London to Bristol

[Freedom]

A chance meeting in Bradwell marina during a recent visit has got me thinking about a sailing trip. My wife and I berthed our Snapdragon 26 “Freedom” in Bradwell marina a couple of weeks ago and a gentleman two berths down instantly recognized our boat. It had used to belong to a friend of his about 25 years ago. He had accompanied his friend along with two others, I think, on a trip up the Thames then on to Bristol via the Kennet and Avon canal intending to sail back along the south coast. Proving that the south of England in an Island. Unfortunately the then owner became very ill at Bristol and Freedom was brought back by road. They had been raising money on the way for Leukaemia research, which we thought was a great cause especially as two years before we purchased Freedom my Father had died of this. The next morning at the marina, the gentleman who had purchased Freedom from his friend after he had become ill, who also was on this great trip arrived to see his old boat, he was obviously very pleased to see her and had good memories which he shared. It was really great to meet these people and learn a bit of history about Freedom.
So this has got me thinking about recreating this same trip, it sounds to me like a real adventure combining stunning views on the inland part of the trip and a great way to get to the west country in a small yacht without sailing against the prevailing winds and an awesome sail east along our south coast with the wind behind us.
Maybe try to raise some money for Leukaemia research on the way too.

So before I think anymore about this, has anyone done this? How long would the inland part take? Do you need a licence for the canal? Do you need to pay to use the many locks?
Any comments or advice would be great to hear.

Thanks Nick

 

[BrendanS]

Roughly 11 days according to this planner
http://www.canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi?quickroute=yes&where=Head of Teddington Lock, Bristol

 

[Freedom]

Roughly 11 days according to this planner
http://www.canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi?quickroute=yes&where=Head of Teddington Lock, Bristol

Thanks for that, a really useful web site.

 

[MrCramp]

Do you need a licence for the canal? Do you need to pay to use the many locks?
Any comments or advice would be great to hear.

Thanks Nick

Not done that trip but regularly moved my Macwester 30 down the Trent/Fosdyke canal/River Witham from Newark to Boston.

You do need a short term licence from British Waterways (do a search). Some of the route might be Environmeantal Agency. Guess if you posted on the Thames Forum about the transit they might know where to get licence and what you need.

To get an annual licence from BW you need to pass a boat safety test which costs around £75 (maybe more). You did not need one of these for a short term licence and don't think you do now but most of the BW people do not appear to know the rules. A safety check is bound to find things that you need to do to your boat to pass, but may be irrelevant to a seagoing boat. Don't let the jobsworths bamboozle you into taking the safety check.

Go fo it! It will be a brilliant trip. I remember shoppers in Lincoln being amazed when they saw 2 yachts going through the centre of Lincoln.

 

[BrendanS]

He'll only need to now the BS self certification going up through Teddington, and one of the lockies there is a forumite, so we can ensure he knows the boat is coming, and get the latest rules from him, and from the Thames forumites who know the latest details. It's been quite a while since I had a boat on the Thames.

I can give a fair bit of advice about Kennet and Avon, as I've walked a lot of it, but better coming from people that have actually boated it, of which there are plenty

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

For K&A you will need:

at least one lock windlass (lock key) and two is very preferable.
A BW "watermate" key to unlock swing bridges and water points/sanitary stations
Keep your draught under 3' or have issues coming alongside, the cut profile is usually saucer shaped apart from in locks and aqueducts. Take a gangplank.
Mooring spikes.
If your air draught is over 6' then you may need Prince St bridge swung to reach the main part of the Floating Harbour in Bristol, its arrangeably by VHF but I dont recall the channel and may be doable by phone now. Hanham or Netham keeper will know.
Canal planner is good (virtual cruise a lot of fun) but forgets that you can't stop mid flight in many places.
You will need something to act as a tunnel light, a really good big torch is probably OK for a one off. Nobody will have a clue about nav lights