Thames to Wallasea and back

[boatingdave]

I'm thinking about taking a boat from the non tidal Thames out to the Crouch (Essex Marina) and back. I'm used to Welsh coastal (used to be in Cardiff) but it is much busier down that end of the Thames. Any general advice on best times to leave, when to get through the barrier etc etc. or has anyone a passage plan I can have a look at? I appreciate I need to do my own but it helps if you don't have to start from scratch and have the knowledge from folk who've done it before and the things to look out for.
Thanks

 

[oldgit]

That is quite a decent journey to do in one hit and you will have to punch the tide at some point. Do we want a leisurely cruise or a real fast passage.
Perhaps break the trip at Queenborough.?
This means you could catch the ebb down out of London,overnight on a bouy (£10.00 ?) and then catch the ebb up to the Whittaker Bouy and the early flood up the Crouch to Burnham Marina.
Depends how much fuel you want to burn ?

 

[boatingdave]

I feel a bit awkward calling you 'oldgit' . Thanks for the reply. I have an added complication but I will also only have 160 gallons of diesel on board not including the 10% safety margin (I'm changing the boat so hesitant to fill her up). I've noted the tidal section is 95 Nmiles so just from Teddington to the estuary I am likely to use 100 gallons plus (taking the speed restrictions in to account) so it would probably be good to use the tide and do an overnighter as you suggested.
Dave

 

[oldgit]

There is an article in this months MBM dealing with the Crouch and its marinas.
Been a few times and my boat came from Essex Marina.
The worst bit by far is the long drag up to the Whittaker bouys and then a route reversal up the river.
It does sometimes depend on how comfortable you are with shallow water and state of tides.
On our trip up this year a club member did manage to take the corner a little too tightly.
On the return everyone was a bit more careful, despite us all watching a sailing barge at least half a mile further inshore cut across with no problems.
My eyes are rubbish and the bouys are fairly far apart around the Maplin area so can be difficult to spot even from a flybridge,would recommend having your nav gear on in the background just to put the boat on the right heading as you leave each bouy.

Personally find it easier to navigate the stretch of water from Southend to Whitaker than the bit from the mouth of the Crouch to Burham.
"Visit my Harbour" is a very neat website for local info..
Only caveat...Watch for big ebb tides having a dispute with a strong easterly wind

 

[philld]

Depending on your draft and how brave you feel you could look at taking the shortcut through Havengore into the Roach.

It might also be worth posting on the East Coast Forum for local knowledge.

I don't know if you've come across the following web sites, but they could be of use:-

http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/index.html
http://www.eastcoastpilot.com/

 

[boatingdave]

We have a Princess 415, I think the draft is about 3'? Air draft is usually the problem on that as she is quite tall although I can drop the arch. Thanks for the links Phil and the other info oldgit, I've been looking for marinas to break the trip up but few and far between down that end.

Just followed the east coast link and it mentions Queensborough may have a concrete pontoon by now for up to 10 visiting boats!

 

[apollo]

Dave
There is a thread on east coast forum on queenborough all tides landing, there is also a concrete barge you can overnight on but you need to book as it gets busy
With your speed on old and new boats you could do it in a day each way but limiting yourself on fuel is not good.
Can't you buy a fuel transfer pump and transfer any spare fuel to the new boat when you get there?
Mike

 

[boatingdave]

Hi Mike - I won't compromise on fuel, it was only me thinking it through as you know what I'm like. If I need to top the tanks up I will, won't ever run the risk of running on fumes. You've done it in a day haven't you? Let me know more, might even manage to persuade you to come with me lol. I have a good friend of mine joining me so at the moment it's just the two of us. Moving all the c**p from old to new will be interesting. Its my 'man shed' on water methinks. I suspect all that stuff, especially the various tool boxes, cost me a couple of knots lol......
Dave

 

[apollo]

Dave, Yeah I have done it in a day back from Brightlingsea (a little further than Crouch) to Hampton Court but it was a long day as I don't go as fast as you.
If you go on a weekend I am free I would love to come and see you spending all your money!

 

[boatingdave]

Hi Mike. I am probably going to take a couple of days getting the Princess down there, don't want to tempt fate. May well do the same on the way back too so it will be at least three days and more likely to be four. Your experience would have been welcomed but understand the implications of taking more time off. Wouldn't mind picking your brains for info though.

 

[byron]

Is the P415 called 'Cassy' ?

 

[boatingdave]

Is the P415 called 'Cassy' ?

Hi Byron - no. Davnic Row. I think a P415 called Cassie was taken from Portishead to Swansea and is up for sale?

