Wanting to travel down the thames, maybe build this ? any tips

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Tamps

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Before we get started I know most of the guys here are MOBO owners, and how much you hate rowers etc but I so use the river ( small ribs/boats etc ) but I would like your ideas on this please, and any advise to help me do this/make it more pleasurable for me and other river users.

I fancy a little adventure this summer, and came up with the idea of canoeing/kayaking/rowing the length of thames, camping along the way.

First idea is the just paddle, second is to build a electric power canoe with a outrigger charged up/run on solar power ( please dont think I am a hippy type, just like the idea of making something I have been thinking about ) had the idea and now I am really itching to play in the workshop learn electrics and build something.

I know nothing about electrics at the moment so will have to learn ( part of the interest in the idea, learning a new skill ), but is it a silly idea, should I just paddle the whole thing, or maybe a petrol outboard ?

There are completely solar powered canoes like this
cedrics-canoe.jpg


Am thinking if I had one of those panels, two batteries, use one one day whilst charging the other, then switch. That way running off the batteries rather than the panels ( although that would be great ).

As for the weight, I would be using a 3-4 man canoe, I am 18st ( 110ish kg ) 2 batteries and stuff in the boat, thinking another 75-90kg and then my camping equipment ( 20-30kg ) that would mean the boat is holding well under it usable capacity, and with the outrigger taking the extra weight of the panel it should be paddleable as well ( I am a big lad 6ft 5 ) so shouldn't struggle too much.

There are lower powered motors ( down to 20lbs of thrust ) which if it help I would go for, the thing is not speed but quiet Serene traveling, plus the fun of designing something, heath Robinson building of it, learning about a new subject and a little adventure for a couple of weeks.

Also thought about a water power generator that I could hang over the side at night to help charge the battery at night.

SOOOO many ideas, help me with some clarity of thought.
 
Rather than mess about building that , why not contact Mark Edwards at Richmond Bridge Boathouses. He has traditional camping skiffs that you can rent . He will tow it by car to Lechlade and you row it back to him at Richmond ( a la three men in a boat ) .

You camp in the skiff on the way down and it's all tickety-boo apparently.
 
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Also thought about a water power generator that I could hang over the side at night to help charge the battery at night.

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Dont know enough about solar panels to comment on that, but I do know you can forget the water powered generator idea.
The non tidal Thames flow is pretty menial at normal times and you probably wouldnt want to be out when its giving its best at times of anger !
 
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Rather than mess about building that , why not contact Mark Edwards at Richmond Bridge Boathouses. He has traditional camping skiffs that you can rent . He will tow it by car to Lechlade and you row it back to him at Richmond ( a la three men in a boat ) .

You camp in the skiff on the way down and it's all tickety-boo apparently.

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Cheers buddy, I will definitely keep that in mind.

Part of the whole excitement of it is the prospect of "making it happen" all by my own fair hand fisted hands.
 
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It isn't as daft as the chap who did the same trip in a giant dog bowl in 2007!

img121.jpg


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Ha ! there is hope for me yet !
 
What ever you decide to do it "in" would recommend for an easy life you go with the current,although the Thames is a gentle olde thing for most of the time,even with a 2mph flow it means that for every hour you spend going against the flow you will go backwards for two miles..........er ...I think ?
Assuming the navigable bit to be 190 ? miles and you do 19 per day thats 10 days.So 6 hours a day( with a nice long 3 hours lunch) gives a total of 60 hours rowing against the flow at 4mph and you will waste ....... err a lot of energy /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Tamps, I think that is a great idea you have, it's something I have wanted to do for years (the trip down the river that is, not the solar or rowing bit !) But I must agree with byron we need people like you with a sense of fun and adventure. If you do it, perhaps you could log your journey here with pics etc. I would love to see it.

With regard to Mark Edwards, does he have anything a bit easier than rowing boats or does anyone know of any company that rents out motorboats for this type of journey. It doesn't have to be something with accomodation just an engine and a day cab / canvas. I might plan a trip myself. Thanks
 
We had a swan pedalo come through last year , and a yellow submarine the year before that ...

We kidded him that if he'd have come through submerged that he wouldn't have had to buy a visitors licence.

yellow%20submarinea.jpg
 
Depending on what craft you eventually decide upon you might consider the Cricklade to Lechlade section. This is pretty much canoe only. I did it last year.
Some other observations ;
- make sure you have something soft to sit on
- on the Thames above Oxford it can be very difficult to get out. Banks can be high, even at locks, and as a motor boat owner I made the mistake of thinking that we could stop/get out almost anywhere ..... but not so, surprisingly at locks it can be impossible to get out of a canoe, especially after a days paddling effort.
- you need reasonable nights sleep, dont think you can hunker down just about anywhere after 20 miles and then do 20 miles paddling the next day. (unless you are an athlete)
- lock keepers are very helpful, some lockies have camping areas.
- you do need to have a plan of some kind

Whatever you decide to do - go for it, it will be memorable.
 
Right, thankyou for all the suggestions and comments, made me more determined to do it than ever.

As for the massive solar paneled jobbie, don;t think that was what I had in mind, more a "assisted paddle " type set up.

Right the first thing is the outrigger ( I definately what one )

Ideally it will be this type of set up
bushwithoutrigger.jpg


I would want to double poles to the outrigger so I could place a panel on it either solar or extra storage.

I would be looking to make the outrigger myself, probably out of Polyurethane foam and then shape it to my spec, problem is I can only find two pack foam kits rather than a block of it to shape myself.

Also I was thinking would covering it in fiberglass offer anything more ? ie would it be worth it ?

Another thought I had ( although I dont know why i didn;t think of it eariler ) is to have two batteries on the boat, and when I camp at night use a electrical hook up and the trickle charger that I have now ? or is that cheating ?
 
Get some kingspan or similar from builders' merchants. easily shaped with a saw/knife/rasp and sandpaper. get closed cell though so you aren't carrying a big sponge. sheathing it in fibreglass is a good idea, these guys have some good info on thier site, can sell you the stuff, and are very helpful on the phone.

I would say trickle charging overnight is deffinetly cheating, but the beatuty of this sort of endeavour is that you make the rules! however, you may not be able to guaruntee geting electric over night.

On the subject of rules, I'd question paddling in addition to the solar. This year two guys did the DW (125 miles) in a canoe, unsupported, which is similar to what you're suggesting. The point being that if you're going to paddle, you might find the weight of the panel, motor and in particular batteries, do not 'pay' for themselves...
 
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