matt13
Member
Hope not too much damage was done...
http://metro.co.uk/2014/03/16/river...est-london-despite-the-great-weather-4608626/
http://metro.co.uk/2014/03/16/river...est-london-despite-the-great-weather-4608626/
Princess crashes into Richmond Bridge
- Thread starter matt13
- Start date
PowerYachtBlog
Well-known member
Looks a 67 or the 21m.
As you said hope not much damage in this.
As you said hope not much damage in this.
lynall
Active member
Looking at the height of the bridge arch and the radar arch must have been a very tight fit!
[2068]
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I'm confused: why would the water level rise so rapidly with no rain falling?
rafiki_
Well-known member
Was Delboy's Uncle Albert at the helm? 
boatone
Well-known member
Dunno what the tide state was but Richmond is below Teddington and, although there is a half tide barrier to prevent the level from falling too low, it can, and does rise very high. At high spring tides it can actually flow upriver over the weir at Teddington and the river becomes tidal up to Hampton Court.
Ramage
Active member
High Tide at Richmond today was 14.44 ft at 14.57. The previous low tide was 1.31 feet at 09.57. At 23.07 tonight the low tide will be 1.97 feet.
Lots of people get taken unawares by the tides at Richmond!
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Combination of near Spring tide and a fast flowing river? As somebody who has clouted a bridge with my boat, this fellow has my utmost sympathy
Hurricane
Well-known member
No, looks more like a P57 or P58 - not a V57 as reported
Deleted User
Yep I agree - that would have been a tricky manoeuvre
With the current running that fast and he had virtually no air draft
PowerYachtBlog
Well-known member
Its a 67 as in one in the photos shows it written on the radar arch.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/201...nto-richmond-bridge_n_4975357.html?1394991943
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/201...nto-richmond-bridge_n_4975357.html?1394991943
Skinner56
New member
Misjudged the elevated tidal stream, should have passed through at first attempt as I had enough headroom
Observer
Active member
Two videos on YouTube
http://youtu.be/PIiXndllxIQ
http://youtu.be/GulYaobJgVI
Judging by the soundtrack, I'd say that was a very expensive lesson in boat handling - particularly the need to think about how you get out of a situation before you head into it.
I wonder what the experience of the skipper is. Not much judging by what were some basic errors, although the pressure on him must have been near overwhelming.
Fundamentally of course the mistake was getting that boat anywhere near that bridge in those conditions. He got through in the end but I suggest more by luck than being in control. I can't see how to shoot those arches going downstream at anything less than (say) 4kts through the water, which would be minimum 8kts over the ground? What speed is a boat like that making with both engines in gear at idle speed? 5kts?
http://youtu.be/PIiXndllxIQ
http://youtu.be/GulYaobJgVI
Judging by the soundtrack, I'd say that was a very expensive lesson in boat handling - particularly the need to think about how you get out of a situation before you head into it.
I wonder what the experience of the skipper is. Not much judging by what were some basic errors, although the pressure on him must have been near overwhelming.
Fundamentally of course the mistake was getting that boat anywhere near that bridge in those conditions. He got through in the end but I suggest more by luck than being in control. I can't see how to shoot those arches going downstream at anything less than (say) 4kts through the water, which would be minimum 8kts over the ground? What speed is a boat like that making with both engines in gear at idle speed? 5kts?
Nick_H
Active member
Though not the crowds it would seem:
"Million pound yacht just crashed into Richmond bridge. Most observers laughing... "
In fairness, I think most people wouldn't understand how much damage would be caused.
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
It made me cringe hearing the crunching fibreglass. If only he'd carried on astern for another 30 seconds before trying to turn he might have got away with it.
lovezoo
New member
Or care. There are several pubs around there, and they would be crowded with people on a Sunday afternoon. The sport is normally watching cars that are parked by the river getting flooded, so a big boat getting stuck would be a huge bonus.
Skinner56
New member
Humiliating experience.
I am very experienced but mostly at sea, but not so with dealing with a rivers tidal flows.
The yacht makes 5 Kts over SOG with both engines in gear, though from Teddington to Richmond the boats port or stbd engines were only engaged, fwd and astern, to keep her positioned.
The necessary tidal height calculations were completed and a phone call to the PLA boys in the area informed me that I should expect and increase of half a metre on listed tidal heights, this was also taken into consideration. As you could see once I had extracted myself from the bridge I squeezed through as with enough headway backing up my initial precaluculations.
The problem I encountered was aligning the yacht up to the centre line of the arch as the arch has rather steep drop offs from the centre line. Once astern thrust had been engaged, the strong tidal flow started to push the stern to the starboard rather rapidly. This caught me unawares as the yacht obviously has a lot of power to hand, but not enough to stem the tide.
I've certainly learnt a harsh lesson in coping with strong tidal currents, and narrow bridge arches.
I am very experienced but mostly at sea, but not so with dealing with a rivers tidal flows.
The yacht makes 5 Kts over SOG with both engines in gear, though from Teddington to Richmond the boats port or stbd engines were only engaged, fwd and astern, to keep her positioned.
The necessary tidal height calculations were completed and a phone call to the PLA boys in the area informed me that I should expect and increase of half a metre on listed tidal heights, this was also taken into consideration. As you could see once I had extracted myself from the bridge I squeezed through as with enough headway backing up my initial precaluculations.
The problem I encountered was aligning the yacht up to the centre line of the arch as the arch has rather steep drop offs from the centre line. Once astern thrust had been engaged, the strong tidal flow started to push the stern to the starboard rather rapidly. This caught me unawares as the yacht obviously has a lot of power to hand, but not enough to stem the tide.
I've certainly learnt a harsh lesson in coping with strong tidal currents, and narrow bridge arches.
Skinner56
New member
I soon as I went astern the tide caught the stern and pushed it to starboard, took me completely by surprise the strength of the flow
peterandjeanette
Active member
So what's the answer?
How about turning round before the bridge, and reversing through with the engines going forward?
That would give him time to stem the flow and inch through very slowly.
Or am I missing something?
nimbusgb
Active member
I'm no motor boater but with that flow even I would say keeping the pointy bit upstream and almost 'ferry gliding' backwards through the bridge would be the way I'd approach it! Goosing the throttles in forward on that beast would get you out of the danger zone pretty sharpish I reckon.
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Firefly625
Well-known member
+1, that was horrible to watch.