Maximum draught for Lechlade.

[Outinthedinghy]

I've been to Lechlade in several different boats first time in 1995 and last time was 2018 but my latest boat is 3ft4 draught. 11ft beam, twin shafts with heavy skegs so this is quite a "wide" draught. And the skegs are the same as the keel depth.

I previously thought it was 3ft6 up to Lechlade but looking at the literature it seems to be 3ft.

So the obvious question is how deep are the actual lock cills. This is a known figure subject to head and tail water levels whereas the channel is unpredictable.

I imagine last winter will have confused the situation somewhat as well with a lot of the marker buoys being out of place at this point.

Anyone been up there with 3ft6?

Air draft is fine it's well under 7ft with everything down.

 

[Gumpy]

Went up there and further in Parglena 50x11.5x3 no bother at all until I got within 1/2 mile of Hannington Bridge
It was a long time ago (2004) and there has been very little dredging since.

 

[ianc1200]

Straight Across got up there several times late 90's up to 2002. No problems with mooring/channel depth at 3' 6". However beam and position of props may be more important. And 1/2 mile short of Hannington Bridge - surely any proud TNC member would get up to the bridge?

 

[Gumpy]

Technically I am not a TNC member as I have always been on my own boat, never the TNC flagship
This
51°39'59.8"N 1°44'26.1"W
Is where we got to you can even see the shoal we got stuck on

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I know Parglena well. Now moored at Tims yard below Staines Upon Thames rly bridge.

That's pretty impressive given the size of vessel!
I've done that in a kayak years ago but never pushed it with a motor boat.


That's interesting about Straight Across, Ian. Single screw but 3ft6 so that's encouraging.

Didn't measure the width between skegs but looking at picture of the boat ashore I would say she has about 5 feet between skegs. (Edit for accuracy)

Definitely a bit vulnerable on the windy bends I suspect.

Got to be done though once the River opens to normal traffic.

 

[TrueBlue]

Big boats going upriver to what normally is the province of LTTTs and other craft bring to mind a thread many, many years ago showing huge hull maniputations, loadssa extra ballast, and draining the lock cut.

Was that you Loddon in PG - or someone else??

 

[Outinthedinghy]

My boat is actually quite little at 32x11ft.

I've done Limehouse to Lechlade and back single handed in my 58x12ft barge a few years ago with no problems at all but that only draws 2ft4 ish and is a single engine flat bottom vessel.

Another foot of draught and twin engines with this boat was what got me thinking about the viability.

I see from the .gov website that the lock cills are deep enough. The shallowest one (presumably at summer levels) is 1.32m that being St John's.

1.32m is over 4ft so safe enough.

 

[Gumpy]

I will confess that it was before Parglena was lengthened was 10ft shorter when we were up there.

 

[Gumpy]

Big boats going upriver to what normally is the province of LTTTs and other craft bring to mind a thread many, many years ago showing huge hull maniputations, loadssa extra ballast, and draining the lock cut.

Was that you Loddon in PG - or someone else??

Not me
Colin Stone is your man. His boat was built above Osney and he needed to get under Osney bridge to leave the Thames,

 

[TrueBlue]

Not me
Colin Stone is your man. His boat was built above Osney and he needed to get under Osney bridge to leave the Thames,

Thanks for that.
The boat I had in mind was going upstream as there were photos of him making modifications to get under Osney from the lock layby

 

[Gumpy]

Thanks for that.
The boat I had in mind was going upstream as there were photos of him making modifications to get under Osney from the lock layby

Same boat different trip it was built in Holland and fitted at Eynsham
http://www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk/delivery.htm