Is there anywhere to dry out on the Medway thats not a muddy slime pit?

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lynall

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I need to do a quick job on my sterndrive and need the top of it out of the water for a half hour or so and would rather not pay another 200 quid for a lift in/out if i can avoid it, especially as its just gone back in:rolleyes:
I was thinking further up stream, havent been up there for a while but iirc theres some nice shallow gravelly bits, but cant remember where.



Lynall
 
Just about every where on the Medway will have a layer of goo on the top.You can lay against the wall immediately above Rochester Bridge but the slime will still be ever present.The nearest bit of sand bank with nice clean sand is going to be in the Swale,which is a bit far way.
You could have a word with Terry down at Patmans Wharf in Lower Upnor.He may well be able to do you a " lift and hold" for an hour or so for half that money.
 
Medway Yacht Club has DIY lift-out facilities that are free to members - not sure if there is any scope for non-members to have access. Possibly make friends with a member and offer several pints in the bar in exchange for lifting you out for half an hour? Unfortunately, I let my membership lapse a couple of years ago.
 
Here's a couple of options that may assist:

a) The foreshore between Wilson's and Hoo Ness is pretty solid or has been when I have launched a tender from it.

b) Hoo Ness Yacht Club have three scrubbing slabs which they may let you use. Yes they do get muddey but it's inches, not feet.

c) I always used to launch and recover my trailable boats from the slip at Gillingham Pier. In the higher regions it was always clean cobbles and I recall that there were some sleepers to the Eastern side of the slip. No facilities, but then it only cost pennies. The place was run by a Pier Owbers/User co-op but that may have changed.

d) Finally, I recall reading that there is a scrubbing facility at Queenborough Creek. It may not be owned by him, but I am sure that a call to Jim Brett of Jim Brett Transport will give you the details. Or alternatively contact Phill from Queenborough Harbour Trust who often posts on the East Coast Forum on Queenborough matters.

A couple of these may be worth a call or a look see.
 
" I recall reading that there is a scrubbing facility at Queenborough Creek. It may not be owned by him, but I am sure that a call to Jim Brett of Jim Brett Transport will give you the details. "

Jim has retired,it may well be his daughter in charge down there now.
 
Thanks for the replies, theres no panic yet as ive got to take quite a lot out to get to the teleflex cable to measure the reqd length, then strip loads of clobber out incl the holding tank, cant wait!
The stupid thing is, ive only just had it out of the water for drive bellows, etc and suspect that i may have shagged the cable myself, but wife reminded me the change from rev to forward has always been stiff and being our first boat we dont know any better, so was probably on its way and i finished it off!
Len where or what is Wilsons?


Lynall
 
As you go down river from Upnor Castle on the North bank you have Upnor Saling Club(clubhouse and two pubs), Medway Yacht Club(large car park, clubhouse and sheds), Wilsons Sailing Club (small clubhouse and dinghies in a compound) and then a gap of foreshore/beach for about three quarters of a mile and then St Werburgh(live aboards), Hoo Ness Yacht Club and the Old Hoo Marina (now purchased by St Weburghs).
 
Len you are a star, i know where you mean, theres that old tipsy turvy pill box leaning on one side.
Edit just looked google maps and its slightly down from the pill box, shore looks sandy as opposed to muddy, that will do for me.


Lynall
 
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Holding tank removed, oh the smell, carried it home in the back of the land rover!
Brick cleaner and plenty of water and its bearable, how can stale pee smell so bad?


Lynall
 
Depending on time ashore required,pick a neap tide ?
Less time waiting for the water to return in order to get back to your berth.
Would def walk along day before and choose handy tree etc to mark spot plus to check you will not be sitting on any old bits of iron or other debris.
No need for tank to go back in unless you plan to moor boat up above lock ?
 
Thanks for that tip, i will try and get along there tomorrow for a look see.
Tank not going back in, i havent seen the inside of this side of the boat for over a year now and certainly makes access to the starboard side of the engine a doddle, plus i get my whole rope locker back for even more junk!.


Lynall
 
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We have recently dried ours out on the 'shelf' just upstream of Rochester Bridge. There is generally about an inch of mud but nothing a pair of work boots or wellies can't cope with. We generally go down the tide before to check for discarded shopping trollies etc, then arrive just after high water and go down with the tide. For us a thousand ££ round trip is an expensive way of checking the bottom and changing our anodes so we generally do this between lifts.
 
Thanks i like that idea even better, so if all goes tits up i can get a taxi to work for tools/spares etc



Lynall
 
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lynall said:
Thanks i like that idea even better, so if all goes tits up i can get a taxi to work for tools/spares etc
Lynall
Click to expand...

We usually do it in two tides. One to inspect then the next once we have got any bits we need. I wouldn't recommend leaving it between tides as the ropes need constant adjustment coming down that sloping wall.
 
Got the teleflex cable today, so just need to get the nerve up to get on with it!
Pirates cave chandlers had the right one on the shelf, certainly wasnt expecting that!
Wont be left as will be two of us on the boat just in case, i work on the medway city estate, so not far to go, but pretty certain i now have all the bits and tools i need.
Thanks agin for the advice/tips


Lynall
 
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