Need help: 42 feet fly ridge with 4.3 meter air draft on Thames

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Boater On Thames

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Dear Mates,

I am a beginner. Bought a 42 feet fly ridge last year winter. Trouble is she has a very high canopy on top of after cabinet. The air draft will be around 4.3 meter even after removed the antenna arch. Is this any chance I can sail her down to the coastal areas from Shepperton? I noticed a bridge name Hammersmith only has 3.5 meter high. Will this is the one I can't get through?

Thanks mates.
 
Hammersmith is on the tidal part of the river.
3.5 is the air draft at MHWS.
Wait for the tide to go out one metre and you are in the game!

Note that there are air draft indicator boards mounted adjacent to Harrods depositary and Fulham reach Boat Club for in-bound traffic and Chiswick Eyot for out-bound traffic.

Its the yellow thing on the river wall:
https://riverviewgardens.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/harrods-depository.jpg?w=660
 
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Lucas Gan said:
Thanks mate.

Is it any chance the tide can go out 1 metre?
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From your reply it appears you are unfamiliar with tides and the tables used to calculate their times and hights.

Without being patronising or rude, if this is the case, then perhaps the lower river might not be for you until you have enlightened yourself on these important matters.

It can be daunting on the Thames Estuary for a beginer, so please stay safe.
 
rotrax said:
From your reply it appears you are unfamiliar with tides and the tables used to calculate their times and hights.

Without being patronising or rude, if this is the case, then perhaps the lower river might not be for you until you have enlightened yourself on these important matters.

It can be daunting on the Thames Estuary for a beginer, so please stay safe.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Lucas Gan said:
Thanks mate.

Is it any chance the tide can go out 1 metre?
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Er, yes. Every single tide. It's quite possible that some HW's won't even get near to the MHWS measurement.

As said by Rotax & Little Sister the tidal Thames is not for the meek or unprepared. Below Putney things really get exciting! Probably worth considering hiring an experienced hand to get you down and through the Barrier. Having said that there is little more rewarding than taking your own yacht through the centre of London, even more so on a still, clear, warm night.
 
Lucas Gan said:
Thanks mates. Great to learn that. Yes, I am clueless about that! Have to do my homework! Will start from learning the tide.
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You might benifit from a course. IIRC Hamble School of Yachting do an excellent motorboat Competent Crew course.

At an RYA Muster in Cowes some years ago First Mate was I/C of a 1000 HP motorboat. She had to take it deep into Cowes Yacht Haven and then reverse it out.

Scary!
 
Spend some money on a "ferry skipper" to get you out of the Thames to your proposed new location.
After that your safety is down to you. !
Seriously, would most certainly not risk any friends or family if you attempted this on your own.
 
Thanks mates.

I am not really planning a trip yet. Just struggling whether or not to put that hard canopy back to the stern to make her 4.3 metres high. The hard canopy now tie on top of the bow due to last year transport from Scotland by lorry. The air draft now is 3.5 metres without the canopy on stern.
 
Not clear what you mean by 'hard canopy'. What class of boat is she? I have a minimum air draught of 3.63 Mt and go out to sea at least twice a year.
You just need to time your exit from Teddington to make sure the height at the bridge is OK., as stated earlier its not generally a problem unless at HWS.
 
Lucas Gan said:
Thanks mates.
I am not really planning a trip yet. Just struggling whether or not to put that hard canopy back to the stern to make her 4.3 metres high. The hard canopy now tie on top of the bow due to last year transport from Scotland by lorry. The air draft now is 3.5 metres without the canopy on stern.
Click to expand...
Must confess to being puzzled by your reference to the “hard canopy” - a picture would be helpful as would be telling us make and model of boat. Suspect your lack of knowledge re tide levels etc is frightening you when there is no need for concern.
 
Thanks mates. The two pictures below shows the hard canopy on the bow now due to transport. And the other one show originally should be. Hope this make clear.

IMG_20190901_182215263.jpg

Screenshot_20190901-182529.jpg
 
The boat is Cruiser Yatchs 3850. Her original air draft about 5.2 metres. It can lower to around 4.3 metres by removing the antenna arch. But I am afraid 4.3 metres still too high. Very struggling!
 
By the look of her I would say she is no higher than a lot of flybridge boats which manage to negotiate Hammersmith Bridge. Talk to some owners of similar vessels, I'm sure you'll find a positive outcome.
 
Sounds like a wind up to me?
Boat is moored just below Desborough Cut, Shepperton.
No seriously low bridges on non tidal Thames to Teddington.
For Hammersmith Bridge, do your home work and work out when sufficient depth and height. Not rocket science.
 
Thanks mates.

To be honest I only drive the boat several times between Shepperton lock to Sunbury lock, never go out of these two locks yet because she is messy inside out since delivery last year winter. I recently finally have some time to work on it , so first thing is the canopy should back to the stern. To do that, I will have to drive her to Shepperton marina. Problem is people told me I might not be able to get out from Shepperton marina once the canopy installed because the bridge in front of the marina just about 4 metres high. Then I get to the bridge in front of the marina to measure the air draft. It seems some where between okay or not okay depends on the tide.

Then some people also told me that I should not install that canopy at all because they said some of the bridges on the up on Thames are less than 4 metres. This make me start to think of the bridges high on the river. Then I downloaded the App call RiverThanesGuildeLife to check. Then found the bridge Hammersmith (Sounth) only 3.5 metres! And the Windsor Bridge only 4 metres. These make me fear my boat might trap between these two bridges if the canopy is on.

Sorry for my leak of knowledge on the boating and the Thames! I really start from scratch! Thanks for so much for your understanding and support!
 
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Seems to me you may have bought the wrong boat. Are you sure your minimum air draught is over 4 m.?
If so then you will not be able to go very far.
Cookham cut bridge is 12ft6ins and Culham is 12ft5ins.
I would look around the marinas and talk to people with similar boats. Also take a tape measure and get a accurate measurement.
 
Looking at the photos it seems to me if you leave the stern sunshade off, and adapt the radar arch to hinge down you may be OK. It doesn't look like over 4m trying to judge from the pics.
 
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