Newbie. Exploring the Thames

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felixfly

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26 May 2009
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Hi

I would like in the future to buy a small boat to explore the Thames as i have just moved to the area.

I have an inflateable that will take an outboard and have an old outboard to fit to it.

I assume i need to licence this? If so how much would that be? Also would i be able to use the locks? I'd like to venture further upriver than the nearest lock (Windsor Racecourse).

Also I can imagine that someone motoring about in a cheap inflateable is frowned upon by some boat owners, so any advice from you guys with regards to how not to annoy everyone on the river would be much appreciated.


Regards

PS My outboard is an old Selva 110. Does anyone know where i can find any info on this engine such as a manual etc?
 
Hi flexi and welcome to the forum .
Depending on how many times you want to go out you could just buy a day licence at the lock but if you want to go out more often then a yearly one from the EA is your best bet .
I'm not sure about your make of outboard but i hope it's not 110 HP /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Dont worry about the snobs frowing upon you in your dingy mate , you have as much right to be on the river as they do so enjoy yourself .
 
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Also I can imagine that someone motoring about in a cheap inflateable is frowned upon by some boat owners, so any advice from you guys with regards to how not to annoy everyone on the river would be much appreciated.

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You'll find much more bizarre craft than yours on the river. Learn the ropes, swot up on the various leaflets you can get from any lock, don't create a nuisance and you'll be as welcome on the river as anyone else is.
 
Thanks for the replies, hope to upgrade to something bigger one day but really looking forward to getting out on the river soon.
 
Dinghy or Broom 45 Thames boaters are judged by the type of person they are not the size of their wallet. I can think of several owners of expensive boats who wouldn't be welcome at rally organised by the Devil himself.
As a matter of interest over the years I can think of some seriously wealthy people who had very humble craft. Ernie Wise had a little Freeman, Michael Caine had a 26 footer, Lord Goring had a 20' Mayland. I'm sure others will add examples.
I promise you faithfully that the main importance of Thames boating is being afloat.

(NBs excluded) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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(NBs excluded) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

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Said with humour, I am sure, but I thought we'd agreed we were rising above that sort of thing....?

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It's about time that you did. I find some of the comments very offensive.
 
Those comments are about you though, that's why they're so offensive.

The NB comments are different, as they are just humour...
 
You can be as offensive to me as you like........water off a ducks back etc. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have to say though that I have felt that there is a definate anti narrowboat trend on this forum.....question really is, why?

What is so awful about narrowboats?
 
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Rafting up!

Generally nice people (have some good friends on liveaboard wide beams in windsor) but please raft up!!!

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OK, so someone is chugging along in the NB, when they see a space alongside the bank that they can fit into, so in they go.....Now are you saying that they shouldn't use that space, but raft up to someone instead?
 
No, that's not what I'm saying (although I appreciate it could have been taken that way...)

In SOME instances, at SOME very busy moorings (eg windsor town, reading tesco's etc...) where rafting up would be a polite expectation, it is rarely forthcoming.

I am not suggesting that this is exclusively NB's either, just that as the longest boats on the river it augments the problem and tends to stand out more than a 25' cabin cruiser...

No offence intended, please don't take my comments as anti NB or NB owners in any way!!!!!

Ross
 
Yes, I can see what you are saying, a 70 footer takes up a lot of room bankside. Though I am still puzzled as to why some, (not all) of the comments re. narrowboats have been so sarcastic / vitriolic?

No offence taken at all.....I would welcome a gentlemanly and open discussion on the subject, but maybe I should start a new thread, because I seem to have hi-jacked this one. Apologies to the OP.
 
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Yes, I can see what you are saying, a 70 footer takes up a lot of room bankside. Though I am still puzzled as to why some, (not all) of the comments re. narrowboats have been so sarcastic / vitriolic?

No offence taken at all.....I would welcome a gentlemanly and open discussion on the subject, but maybe I should start a new thread, because I seem to have hi-jacked this one. Apologies to the OP.

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This week NarrowBoats,
next week, Brooms,
week after, Birchwoods........

The problem is that the obvious ones are travelling-liveaboards and are obviously so. Easy to focus on and attack; knowing full well that 99% are unaware of this forum, and don't care anyway and accordingly don't reply.
 
"This week NarrowBoats,
next week, Brooms,
week after, Birchwoods........"


Like to spread the vitriol about a bit then? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Seeing as how no-one has mentioned "wide beams", I take it that they are perfectly acceptable then? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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