Thames Mooring- Tower Bridge to Southend

[vjmehra]

I'm looking to move our RIB out of central London as the new speed limits effectively make it a bit pointless to stay there now, however I'm struggling to find somewhere. Can anyone recommend any marinas/pontoon's further out than Gallions Reach (Limehouse is full, as is South Dock)?

[Sibbo90]

Hiya, i am no help with suggestions on moorings but can you give me a simplified explanation of the speed limit and start/ finish points? (easily identifiable landmarks would be helpful).

Fancy a run up there but dont want to be chugging along in the slow lane.

Thanks.

[ppenman]

If you log onto www.pla.co.uk you'll get all the info you need.

[Sibbo90]

Originally Posted by ppenman

If you log onto www.pla.co.uk you'll get all the info you need.

Jeez.......... can't the PLA afford admin staff to type up a new version of the byelaws!!!!

The critical information that leisure users need to know seems to be buried within a mountain of other detail......... unless i missed it??

[ChristopherA]

Woolwich yacht club , Gravesend basin , or come round the corner into the Medway, a much more recreational river .

[vjmehra]

Teddington Lock to Westminster Bridge- 8knots
Westminster Bridge to Hermitage Wharf- 30 knots (if you meet the extensive criteria)
Hermitage Wharf to North Greenwich- 12 knots
North Greenwich to Margaretness- 30 knots (if you meet the extensive criteria)

Criteria:
AIS Transponder
Local Knowledge Endorsement
RYA Advanced Powerboat
Approval from the PLA (they need to check your boat I believe)
If you are on your own, you must have advanced powerboat, however for no apparent reason if you have any passengers at least one must have RYA Powerboat Level 2

If you do not meet these, then you are restricted to 12 knots!

Personally I think the 2nd crew member being required to have an RYA qualification is ridiculous as it means the end of social RIBbing on the Thames.

Hopefully a few people agree with this and make their displeasure known to the PLA.

[vjmehra]

Thanks ChristopherA, although I'm having some difficulty finding Woolwich Yacht club, do they definitely still exist?

Gravesend Basin, is this the correct address:

The Embankment Marina - The Marina and Mooring Facility on the Thames

Those prices look worse than Central London!

On the Medway, can you recommend anywhere (I don't have a car, so near a train station)?

[rigi36]

why are none of these speed limits on the 2012 user guide?

[vjmehra]

They are:

http://www.pla.co.uk/pdfs/maritime/N...RINT_FINAL.pdf

I suspect you may have a version from earlier this year.

[rigi36]

It doesn't match up with what you have written though.

The guide says:
Teddington Lock - Wandsworth Bridge, 8 knots
HSC zone from Wandsworth bridge to Lambeth bridge
Lambeth bridge - Hermitage wharf, 12 knots
Downstream of Hermitage wharf is HSC zone.

No mention of speed limits in HSC zones or am I missing something?

[vjmehra]

Yep, read the small print, in the box with the red border.

Actually I got it slightly wrong, Wandsworth to Lambeth is 25 knots not 30 knots!

[rigi36]

All that says is that there are high speed craft navigating up to 30 knots and that you should stay to STBD. No mention of 12 knot speed limit in HSC zones.

There is not speed limit in the yellow zones - that's just a warning that fast craft travel up to 30/25 knots.

[vjmehra]

Hmm, actually you're right, it doesn't say it, but it is the case, I have had lenghtly arguements with the PLA on the subject!

I have a pdf, but its too big to upload, if anyone wants the full details feel free to PM me.

I am still arguing with the PLA on the subject and may request a Judicial Review, but this won't change the limits, at best it may change the criteria required for the exemption certification.

[rigi36]

Ok - they havent made it very clear that we should be low speed in the HSC zones unless we have been 'ok'd' to go up to the 25/30knots.

[vjmehra]

Got it:

http://www.pla.co.uk/pdfs/maritime/1...s_Byelaws1.pdf

Section 16.3

[EnglishLes]

Originally Posted by vjmehra

If you are on your own, you must have advanced powerboat, however for no apparent reason if you have any passengers at least one must have RYA Powerboat Level 2.

Passengers doesn't include crew so if I met the other criteria, I would take a navigator, look-out, first-aider, child-minder, steward if I ever went on the Thames but no passengers.

[Sibbo90]

Originally Posted by vjmehra

Teddington Lock to Westminster Bridge- 8knots
Westminster Bridge to Hermitage Wharf- 30 knots (if you meet the extensive criteria)
Hermitage Wharf to North Greenwich- 12 knots
North Greenwich to Margaretness- 30 knots (if you meet the extensive criteria)

Criteria:
AIS Transponder
Local Knowledge Endorsement
RYA Advanced Powerboat
Approval from the PLA (they need to check your boat I believe)
If you are on your own, you must have advanced powerboat, however for no apparent reason if you have any passengers at least one must have RYA Powerboat Level 2

If you do not meet these, then you are restricted to 12 knots!

Personally I think the 2nd crew member being required to have an RYA qualification is ridiculous as it means the end of social RIBbing on the Thames.

Hopefully a few people agree with this and make their displeasure known to the PLA.

Thanks, that's a lot easier than reading through all that PLA guff!!

Sorry to have hijacked your thread.

[rigi36]

westminster should be wandsworth though in the description.