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Planning next cruise - Thames/Basingstoke/K&A


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In between fitting out the boat, I am actually, slowly making my way around the network :)

I'm currently on the Lea, having thoroughly enjoyed a summer on both the Lea and the Stort. However, I'm keen to try pastures new now and the K&A is looking favourite. While I'm heading that way it seems sensible to explore the Basingstoke and also the river down to Godalming.

However, I'm very unsure of procedures on the Thames (should I try coming out at Limehouse or play safe and go back through London to emerge at Brentford?) How long the various stretches of the Thames take, where to moor and the licenses available. I'm thinking it would be silly to buy a gold license with only two months left? I'm a cc'er with a 62ft nb. I've been looking at maps and reading up but just confused at the moment.

If anyone has advice or can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

thanks

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Coming out of lime house, I am not sure of the current requirements search tidal thames, Brentford you just need to call a few days  before to arrange passage (takes about an hour on the incoming tide). A 1 day license should easily get you to the River Wey but note you will need another license for the Wey and the Basingstoke (I do not think the BW license covers these 2, NT I think). When you come out of the wey do so in the morning and a 1 day license should get you to the kennet but as they have said with Blakes closed you might be better off where you are or looking up the grand union    

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Hey thanks for the info. That lock closure is going to put a serious crimp in my plans. Unless I can get through there by the end of the month I guess, but I don't feel prepared yet. I had assumed the Wey and Basingstoke were EA also - more problems :(

I've done the GU, at least southbound, and all of London of course.

Can you get like a cc'er license for NT waterways?

Can NT licenses be bought easily ie at the last minute online or at the lock or whatever?

Also - just seen the map - there's almost 40 locks between the Wey and the K&A (crt territory) so would take me a good few days.

Edited by Johny London
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https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/633900/RT_investment_prog_2017-18_-_Issue_1_map.pdf

Closures all along that stretch, from 30th Oct to varying finish times.

The Basingstoke I thought was crt at least it is on my map, but not so on theirs. Maybe I could spend the winter exploring that and possibly the Wey if I can get a sensible license.

Edited by Johny London
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If you want the main sights of the river through London, adventure, some waves coming at you from big boats, and the need for a VHF licence, come out at Limehouse.

If you want the slower, less glamorous and safer route, potter along the Paddington Arm, left at Bulls Bridge and come out at Brentford.

You need an EA licence, bought at the first of their manned locks you come to, when on the Thames anywhere from Teddington Lock (the end of the tidal part) up river all the way to Lechlade. The options for temporary use are one day (which actually gives you the day you buy it plus the next day), or a week which is better value for money (I forget the figures, but not twice as much)

Depending on the tide timetable (you need to leave Brentford in a window leading up towards high tide), you should be able to do from there to the Wey in one day.

The Wey is run by the National Trust who don't like people living aboard their boats long term, and the Basingstoke canal has its own separate licences as well, don't know the details.

It takes about 3 days to do the Wey to Godalming and back if you don't hang about.

From the Wey to Reading I'd allow two days. One at this time of year would be really pushing it or impossible.

Your main decision to make soon is which side of the Blakes Lock closure you want to be for the winter. If the K&A side, you need to get your boat in order then go for it, probably ignoring the Wey and Basingstoke this year. If the Thames side, find out more about visitor's licences for the Wey and Basingstoke then plan accordingly, maybe using a one day EA licence to reach Weybridge then later a week's licence to do Weybridge to Oxford (maybe including a side trip on the upper Thames)

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Thank you for the info Peter - just about all I could ask for.

I've found out that the Basingstoke charge £90 for a month, and it appears 28 days is all you are allowed as a visiting boat. Every lock has to be booked in advance, all part of the fun I guess.

The way charges £100 for up to 21 days. I can obviously phone and try to find out more - for example if the Basingstoke would renew me another month. (The Way certainly wont - it's another £25 for each day over!). Also, if the crt license can be refunded for that period. I'm thinking I could potter my way along, spend 2-3 months doing those two and by then the K&A would be ready. I don't think I will make it if I try to get to the K&A in 10 days, I'm single handed, quite literally since injuring a finger :(

Neither of the above seem to really want any visiting boats.

