Is it true?

syd

syd

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Have they increased the speed limit of the non tidal Thames?
One of the old boys (bout Byron's age) in our yacht club has just returned from a trip up river in his de masted sailer and is insisting the speed limit has been increased to eight knots.
Is this true? Or was the wrinkly miss informed?

Only been up there twice myself. Never again. too many ruffians!

Syd
 
The definitive picture......

.....a bit mucky but the sign on the lock says 8 kilometres per hour.....
8klimit.gif


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Re: The definitive picture......

Interesting, thats not the same sign as I see on my local locks.

I have tried many times to go less than 8Km/h downstream over the ground but find when I go in reverse all the time, I tend to go the wrong way.
 
Re: The definitive picture......

.....are you sure that what you said was what you meant??? /forums/images/icons/smile.gif
Cant rmember which lock but it was up the Thames and Im fairly certain it was Temple.

Just checked piccie date and time....yep, definitely Temple...isnt that up your way? /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatsontheweb.com/galleryframes.html> BoatsOnTheWeb and Boaters Photo Gallery</A><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by boatone on 18/09/2002 10:27 (server time).</FONT></P>
 
Re: The definitive picture......

Sorry it was a bit tongue in cheek again.

Have you tried going downstream over the ground at less than 4.3 knots?

Its pretty difficult to steer your boat at that as the rudder normally needs boat to flow through the water to work.

This causes a bit of a contradiction, if you go fast enough to steer you break the limit, if you keep within the limit you can't steer. Only solution is to go in reverse!

It going to get worse at this time of the year when the stream starts flowing again, hell we might even have some water in Bray reach soon!
 
Re: The definitive picture......

The actual words oon teh EA website are:"The maximum speed for power-driven vessels on the Thames upstream of Teddington is 8 kilometres per hour (approximately 5 miles per hour) over the bed of the river." ()and bloody difficult to find they were too!!!!)
I agree with you in principle , but with a 2-3 knot flow running I'd be surprised if anything other than 'comensurate with the conditions' were to apply. Lets face it, at that stage all the red boards would be out anyway !
I have found an excellent solution to the problem on my twin engined P32 - one always seems to be out of order!



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Re: The definitive picture......

We raised this question some time ago at the RUG8 Meeting. We were assured that providing the vessel concerned isn’t taking the P**s they would always take the flowing conditions into account before prosecuting. This is of course at their discretion and there is no “allowable “margin on the limit.
With regard to the sign on Wandsworth bridge, it does infact refer to the limit upstream of the bridge to a point 273 yards down stream of Teddington lock. Where the “Conservators Stone” officially marks the beginning of the “non-tidal” Thames. Where the limit, so beautifully illustrated by “Boatone”. Comes into force. By the way both limits limit have overriding excessive wash clauses.

ChrisP ;o)


What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!
 
Re: rough explanation contd.

Just for the record and as it was explained to me.
The reason the non-tidal limit is in KPH is that the measurement is relative to ground speed. It was done this way because chasing speeders in a patrol boat could cause more damage than it was preventing . So they opted for a limit that could be policed using static radar guns and fixed distance / time calculations.
On the other hand the PLA considered that it would be unmanageable to use fixed measurement methods so they stuck with the chase boat method.

ChrisP ;o))


What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!
 
Re: The definitive picture......

You could also deploy your electrically operated air brake ( the one that doubles as an engine hatch)

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I feel that at anything under 5.5 knots I do not have full control of my vessel and this is the speed I travel at. By so doing I am obeying the rules of the Merchant Shipping Act.

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I leave no wash at that speed and wash is what the speed limit is all about really.

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<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm>http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm</A>
 
I have it on good authority that when you enter the non-tidal T****s.they seal the sea bog and weld the throttles wide open.........:-)

Just hold tight dear it will not be so rough when we get round the corner,trust me.
 
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