Limehouse to Bray epic.Fair warning to Navigators.

[oldgit]

After much kurfuffle and fuss,the weekend of 15th/16th Sept should see myself and the proud new owner of Fairline gin palace weaving all over Thames on passage to the boats new home at Bray.
Previous misgivings about our airdraft(12.6ft) and Windsor Bridge(13.2ft) have been ignored and we are going to have a look and see if we can squeeze under.
Will dress the aforementioned vessel with my forum flag so wave or shout if you see us,hoping to moor above Teddington lock on Friday eve before venturing further.
PS.We will easy to spot as we will have at least 50 fenders out.
PPs.as a true Fairline owner he has already been out buying stuff for his new boat








mainly cushions and cutlery....

 

[BG1]

Will be good to see you up here but not personaly that weekend as its SIBS. Not sure which Fairline gin palace you have but F.Turbo's & F.40's make it under the bridge. Just go slow. Judging by the way EA are controlling the river level at the moment, you shouldn't have any probs. Level very low again this weekend.

 

[Brayman]

Depends where you were, up above Whitchurch it was till 6 to 12 inches up and that depended on the time of the day or night.

 

[TrueBlue]

Folks don\'t, bust should -

ask the immediate lockkeeper how much headwater he has running (I think that's the right term), then you can subtract it from the navigation height.

I didn't over the bank holiday weekend and lost a headlight under the other Sonning bridge.

This year there has been a lot of river running - even when it's not been raining in recent memory. Summer levels have just not happened, so ask. 'Twould also give you some brownie points with the lockie.

 

[byron]

Re: Folks don\'t, bust should -

[ QUOTE ]
. Summer levels have just not happened

[/ QUOTE ]

Strange! Since the floods we have had levels here generally 6"- 9" below summer levels. Maybe they are draining the sponge effect of the flood plains /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[bradtarga34]

Aaahh, another Fairline on the Thames, luvvly jubbly! What type, a nice Phantom 40 or similar?

 

[oldgit]

Its a Fairline Bravo with all the vital nav aids for long distance 30 knot high speed cruising and most important of all nearly 500hp which judging from many craft moored at the ends of gardens in the upper Thames is absolutely
"de rigueur". /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[No Regrets]

Only if you want to go Upstream..... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[oldgit]

Looks likely we will be invading the Thaemess on the Friday now!

 

[boatone]

[ QUOTE ]
Looks likely we will be invading the Thaemess on the Friday now!

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, you're not coming up the Thames after all then? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Actually you seem to be making a bit of a fuss about this. Don't worry, I've already warned the Isleworth Island Resident Association and Chuckaduck has turned all the CCTV cameras riverside to record whatever whenever etc. Windsor and Maidenhead Council will be meeting in special session tomorrow afternoon to agree what special policing arrangements will be necessary to control the crowds on the Eton to Windsor Bridge waiting to see whether you get under it or not as the case may be.

The weekend before last we survived 165,000 yellow plastic ducks blocking the river at Hampton Court, this last weekend we had enough rowing boats heading down to Greenwich to have made Dunkirk look like an ATYC rally.

I think we can survive your little jaunt, don't you? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Incidentally, Ive had my boat lifted out just in case...........

 

[oldgit]

Is it true that you are supposed to drive on the left sort of like like the M25 except when it is sunny in which case you can just drive in the shady bits.

 

[Nauti Fox]

Ah, I see the good people that inhabit the surrounding area have heard of this voyage and have taken appropriate precautions just in case he actually makes it out of the lock.

 

[ChasB]

Thank god you have that 500hp engine to reverse quickly in case any of those bridges aren't low enough for you...

They'll come out and salute you at Tilbury, and I'll arrange for everyone to wave as you go past Limehouse.

tip: take this along to lop off any bits that stick up too high...

 

[oldgit]

Naa,not bothering with the chain saw,will just open the throttles and we can pick up the bits next time we go down river.

 

[boatone]

[ QUOTE ]
Naa,not bothering with the chain saw,will just open the throttles and we can pick up the bits next time we go down river.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah.... the voice of experience.......

 

[oldgit]

Huh,bet your nice to me again when you need another tow ....
Anyhow look like we are collecting boat in morning and will be at Hampton court on thurs evening.

 

[boatone]

Progress Report

Well, they reached Hampton Court yesterday and swmbo and I joined them for a chinese at ChuChinChow.

They should reach Bray marina later this afternoon but not sure when. They sort of looked shocked when I suggested they get going around 0900 this morning /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Suggested they get to Bell Weir in tine for lunch.

 

[oldgit]

Re: Progress Report

We had a very nice trip up the Thames and the weather could not have been better.Left Limehouse around 1.30 pm on Thursday and after dropping of the old owners off clutching a fat cheque at Canary Wharf Pier headed up towards Teddington at a nice stately 6/7knots.Usual mayhem wash wise wtih tour boats etc.
Arrived at Ted lock about 4 ish.

.Short stop for paperwork and then on to Hampton Court.Can now appreciate the narrowboat "problem".

Large sections of public moorings occupied with only odd spaces left.At one rather pleasant spot the whole of the mooring was taken up entirely with three very long narrow boats.
Off to Windsor Bridge the following morning to see if we could creep under,a couple of more coats of paint on the bridge and no chance .Our emergence unscathed from under the bridge resulted in lound cheers from bystanders and a wedding party in the posh hotel on the south bank.Arrived at Bray early evening and parked in far corner of Marina without hitting anything.
Cheers to Boatone for sage advice and company on Thursday evening.