Thames Visit,

[oldgit]

Excellent trip.
Only one lift out and one interesting example of "Lock Rage".
Not involving me by the way, merely an innocent bystander .
Details to follow.

 

[apollo]

We saw you tying up last night in Rochester! (We were out for a walk and a meal at the posh end of chatham!)

 

[oldgit]

Hmm, not my most immaculate arrival.
Bit knackered.Left Teddington on Sat morning spotted a bit of thunder and lightning in the distance and decided to give St Kats an call for an overnight stop.
They were very on the ball and helpful,....just caught the last lock in.
Things appear to be getting back on track but incredibly busy,they are interested in any club visit but you need to book early.
Suspect they will squeeze in a latecomer IF they have any room and at £80 odd quid a night,why not.
Popped down to our favorite restuarant Il Bordello in Wapping High Street.Superb as always.

St Kats lock is really not up to the job,far too slow, to handle the traffic at peak times.
Tide was well away by the time we locked out, however nice slow run round @ 10knots with 3-4 knots of tide which turned nicely as we went round the Swatchway.
The bad news.
Bashed a prop while attempting to moor at Henley,made a desperate phone call to B1 for assistance,who supplied some phone numbers.
After some blind alleys made a phone call to Ivan at G Mec , next to Hobbs.
Bring it round he said and 30 mins later the damage was revealed.
Set to work with my 10lb mooring pin hammer and the blade was soon looking sort of propeller shaped or least enuff to stop it wacking the back of the rudder.
My good humour was much restored after a natter about the price proved that not everything on the Thames is outrageously over priced,if you approach the matter correctly.
Virtually everywhere seemed very quiet indeed ,no problems mooring at Henley ,Windsor, Runnymeade, Lady Lyndsies, Cookham , etc etc.
Locks were all manned except two with no que and quick transit.
No problems with trees or depth.
Whats not to like. ?
Thanks again Tony for your valuable assistance. Cheers.
Back up to Kats at the end of the month with club.

 

[Murv]

You must be getting a dab hand at walloping those props into shape! Glad you had a good trip

 

[boatone]

Happy to help.
Tell us about the lock rage ?

 

[CX54WEK]

You must be getting a dab hand at walloping those props into shape! Glad you had a good trip

Ah you see. Those shaft drive boats.

If he had bought a stern drive boat he could have lifted the drive and saved the props

 

[oldgit]

You must be getting a dab hand at walloping those props into shape! Glad you had a good trip

Hi Murv...would very much like to borrow one of your engine oil change pumps. ?

The props on the previous boat would have chopped that lump of whatever into a small pile of Thames gravel, Props on the P35 seem to be made of somewhat less stern material.

When are you back. Fred.

 

[oldgit]

Ah you see. Those shaft drive boats.

If he had bought a stern drive boat he could have lifted the drive and saved the props

You wish.... with a stern drive, lifting the drives after the impact would have merely revealed a neat little aluminum hub devoid of anything blade like and gearbox lubrication oil drifting downstream , making pretty pattens in the water

Think it was actually at Henley that we hit the bottom with my old Princess 33 while attempting to moor up.
Fortunately by that stage had already aquired a set of spare outdrive props. Grrr.

 

[CX54WEK]

You wish.... with a stern drive, lifting the drives after the impact would have merely revealed a neat little aluminum hub devoid of anything blade like and gearbox lubrication oil drifting downstream , making pretty pattens in the water

Think it was actually at Henley that we hit the bottom with my old Princess 33 while attempting to moor up.
Fortunately by that stage had already aquired a set of spare outdrive props. Grrr.

No. Its the fishing line that knackers the oil seals.

A quick knock doesn't damage them.

Oh and the new props VP have brought out are far superior to the older ones that dinged as soon as they saw an obstruction. Our new J Series ones have seen some pretty hefty knock in the last couple of years without any damage.

Times and materials have moved on for some of us anyway

 

[Murv]

Hi Murv...would very much like to borrow one of your engine oil change pumps. ?

The props on the previous boat would have chopped that lump of whatever into a small pile of Thames gravel, Props on the P35 seem to be made of somewhat less stern material.

When are you back. Fred.

You're more than welcome, we're currently in Bruges, should be back Saturday or Sunday depending on weather.
Totally agree on the prop strikes, the slightest touch on mine would destroy the prop instantly, these things just macerate whatever is unfortunate enough to get in their way! At least a bent prop can be walloped back into shape!

 

[Chill]

Where did you sustain the damage ?

 

[oldgit]

Henley.
All the lower public moorings above bridge were full so preceded up inside the island.
Almost to the end of the island on the right hand bank , is what appears to be be a short length of shuttering which is of a distinctly different colour from the rest,looks newer possibly recently replaced.
Attempted to moor just upstream and reversed back towards new bit of shuttering,was approximately two metres or so from bankside when starboard prop hit something solid and stalled engine.
Managed to go ahead on single engine and get line ashore.
Suspect whatever we wacked has somewhat less than a metre of water above it.
One blade deformed enough to strike rudder stock.
On lift out, able to dress the blade enough to clear rudder and get boat mobile again.

Rumour has it, other craft have already hit whatever is down there ?

 

[Chill]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?479451-Yellow-buoy