Aquafan
Well-Known Member
We departed Limehouse on the Tuesday after the bank holiday at 13.00hrs in torrential rain plus thunder and lightning heading back to Teddington and were just a few hundred yards from Tower Bridge when there was a series of bangs from the props which felt like and was a rope wrapped around the duoprops. Luckily we still had some propulsion although we couldn’t go any quicker than 7 or 8 knts with the tide behind us without a heavy vibration.
Anyone who has taken a boat through London will know you need your wits about you especially around Tower Bridge, the trip boats and the tide running and in torrential rain made the situation treacherous but we made it to Teddington Lock but on engaging reverse the engine stalled but were able to restart and just made it to the wall.
I am insured with Navigators and General (very good company) which includes membership of River and Canal Rescue who sent a marine engineer to us from Maidstone!. Les arrived at 11.00 the following morning who was magnificent.
What a wonderful invention outdrives are as we were able to lift the drive for him to get access and he eventually cut the thick polypropylene rope off and all seems well and we were able to continue our journey back to Marlow.
But I now need to make sure there is no damage to the props which means getting the revs up to about 3000rpm which isn’t easy on the non tidal Thames.
The experienced skippers amongst you all know this is not such an unusual experience on the tidal Thames and particularly in a single engine boat can be very dangerous and there isn’t much you can do about it but keep a good look out which I was.
A big thanks to The River and Canal Rescue team and to Les who were superb.
The boat is an Aquador28C with a single engine D6- 310 engine with a DPH outdrive
Will I go back through London again? …. of course
Anyone who has taken a boat through London will know you need your wits about you especially around Tower Bridge, the trip boats and the tide running and in torrential rain made the situation treacherous but we made it to Teddington Lock but on engaging reverse the engine stalled but were able to restart and just made it to the wall.
I am insured with Navigators and General (very good company) which includes membership of River and Canal Rescue who sent a marine engineer to us from Maidstone!. Les arrived at 11.00 the following morning who was magnificent.
What a wonderful invention outdrives are as we were able to lift the drive for him to get access and he eventually cut the thick polypropylene rope off and all seems well and we were able to continue our journey back to Marlow.
But I now need to make sure there is no damage to the props which means getting the revs up to about 3000rpm which isn’t easy on the non tidal Thames.
The experienced skippers amongst you all know this is not such an unusual experience on the tidal Thames and particularly in a single engine boat can be very dangerous and there isn’t much you can do about it but keep a good look out which I was.
A big thanks to The River and Canal Rescue team and to Les who were superb.
The boat is an Aquador28C with a single engine D6- 310 engine with a DPH outdrive
Will I go back through London again? …. of course
