Thames camping cruise

Nghost · 10 September 2003, 14:28

Having spent the summer in the US I came back in serious need of ribbing.
So went off for a 4 day trip from Eel Pie Island to Letchlade on the Thames.
This is the camp site on the final night a few miles upstream from Oxford.
Shame about the 5mph speed limit

Biggles · 10 September 2003, 14:44

gingercoastie · 10 September 2003, 15:39

Where do you put the tent pegs?

Alex Brown · 10 September 2003, 17:18

I really like that idea, great pic

Looking at that, with a couple of windows in that tent at the front and down the sides, you could have quite a good sheltered rib for bad weather - wonder whether it would stay in place at speed though.... what holds it in place?

-Alex

Nghost · 11 September 2003, 07:05

I gave up on the tent pegs they made the tubes soft.
So instead I strung a couple of luggage bungies under the boat and hooked them on to the tent loops.

Was wondering about a "mobile" version but as one tent pole gos to the wheel and the other the engine steering could be a problem.

Next project is to make a seating system that converts to a bed.

Biggles · 11 September 2003, 22:13

You guys are nuts.

Need any company then let me know. I live in Hampshire and have a small RIB. I would like some company so drop me a line and I will come out with you,

Nick Reis

Nghost · 12 September 2003, 11:40

Life is so much more fun when you are mad. After all any one getting onto a board kept afloat with an air filled rubber bag, then heading out to sea has got to be mad!

we we are just about to pack up for the winter. but have a couple of Ideas for the spring including a trip from pool round the south coast to .....? howfar you can go on a day trip.
We may even go round the IOW but as we did that this year we may give that a miss.

I will post here and let you know when we next do a significant trip.

We are out tomorow doing sea (river) trials of a 15 Hp 4 stroke on my rib to se if it will plain. But thats just a few hours of tinkering.

Brian · 12 September 2003, 14:45

I reckon from Sennen Cove or Mousehole to the Scillies might be interesting!
The Pentland Firth already having been done!

gingercoastie · 12 September 2003, 15:14

Brian put me down for that one (if I ever get the boat fixed).

CJL · 17 September 2003, 08:40

I`m glad I'm not the only one who went up the thames this summer in a RIB.

All the lock keepers and the narrow boat owners thought we were mad taking a 6.5 Delta and a 5.85 Ribcraft up to Marlow!

We were very restrained and only broke the speed limit on one occassion when a gin palace drove at us cause the driver was determined to get past us at 20knotts!

Despite this it was a very good trip, fininshed off with a blast down to central London. (No speed limit!)

If any body is interested in following our footsteps I have an itinery and list of campsites.

Chris.

gingercoastie · 17 September 2003, 08:43

CGL

I would be very interested in your info please.

CJL · 17 September 2003, 10:04

PM with your email address.
Its in a word file and it wont transfer over very easily

Mike C · 18 September 2003, 16:55

CJL,

How did you get on with the 'Boat Safety Scheme Certificate' restrictions.... or are they less bothered if you come up by water from London for a short jaunt?

I always used to take my RIB for run near Henley at the end of the season to de-salt it.... but now you need a certificate to get a licence so I gave up!

Mike C

CJL · 19 September 2003, 08:32

We were not even asked at Teddington but they did have a look over the boat.

They were more interested in the type of boat than what was on it.

I think as long as they can see the basics they are not bothered. We had throw lines, horse shoe, life rings, and life jackets as a matter of course.

I think they are more bothered about sealing toilets and the narrow boat cruisers who dont have a clue how to drive.

It would be very difficult for them to stop you and unless you drove too fast or blatantly had no safety gear.

CJL

Mike C · 19 September 2003, 11:54

Thanks for that!

I think the secret is to come in by water, (I presume you just bought your temp licence at Teddington?)
The trouble is, buying one anywhere else, (which you need to do if you want to launch inland), you have to show your BSS Certificate which requires an inspection and a fee! It's more to do with having the right number of fire extinguishers and the right place to put your calor gas bottles than how many life jackets you have! It's very comprehensive too, even down to the fact that the fuel filler has to be placed so that any spilt fuel goes over the side, rather than in the bilge! Bit tricky on a RIB that one!
A friend of mine with a dainty river cabin cruiser was refused his certificate because one of his fire extinguishers was last years colour! You should see the number of moans there are about the Boat Safety Scheme in the Inland Waterway magazines! It’s a good idea in principle but they seem to be a bit over zealous…. And that means we can’t pootle through Pangbourne for the day! Oh well!

Lets hope they never do a SEA Boat safety scheme, at least to that degree of silliness!

Mike C

CJL · 19 September 2003, 12:24

Yes we did buy at Teddington.

Have you tried buying your pass without your boat there?
I think you can buy at the Agency's reading office and all the locks.

You could turn up on foot, buy your ticket, stick your sticker on for the day and Bobs your uncle! (Do not stick it on something important - they do not come off!)

Thames Conservancy Act aside I believe they would need a statutory warrant to board your boat for an inspection. (Only about 20% of Agency staff have these)

We did not have a cooker or anything like that fitted to the boat so it was relatively simple.

Mike C · 19 September 2003, 12:38

I thought you had to put your BSS Certificate number on the long winded application form?

And from memory, Reading no longer issue ticket across the counter. You can only get them by post from Teddington. And although they SAY you can buy a licence from any lock, the lock keepers just give you a 'no licence' bit of paper which you fill in later.... Then at the end of the year you get a stroppy letter from the NRA, (or whatever it is now), asking why you don't buy a licence. (They got a stroppy letter back from me about how difficult it was to buy a single day licence.... but it did no good!)

(By the way, I hire narrow boats most years.... and I CAN drive!)

Mike C

Mike C · 19 September 2003, 13:04

Well..... I shall answer myself!

Having got intrigued by this, I have just phoned The Environment Agency to get the latest info!

For a visitors licence, you do not need to give a BSS number. You just need to declare that your boat conforms to the Boat Safety Scheme.... which of course mine does, to the best of my knowledge!

Reading still does NOT sell visitor licences, but SOME locks in addition to Teddington are! (At the moment, these are Boveney, Shiplake, Sonning, Caversham, Mapledurham and Culham). More are to do so in the future. However, you cannot just buy a licence on foot, you need to be with the boat so they can see it, (whether on the trailer will do, I didn't ask)!
Second however…. at the moment if you launch away from one of the prescribed locks, you will receive a 'no licence' notice from the first lock you come to. When you subsequently buy a licence from a prescribed lock later on your travels, you will need to ring Reading and "tie the two up". That way, you won't get the stroppy letter at the end of the year!

All clear now then?

Right, when do we organise a 4 knot rib raid to Henley then to scare the s***t out of the locals!

Mike C

Charles · 19 September 2003, 13:09

My Rib cannot do 4 knots !!

Mike C · 19 September 2003, 13:10

Well just stick it in reverse every now and again!