Salty Bottoms Summer 2011

[wayneakp]

Hi Gav

I see you are well, and judging by some posts still as diplomatic as ever

Annie has the details but so far :

meet up Hamilton dock sat 30th July - already booked for everyone.

Sun 31st, Monday 1st and possibly Tuesday 2nd - Titchmarsh - again already booked for us all.

The view is we take a look at weather tides etc as and decided at the time whether to head straight to St.Kats on the Wednesday, or have a stop over at the Medway Tuesday eve. Ian has to hit Gillingham first anyway for liquid gold.

We are booking st Kats from Wednesday for five nights - although again the actual duration of stay will be discussed at the time.

No plans made for the return trip yet.

best rgds

Wayne

[senator]

Hopefully the fuel stop won't be needed at Gillingham but if it is Clanny we do it in then Shotley don't have petrol.

[MY littleboat]

Nope Ian I know they don't, however, Shotly is on our doorstep an I could arrange for petrol to be there for you - alot easier than gillingham I think! (And alot nicer)

[wayneakp]

Hi all

After a chance meeting with a colourful gentleman in the bar at RNSYC this week we are considering the pros and cons of visting Limehouse Marina instead of St. kats.

I have experience of St.Kats, which I did enjoy with it's very central location - but we were a little limited with lock times and it was a little inflexible. All I know of limehouse is that it is not in the best area of London but it does allow access to some of the canal system for an alternative day in London and will give us an eight hour lock window rather than the 2.1/2 of St.Kats.

So what are other peoples experiances, and recommendations?

Also what do the other Salties want to do - St.Kats or Limehouse, or maybe a bit of both ?

rgds

Wayne

[mbird]

Personally I'd rather stick with St Kats as it's a known quantity to those who went last year, and everyone was more than happy to return, which is recommendation enough to me. Also, it looks as though Limehouse is right next to the A13!

[baz1033]

limehouse gets my vote

Barry

[Chris]

We will be heading down to London last week in July. Limehouse lock can open at almost any time and last year provided us with a better cruise, rather than really early mornings to get to St. Kats. Marina is in a good area (Gordan Ramsey's pub is on the corner of the lock) and lock keepers can't do enough to help. Just a word of advise for those who have not been in Limehouse lock before, on entering the tide will throw your bow towards the lock wall so be ready!

St. Kats is then only a short trip backout on the Thames. Without all the waiting about!!!

[Guest]

At the moment I am liking Limehouse but nothing is set in stone. The option to lock out for a trip up to Teddington and a trip up the canal on the ribs is very appealing.

[mbird]

The option to lock out for a trip up to Teddington and a trip up the canal on the ribs is very appealing.

Not if your dinghy has a 3.5hp motor it isn't!!

[Guest]

Not if your dinghy has a 3.5hp motor it isn't!!

Wayne has ski's and a tow rope

[MY littleboat]

having given this some thought I too would prefer Kats, as we have two of our brats meeting us by train and would be alot more beneficial for the children to be there

Our thoughts against Limehouse Basin are that Limehouse is set amongst a heavy residential basin and lacks alot of what Kats offers in the way of bars, resturaunts and easy access to the main attractions of the city - whereas stepping away from limehouse takes you into the wonderful borough of Tower Hamlets..

Certainly I can see the benefit of a one night stop there, especially if the appropriate tide falls at an un=godly hour!

As for exploring the canals / River Lea/Stort, unless your airdraft is less than 6' it may be a little hard!! (Ribs excepted)

A good guide is here

http://www.riverthames.co.uk/thamescanals/4252.htm

[senator]

I am in favour of St. Kats as it gives us what we are looking for in a London visit. Last year's visit to St Kats showed it to be a superb base with the right sort of ambiance and the right things around for a tourist stop. Whether Limehouse is better for other things is another thing but for what we are looking for St Kats gets my vote.

Have floated Limehouse before, prior last years trip and earlier this year but everyone was very much of the view that St. Kats offered the best experience and certainly for us with Tom, Rachel and Heather I still think that is true. If you want extended windows to get in and out of the marina while you are there then Limehouse is the only real option but like Mark we do not have the hardware for Thames day boating in a dinghy and after the Locks night time excursion Heather is not keen on the idea of spending unnecessary time in the little boat.

Don't think the cost is really relevant, 3 days at an extra £25 per night on a cruise costing upwards of a couple of grand is not really a show stopper.

With a minimum of the current 6 boats travelling and only one DLR stop between Limehouse and St Kats maybe it would be better to have the option of the two bases so those that have different criteria can use the one that suits them. can always arrange get together times during the stay.

[senator]

There does seem to be a big variance in some of the wants from different boats so what about a two parallel cruises situation with crossover points?

Needs a bit of work but just for the idea, leave Hamilton Dock Sunday some boats to Shotley some to Titchmarsh, leave to go to Queensborough or Chatham, St Kats or Limehouse, 3 or 5 days in London etc.

Would give the opportunity to mix and match your own cruise from two different itinerary's.

[wayneakp]

That does seem a good idea Ian and given the choice i think I would do a bit of both.

