Slipways on the Thames

[Lady Alison]

Hi, we own a Bayliner 192 which we are planning to use on the Thames next year. We will probably store her at home and trail her to the Thames. We have seen various pictures of some slipways, which look good, but would be interested in hearing from people with similar boats who launch with success!

 

[dash300]

Good useable public slipways in my Thames area are - Windsor just upstream of the Leisure Center, and the public slipway at Cowey Sale just upstream of Walton Bridge.

 

[CJL]

Check out www.boatlaunch.co.uk

Pretty accurate website

CJL

 

[CJL]

Good useable public slipways in my Thames area are - Windsor just upstream of the Leisure Center, and the public slipway at Cowey Sale just upstream of Walton Bridge.

Be careful - somebody tried to steal my trailer at Cowey Sale.

Park your trailer wedged between the car park posts and your car so even if they attack the locks they physically can't get it out of the gap.

CJL

 

[Lady Alison]

Be careful - somebody tried to steal my trailer at Cowey Sale.

Park your trailer wedged between the car park posts and your car so even if they attack the locks they physically can't get it out of the gap.

CJL

Good tip thanks

 

[dash300]

Be careful - somebody tried to steal my trailer at Cowey Sale.

Park your trailer wedged between the car park posts and your car so even if they attack the locks they physically can't get it out of the gap.

CJL

Good advice. Trailers are highly desirable. Would also suggest removing a wheel on a single axle or 3 wheels on a twin axle.

 

[Lady Alison]

Good useable public slipways in my Thames area are - Windsor just upstream of the Leisure Center, and the public slipway at Cowey Sale just upstream of Walton Bridge.

Thanks I saw the slip at Windsor and it looks very good, will give it a try

 

[Pump-Out]

St Peters Street, Marlow

 

[mlines]

St Peters Street, Marlow

Rubbish trailer/car-parking however (unless you know a nearby facility?)

I use Val Wyatt at Wargrave for my Bayliner 185. A Bayliner 192 on a trailer probably has a quite a wide wheel track on the trailer and some of the Thames slipways are narrow.

Watch the drop of the end of Windsor slipway.

 

[lenten]

launched at cowey sale a couple of times---didn t like it---if i remember rightly the the concrete slipway has a dropoff at the end---its a short slipway with quite a busy road in front of you and funny enough i worried about my trailer in that car park----windsor leisure centre has a very good slipway---however for the future i am thinking marina slipways for the extra security for the car and trailer---regards lenten

 

[CJL]

St Peters Street, Marlow

I like this one as well.

If you can launch and get somebody to skipper the boat down to the lock whilst you drive the car and trailer to Mill Road or Gossmore Lane. You can then walk to the lock to be reunited with your boat.

If you do decide to do this, respect the local residents and park sensibly!

CJL

 

[Lady Alison]

Rubbish trailer/car-parking however (unless you know a nearby facility?)

I use Val Wyatt at Wargrave for my Bayliner 185. A Bayliner 192 on a trailer probably has a quite a wide wheel track on the trailer and some of the Thames slipways are narrow.

Watch the drop of the end of Windsor slipway.

Thanks for the advice and yes they do look narrow. I should also say thanks for posting a great video, we thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

[Lady Alison]

I like this one as well.

If you can launch and get somebody to skipper the boat down to the lock whilst you drive the car and trailer to Mill Road or Gossmore Lane. You can then walk to the lock to be reunited with your boat.

If you do decide to do this, respect the local residents and park sensibly!

CJL

Just looking at this on Google Earth.

 

[Lady Alison]

launched at cowey sale a couple of times---didn t like it---if i remember rightly the the concrete slipway has a dropoff at the end---its a short slipway with quite a busy road in front of you and funny enough i worried about my trailer in that car park----windsor leisure centre has a very good slipway---however for the future i am thinking marina slipways for the extra security for the car and trailer---regards lenten

Thanks Lenten I'm starting to pick up on the security aspects! Pretty sad really as I'm a Security Adviser lol!

 

[CJL]

Thanks Lenten I'm starting to pick up on the security aspects! Pretty sad really as I'm a Security Adviser lol!

Don't get too hung up on it. Take sensible precautions and you'll be fine.

CJL

 

[landlockedpirate]

Theres a free slipway at Abingdon marina, you will need to get the key for the height restriction from the manager. Slip is easy to use, but the jury is out on security of your car if its left on the public carpark rather than the marina compound.

There is an excellent slip at Benson Waterfront, you have to pay but the car and trailer are secure.

 

[Deefor]

Penton Hook marina- good slipway but steep, really needs a 4x4 to recover if wet. Plenty of secure parking when there's no boats on the hard. Good waiting pontoon. See MDL Penton Hook website for charges - very reasonable, something like £15 all in, including parking.

