Re: Freeman Forum - Thames meet

[ken cattell]

In anticipation of this going ahead and not wanting one of my fellow engineers at work to book the dates and prevent me doing so I have booked dates off work which would allow me time to bring the boat down to the Reading area and spend the weekend of May 23rd and 24th there. This is the late spring bank holiday weekend of May so would enable attendees a bank holiday monday to start returning home.

I am hopeful of meeting up with Pat when our schedules allow and did suggest that if no -one else wanted to co-ordinate this and no-one else was willing I would give it a bash.

I have looked back through this topic and up to this post think we have the following potential attendees:-
BY car
Deano +1?
RichK +1
Smimritdave +1?

By Boat
Prof P + 1 or 2
Ken +? (dependand on finding a rich blind widow!) + dog

Possible boat/car
Andy (Aston Lady) + 2/3 + dog
Sneddiie +1? + dog
Dermot + 1?

So far around 18 people, 2 to 5 boats and 3 dogs.

I have not organised a boat 'club' meet in the past however I have organised weekend meetes for the Camping and caravan club, BSA owners club, Scouts and even the Wiltshire Probation service. (Dont ask!) And as an ex resident of Pangbourne this is what I propose.

A 2 day meet Saturday 23rd May and Sunday 24th May 2015

Venue. Pangbourns Meadow 1st choice.
Good local parking, Railway Station, Shops, Safe kids playground, Hotels, resturants & take aways, pub/ Club ,
Beale Park (2nd choice.
A little more secluded. Wildlife park.

Possible events. (Weather dependant)
Saturday afternoon. rounders match Thames & Avon Boaters V's Broads & Lakes Boaters (with a return match in August)?
Saturday evening Bar-B-Que, (maybe invite Andrew along from Sheriden to talk about his time at Freemans)?
Sunday:- Short (overladed)? cruise to Mappleduram lock for breakfast (highly recommended) and/or Mappleduram house and Mill (where a lot of The Eagle
as Landed was filmed) or upstream to Beale Park if we are not already moored up there.

Thats the thoughts for now and unless anyone else wishes to take this on (I wont be offended) I propose as the basis for a Thames meet.
I will meet up with Pat and hopefully we can get some type of post on here to firm up numbers of boats, persons, dogs etc attending.

[Liberty]

Hi

Well done for what you have done so far... it sounds great.
I will almost certainly be flying solo and will not be bringing a dog!!!! It hates water!!!
Dean

[Prof Pat Pending]

Sounds great Ken

I'll almost certainly be +2

You can probably include Tony Tugboats in a boat
(don't forget the kind offer for boat transportation folks )

[AstonLady]

Sounds good will try to get the logistics to work and let you know in a few days assuming the thing floats by then as currently missing a keel!
Regards Andy.

[RichK]

Afraid I cannot make May 23rd, being dragged to Birmingham by the wife to see Lord of the Dance with an overnight stay

[sneddie]

Count Barbara and myself plus dog as definitely in. Sounds a good weekend. Really happy for Ken to organise and happy to help if I can. Role on spring.

[AstonLady]

Gutted my opposite no at work already has that weekend off so I can't make it. I just hope it's such a success that another one is arranged for later in the year.

[Prof Pat Pending]

That's a shame Andy

[Prof Pat Pending]

Afraid I cannot make May 23rd, being dragged to Birmingham by the wife to see Lord of the Dance with an overnight stay

Dragged being the operative word?

[Prof Pat Pending]

Copied from the facebook group

Hi guys just read the comments in forum and please count me in! For both events. I can organise the key for the slipway at scours lane as I use it regularly  for those that need it, it does need to be booked in advance tho.

[Admin]

Dates added to calendar

[Dermot]

What dates are we thinking? May or August?  Or both?

[Prof Pat Pending]

May for the Thames, August for the Broads

[RichK]

Damn again, Lord of the Flipping Dance with wife on May one and daughters wedding day for the Broads one.

Whilst on anyone on the Severn take their boat to Upton Upon Severn for the Sunshine Festival ? Got tickets but unsure whether to take boat on 10hr trip there or B&B or camp.

http://www.uptonfestival.co.uk/

[Chris Meyer]

Would love to get to this, and it will perhaps give us a focus since, at the moment, there is currently nothing in the cockpit but 2 engines, and no bulkheads

[F23 flittermouse - RIP]

Damn again, ............... and daughters wedding day for the Broads one.