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I can only speak for the Wey (the Basingstoke was under repair when we were there), but there aren't many usable mooring out of season as it's really a river navigation and collects a lot of water - so you need good moorings to hold you. The banks are soft so a pleasant summer mooring may be unsuitable for out of season use. I suspect there may be stiff competition  for moorings with rings / bollards. Being so near to London and other centres, there's competition for space and the NT - being a law unto themselves can and do chase folks off. Fair enough - it's their property.

Not only is Thames Lock closed but there are other Thames closures this season which could make life difficult - not to mention the ever present risk of floods to both rivers. On made up moorings with rings and bollards it's unpleasant, but on pins it can be very unpleasant indeed.

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I think you face a bit of a dilemma here, as the Blakes Lock closure is scheduled to last 5 months. If you leave soon and manage to spend a month each on the Wey, Basingstoke and Thames, you'll still have two months to go before you can enter the K&A. I haven't been up the Wey a lot, basically to Woking and back last year, and Godalming and back this year, but I can imagine that like most rivers things might get difficult if the level rises.

I looked up the Thames prices here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/569952/LIT_10600.pdf

and it seems that as a 62' narrowboat you'd be a "visiting launch" of 36-40 sq metres (they charge by area). Hence it'd be £70.50 for a week or £191.50 for a month.

Or if you leave it until January and buy a year on the Thames as a "Class C Launch" that appears to be about £650 at 2017 prices. Depending on your plans maybe a gold licence would suit you?

I think it's quite possible to cc on the Thames so long as you move on every day? Under the new "Thames Visitor Moorings" scheme, there are lots of moorings which are free for the first night provided you phone them to tell them each time you moor up, but the notices have dire legal warnings about the high cost of staying any longer.

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Hi, when you say the Thames, which bits are you talking about? I'm presuming the main Thames will be very difficult to moor but was wondering what it is like between Weybridge and Reading, and more probably from Reading up toward Oxford. (I think the lock closure is just after the Oxford turn off?).

I am thinking to kill the rest of the year stopping two weeks at a time in several places on the Lea, then whizz through London and stop at Bulls bridge and maybe once more near the bottom of the canal toward my exit to the Thames. Then do 28 days on the Basingstoke, 21 on the Wey, and either another 28 on the Basingstoke or just kill time meandering that last bit of the Thames toward Reading if mooring is possible.

Would buy a gold license strategically, I think. Do you need to have a crt license running concurrently when doing the Basingstoke and Wey? I'll give each of the relevant authorities a call in the week.

There's no way I can get to Reading in a week or so from here.

I'm all about taking my time :) And there's plenty still to do on the boat.

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A Gold is a good idea if you're going to flip in and out - as you intend to do anyway. Even so you need to calculate how much time you think you'll stay on the River at one time. A Gold runs from January to December only but you'll get a refund from CaRT for any unexpired portion of your  current licence.

You don't have to have a Crt licence for either the Wey or Basingstoke  and IIRC you can get a 'special' licence or a deal (a long time since I was on the Wey) to include access? to the B'stoke.

The Thames is effectively closed to you until January as the second two locks are closed from 30th. October.

There are plenty of places on the Thames where you can moor as well as the official ones, but they are all without bollards and may involve mooring to a tree or two. They're becoming fewer and fewer as the place is getting full of barges.  On some it's difficult to get ashore... 

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Beware of the Wey over the winter ... it can go into flood quite quickly. There are some places to moor on the canal sections, but otherwise it is very shallow at the edges.

The Basingstoke is usually closed over the winter for maintenance.

I echo the point that Weybridge to Reading in one day is too much. It's around 60 lock miles. And Bell Weir lock is closed from 30 October to mid-December.

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Blakes Lock, the closure I know of, is at Reading; it's the first lock you come to when you turn off the Thames into the Kennet heading for the K&A.

