Number of river users no deline so far.

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oldgit

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The number of registered craft on the upper Medway has remained more or less constant over the last few years,is the situation any different on the Thames ?
2003 1837.
2008 1863.
This does not include people like myself who although regular visitors do not buy a yearly licence simply because there would be no point in handing over £250 up front when can pay as we go.
It does not also include the vast majority of leisure boats located down here on the tidal section of the river.
 
Don't know about the Thames having not registered for the last two years as it is too much money to outlay for the little annual use we were getting. I was quite surprised tho' to get a call from a market research outfit employed by the EA who politely phoned and asked if I would do a phone survey.


Some of the questions:

Is the Thames value for money - no
Are you registering this year - no
Are you visiting the Thames this year - yes
What do you think of Visitor rates - too bloody expensive, £90 for a 15 day cruise, plus the dinghys.
Have you moved off the Thames - Yes
Why - because the EA put up their licence fees year on year.
How does the licence cost affect your boating - in a big way, for £120 I can licence the 30 footer plus two tenders on the Wey for a year. Most trips are only weekends, how far can you go in one day when you have to get back the next day? There are only a few good-weather weekends every season!
Why have you not registered again - too bloody expensive (amplified by adding 6 weekends and a possible fortnights cruise for £450 is not value for money)

If others feel as I do registrations have to have dropped, apart from the poor buggers who are a captive audience because they moor on the Thames and have no choice but register others have moved off. The Wey has collected quite a few over the last couple of years who have moved off the Thames.
 
Hi guys

Whilst agreeing that the costs have risen and far over the rate of inflation. This year my license was £394 for the Birchwood 25. To me this is pretty good value for the use of one of the most (IMHO) beautiful rivers in the country and lock keepers who are a great source of advice and help. Whilst public moorings are sadly few and far between there are at least still some. The repair and improvements on the locks over the last 4 years has been noticeable and nearly all electrified now as well.

One visit to Thorpe Park or a n other theme park can cost me and my family a third of the license fee, with no idea how many rides we can use due to huge lines. I can use my boat whenever I feel like using it. In our case nearly every weekend in the season and for at least two full weeks of holiday each year.

Even when lifting the boat out every winter I was able to get 7 months use so for £56 per month my kids, my wife and I get to enjoy the river, countryside and diverse towns and villages, climb trees, run in meadows and get away from x boxes, pc's and the streets. When I look at it in this context I think it is good value for money when compared with other leisure pursuits.

The EA don't always get it right, but we can't blame them for the weather :-) much as I would have liked to last season. I honestly feel sometimes our boating community loses sight of the value we get from our license fee. I get more annoyed at the cost of so called "marine supplies" that are priced twice as high as products that will do the same job simply because the word marine is printed on the packaging. Now I expect a huge flaming but we are all entitled to our view and mine is pretty good value for money.
 
Hi Phill, not sure about mooring availability, you'd have to ask the NT at Dapdune Wharf, Guildford. Alternatively, you could pop down and have a chat with the Byfleet Boat Club who have moorings reputedly cheaper than the Trust moorings. they are located at Parvis Bridge. On the other side of Parvis bridge is Parvis Marine, craneage up to 6 tonne, chandlery and repairs, also gas bottles. They are very nice people. Moorings also at Pyrford Marina.

For facilities, generally basic, there is a marina at Pyrford, I believe owned by Walton Marine, who do chandlery and pump-out and water, pump out also at Guildford (Guildford Boats formerly Leroys). We pump out ourselves at Pyrford lock in the elsan disposal point using our own Lee Sanitation manual pump out kit. Fuel, not on the river so either pop out to the Thames and down to Nauticalia at Shepperton Marina below Walton bridge (no Thames locks involved but you should have a licence by rights) or do what most of us do and take down Jerry cans periodically.

There are water points at Thames lock, Pelican Inn (now called something else) in Hamm Moor Lane at the end of the narrow boat moorings, at Pyrford Lock and Stoke Lock. For the one at the Pelican you'll need a BWB key to unlock it.

The river will pass boats of up to 7ft air draft, draft up to 3ft 6inch odd, 70ft long and up to 14ft 6inch beam. However, river levels can vary and at 7ft bridges we have to fold down the windscreen although up as far as Papercourt Lock we can leave it up so headroom probably nearer 8ft 6inch odd.

