River cruising

[Happy Bachelor]

Hi all hope you are enjoying your Sunday evening.

So far my experience of cruising has been limited to the canals however I will soon be extending that to rivers. Therefore as a complete river novice I would welcome any advise you experienced guys and galls can offer.

I don't have a particular river in mind as yet just seeking general advise please.

Gary

NB The Happy Bachelor ?

[Bettie Boo]

hey Gary,

 

firstly we are not experts on river cruising by any means, and have Very limited river experience. But, we did spend 5 weeks cruising the non-tidal Thames this past Aug & Oct and I can highly recommend it for river novices like us. Mind you that was based on summer cruising with little to no risk of floods / strong flows. We thoroughly enjoyed it, but are safely tucked up on the GU again for the winter months.

 

We made sure we had appropriate anchors (2 mid size ones as we're a WB), and the proper flotation devices & enough pins to set springs if need be.

 

There are many other's on the forum, who are experienced river cruising folk and I'm sure they will be along shortly to let you know all the in's & out's of river cruising.

 

Have fun with it

[rgreg]

Ensure your engine is properly serviced. Have a suitable anchor and life jacket. Don't cut corners. On tidal rivers follow advice of lock keepers and know where you are going. Moor facing upstream where possible and tie up securely but not too tightly. Enjoy; river cruising offers another dimension to boating.

[Naughty Cal]

Moor using spring lines.

[mrsmelly]

HI

 

Much good advice so far. River cruising is fab, you get water under the boat and will find it moocho better to handle. If you intend going on any commercial river please please please invest a very small sum in a vhf radio a major piece of safety equipment often overlooked by both the novice and so called experienced boater.

Listen to weather forecasts and if on a stretch with manned locks especialy tidal sections of say the Trent have the courtesy to ask as far in advance as is sensible the lockeepers advice. I also have most manned uk lock tel numbers in my phone contacts list just in case.

 

Enjoy

 

Tim

[benfordboy]

You will come into contact with a lot of GRP craft on rivers. On smaller rivers like the Soar (in fact most apart from the Thames!), etiquette can be different if you haven't encountered many GRP craft - Steel in first , GRP out first - Let them past if they come up behind as most of us will wait at the next lock for you & indeed have it ready for you to sail straight into !!

[oarfish]

The non tidal Thames doesn't take much getting used to at all when its behaving itself - huge locks full of GRP boats and bloody rowers everywhere are the main difference. Also getting overtaken on the canal is much rarer And yes, learn to use spring lines if there are fast cruisers around or (at best) you will have a bumpy time. Nobody passes you at tickover and the speed limit is much higher than the ditch.

[Keeping Up]

You will come into contact with a lot of GRP craft on rivers.

 

Not too literally, hopefully.

[gazza]

You will come into contact with a lot of GRP craft on rivers. On smaller rivers like the Soar (in fact most apart from the Thames!), etiquette can be different if you haven't encountered many GRP craft - Steel in first , GRP out first - Let them past if they come up behind as most of us will wait at the next lock for you & indeed have it ready for you to sail straight into !!

Top bit advice.

 

Too many think we are in for a race when in actual fact we are trying to be of help.

 

A quick chat at the now ready lock makes it clear.

Being too fat to go out first we go in last and zip by on the open river

[Richard T]

There is plenty of good information on this forum about most of the rivers you are going to go on. Do a search to find it. If in doubt start a new thread and one or more of the regulars on that river will give advice. For example there is me, Benfordboy, Ally, Matty40S, Trackman and Mrsmelly and others who all know the Soar and the Trent between Shardlow and Newark very well and are more than willing to give advice. Otherwise some of the local boat yards have staff who know the river and will tell you about its problems especially when in flood. Matty40s is the resident expert on this forum on the use of locks as emergency moorings!!

We enjoy a mixture of river and canal which is one of the reasons why we moor on a river despite living only 15mins from a canal with several marinas to moor in.

[Phil Ambrose]

If cruising on tidal waters do ask advice regarding tides, the river is so different on spring tides or neap tides and all points inbetween also ask advice about expected rise and fall at any given place and at whatever state of tide is current. It's not unknown for boats to be hung up on mooring lines if tied too tight and the tide drops.

Take it easy and enjoy yourself.

Phil

[nebulae]

Cruising on rivers is great fun .Only chance you get to blow the cobwebs out of your engine .As said,make sure you have an anchor,plenty of warps and lifejackets .Obviously ,tidal rivers are a different challenge to non tidal. Before venturing on tidal rivers,seek local knowledge.I found the navigation instructions published by(Cant remember the name,local boating club?) to be very helpfull on the Trent.

