Fenders on SIB?

[Kristian]

Hi,

Hope this isn’t a stupid question (I’m a complete beginner), but I’m planning on taking my sib out on the Thames at Caversham for the first time this summer.

We’re right between the locks at Caversham and Maple Durham so won’t be able to go very far without using them. I’ve read a few posts about the need to be careful in locks in a sib (bigger boats, abrasive walls, etc.). I was wondering if it was worth getting hold of some fenders to help protect the tubes? What does everyone else do? Or is it overkill to have fenders on a sib?

Thanks!
Kristian

[RONHAS]

I bought 2 fenders in order to protect the tubes especially because I also bought a ladder for the boat.

The ladder: https://www.osculati.com/en/11628-m-039 ... r-dinghies

The fender: https://www.compassmarine.co.uk/compass ... c2x8854053

[Si Crowe]

I bought 2 fenders in order to protect the tubes especially because I also bought a ladder for the boat.

The ladder: https://www.osculati.com/en/11628-m-039 ... r-dinghies

The fender: https://www.compassmarine.co.uk/compass ... c2x8854053

WOW!!! How expensive is that fender!!!! you can buy sheets of 10mm or even 20mm eva foam for half that and make your own to fit much better!!! that's extortion!

[RONHAS]

If it has t*ts, tyres or floats......it's gonna cost ya!

[Froglet]

I've never felt the need for fenders on the Thames. It's not like you have waves or much current to push you into things. The only place I can see them being useful is for some of the waiting areas for locks. Some of them are horizontal beams of wood just high enough above the water that the tube of a sib could fit under and maybe scratch the top of the tube. That could be an issue on very busy days when queues for locks are at their longest, but that's not often if you time your journey right.

Inside locks I've never touched another boat or felt threatened. Some hire boats can be a bit incompetently handled, but not likely to mark your rubbing strake with their gel coat. The walls of the lock are mostly super smooth concrete, but are filthy with slime. Yeah if you motored into the steps at a bad angle you could maybe do some damage, but it's a lock. You shouldn't be moving at more than tickover.

When I've moored next to very overgrown banks with loads of brambles I've just anchored far enough away that stream or wind can't push me onto the prickles. Although I have got close enough for blackberrying with great success.

Having said all that I don't think fenders are a bad idea. They've just been low on my list.

You've got a decent 4.4 mile stretch between the locks which is nearly an hour at Thames speed. If you're just out for a pootle and picnic you may not even need to go though a lock.

Whereabouts are you planning to put in? I'm not that familiar with the river around Reading, although my missus was a Cav Park native. I tend to launch at Medmenham or Bourne End and haven't made it past Henley yet.

[Kristian]

Thanks, that’s so helpful. Sounds then like it might be worth getting or making some fenders eventually but they’re by no means essential for the Thames?

I was planning to put in on the north bank in Caversham right next to Reading Uni rowing club there’s a (seemingly) public area I can use. It’s not a proper slip but the bank drops to about 6 inches from the river to make it manageable to slide in and lift out, I hope. I believe there’s a proper public slipway on the other side of the river but this kind of slip is only 100m from my house so I can inflate at home and walk over there with the help of a set of wheels!

How have you found using the locks? I read a few horror stories but sounds like your experiences have been largely okay?

[rogerblack]

I've been through locks on the Thames many times over the years, even in my little Compass Kudos before I had the Honwave. You need to make sure you're not too close to the lock gates where there can be lots of gushing swirling water, also if the locks are busy then try to avoid getting in between two large hire boats as Froglet mentioned. I have had skippers of bigger boats invite me to just grab on to them which makes it easier to go up or down. Otherwise I tend to stay right by the side walls and keep hold of one of the chains - as Froglet said they are very slimy so I tend to have fishing gloves handy. The lock keepers are generally very helpful and friendly and will be aware of small boats - the only slightly annoying thing is they invariably insist on your outboard being turned off. Don't do as I once did - pulled out the kill switch clip as a quick way of shutting down, then forgot to replace it and wondered why I couldn't get the damned thing to pull start!

Your intended launch point looks handy if you live nearby, I couldn't see any nearby parking otherwise. Have you ever used the launch point on the other side, further down, by the car park next to the Wokingham Waterside Centre/Thames Valley Park Rowing Club, off Thames Valley Park Drive? I've looked at that a few times as a potential launch point but not tried it yet.

By the way, I assume you're aware you need to buy a Thames registration or visitor's certificate? I usually get a 7 day as it's not much more than a day, but if you're that close and intending going out regularly I guess you'd go for a longer term pass.

Oh, and to answer your original question (which wasn't stupid by the way!) I've never used nor seen the need for fenders on my SIB.

[Froglet]

I've been alright with locks. I do quite a lot of solo journeys and found that when lock keepers are on duty or I'm passing through at the same time as boats with lots of crew, that they tell me to stay in the boat while they do all the work. If I'm heading downstream I throw a line around a bollard and let it out while the water drops. Heading upstream I'll either grab a chain or the metalwork around the steps. As Roger says, you have to kill the engine while in the lock, so make sure you're confident starting it again. I've done exactly the same kill switch trick and even pulled the kill cord while in gear so the "starting in gear" protection stopped me pulling the start cord more than a few inches before it locked up.

I also enjoy going through locks out of hours when there are no other boats around. Here you have to get out and operate the lock yourself. You invariably have an audience of dog walkers and families so can feel a little pressured, but after the first couple of times it's all good fun. Most of the locks have public power enabled out of hours so it's all button pushing rather than handle winding. The control panels are usually well labelled and seem to have safety interlocks to prevent you doing something daft like opening all the sluices at both ends.

The other thing I've always fancied trying is portaging around a lock. Some of them have good portage paths and I've seen canoeists jump out, sprint down the lock and power off down the river Hawaii Five-O style. There's no chance solo with a sib. Too heavy and too many steps, but with a lighter engine and 4 adults it wouldn't be impossible. On a sunny Bank Holiday weekend that could save an hour or more waiting time.

[rogerblack]

I have a friend who has a narrowboat and in that community those dogwalkers and families who like to watch the goings on on rivers and canals, especially at locks, are referred to as 'gongoozlers'!

[Martin]

I have a friend who has a narrowboat and in that community those dogwalkers and families who like to watch the goings on on rivers and canals, especially at locks, are referred to as 'gongoozlers'!

My first experiences on boats as a kid was the on "Huddersfield Narrow & broad canals"... I can remember being the proud and highly appointed lock operator during our little runs out - There were Gongoozlers galore, though i never knew they had a name of such..

Martin