Mobo's cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

Coastgal

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Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

A few of us were down on our boats in Putney today doing a spot of maintenance, when a flotilla of club boats passed by at 2pm-ish. The first few boats created a small, manageable wash. However, the final three boats were speeding along and created a MASSIVE wash which sent bodies, tools and mugs flying.

But the poor bas tards in the coxed eight were practically swamped and got thoroughly soaked (the Oxford crews have been out practising all weekend). The rowers waved and shouted at the boats to slow down, but to no avail. They also did not respond to our hails on the radio, so we advised Teddington Lock of their poor conduct.

All the boats were flying a defaced Blue Ensign, and the last offending boat had a blue/black hull.

Please, please watch your wash. As it says in the PLA guide for Thames River users " <span style="color:blue"> "Be aware of what your wash is doing, both to other users and the banks and foreshore. If necessary, reduce your speed." </span> ." Otherwise, it ruins the enjoyment for the rest of us and gives all Mobos a bad name.

OK - moan over. Just had to get that off my chest (after washing off the tea spilt down my shirt earlier /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif).
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

Defaced Blue. That will be the Thames Motor Yacht Club at Hampton. I believe they enjoy special privileges on the river (tongue in cheek) I have seen and heard them demand preferential treatment at St Katherines before now. Though I must say Robin Knox Johnson who was boss at the time gave them short thrift. They have also had the dubious privilege of being banned from the annual ATYC rally for one year with one boat in particular banned for 5 years.
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

This happens every year! No amount of shouting slows them down. Last year I was talking to the PLA about their inactivity with speeding boats when a boat came past too close to the pontoon and at full chat. The PLA boat moved approx 10 mins later and did the same thing. Obviously no chance of catching speeding boat but letting me know not to complain.
This year I will take camera and publish pics here for all to see.
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

Ooooooo i vote we all go down there and get [--word removed--] faced on a club night /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As a side note why are rowers out when they know boats are trying to get to teddington lock with the tide /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Do they really think the river is just a special place and the tides have nothing to do with it /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

[ QUOTE ]


As a side note why are rowers out when they know boats are trying to get to Teddington lock with the tide

[/ QUOTE ]

The clue is in the bit about them being the Oxford crew.... it is the University Boat Race next weekend and they are getting ready for it!
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

[ QUOTE ]
The clue is in the bit about them being the Oxford crew.... it is the University Boat Race next weekend and they are getting ready for it!

[/ QUOTE ]


Ahhhhh i missed that bit , your quite right , everyone should have stopped and waited for the next tide so the chaps can practice wowing for a wowing wace /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

The TMYC were on a cruise to St Kats this weekend, but surely they are a very good natured lot who never speed anywhere!

IanC
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

This flotilla came up through Twickenham just after the Richmond tidal gate opened. If they were in Putney at around 2pm then it took them less than an hour to cover 9 nautical miles.

Presumably they slowed down near Richmond Lock, so they were probably averaging over 10 knots for most of the trip. Only twice the PLA speed limit!
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

"10 knots for most of the trip. Only twice the PLA speed limit!"

Lets not exaggerate, speed limit is 8knots above Wandsworth.
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

[ QUOTE ]
"10 knots for most of the trip. Only twice the PLA speed limit!"

Lets not exaggerate, speed limit is 8knots above Wandsworth.

[/ QUOTE ]

And they were coming up on the tide so that would have given them a good boost.

What concerns me is not how long it took them or average speed but the sheer bad manners and ignorance if they were making excessive wash. No excuse and should be named and shamed!

Can't expect responsible behaviour from other river users if we don't behave well ourselves.
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

There is no point or need to speed. St Kats to Richmond sluices is just on 14 miles. Push too hard and you beat the tide and have to wait for the sluices to open. If they left St Kats at 1230 and arrived at Richmond after 1400, they had taken a minimum of 1.5 hours to cover 14 miles. 14 divided by 2 =7. mph. The tidal stream for most of the way would have been around 1.5 knts. So their actual boat speed was probably about 5.5 Knts. Hardly over the top.


If you are sitting in a rowing skiff facing the 'wrong way' with your head three feet from the waters edge in a boat with about 6 inches freeboard, I'm sure any wash looks threatening. And IanC, just for your info, I came back on Saturday,the trip from St Kats to Richmond sluices took me just on two hours, 14 minutes . The rest of the trip took me a further 1.5 hours. According to the GPS I never got above 6knts all the way up Richmond , and still I was screamed at by a coaching boat,sans coachees, which over-took me near Putney. Can't win can you. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

Tony - Not always that black and white....

Whereas I agree <u>in this particular situation</u> with an hour to go before high tide and coming in WITH the tide there was absolutely no need to push, so severe b@llocking is due.

But <u>sometimes</u> when leaving Teddington to go outbound and wait for the booms to go up at Richmond, the tide is still coming in for another hour or so and hence you are punching the tide, and have approx 2hours to make St Kats within the lock cycle before they shut and you are stuck out on the river all night.

In that situation you have very little alternative but to keep within the 8knots limit.

Mike
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

Yes, speed limit IS 8kn, and when you're on a rising tide, you can be moving bl***y quick. But river users need to be aware of what impact their wash is having. Forget about looking at the speed log - look at the river bank and other river users...are they being hampered/injured/knocked about by a boat's wash? If so, the skipper needs to take appropriate action and slow down.

On the pontoon I was on, it was very clear the moored boats were being thrown about by wash from earlier boats, so the later boats should have slowed down.

The rowers in question were in Putney, not Richmond, with plenty of open water and were quite close to foreshore. Yes, they're an angry bunch much of the time, but I think they probably had good reason on this occasion.

I think in future I'll check the Club's social calendar for the date of their next downriver outing. Then stay safely ensconced in a pub at least 1 mile from the river - don't want to get hit with the tidal wave do I? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

[ QUOTE ]
They have also had the dubious privilege of being banned from the annual ATYC rally for one year with one boat in particular banned for 5 years.

[/ QUOTE ]

What on earth did they do to get banned?
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

They got beaten by Harleyford Motor Yacht Club in a competition and displayed such appalling bad grace such as had to be seen to be believed.
I was there and even today, all these years later, I still have trouble getting my head around what they did.
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

[ QUOTE ]
But <u>sometimes</u> when leaving Teddington to go outbound and wait for the booms to go up at Richmond, the tide is still coming in for another hour or so and hence you are punching the tide, and have approx 2hours to make St Kats within the lock cycle before they shut and you are stuck out on the river all night.

In that situation you have very little alternative but to keep within the 8knots limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

You have a truly excellent alternative to carry on a little further to Limehouse, much better managed in and out, much cheaper and wider tide window.
Excellent restaurants in the Commercial Road without being ripped off with the tourists ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And anyway, in this case they were coming back upriver with a following tide and no such problems.
 
Re: Mobo\'s cause mayhem on tidal Thames today

I throw a few logs on all the time,never past moored boats or

other boats on the river its wake not speed that does the

damage

Cheers Joe
 
Tush, Tush!

Beaten by Harleyford - heavens

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I'm so glad I didn't join a club on the Thames..

TAKE COVER!

Perhaps it's time, Mr. Alexander that you started a club for Gentlefolk (i.e. nice people, don't have to be or feel posh) just those who thoroughly enjoy the river. After you've got all the facilities, a wonderful long lawn (when it's not underwater), a giant marquee, hot and cold running beer a short swimming distance away.

What about a burgee - heads of EA and Boat Scheme managers on a trident (vacant prong for GBrown?).

Might cause some amusement while we wait for the river to stop running so much, and warmer weather.

(Better not go to TVR this year...)
 
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