It is a canalised river, quiet countryside, the river sections very beautiful and loads of wild life. Last weekend over a few hours Saturday morning we saw two foxes, a weasel, some chinese geese, egyptian duck, canada geese, heron, moorhen, coot, great crested grebe, both cock and hen pheasant and a stag. Plenty of places to moor up although canal sections are fairly narrow the river sections allow us to anchor an Ocean 30. Locks you do yourself, some are quite stiff to be fair but in season there are loads of other craft about to assist. River traffic predominately narrow boats these days, many hired from both Guildford and Godalming narrow boats. Speed limit is 4mph and on canal sections past moored boats if you are our size less because the displacement, not wash, drags other boats about.

It is a lovely scenic navigation for the most part, although it goes right through the heart of Guildford with loads of free moorings by the retail park (right alongside B & Q etc) and in Guildford town centre also loads of free moorings, ideal for shopping. Yet a 100 yards past Millmead lock the character of the river changes back to intensly rural, winding and hilly before flattening out at St Catherine's lock, a mile or so above which is the infamous Shalford temporary (ha!) Bailey bridge offering headroom of 6ft or so only. Our pulpit is above that one by 6 inches so that's as far as we can go although our previous Elysian 27 with a folding screen passed all the way to Godalming. You could do Weybridge-Guildford in a day unless locks are particularly busy, mind you, you'd have to work at it and eat on the move, but why bother? Take your time, it's that sort of river. It is very much a peaceful river, a good place to enjoy your boat, moor up and just chill out

Annual licences are only issued to boats either trailed, (launch just below Thames lock for free, or by arrangement at Stoke Lock) or those having a Wey pe4rmanent mooring. There is also a slipway at Pyrford marina and some trailed boat storage is possible. They also have huge moorings, this marina is larger than Shepperton marina in terms of water area. A huge range of boats moor there, both narrow and wide beam dutch barges.
 
Have just been reliably informed that Thames registrations have shown a small increase in 2009,with about 250 new users getting afloat.
 
All things considered, there is a lot to say for Boating as a cost effective pastime.

While other forumites may scoff at me for that single statement, I will back it up with the following facts:

A modestly priced 'proper' boat can be bought for £10,000.

It can cost under £3000 a year to run in it's entirety.

It will keep a family of four entertained in grand style for 28 weekends each year, and additionally take them to some beautiful places for two weeks, twice a year, without buying tickets or owning a passport.

It can act as a pied a terre for those seeking refuge away from City life.

Boating is ever so safe, low stress, at this level, and healthy.

The people you are likely to meet are by and large top notch, law abiding and a pleasure to enjoy time with.

I know of no activity which offers so much high class and desirable recreation for such a modest cost.

I would imagine £10K boats will be sought after over the next few years, as people seek new ways of avoiding flying, and all it entails, and our currency stays so low against those usually popular destinations.

Think about it! £100 for a weekend away with the family. IT'S STINKING CHEAP!!

Watch the knock on effect on the 20-30K boats as those families move up to more luxurious vessels and join clubs, ditching the traditional holidays abroad for something more regular....
 
Then there's the booze....

Leave the mooring, head up stream (30 quid worth of booze on board), head up to kingston, boaters looks inviting stop for a "quick one" one pint 3 quid, glass of plonk for the Mrs an easy 5 quid plus, add a packet of pork scratching and you are into a tenner thats 40 quid so far...

Upstream you go, Kingston town centre is ahead no charge for mooring quick nip into town and depending whos spending that can easily be 100 quid on nothingness for the kitchen in John Lewis thats 140 so far.

Upwards and onwards hit the Swan at Thames Ditton feeling a bit peckish and there is a mooring free quick stop for lunch, two mains 10 quid each and a bottle of plonk (more economical than two glasses) another 15 (175 so far).

Quick nip up to Hampton Court, at last tucking into what's on board, turn around and come back.

Repeat all of the above minus John Lewis and food and lock thorugh Tedd. (must be approaching 200).

Tides up so what the hell head down to Richmond and moor up outside pub by which point you have run out of cash and pay by card instantly having to buy more as they have a min tracasaction....

So much for cheap boating......
 
Boating No Regrets style:

Invite four friends for a fabbo day out, on the basis we supply the boat, and they supply the food... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Now the alternative weekend for four:

8 continental Breakfasts............£10
8 Mid morning frothy coffees.....£2
8 Pasta/Pesto/Garlic Bread........£10
4 Steak dishes.(SAT)................£25
4 Pork Chop meals...................£20
8 Afternoon Teas......................£12

£79 for two days worth of top notch on-board food, chuck in £20 worth of booze (2 bottles Wine, Beers and soft drinks) and you have a fairly normal weekends worth of food for a family of four.