[keble]

To add to the excellent advice above, be aware that you usually can't moor anywhere you want.

So do some research before you go.

This is particularly important for "comfort" stops. Your crew should be able to take the tiller when nature calls!

[Naughty Cal]

To add to the excellent advice above, be aware that you usually can't moor anywhere you want.

So do some research before you go.

This is particularly important for "comfort" stops. Your crew should be able to take the tiller when nature calls!

They should also be able to take the helm and safely handle the boat in case of emergency.

 

You should also know how to get a man over board back on board.

[Scholar Gypsy]

At a slightly more prosaic level, I tend to start early in the morning, and aim to moor early in the afternoon.

 

Moorings can be more tricky on rivers compared to canals. Although I have two mud anchors if necessary, it is not much fun cruising for two hours later than planned in order to find somewhere to tie up.

[Naughty Cal]

On that note be prepared to raft up as moorings do tend to be at a premium.

 

And don't leave big spaces between you and the next boat. (If you do you are likely to find a small cruiser sneaking into the gap )

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi ya,

All Good advice given above,

 

I would add that it's like most things in everyday life, maybe a bit more thought to be given to your trip while having your morning coffee before setting off,and remember, Things tend to happen Faster and with greater effect on say a Motorway, Than Trundleing down a Farm Track If you was in a car !.

 

If choosing to cruise on a River with a Fair flow running, don't under estimate the forces if and

when trying to turn, sometimes it's far better to Reverse, even if it's a hundred meters or so, than to be caught Beam on in the current.

 

Enjoy, It can be Fun an very rewarding.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[blackrose]

I think you'd need to give a bit more detail on which rivers you're intending to go onto and at which time of year to get more specific replies.

 

For example, on the Thames there is a good deal of up to date information pertaining to river conditions. It's always worth having a look at this webpage and keeping it handy if you have a smartphone.

 

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

 

Other river authorities may not give such detailed information.

 

http://www.avonnavigationtrust.org/index.php?id=15

 

In summer you're less likely to get flood conditions on rivers, but you never know so it's wise to look before you go. If you do notice that heavy downpours or lengthy periods of rain (or even snow melting in the catchment area) are expected, then you need to find a safe mooring, where the boat won't drift over the land if it floods. For these (and other) reasons you need to have lots more rope onboard than you do on the canals.

Edited February 2, 2015 by blackrose

[Water Rat.]

We managed the tidal Thames,The Avon, Severn, Weaver, Soar and Trent last year. A very different experience from canals! Very lovely, but far more stressful then canals. Prepare well, watch the weather and be sure your engine is serviced before you go.

[Tom Richmond]

Surprised no one has mentioned fuel... If there is dirt in the bottom of your tank, it can get stirred up if you start to bump around a little on a river and if it makes it into the fuel lines it can stall the engine, not what you want when the river is flowing fast! Dip your tank and check the bottom, if it's mucky then it'll need flushing through. Also a full tank will always be safer than a half empty one.

[Naughty Cal]

It's also worth noting that in the larger manned locks you will usually be expected to secure the boat fore and aft and turn off your engine.

[john6767]

It's also worth noting that in the larger manned locks you will usually be expected to secure the boat fore and aft and turn off your engine.

Is there anywhere other than the Thames where you have to turn the engine off?

[Scholar Gypsy]

Is there anywhere other than the Thames where you have to turn the engine off?

 

It is requested (via signs) on the Great Ouse system. I think not on the Nene (see here).

[Naughty Cal]

Is there anywhere other than the Thames where you have to turn the engine off?

The Trent.

 

The Ouse.

 

Hull Marina (if you venture down that far)

 

If you are in the lock alone they may not ask you to turn it off, but if sharing and there are lots of boats in the lock then they can and do request you turn off your engine.

[OldGoat]

Turning the engine off is no big deal (unless of course you have a semi-diesel engine). Would you enjoy being in a lock together with other diesel engine boats all, chucking smoke??)

 

A point that folks miss when talking about rivers, especially those which meander around - is that the stream (water flow) does strange things to a boat, if you are not aware. For example - ALWAYS pick up a mooring with you bow facing upstream, because you have much more control. There are folks on here - full of bravado - who say that's rubbish. Methinks that may be because they've only cruised at times when there's very little flow. Even so it can be awkward to slot into a tight mooring with the river meanwhile pushing you downstream.