Suggestion for overnight trip from Marlow

jecuk

jecuk

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Looking to spend our first night on the boat overnight. Leaving from Harleyford. Any suggestions for a nice place to moor overnight with no issues from 'lads' within 2-3 hours of Harleyford? Easy mooring with rings etc would also be handy to avoid testing the crew or skipper! Happy to pay for the right spot if needed.
 
windsor is super-rings on s-board bank d-stream if u get there early-plenty on port with open fields /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
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windsor is super-rings on s-board bank d-stream if u get there early-plenty on port with open fields /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

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Be very wary of the Brocas (Eton side) field moorings unless you have shallow draft/otdrive legs you can raise. Its quite shallow even some way into the stream. Aything over about 3 feet draft can be a problem along there.
 
I agree, The Bounty would be ideal...
Slight correction though Byron, it's actually opposite Bourne End Marina, not Cookham. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
To me boating is an excuse to eat and drink so I'd need to ask how much do you want to spend on dinner? cost of moorings immaterial compared to the grub for our trips.

Also do you need electricity, my wife likes to change for dinner so that means a hairdryer, which caused strife before I got an inverter.

Bounty nice for cheap pub grub but close enough for a day trip from Harlyford so is a Sunday trip for me and there's OTT opposite in the marina for posher grub.

Windsor an excellent choice if you have outdrives as stated, grub for all budgets and the option of a bankside BBQ, Bray has a choice of £££ grub, the one in the marina itself is excellent.

Upstream there's an excellent pub in Wargrave with a mooring at the end of the garden good chain restaurant with deck overlooking the river and not too expensive , you're not supposed to stay overnight but they don't turn you away, or BBQ spots just downstream of Henley but again they are a comfortable day trip from Harleyford.

And if you want to be more adventurous, I think Shepperton still has a reciprocal deal with Harleyford so you could cruise 2 days downstream and leave the boat there, cruising 2 days upstream a couple of weeks later. Then the grub choice goes up exponentially!
 
Moring against a shallow bank is no problem if you kedge off.

For the uninitiated, this means that you secure the bow of the boat to the bank, and use a kedge anchor to hold the stern out in the stream, keeping the stern gear out of harm's way.

Here's how:

Pick your spot on the bank. Let's say it's on the left bank of the river as you face the direction the flow is coming from. Deploy your biggest round fenders just under the bow on the side which will touch the bank, that is, the port side.

Brief one of the crew that you will drop them off from the bow, and that they must take two mooring stakes and a mallet, and place the stakes firmly into good ground eight feet or so either side of where the bow will be.

Take the bow of the boat up to the bank and drop off the person with the mooring stakes (tell them to be careful about stepping over the pulpit rail; on some boats they may need to go very carefully under it).

Next, motor out to midstream, and prepare the kedge anchor, chain, and warp on the starboard quarter. Now, motor into a position from which you'll aproach the bank where the bow is to rest, at an angle about 45 degrees from the bank.

About three boat lengths off, get your crew to drop the kedge and pay out the chain and warp as you motor towards the bank. Brief them that if you break off the aproach, they MUST retrieve the chain and warp, keeping it tight, to avoid a possible fouled prop.

As the bow touches the bank, your crew must take two mooring warps from the bow fitting, one to each of the previously laid stakes. Make these off, then haul tight on the kedge. I usually deploy an anchor ball, but suspect few know what it means, and in fact the anchor chain is seldom a problem because it's lightly-loaded and tends to fall in a good catenary towards the bottom.

I've talked a lot about 'crew' here, but this is all do-able with one at the helm and one crew, it just takes a little planning and time.

So, there you are, at Windsor, Cliveden, Cookham, Sutton, or wherever it's shallow at the bank, and you're cosily set up for the night.
 
Thanks for the tips on here. We are on shafts but only 3' draft and the props are fairly well protected by the keel and the two other keels to either side (not sure what the correct terms for these is - she seems made to rest against a bank).

Normally food would be our biggest cost on any trip. This time though we are going with the kids and will probably eat on board.
 
Blimey what a faff... I just raise the drives. Not sure kedging is a good idea on the river at least certainly not on the brocas at Windsor, someone probably a NB or hire boat will almost certainly snag your kedge.
 
Ahem, the brocas is even too shallow to get the bows in within 20feet of the bank.

But I like your thinking.

Maybe if we all anchored up there and blocked the thoroughfare from the trippers, the EA might actually consider doing something about it.
 
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Ahem, the brocas is even too shallow to get the bows in within 20feet of the bank.
But I like your thinking.


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So, does this mean it really isn't an option even with a 3ft draft? I was thinking that might make a nice overnight trip.
 
Well our boat is only 3feet6 and I cant get in there.

Always worth a try, if you can't then you can always try the park on the island on the town side.

I can get in there and to be honest I think I prefer it.
 
I'd go the Windsor side every time for just the depth related issues mentioned. Up by the swimming pool is usually quiet, or on Bath island on the river side. If you go bankside near the funfair you may have the joy of listening to local gentlemen impressing eachother, and their lady companions, by their displays of their ability to wheelspin/rev the whatsists off their £150 MOT failure "cars".

Last time I was there local rumour had it that there were some deeper "holes" on the Brocas side but I have no idea where they are.
 
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Maybe if we all anchored up there and blocked the thoroughfare from the trippers, the EA might actually consider doing something about it.

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Would be nice if the EA could make use of their suckyblowythingy alongside the Brocas but I suspect they will tell you it's Eton College's responsibilty as the EA are only responsible for maintaining depth in the fairway.

Guess you need to have a word with some of your old school chums /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Seriously, any ex Eton types on the forum? Do have a word if you can, would be so nice to see a community project and I'm sure MBM would make sure they get some good PR out of it ! How many ex Eton MP's are there? Wasn't our Dave (Cameron that is) a lad there?
 
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So, does this mean it really isn't an option even with a 3ft draft? I was thinking that might make a nice overnight trip.

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Actually, with 3 feet draft you will probably be ok and the bottom is fairly soft stuff I think. I used to stop there with each of two previous boats with that sort of draft.

A good trick is to head the bow in to the bank and then let the stern come in slowly with engine in neutral, if you touch bottom you can always sod off again.

Mind you, the Lockie at New Romney has been known to let the level in that stretch drop below normal. I have gone to sleep afloat and woken up aground more than once ! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Hi,

I would give Henley a miss, next week is the regatta, then the festival,
as for power get a generator!

chill
 
One of our favourite spots is at Medmenham which is only a short hop upstream from Harleyford. Fee of £4 or £5 I think for overnight. Plenty of room for the kids to run around.

If you want to go further, after Shiplake Lock there are a couple of islands past the college where you can often find a space at this time of year. The kids will love building a fire, swinging from a rope over a branch or just exploring.

It is a lovely peaceful spot outside of the main channel. The only slight downside is the three NBs whcih seem to be moored permanently on the bank opposite. No real problem with them except one runs his generator through the evening which can become a bit of an irritation after a while.
 
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I'd go the Windsor side every time for just the depth related issues mentioned. Up by the swimming pool is usually quiet, or on Bath island on the river side. If you go bankside near the funfair you may have the joy of listening to local gentlemen impressing eachother, and their lady companions, by their displays of their ability to wheelspin/rev the whatsists off their £150 MOT failure "cars".


[/ QUOTE ]And Bath Island is the one upstream of Windsor at the railway bridge?
 
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