What's the appeal of River Boating

oGaryo

oGaryo

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Hi all, very rarely post in theis section, in fact, I don't think I ever have as we take the boat out in the Solent.

However, we live in Milton Keynes and effectively drive past the Thames (Abingdon, Oxford etc) and it's got me wondering what the appeal of river boating is when compared to blatting around the likes of the Solent...

I'm presuming rightly or wrongly that a number of members of this section have come to the Thames after a period of boating in the sea. Can I ask what drove you to that decision and would you say river boating is more enjoyable than bobbing around on the waves? if so, why?

One thing that's crossed my mind is change of scenery (or lack of), do you tend to up sticks and change your home berth every season to get a bit of variety in to your river boating? I can imagine myself getting rather bored pootling up and down the same stretch of river.

cheers Gary

p.s. sorry if this is an age old question, I imagine it is:o but am genuinely interested
 
Many river folks will have done the coastal thing in the past and now enjoy the advantages of boating above the lock.The sheer ease of boating and the sure and certain knowledge that you will not be waking up at 5am to listen to the forecast wondering if you will be getting home without all your possesions scattered all over the floor and the wife promising never to set foot on the boat again and the knowledge that the the mooring bollard outside your bedroom window will be exactly where you left it,no higher or lower or more worryingly..... totally out of sight altogether.
Your only real worry will be which restuarant or pub to eat at and none of them up a gangplank at a 90 degree angle.:)
 
I grew up next to the river so boating to me was a way of getting back to the place that i enjoyed so much as a kid . I dont see the boat as something to take me somewhere for a day or weekend away , the boat is the day or weekend away even if it stays on the mooring . The only time i get bored of the same scenery is if im on my own but you can pretty much stop anywhere and find something else to do if you get bored of cruising .
I have the small runabout that i keep meaning to take to the seaside but the river is so much closer i cant really see the point .
 
We dont boat on the Thames but do boat inland on the Fossditch, Trent, Ouse and Humber. We take our holidays on the coast and use those opportunities to visit new waterways.

For us the advantage is that we are not so governed by the tides and the weather. We can boat all year round and come and go as we please.
 
I love being on the river. Much less tide, wind, weather dependent. Lots to see and do and scenery changes at every bend. Moor up almost anywhere and walk to pub, restaurant for drinks/ dinner. I like just waking up with the wildlife, I even like seeing the airies inbound/outbound Heathrow. I like sailing up the west coast of Scotland, loch hopping, but to relax, slow down and enjoy just being there the river takes some beating.
All at less then 1 gal per hour

HF
 
I have the opposite view – boating on the rivers and canals is a generally a more leisurely activity. We only go tidal to visit other rivers and canals. I suppose a lot depends on the type of vessel you have and what gives you pleasure. We have a slow displacement vessel which means that sea journeys have to be carefully planned taking into account the weather and tides. The appeal of boating for us is visiting places on the land rather than just seeing the sea.

Over the years we have been up the Medway to Tonbridge, up Faversham Creek, up all the East Coast rivers as far as Woodbridge on the Deben, up the River Stour to Plucks Gutter at Sandwich and crossed the Channel to do the inland waterways of France, Belgium and Holland.

Motor boating has changed over the years. Once upon a time boats like ours were the norm. Travelling the rivers means that we enjoy the same pleasures as those with faster, bigger and more expensive vessels.
 
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Gary....bugger off back to the lounge :cool:

You'd hate it on the Thames :cool:

It's constantly packed with traffic......the scenery is even worse than MK on a rainy Friday in December......the pubs and restaurants are all appalling...as for the users: rowers and kayaks all over the place......dinghies and narrow boats getting in everyone's way.....rude/arrogant MoBo's creating massive wash which could drown you.....the whole expeirience is so stressful that I may give it up for ever.

Stay away: it's vile :D

EDIT: ps......and my boat is a 12 minute drive from home so long as the lights are green :D
 
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Been thinking about a narrow boat lately. I love the canals and all that goes with it and would love to go back to those childhood holidays. (Funny...I can never remember it raining!) Problem is, I'd like to do both; keep the berth at Hamble AND have a narrowboat mooring in Abingdon but that just isn't possible.
L
:)
 
River and Coast

Hi Gary,
We have now completed one year on the Thames and love it.... but we will keep coming back to the coast regularly because each offers something different.

The river is very lazy and relaxing -people spend more time on their boats and so you get to know those around you very quickly. Dare I say it, the river users are generally a more social bunch because you dont travel so far! There is a big Mobo community so yacht clubs are full of likeminded individuals rather than raggies and are always organising events, boat handling competitions and crusies. Journeys are short but speaking for the Thames, extremely varied. We can go to Windsor, Hampton Court and London if we go down river and Cliveden, Henley, and Marlow if we go upstream (with lots of others in between!) All these places are within a couple of hours (with the exception of London!) All the points about a lack of tide, protection from the wind and waves make it a very civilised experience
for the family too!