Dave

 

[boatingdave]

There is an article in this months MBM dealing with the Crouch and its marinas.
Been a few times and my boat came from Essex Marina.
The worst bit by far is the long drag up to the Whittaker bouys and then a route reversal up the river.
It does sometimes depend on how comfortable you are with shallow water and state of tides.
On our trip up this year a club member did manage to take the corner a little too tightly.
On the return everyone was a bit more careful, despite us all watching a sailing barge at least half a mile further inshore cut across with no problems.
My eyes are rubbish and the bouys are fairly far apart around the Maplin area so can be difficult to spot even from a flybridge,would recommend having your nav gear on in the background just to put the boat on the right heading as you leave each bouy.

Personally find it easier to navigate the stretch of water from Southend to Whitaker than the bit from the mouth of the Crouch to Burham.
"Visit my Harbour" is a very neat website for local info..
Only caveat...Watch for big ebb tides having a dispute with a strong easterly wind

Just come of the Bristol Channel so the boat is very capable of dealing with most things although not sure about the skipper lol.....
I'm getting quite excited!

 

[byron]

Hi Byron - no. Davnic Row. I think a P415 called Cassie was taken from Portishead to Swansea and is up for sale?

Dave

Cassy was sold by Val Wyatts earlier this year. She went for far far less than I expected.

 

[boatingdave]

Cassy was sold by Val Wyatts earlier this year. She went for far far less than I expected.

I wonder if that was the same one? With unusual engine option. Oh well, will never know. The boat (I thought was Cassy but maybe not) was moored behind us at Portishead (for sale) and then went to Swansea but don't know what happened to her after that. Very underrated boat the P415, we've loved ours and only changing it to get something with 'girlie buttons' so me and the missus have less stress going out if its just the two of us as the kids don't like boating any more. Have I just owned up to wanting 'girlie buttons' after all the years using the skill of the skipper and the stability of the boat and berating those that had them (in a humorous manner before anyone gets offended)?

 

[ChattingLil]

DId the OP make this trip yet? Was the q asked on the East Coast Forum (I didn't see it).

We are sailors originally from theCrouch now based in LImehouse and have made this trip a few times. Definitely recommend overnight at Queenborough to wait for tide but easily doable in two tides unless you want to punch a lot of foul tide and have fuel to waste...

We always leave just before Tower Bridge HW and take all the ebb out to the estuary.
The barrier is easy, just call up as you pass Greenwich Yacht Club and ask for permission. They will tell you which span to use. The span will also be indicated by green arrows, so you can't get it wrong.
Remeber to stay on the sb side of the river and stay out of the main channel that the clippers and big boats use.

At this time of year Queenborough is busy, but you can book a buoy. The humungous buoys near the ATL are meant for rafting up on, so if you get there and can't find an empty one, then don't be afraid to ask anyone on the huge ones to raft up.

Then leave Queenborugh after HW ish and take all the ebb up to Whittaker - hang a left and you are in the Crouch. It's well buoyed now. You could aim for Whittaker at LW water and then the flood up the Crouch.

I have done the Havengore passage and it is fantastic and cuts off a few hours. I would not want to do it in a deep boat - we did it in 1m draft and touched the bottom a few times but we were still a couple of hours off HW. IF you want to go Havengore then you obviously need to leave Queenborugh before HW to do it on a rising tide!

 

[boatingdave]

Hi, no not done it yet. Late August or early September. Brilliant info, thanks for that.
Kind Regards
Dave

 

[ChattingLil]

if you want more detail, do go over to the East Coast Forum - very friendly and helpful people there.

 

[boatingdave]

Thanks. I will. Pretty helpful on this forum too. I haven't been on this forum for a while (since I moved the boat on to the Bristol Channel) but now I'm back on the Thames it's been great fun!

 

[pjimd]

Not sure whether you've left yet?
We did this trip in early August in our s28. I'm definately no master mariner and still on a steep learning curve with this boating lark but some things you might find useful:
Don't worry about the barrier - you call vts by the dome and they give you an arch, thing is you get there and there a massive green arrow pointing the way so you can't go wrong.
Woolwich ferry stops for no man.
Take the tide out of London, it runs hard and you can easily get from tedders to Medway on the ebb.
Check airdraft for Hammersmith or carry spare Vhf aerial!
Transit central London early, the wash off the trip boats is very unpleasanl and they just don't give a toss about pleasure craft
Keep well out of the main channel, there are some seriously big units moving in the lower Thames
Read the pla notices to mariners before you leave
Note the small craft crossing points round holehaven
Remember to switch Vhf to 68 below crayfordness
Time your run to take wind with tide, stop at queenbrgh as other suggest or check into Chatham for posh bogs & cinema. We had a flat calm 30kt blast out and a hideous f5 beasting on the run back from the Whittaker when my optimism overcame the forecast.
Definately plot a course on your GPS and have paper chart back up with course to steer/bearings. The buoys are miles apart and if the vis drops off you lose landmarks (and land) very quick.
The Whittaker is a long way out! but don't cut corners and don't turn in before south Whittaker unless you really know your way, you can get very close to the seals very quickly.
Burnham is lovely place and worth a visit. We're already planning another trip to brightlingsea/mersea.