Get your priorities right Rich,...... Got to be the Broads meet !!!............ 

[ken cattell]

All that fuel to get there and back,overnight hotel, cost of a few beers for your Freeman chums, purchases at a few rarely visited marinas. Expensive weekend. 

Daughters wedding, priceless!

See you on the broads meet 

Hope her/your day goes well.

[Dermot]

The programme for the Thames May Meet sounds great Ken - thanks for organising it  

I'm definitely in - although I live in Kingston-upon-Thames, my new boat is on the River Great Ouse where I'll be spending this season as it's up there and I'd like to take advantage of it.  I will come by car and camp for the weekend (will that be allowed?).  I'll probably be on my own I think but will confirm closer to the time.  Happy to car share from Kingston.

Cheers,
Dermot

[ken cattell]

Thames Meet. Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th May 2015.

I am delighted and just a little relieved to let everyone know we have a venue settled with reserved deep water mooring for the May meet. After more e-mails, meetings and phonecalls than you would need to organinse a middle east peace conference!

So with the kind permission of Peter and Claire Wilson we will be meeting on the East River Bank at South Stoke. 
Camping along side the tow path is ok, bar-b-ques are permissable, beer is available at the village pub "Pearch and Pike."

There is a major landmark for those of you coming by river, it is smack opposite Sheriden Marine at Moulsford.

The nearest most suitable slip for our type of boats I belive remains the Scours Lane Slip at Reading. Tony from Tonys Tug Boats is familuar with this site.

Those comming by road currently have 3 parking options:-
Park in the public carpark at Moulsford and walk up to Sheriden Marine (about 400 yards) then come over by ferry boat.
Park in the church car park (please leave some places for the Sunday church attendees) and come over by ferry boat. There is NO parking available in the Sheriden Marine carpark.
Park at the end of Ferry Lane in South Stoke and walk up the tow path to the meet. I am going to try to improve this option by getting vehicle access onto the land from this point as the small slipway there makes it attractive to canoeist and parking can get tight.

There is still some work to do including a couple of Saturay mornings strimming and cutting back vegitation for the moorings, getting hold of a small boat to use as a ferry to/from Sheridens slip and a few other bits and bobs however we do have a venue now we have got a place with guaranteed moorings.

My appologies to those begining to wonder if this event was just a myth but getting agreement for 130 foot or so of reserved mooring space has been like pushing poo uphill.

Moorings, car parking, attendance is free of charge though I will put out a collection pot for those who wish to contribute to a charity of the landowners choice.

Further details will follow when finalised.

Thanks for your support and interest also thanks to Andrew at Sheridens for his co-operation.

Any comfirmation of attendees and by what means will be welcome.

[Prof Pat Pending]

Nice job Ken

Do we need a small boat for a ferry to Sheridan's? 
I can't think of an occasion when I've not been able to moor there, you can get a 23 on the slip bank and there's usually room for a few more on their moorings.

We'll be 3 arriving by boat with BBQ, food and alcohol on board

Happy to run as river taxi if anyone needs it

[Prof Pat Pending]

The beetle and wedge is also pretty much opposite. Not exactly budget, but rather nice if someone needs a hotel.
http://www.beetleandwedge.co.uk/accommodation.htm

Again, happy to run a river taxi service

[Chris Meyer]

Im sure we of the Up Spirits syndicate could spend a sat with strimmers towards the cause, jury still out on attendance by boat but still hopeful

[Dermot]

Is camping okay?

D

[sneddie]

Well done Ken, your hard work and efforts are very much appreciated. We will be attending by boat, just two plus dog. (I assume well behaved dogs are okay)
As with Pat we will be happy to ferry people if it helps. we will also have alcohol,  food and bbq on board. Lets hope for a few days weather similar to the last two days.
Again thanks for all you have done.
Regards
Kevin.

[Prof Pat Pending]

Looks like it Dermot  Ken said that that camping alongside the towpath is OK.

Failing that there are a couple of campsites at Wallingford which isn't far by boat or car

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