That said, I really enjoyed our coastal trip this year and had a great time in the Solent. I enjoyed opening the taps and having some high speed fun. We are looking at crossing the Channel in 2013 and are not alone in venturing out through the estuary.

Another big bonus is cost - the marinas are cheaper (but still extortionate for a boat car park) and fuel costs are so small, it means we can save up for a big trip each year!

We had never considered the river until we moved to this part of the world and always planned to keep the boat at the Hamble but it really is a no-brainer!
 
Would like to add that the Thames is probably especially favoured by the ladies as moving around and mooring tends to be at a more leisurely pace than on the briny.
For the gentlemen however there are still ample opportunities to shout and holler at your crew and to infer at the top of your lungs that its entirely their fault when things went wrong. !
 
oldgit said:
Would like to add that the Thames is probably especially favoured by the ladies as moving around and mooring tends to be at a more leisurely pace than on the briny.
For the gentlemen however there are still ample opportunities to shout and holler at your crew and to infer at the top of your lungs that its entirely their fault when things went wrong. !
Click to expand...

INFER??????????????

Hmmmpphh........it's always someone else's fault! Surely a commander of your experienced has learned that by now!
 
The Thames is so varied

I lived in Marlow from the age of 4 and my dad had a boat for many years. I now live in Hampton, so still on the Thames. I think it's so varied travelling by boat anywhere on the Thames. I've been up to Lechlade and back and can honestly say it was probably the best holiday I have ever had. Yes you get the big super yacht fraternity who think they own the river and can push in at the locks. They often travel too fast and have no respect for others, but generally, most people on the Thames are always friendly and will always give a hand, I know I do. Going through the locks is part of the fun. You could always try the Broads where you have no locks and in some sections, you are allowed to open it up.
 
The appeal is many-fold.

Firstly, the scenery is far more interesting than the flat wide ocean, with 140 miles of beautiful and varied riverbank and infrastructure, including many iconic buildings.

Fuel use is minimal, moorings generally cheaper, and almost any boat will do the job.

It's easy to moor up almost anywhere, normally for free, and with a huge selection of Pubs and eateries nearby.

Once ashore, everywhere is within walking distance, and above teddington, no tides to worry about, in fact the only potential issues would be high river flow, when the red boards come out.

So, it's:

1/ Cheaper
2/ Safer
3/ More user friendly
4/ Less demanding on the boat and crew
5/ More sociable


Any more questions? :D
 
And in the event of a breakdown, a safe haven, aka the bank, is never far away ;).

Places to just drop the anchor though are rather limited :(.
 
River boating comes in many forms.

My 16.5' cabin cruiser is bit like camping / hiking except there is a toilet to hand and I can stand up and be dry when it rains. Plus I don't have to walk anywhere!

Being on the boat frequently presents opportunities to be closer to birds and wildlife than otherwise - not least because the creatures often don't expect people to arrive by river. Ask the barn own I saw the other day or the good size chub I caught from a swim no walking angler could ever reach.

Even a small boat needs something doing to it on an ongoing basis and pondering the next job or purchase gives me something to dream about when stuck at work.

The speed limit (8 k.p.h. on the Thames) might drive you nuts but I like it because I've no option but to relax, look around, see things and save petrol. It is completely the opposite to car driving.

As others have said people are sociable - I've made great friends at my mooring and had many boozy evenings on their boats.

I have no experience of salt water but am increasing interested in sailing, (don't tell the other people here), and dream of having a yacht and one day crossing the channel. But I can't ever imagine giving up my little boat on the Thames.
 
Too true

Yes it's so peaceful on the Thames and a great place to relax. I sold my boat 7 years ago, but still have a dingy and outboard, plus some kayaks. I have just started the process of looking for another boat.
 
thanks guys and ladies... really enlightening feedback. I don't think I'm ready just yet to give up the salty water but should I be fortunate enough to do both or become tired of the sea, then it certainly sounds like there's an appeal to boating on the Thames beyond what I'd imagined:cool:
 
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watson1959 said:
Gary....bugger off back to the lounge :cool:

You'd hate it on the Thames :cool:

It's constantly packed with traffic......the scenery is even worse than MK on a rainy Friday in December......the pubs and restaurants are all appalling...as for the users: rowers and kayaks all over the place......dinghies and narrow boats getting in everyone's way.....rude/arrogant MoBo's creating massive wash which could drown you.....the whole expeirience is so stressful that I may give it up for ever.

Stay away: it's vile :D

EDIT: ps......and my boat is a 12 minute drive from home so long as the lights are green :D
Click to expand...

sounds like a typical relaxing weekend over the pond to Cowes from Southampton:D been doing far too much lounging around recently, so venturing back in to the boaty forums and you never know, I may just get the next boat sometime soon so can do it in real life too... been boatless for nearly a month now when considering the point the buyer made the decision to purchase... going stir crazy already without something to fettle with:o
 
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