Tidal Thames meet 18-19 Aug 2018

Hi Molemot, the difficulty with a locked marina would be only being able to exit at certain times either side of HW meaning on the run back up river we would be fighting the ebb for part of the journey. Leaving from the pier, (which incidentally has been much improved recently and certainly in the 37 years since your visit) There would be no need to struggle with a dinghy as you can walk ashore at all states of the tide, in the event of huge uptake in cruisers we can do a ferry service to and from the buoys, suspect this will be unnecessary though.

Another possibility, Kate I would appreciate your thoughts on feasibility.

August 25th 13.22 Half lock opens - 19.58 Low water tilbury 
6.5 hours cruising to Town Pier.

August 26th  08.05 Low water Tilbury -  14.59 High Water Limehouse
6.5 hours cruising to Limehouse.

August 27th  12.00 exit Limehouse (2 Hours after low water) 16.26 High Water Richmond. 4.5 Hours cruising to Richmond. 

Assuming this works it would save one lot of Limehouse fees, there is always the option for some crews to overnight at Limehouse on the Friday to make more of a trip.

Please note the cruising times I have mentioned are not assuming it will take that long, its how long we would have before fighting the tide/ebb

Waiting above Richmond half tide lock will be very familiar to the Prof... it's just like Wacky Races....everyone jockeying for position(!) Then the gates go up and...THEY'RE OFF!! You are "fighting the tide" for the first bit, but it doesn't impede you too much. I've been in and out of Limehouse several times on a friend's boat, and it's most agreeable. Good chinese restaurants in easy walking distance, pubs ditto. I wouldn't underestimate the water disturbance caused by the likes of the Bow Belle as she comes past, and all the other shipping going outbound and inbound on the tide....not as bad on a 46 footer, but on a 22 foot Freeman one can end up sleeping on the floor(!)

lateral thinking here, sleep on the floor to begin with:)

Got rolled out of bed by a passing Police launch at 2am once...in Paris, that was!

Or, do we make the whole thing more sedate in its inaugural year and do Richmond down to the barrier and back to overnight in Limehouse or similar.  We know that is definitely achievable because both Kate and Olive have shown us the way:)

Pat, messaged you this morning re dates, its in my outbox, not sent box?

That's because I hadn't picked it up until now Chris

Heard back from Gallions point, who say they couldn't accommodate us, possibly because they're embroiled in an eviction war with Sadiq Khan.  South Dock aren't prepared to book that far in advance ??? Limehouse have verbally agreed that there should be no problem, but so far have failed to respond to 3 emails requesting confirmation, followed up again today but got an out of office reply.  More news when I have some.
Chris

We Have lift off, Limehouse have confirmed they can take us and made a booking for that date.  
"Please accept apologies you have not received a reply. I have provisionally booked the date you requested, it will be necessary to raft. Our current group  visitor tariff is £3.42 per meter per night.We will need details of vessels and owners approximately a month before your arrival. In addition we will also need to arrange lock bookings.  
Regards
Phil

Phil Cotman
General Manager
BWML LOndon  

Have emailed back to thank and confirm

Hi,
I am new to this forum but not to freemans...I have had Minerva 2 a F23 for 25 years. I am moored at teddington since I fancied the excitement of the tidal river, and I was given confidence by the PLA who come and rescue you if you pan-pan on ch14!
Having said all that I have only managed Wandsworth bridge from teddington, but then I was on my own. It's like being in a bathtub and there's a lot of junk in the river down there. Suddenly my F23 protruding rudder and prop feel v vulnerable.
For tidal Thames you need about 30m anchor rope I think.
Getting into limehouse can be interesting
I was drinking at the pub there and this 42 foot £300 k cruiser had to use all its thrust to get in and took 3 attempts. When it did it smashed against the wall. I don't quite understand the risk conditions there that make it so hard to get in.
I have just had a hell of a weekend...boat cutting out all the time. I discovered my fuel pump diaphragm has been slowly deteriorating and blocking the float jet filter with fibrous cludge....but only after numerous stallings and mid river anchor maintenance!!! Glad it wasn't on the tidal!
Rupert

