looking at the specs it only draws 4ft with the pods,it however at 750 HP it barely scrapes into the Thames minimum power requirement so vital for the lock to lock gin palace GP

 

[martin]

well thanks for all the info..Darren123 ;-) good to know someone else is as stupid as me and is prepared to try this!!
No doubt some of you will be dragging me off (I will be the one weeping) the hard stuff next year !!
Thanks again
martin

 

[martin]

actually I just checked the draft on the spec ... 1.15 Mtrs...that's not too bad?

 

[iCs]

Just a thought...

I used to kedge off quite a lot on shallower reaches or when moorings were busy...

For those unfamiliar with kedging off, you need to do roughly the following:

Find a spot where you can get the bow in to the bank
Put big fenders under the flare of the bow where you will touch
Rig a mooring line on the bow
Bring the bow in to the bank, put someone ashore to drive in a stake or stakes depending on the boat size etc, then run the line(s) onto the stake(s)
Back off slightly
Drop or throw the kedge off the stern
Motor the bow gently in to the bank paying out the kedge chain and warp making sure it holds
Secure the bow tight up against the bank making sure the fenders are doing their job
Harden up the kedge

This makes the boat secure with the stern out in deep water away from the bank and uses less bank space than bringing the boat alongside. I've got a set of photos in case anyone doesn't understand the description...

 

[oldgit]

H,mm. Head To mooring !

On the IPS the props tend to be more towards middle of boat not at extreme stern as with outdrives.

That merely leaves the problem of getting your nearest and dearest to oik up her skirts,clamber over the stainless pulpit vault over and then drop the 4 feet from the highest bit of the boat onto a probably steeply sloping riverbank or rough bit of concrete.

 

[boatone]

actually I just checked the draft on the spec ... 1.15 Mtrs...that's not too bad?

Thats probably unladen with empty tanks so you can bet the actual draft is going to be over 4 feet. Thats certainly going to deny you many mooring places such as The Brocas at Windsor, parts of Fawley Meadows at Henley and others. My previous boat drew just over 4 feet and I did actually manage to touch bottom in the fairway further up river.
Remember that the EA only have a duty to maintain depths over 4'6" below Windsor and from Reading to Oxford its only 4'0" .
EA Fairway depths here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/133038.aspx

 

[Brayman]

Thats probably unladen with empty tanks so you can bet the actual draft is going to be over 4 feet. Thats certainly going to deny you many mooring places such as The Brocas at Windsor, parts of Fawley Meadows at Henley and others. My previous boat drew just over 4 feet and I did actually manage to touch bottom in the fairway further up river.
Remember that the EA only have a duty to maintain depths over 4'6" below Windsor and from Reading to Oxford its only 4'0" .
EA Fairway depths here:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/133038.aspx

The official draft of my Stevens was 1.15 and I made it up to Oxford and back on several occasions, fullish tanks including the holding tank! Single shaft with a keel probably not too different to the IPS when looking for the lowest point.

 

[boatone]

The official draft of my Stevens was 1.15 and I made it up to Oxford and back on several occasions, fullish tanks including the holding tank! Single shaft with a keel probably not too different to the IPS when looking for the lowest point.

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, or are they designed to withstand bouncing along the bottom