I'm assuming adult-non-alcoholics...Kids cost less, boozers a lot more.

The nice thing about joining a club is the cheapish social life. Just get on board and share a few laughs....

I appreciate the desire to enjoy the riverside brasseries etc, we used to do it, but have cut back recently, after buying a bigger boat. It levels out the ownership costs you see /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Me ........several tins of beans + bread + O joy loads of early nights in bed by 9 pm.
Her........the entire week planned out with every frigging restuarant within 2 miles of the riverbank on speed dial..............none of which can feed us until 9.30.....
 
NR you are dead right, but it does not feel very cheap to me with all the running costs, maintenance etc, especially as my wife still insists on having a "proper holiday" each year. This usually means somewhere hot which costs oodles of cash for something which we end up admitting we did not enjoy very much.

Curiously we seem to agree that our best holidays have tended to be ones spent on the boat, generally doing pretty simple things, but still I get the "proper holiday" comment.
 
I have very happy memories of my boating holidays with my parents when i was young ....

I still can't smell Bovril without thinking of queueing for Bray lock , in the rain , in my wet weather gear ,and my mum passing me out a cup of Bovril !

Same with corned beef sandwiches.

So many of my happy memories revolve around holidaying on the Thames when i was young ...

Building campfires with my dad on some secluded island we had moored up on , going down weirstreams with overhanging branches and feeling like you were the first person ever to go down there. Fishing from the boat. Bankside barbeques , all were so much better because we were on the river.

I remember the first time i took my dinghy up the little stream that enters the Thames on the opposite bank just upstream of the railway bridge at Bath Island in Windsor , i felt like an explorer.

Going up ' the pit ' in our dinghies with the other PHYC kids , exploring the weirstream opposite the clubhouse.

Then as we got older , borrowing the boat to go to Henley week with friends , regressing back to making campfires at the islands at Sonning Eye , getting the boat stuck on the bottom at Abingdon , slapping the face on Henley bridge as we went under it , climbing off the flybridge onto the bridge over Cookham lock cut and then jumping back on the other side , alcohol poisoning in Fawley Meadow ....

Thinking how quiet the car sounds after two weeks on the boat , and wondering why the floor seems to be moving still ...

So many wonderful first experiences on the river ....

Boating doesn't have to be expensive , your trip is what you make of it.
 
Re: Number of river users no deline so far.

I have some similar memories...have been doing this since tender years of 8 with my parents.

Still remember weeping willow trees in fawley meadow, especially the one that crashed on to my dad's Norman 23 roof with me in it!!

Only damage was the crosstrees on the mast, they dont build em like that any more!

Still remember when my 6 year old brother slid down the bank next to Cricket pitch below Romney over a Wasp nest and got 37 stings. Afternoon in casualty after that. That was 36 years ago!!

Anyone remember the Irish Lady that used to be the lockeeper at Clifton Hampden? She had a striking resemblance to Frank Carson in looks, voice and sense of humour!

She always had my parents in stitches when we went through there...
 
Re: Number of river users no deline so far.

What a great thread this has turned out to be! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

With regard to the 'proper' holiday thing, Mrs N-R and myself agreed to forfeit them as we were buying a larger more expensive No Regrets!

We may have a cheap last minute one on occasion however, but not the outrageous £5K a throw jobbies.

In hindsight, even a Boat is a better investment.

Speaking of which, a sensibly purchased vessel isn't a bad spend these days /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Ways of trimming down running costs include doing all my own maintenance as far as possible, leaving the Winters out for two, perhaps three yearly intervals instead of annually, and shopping around for everything we buy.

It all helps eh? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Loving your memories so far.... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Re: Number of river users no deline so far.

Arthur the lock keeper at Penton Hook and his collies sticks in my mind , as does the first night spent in the back cabin of our Freeman 30 at the time ( never had my own cabin before, and certainly not one with a washbasin ! ) ...

The little funfair at Bath Island ( is it still there ? ) and going under the footbridge in an inflatable and still having to lie flat.

The secluded mooring at Cookham ( down the weirstream about 100 yards on the island ) that 20 years ago no one knew about , but now eveyone does /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif , it was like Huck Finn ...
 
Re: Number of river users no deline so far.

Arthur warned my father against proceeding on the same Norman 23 as there were floods that Summer (after 2 weeks of rain mind!)

This at roughly the same time as a 72 foot cargo narrowboat and butty came down and couldnt stop and rammed his top gates.

Never forgotten the look on his face!!
 
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