...having said all that...I am up for a tidal flotilla!
Rupert

Hello Rupert, we always sail past Minerva on our boat Ingle, did a lot of my beginners steering practice past the Anglers at the 'rapids' (the weir). We are moored on our 23 at Brentford.
I didnt know the PLA did that. They've stopped us once or twice but luckily never needed to tow us!
Don't know about 30m but you defo need an anchor of good length. Our engine once cut out at Waterloo Bridge surrounded by clippers and all kinds of traffic. Apparently the bathtub motion had shook up some dirt into the engine. But the boat was newer to us then and the engine had been dormant for a lot of years before we bought her.
Yep, getting into Limehouse might be tricky but I know even at Brentford you sometimes have to fight the tide to get in.
Past Wandsworth the water gets a lot choppier, between Westminster to Limehouse is probably the most lumpy. The bridges create currents and the bigger boats create wash. But it's fun when you get used to it. The thing that made a big difference to us is lots of ballast. 
A friend of ours filmed us sailing past Wapping last Sat, not sure how to share that on here but might be useful to people?? Kate

What format is the film in? Is it on YouTube by any chance? If so there's a YouTube icon in the toolbar when you post, just paste a link into the pop-up

it's an mp4, its just on my desktop, maybe I need to join youtube and stick it on there. It's only 40 secs shot on an iPhone. Of no interet to anyone except Freeman Folk

There are a few Freeman clips already there

you're right! I am gripped. Need to stop watching. Early start tomorrow

Kate, it's worth joining the TTNC if you haven't already...Tidal Thames Navigational Club. It's free and run by the PLA. They email navigational notices and intended river closures, events and the like. Also they offer free trips on their launches from time to time so you can meet the people that might one day save you!
I know you use your phone but a VHF handheld although old tech nowadays still provides useful broadcast info so I have one even though boats our size don't have to.
Have you ever moored up at Hurlingham yacht club buoys or at imperial wharf? Hurlingham lookalike a nice friendly place under the railway bridge with a bar to boot! You would need a dinghy to get over there...they also have a floating dry dock and I have seen a freeman in there once.

Re anchor... I think they recommend 5m chain 25m rope. I actually have 3m chain 20m rope. If you break down near the edge eg at Barnes bridge, on an ebb there is a real danger you could ground... even 30m might not be enough to let yourself out into the midstream. On an F23 if the prop petal is at 6 o'clock it's the lowest point and under weight the bronze bends like butter. The rudders have no protection either and can ping off. I have experienced both.
Your ballast is interesting...i have a seagull century on the back for get out of jail card... but maybe a couple of spare seagulls would make good ballast too!
If you got rust in the fuel tank, take it out and clean it out. Your fuel filter should tell you a lot about the state of that. And after the weekend I have had I would encourage all petrol engine owners of 50 year old ford engines to get the fuel pump and carb refurb kits off Andrew at sheridan and either yourself or get a mechanic to fit them. They are not expensive and I think I can attribute my last 3 breakdowns to this now. On one of the breakdowns I went aground and it cost me a new prop.
Rupert

So keeping on topic my tidal thames checklist for F23 was:
1) long anchor rope plus spare anchor to pull out the rear
2) vhf radio
3) fish finer echo 151 with rear fitted transponder
Tells me how much water I got underneath me plus picture of fish and other Thames junk just as it's about to hit the prop
4) Prop cutter...just a simple blade between p backet and prop...yep I have had nylon rope round there that didn't reverse off and melted itself into the mother of all prop stoppers... but on the tidal there is wire and industrial sheeting that you can do nothing about...just luck.
4) seagull century...it's light at 20kg and can just about push the F23. At full throttle there is enough water past the keel to use the rudder but at lower speeds you need to turn the seagull which is awkward.

5) check insurance...I think inland waterways means up to Thames barrier...but worth checking.

Many inland policies will give you a few days tidal..... check it carefully.

Hi, It was mentioned on the facebook page that there is a "registration" page. As a newbie I may be being dumb, but can't find it? Any hits?

Ta

Click on events at the top of the page