My comments about moorings on the Thames, and the Thames Visitor Moorings scheme, applied to the whole non tidal river from Teddington up to Lechlade; for anyone on the move, it really isn't too hard to find an overnight mooring that's free, and there are also others where the riparian land owner will allow mooring for a fee. My various trips on the Thames have always been as crew on a boat whose owner/skipper was going somewhere and had no intention of taking their time, so I'm not sure how hard it gets if you want to linger longer.

A CRT licence is only mandatory on CRT waters, however other navigation authorities (here the EA, the NT and the Basingstoke Canal) will of course expect you to have your safety certificate. Usually a boat coming onto the Thames will have a CRT licence, so the EA staff know that if they see that they don't need to see the BSS.

It does sound as if staying on the Lea for some time yet suits your purposes best, subject to whatever stoppages and/or flood conditions you might then encounter on the Thames/Wey/Basingstoke during the winter months.

However if you do want to dash to the K&A before the 30th October, there is still time. But you'd need to go through central London on Tuesday, do Brentford to Teddington some time on Thursday subject to tides, and then keep going using most of the available daylight. Given your finger problem, you'd also need crew, particularly for the 20+ locks through London; the Thames locks (but not Blakes Lock) are all electric powered, you just have to push buttons if there's no lock keeper on duty. If you change your mind and can't press gang a friend or relative, I'd be willing to come along for that trip to get you to Reading.

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Mike, I'll give the Wey and the Basingstoke authorities a call to find out what the state of play is over the foreseeable.

Peter - thank you for the offer, I'm tempted. It's a hell of a lot of locks though - 36 going via London to arrive at Brentford :( I don't think I know enough to go out at Limehouse though I guess it would be a lot quicker. I assume you are talking about meeting me at Brentford?

One other problem, I need to service the engine (though I have all the parts) and check the weed hatch as I'm pretty sure somethings round the prop. Not a big deal really but another day gone. If only i had another week or two!

I'll think on it today.

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Because of the time constraint of Blakes Lock and you being single handed with a finger injury, I meant I'd meet you somewhere in the East End probably on Tuesday morning because you need help doing all those locks up to Camden then down from Bulls Bridge to Brentford, as well as me saving you time along the Thames. Going onto the river at Limehouse would be faster but I advise against it unless you can take someone (not me) who has done it before and knows how to do it safely. They must have a VHF radio and licence. For the much tamer section going up from Brentford, where VHF is unnecessary, you should have an anchor and lifejackets. By the time you've done two days through London you should feel confident that the engine is in good working order ready for the river.

If you can get the boat ready, I'll focus today and tomorrow on getting myself ready in case I am going to be boating for a week.

I'll send you a PM with my phone number.

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Plans for the Wey this winter:

The following lock closures are planned to take place from November 2017 to February 2018

St Catherine’s Lock: upper lock gates repair

08.00hrs Tuesday 21st November until 08.00hrs Thursday 23rd November 2017

Coxes Lock lower gates replacement postponed until winter 2018/19

Newark Lock: lock gate replacements, full dewater of upper external head walls, repairs & engineering inspection

08.00hrs Monday 22nd January until 08.00hrs Monday 12th February 2018

Work programme and schedule subject to change due to weather and flood events.  For further information please contact the Navigation Office

E: riverwey@nationaltrust.org.uk

T: 01483 561389

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The K&A is a very lovely place to spend the winter, we have done that for the last ten years. Having a go at a more "Northern" winter this year but expect will be back to the K&A next year.

.............Dave

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  • 3 weeks later...

I had a thought - might as well check out the bow back rivers while I pass that way - is it all navigable and under crt? I see several different little bits there, Prescot, Waterworks, Abbey creek, looks interesting. If anyone's explored there do let me know - moorings, time needed etc.

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1 minute ago, Johny London said:

I had a thought - might as well check out the bow back rivers while I pass that way - is it all navigable and under crt? I see several different little bits there, Prescot, Waterworks, Abbey creek, looks interesting. If anyone's explored there do let me know - moorings, time needed etc.

There s no mooring on the Bow Back Rivers apart from the permanent moorings on the Three Mills Wall River

Tim

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