Ok limits for the Thames

[Guest]

There is no limit for the Thames only bye laws.

Non tidal 5 Knots.
Start of tidal to Wandsworth 8 Knots.
Wandsworth to sea no limit but 10 Knots is regarded as a safe speed.
This does no mean that you have to do these speeds because it is all down to your wash . (Create no wash and you won't get done)
Speed limits are through the water not over the ground.
By the way travelling with the tide you might get 10 Knots or more out of your boat over the ground then it comes under that your speed is considerd unsafe.
Slow right down when passing moored boats etc.
Stick to the starboard side of the river
Use your head not your ego
Remember you are more manoverable than the commercial boats
If you do all this those so called ferry skippers will still find something to moan at.

Phil

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by pjack on 11/07/2002 12:41 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[PGD]

Good info, but Ferry skipper - huh - have you seen the wash the high speed ones crear, I got broadsided by at least 18" of wash last time I went down the tideway on a frieds boat.

I think it's more a case of one rule for commercial traffic and one rule for leisure traffic.

Interested to hear what others think on the matter.

Peter

 

[Chris_d]

Limit for non tidal is 5mph(4.3knts) not 5 knots, doesn't sound much but it can make a huge difference to the wash.
I find below Wandsworth a right pain to get the speed right, my boat having a 25ft planing hull is only happy up to about 7kts, above this the running angle is very steep and the revs excessive, so need to do at least 14knts to start planing, the moment you go on the plane through central London I always seem to upset someone and get shouted at, despite still being passed by fast ferries. If I stick to 7knts all the trip boats are doing 10knts and overtaking and I get tossed around all over the place, other half wants to get off and its no fun at all.
Anybody else have this problem or can you all crusie at 10-12knts comfortably?

 

[Guest]

Inclined to agree we got passed by Mr Collins Cat taxi on Tuesday and we were doing about 8-9knts
by the dome.

"The Med is calling me"

 

[trev]

Never had much of a problem on the tideway, just watch the wash and take care passing moored vessels, especially if working cargo or engaged in river works. Once passed Tower Bridge I usually keep it down to 10 kts or so until on the wider reaches down passed Dagenham, and then open her up just on to the plane (16-17 kts). Once passed Gravesend I keep to the Kent side and give it welly.
At full chat my wash still has no comparison to a 'Sun' tug blasting down with a bone in its teeth !!
I find the 8 kph limit on the upper reaches a bit of a pain, but try not to disturb moored vessels. So far as bank erosion is concerned I reckon more is caused by nature during the winter spate than could ever be caused by motor cruisers.

Trev

 

[Geoffs]

When did they change it?

20 years ago, when I used to chug up and down the river, it was 7knots, 8mph. Mind you 8mph was rarely appropriate. Seems like the EA have gone metric, substituting kph for mph.

Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'

 

[burgundyben]

Wot\'s the med calling you?

nm

add you sarcastic remark about someone elses tag line here.....

 

[PGD]

ditto the med, just need a few grand to live on, give up work and boating here we come, shall we set up a donations forum

Peter

 

[mike_kolling]

Re: When did they change it?

Would you believe when a typist mystakenly typed 5 Miles per hour instead of 5 Knots and nobody noticed all the way to parliament!
So then the stooopid EA expressed it in metric to coincide with all our metric speedlogs! (yeah right!) and we have signs on all the locks saying "8K"
Now if a complete stranger were to see "8K" on a sign in relation to a waterway what would you think, mmm 8Knots maybe?

Then of course this has to be speed over the ground hence in the floods of winter you can do eight knots upstream seemingly legally and if you put it into gear going downstream you are in trouble. Wouldnt be so daft if it wasnt for the radar gun checks from the bushes - seriously!

Is it me?

Let this be a warning of what happens when bureaucrats get the chance to make rules.

 

[Geoffs]

Re: When did they change it?

If I didn't know better, it would sound like all been devised in Brussels.

Speed traps not new. I remember back in the 1950's, my dad had a big centre cockpit job, big Chrysler engine, he opened it up somewhere upstream of Windsor. Thames Conservancy launched jumped out from behind bushes, nicked him! £5 in local magistrates court, AND endorsement on DRIVING license!

Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'