Shoal at Entrance To Penton Hook Marina

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GAJ52

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The Shoal at the entrance to Penton Hook Marina appears to be getting worse, as last year they put another green buoy in place, I assume from the previous winters flooding problems. Does anyone know if there are any plans in place to dredge this area to widen the navigation channel, as its now getting very close the Yacht Club bank.

Glen
 
There used to be two green buoys at PH opposite the YC. Last year one of them went AWOL and was eventually put back in place.
The bad shoaling was down nearer the lock by the lower weir but I believe they have done some work there. I am based at PH and have had no problems as long as I stay close to the YC side of the channel.
However. it will not surprise you to know that the approach to PH is not considered by the EA to be part of the main navigation fairway so they give no specific undertakings regarding depths and accessibility. If you have specific information please let me know (by PM if you prefer) as I will be attending the next TNUF meeting at Reading next Monday.
 
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Many thanks for the info Boatone.

I think the shoal by the lock you are talking about is where I went aground last year, I posted on this forum about it, I wasn't very happy at the time as the EA showed no interest whatsoever after speaking to various grades of EA staff.

I have seen many a boat pass the wrong way of those green buoys by the YC, I did it myself the first time going into Penton Hook, luckily there were a few people at the YC who 'gestured' me to go the right way... not sure what they said quietly to themselves !!!

Just curious if Penton Hook Marina has any responsibility for keeping this part of the channel navigable ?
 
Flynnbarr said:
It will be strange trundling past The Willows with you all gone,end of era:(
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Yeah, quite sad really. Love my riverbank mooring... :( Breakers 2 will be going back after her lift out and up on boatshed, but people will start to leave the Willows by the end of March. Me being one of them..

Likely the bigger barges will still be there for quite some time to come.
 
GAJ52 said:
I have seen many a boat pass the wrong way of those green buoys by the YC, I did it myself the first time going into Penton Hook, luckily there were a few people at the YC who 'gestured' me to go the right way... not sure what they said quietly to themselves !!!
Just curious if Penton Hook Marina has any responsibility for keeping this part of the channel navigable ?
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I have always been puzzled by the peeps that pass the wrong side of the green buoys - they are clearly green and should therefore be left to starb'd when entering and to port when leaving. Last summer I stood by the YC and watched a quite large flybridge cruiser on its way out pass the wrong side. I noticed too late to warn him but I witnessed the consternation as they literally 'grounded' to a halt! Steve from the chandlery does sterling work towing peeps off.
I believe there is a definite ledge that drops away quite sharply and this makes it quite difficult to actually anchor the buoys.

As to the Marina's responsibility for the channel I am not at all sure. It would be bizarre for both the marina and the EA to deny any responsibility when they both clearly have a significant financial interest in keeping the boat owners happy. My belief is that, should access become a serious issue, there would need to be a meeting of minds - in fact the problem would undoubtedly result in minds being focussed !
 
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boatone said:
However. it will not surprise you to know that the approach to PH is not considered by the EA to be part of the main navigation fairway so they give no specific undertakings regarding depths and accessibility. If you have specific information please let me know (by PM if you prefer) as I will be attending the next TNUF meeting at Reading next Monday.
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It was the original course of the river though
http://www.visitthames.co.uk/about-the-river/river-thames-locks/penton-hook-lock
But I guess that counts for nought since the lock was built in 1815 even though it's still the approach to the weir.

Does beg the question as to who put the buoys there and who has dredged it before. I certainly thought it was the EA and that MDLs responsibility started just past the yacht club at the narrow entrance where pier A begins.
 
boatone said:
As to the Marina's responsibility for the channel I am not at all sure. It would be bizarre for both the marina and the EA to deny any responsibility when they both clearly have a significant financial interest in keeping the boat owners happy. My belief is that, should access become a serious issue, there would need to be a meeting of minds - in fact the problem would undoubtedly result in minds being focussed !
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I find that to be an incredible stance on the part of someone at the EA, I support their registration enforcement for non-paying boats in PH but then to not maintain the navigation to their agreed standard is unforgivable. It underminds completely all their arguements about private waters etc... and the need for all boats attached to the Thames to pay.
 
Chris_d said:
I find that to be an incredible stance on the part of someone at the EA, I support their registration enforcement for non-paying boats in PH but then to not maintain the navigation to their agreed standard is unforgivable. It underminds completely all their arguements about private waters etc... and the need for all boats attached to the Thames to pay.
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Please refrain from shooting the messenger. The situation has not arisen and, if it did so, as I said in my previous, I am sure minds would be focussed. The STATUTORY obligation is to maintain the fairway - i.e. the main navigation. That does not mean they deny all responsibility for the peripheral bits (they did reposition the buoys for instance) but they are being forced to prioritise what they are able to do with the limited funding. Its a bit like the pot holes in the roads, they only get fixed when they become a serious issue.
Those boating above Oxford are getting very vociferous regarding the lack of tree maintenance causing difficulties for boats navigating in the fairway itself. That is actually the responsibility of the landowners. Although the EA can intervene and carry out the work themselves that requires available resources and they would then be faced with trying to recover costs form the landowners.
As usual, it all seems very simple - "why don't THEY do something about it". In reality it is far from simple and is likely to get worse with more funding cuts still to come.
 
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Tony, not shooting the messenger just expressing my opinion.
If for example the shoal became so bad that effectively nothing in PH was able to access the main river using the weirstream, I think even non moving resisdents would be justified in refusing to pay the registration fee, I think the EA should recognise the principle of the right of navigation and maintain their side of the bargain and not fall behind legalities.
 
Chris_d said:
Tony, not shooting the messenger just expressing my opinion.
If for example the shoal became so bad that effectively nothing in PH was able to access the main river using the weirstream, I think even non moving resisdents would be justified in refusing to pay the registration fee, I think the EA should recognise the principle of the right of navigation and maintain their side of the bargain and not fall behind legalities.
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From my previous:
The situation has not arisen and, if it did so, as I said in my previous, I am sure minds would be focussed.
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You will never get a government department to acknowledge responsibility for anything. My comment is meant to indicate what I think WOULD happen in the event.
 
It has been like that for years. My parents had boats at Penton Hook in the 80s and 90s and exactly the same issue and markers then.
 
Today

Happened to be in Penton Hook Marina earlier - saw one boat stuck on the shoal and then having to be pulled-off and was told that was the second today. Certainly the passage way looked narrower than I recall from some years ago.
 
MDL own and are responsible for the maintenance of the private artificial channel or cut. The EA are responsible for the channel from below the lock to MDL’s cut.

Both are subject to an agreement for each party to maintain their bit to a depth of 8 feet.

Most would accept that maintenance at those depths is no longer critical for safe navigation but the shoaling on the opposite side of the channel to the clubhouse does substantially reduce the width of the available channel in an area of considerable two way congestion, at least in summer months.

This is exacerbated by a fallen tree in the channel partly across the mouth of the Abbey River increasing both the difficulties in navigation and the flood risk.

Boatone is right in advising that sufficient depth is available if you stay well to the clubhouse side but I would advise caution if any sort of stream is running to avoid being swept onto moored boats outside either the clubhouse or visitor pontoon if staying too close.

MDL should remove the tree and the EA should dredge at least this small part of the channel.
 
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