MDL Windsor marina - good slip but with a sharp drop off at the end. Not a straight reverse down to the slip. Good secure parking, small waiting pontoon. Same charges as per Penton Hook.

Val Wyatt @ Wargrave - good slipway, quite steep. Can be tight to manoeuvre at times. Secure parking. But at £20 launch and £20 recovery, this slip is a rip off .

Benson Waterfront/marina - good slipway, easy to manoeuvre the trailer unless it's a busy weekend and then there's cars everywhere. Sort of secure (key pad entry vehicle gates) but nothing to stop Joe public wandering around the site. Learnt the hard way when some scrote nicked my winch handle. Generally trailer and car have to be parked at opposite ends of the site and there's not always room in the trailer park. Prices vary and Adrian, who runs the site, quotes me anything between £20 and £35 for launch and recovery inc. parking. Last time he told me £35, I simply went elsewhere . When you consider that one of their campsite pitches with electric and water and use of the showers & laundry costs just under £20 a night, the slipway charges can be unacceptable.

You'll notice that all of the above slips are private marinas and NOT public slipways. IMO, public ones are OK if you're just out for the day but if you're overnighting for one or several nights, it's comforting to know that with private slips you've a fair chance of your car and trailer still being there when you return.

I tow a Viking 20 on a twin axle trailer with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. All in length is 43' and nearly 2 tons loaded. IMO, the ones that suit me best are Penton Hook and Benson.

If your boat's anything like mine, you'll soon tire of launching and recovering on the same day. Even overnighting on a Saturday and recovering on a Sunday afternoon becomes a chore. Suffice to say that I'm going in the water at Thames & Kennet next year for 7 months with a month out on the Norfolk Broads and maybe the Great Ouse. Then I'll have the boat and trailer at home for the other 5 months.

HTH Lady Alison .

 

[lenten]

deefor thanks for that imformation and prices---anybody else got anymore marina slipways----regards lenten

 

[sturmvogel190a]

There is a slipway where the boats are moored in a line past the caravan park at Clifton hampden ,drive over the bridge go npast barley mow and campsite and you will see a gate on the right where the line of cruisers are moored and talk to Paul the guy who lives on the big barge there he looks after the moorings .
I have used it a lot for launching the fishing boat and he used to charge a fiver and you can leave your car and trailor there not used it for a couple of years though .
It is a good slipway if a little steep so a 4x4 may be needed if you are launching something heavy .
I will see if i can dig out a contact number for the fella if anyone wants it steve

 

[Lady Alison]

launched at cowey sale a couple of times---didn t like it---if i remember rightly the the concrete slipway has a dropoff at the end---its a short slipway with quite a busy road in front of you and funny enough i worried about my trailer in that car park----windsor leisure centre has a very good slipway---however for the future i am thinking marina slipways for the extra security for the car and trailer---regards lenten

Penton Hook marina- good slipway but steep, really needs a 4x4 to recover if wet. Plenty of secure parking when there's no boats on the hard. Good waiting pontoon. See MDL Penton Hook website for charges - very reasonable, something like £15 all in, including parking.

MDL Windsor marina - good slip but with a sharp drop off at the end. Not a straight reverse down to the slip. Good secure parking, small waiting pontoon. Same charges as per Penton Hook.

Val Wyatt @ Wargrave - good slipway, quite steep. Can be tight to manoeuvre at times. Secure parking. But at £20 launch and £20 recovery, this slip is a rip off .

Benson Waterfront/marina - good slipway, easy to manoeuvre the trailer unless it's a busy weekend and then there's cars everywhere. Sort of secure (key pad entry vehicle gates) but nothing to stop Joe public wandering around the site. Learnt the hard way when some scrote nicked my winch handle. Generally trailer and car have to be parked at opposite ends of the site and there's not always room in the trailer park. Prices vary and Adrian, who runs the site, quotes me anything between £20 and £35 for launch and recovery inc. parking. Last time he told me £35, I simply went elsewhere . When you consider that one of their campsite pitches with electric and water and use of the showers & laundry costs just under £20 a night, the slipway charges can be unacceptable.

You'll notice that all of the above slips are private marinas and NOT public slipways. IMO, public ones are OK if you're just out for the day but if you're overnighting for one or several nights, it's comforting to know that with private slips you've a fair chance of your car and trailer still being there when you return.

I tow a Viking 20 on a twin axle trailer with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. All in length is 43' and nearly 2 tons loaded. IMO, the ones that suit me best are Penton Hook and Benson.

If your boat's anything like mine, you'll soon tire of launching and recovering on the same day. Even overnighting on a Saturday and recovering on a Sunday afternoon becomes a chore. Suffice to say that I'm going in the water at Thames & Kennet next year for 7 months with a month out on the Norfolk Broads and maybe the Great Ouse. Then I'll have the boat and trailer at home for the other 5 months.

HTH Lady Alison .

Thanks Deefor some excellent advice