Orwell to St Katherines Dock advice please

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Bradders

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Hi

We are based in Woolverstone and am looking for advice to sail to St Katherines dock in London, hopefully in the next month or so - any help / top tips and advice would be very much appreciated. We are a 45’ sail boat, draw 2m - been sailing for a few years in the Med but are new to the area and getting used to tides etc again

Many thanks

Stewart
 
It is possible to do it in one hit if you don't mind motoring to keep the speed up. Most people take the tide to Queenborough on day one and then get out in the channel by LW next day and chase the tide up the river. Locking in is near the top of the tide so there is no value in fighting the tide all the way. So leave Woolverstone a couple of hours before LW and then the tide will take you to Q'boro where there are visitors buoys and at times (see website) a trot boat. If you are lucky there will be space on the all tide landing for you but secure the boat before you leave it in search of grub.
 
Did Orwell to queenborough (£15 one night 32ft) then as moody says, a quick motorsail up on the tide. Limehouse is quieter than st kats, less restaurants and tourists, more canal boats. About £60 a night for 32’. DLR runs right past it and city airport take offs go right overhead but I reckon it’s still more peaceful than kats will be. We liked it.
 
Bradders said:
Thanks for the advice - someone else in the marina mentioned Limehouse Basin so will look at staying there for a couple of nights as well
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St Kats is a great destination but as said, you may do a lot of motoring up the Thames to maintain enough speed to use the current and arrive at the lock opening time window. Speed is also important on the return down to Queenborough before the new flood starts. All this means you need to ensure you have enough diesel in your tank. There is only one place to refuel, which is close the St Kats, but is usually closed at weekends and during the week if there is a/are commercial vessel(s) refuelling (the main customers of the fuel barge) there may be a long wait which eats into your time constraints to use the currents.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Limehouse has been sold by BWML to a venture capitalist firm. There had been a huge increase in charges and mooring fees for residents. A free night seems out of keeping.
For lunch try the Yurt Cafe in the grounds of the St Katharine FoundAtion. Right near the entrance to the DLR.
 
There are some choices for the best timing and one potential tidal gate.

For example, using my book's waypoints: outside Harwich Harbour to the Sea Reach (for the Thames) or the Medway Approach Channel (for Queenborough) would have the best timing:

Harwich to Sea Reach via the Wallet, Spitway and West Swin = 33.12nm, best time at Springs at 5kts = 5 hrs 20 mins: at 6kts = 4 hrs 32 mins: at Neaps at 5kts = 5hrs 39 mins: at 6kts = 4hrs 45mins
Harwich to Sea Reach via Goldmer Gat, Barrow Deep = 38.03nm, best time at Springs at 5kts = 5 hrs 43 mins: at 6kts = 4 hrs 54mins: at Neaps at 5kts = 6hrs 18mins: at 6kts = 5hrs 25mins

Harwich to Medway Approaches via Wallet, Spitway etc = 36.35nm, best time at Springs at 5kts = 5 hrs 54 mins: at 6kts = 4 hrs 58mins: at Neaps at 5kts = 6hrs 14mins: at 6kts = 5hrs 16mins
Harwich to Medway Approaches via Goldmer Gat, Barrow Deep = 41.07nm, best time at Springs at 5kts = 6 hrs 12 mins: at 6kts = 5 hrs 19mins: at Neaps at 5kts = 6hrs 51mins: at 6kts = 5hrs 55mins

Obviously via the Wallet and Spitway is shorter (and worth saving the distance) but will bring into play the Spitway as a potential tidal gate. The best start times (i.e. those with the shortest passage durations) will bring you to the Spitway about half tide which I would argue is fine with a 2m draught but if you fancied starting earlier so as to arrive at a more convenient time (social navigation :)) while the passage duration might only be 30 minutes longer but it might coincide you at LW at the Spitway (which is less than 2m at CD - see my Spitway Download.

If you can define a few things like a choice to Queenborough or the Sea Reach for right up the Thames, average boat speed it can be pinned down. Predictions for 3 :o, 4 and 7 knots, even 8 knots (that's normally just for me! :o) can be provided.
 
MoodySabre said:
For lunch try the Yurt Cafe in the grounds of the St Katharine FoundAtion. Right near the entrance to the DLR.
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That sounds highly improbable. To my eyes, it suggests some sort of Mongolian establishment with its chief speciality being strips of boiled mutton fat washed down with mares' milk. Please tell me I am wrong.
 
johnalison said:
That's a relief. Not that a poor pensioner like me can afford St Katt's fees anyway.
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The Foundation is no longer in St Kats - it was relocated when the old church there was demolished.
You can go into the Foundation Chapel which is very nice and the buildings seen from the internal forecourt are very grand - particularly the Masters House. This is right by the traffic lights at the the western end of the Limehouse Link.
 
St Kats is a very special haven and the views at night over the Tower and Thames are world class. But you will pay for the pleasure. But for one night....

Landing at Limehouse basin leaves a lot more loot in the pocket for a nice meal ashore and the lock there is more forgiving. DLR trains right on the doorstep for trips into town. The CA clubhouse is right on the marina - call in for food and a friendly chat. Member advice!

PWG
 
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