What about drop into Limehouse on the way into London as this gives us a much better window and choice of when we have to leave from and get the best tide / wind combination. Also I seem to remember at St.Kats last year a small boat not quite making the lock times and having to spend the night on St.Kats pier which I would not imagine made for a comfortable time. IMHO the window for St.Kats is only 1.1/2 hrs before HW. I would not want to be hanging around outside with the ebb coming off Tower bridge. This means any issues on the way and we are snookered, especially if we choose a long run or get held in by weather.

Once fed up with Limehouse then move up to St.Kats - and this could well be at different times for different boats depending upon their own itinery.

I have left my Alamanc on the boat but from memory the tides to lock out of St.Kats on the second week do give us an early start so plenty of time to get to the next stop.

Having said all that we are happy to go with the flow as it were. Although we will end up in groups because of speed requirements the cruise in company aspect is as important to us as the destinations

rgds

Wayne

[mbird]

Using Limehouse as a jumping point if necessary does seem quite sensible, but maybe only as a contigency if we get held up or miss the lock at St Kats. I thought the concensus was to book St Kats for 5 nights with a view to only actually using 3, so does that mean that would now be down to only 2?

As Gav has mentioned, whilst Limehouse marina may be superior (in other peoples opinions as none of us has experienced it yet), the surrounding area is far from ideal. The main aim of the trip for me and Sue is to be able to get out of the marina, not stay in it, so I do feel the location is more important than the marina itself.

Is it worth all booking a night at Limehouse as well as St Kats and then cancelling which ever isn't needed? At least that way we keep out options open.

[senator]

I thought 3 nights was the idea too Mark. Maybe if some want to stay 5 they could skip the next stop to catch up, dual itinerary to the rescue.

Don't think there is anyone going who is not happy in the company of everyone else so as far as the cruise in company it is unlikely that there will ever be less than 2 boats in one place. Being able to cross freely between the two I would say is important if it is going to work so a bit of planning is required

From a personal point of view we aren't likely to venture past Harwich more than once a year so when we do it is nice to see a few places.

[wayneakp]

Hiya

I don’t think anything has really changed from our meeting - other than throwing in Limehouse for discussion, and that was not meant to be divisive. Whilst having an itinery and some booked moorings is a good idea in the end the weather may well decide things for us and we'll have to make it up as we go along.

IMHO it would be ideal if we would ALL cruise together, at least to the same destinations if not at the same speed.

Granted St.Kats will possibly give a better base and more for the children to do

rgds

Wayne

[Guest]

Our thoughts against Limehouse Basin are that Limehouse is set amongst a heavy residential basin and lacks alot of what Kats offers in the way of bars, resturaunts and easy access to the main attractions of the city - whereas stepping away from limehouse takes you into the wonderful borough of Tower Hamlets..

We found all the restaurants we visited within walking distance of St Kats to be poor and over priced.

[senator]

I think there are certain different interests within people doing the trip, I would not do something that I didn't want too do for my only 2 week holiday in the year likewise I would not expect others too. There are restrictions imposed by going to certain places and if that means some are not going to get maximum enjoyment out of the trip then in my opinion it would be better to have the option of two destinations even if that meant that for part of the trip the group is split.

You can't realistically get the ribs out of St. Kats, if it is a big attraction for some to do Teddington by rib one day and then the canals by rib another this is going to spoil the trip for them. Likewise if someone wants to do those trips then that is two days of the current three allocated to London used so some are going to want to stay longer in London. I know you can't please all of the people all of the time but at least having an alternative may stop peoples trip being spoiled.

[MY littleboat]

Just reading this months MBY and the cruise in company from Monte Carlo to Villefrance... It says that; 30 and 40 footers are discussed with the same enthusiasm as the 78 footer Match... Have a read... Monte Carlo 70Euros per metre per night... Shall we go for this cruise instead? Tally Bally Ho!

[goodall_m1]

Just reading this months MBY and the cruise in company from Monte Carlo to Villefrance... It says that; 30 and 40 footers are discussed with the same enthusiasm as the 78 footer Match... Have a read... Monte Carlo 70Euros per metre per night... Shall we go for this cruise instead? Tally Bally Ho!

70 euros per metre per night, ouch, no wonder you see so many boats anchored offshore at Monaco.

Bit of a long trip there and back, and as planing is frowned upon in the French canals so it would mean taking the long way around and across Biscay

....

I wonder what the fuel bill would be for a Salty Bottoms' Summer 2011 Monte-Carlo rally?

1500 miles each way at 1.10 miles per gallon...

By the way why do you still work it out in gallons when you have to buy it in litres anyway?

Is it that 1.10 mpg seems better than 4 litres per mile, or perhaps that should be 400metres per litre?

I think I will stick to a rag and stick for long distance cruising, 220 miles in Greece in the Beneteau and we used under 10 litres in two weeks....

[mbird]

We found all the restaurants we visited within walking distance of St Kats to be poor and over priced.

It is London Jonathan!!

[baz1033]

Hi

Ian you seem to be getting a bit deep with this mate and after all it is just another stop put into the the pot so dont worry about it to much mate.

I think the spirit of the trip was that a lot of boats are cruising together (apart from speed as some will be 16 knots and others 20 and Ian 35) so a split trip should be avoided if poss in my opinion.

Can I suggest 2 nights limehouse which from what i have reserched is a very quite area around the marina, then on to st kats for 2 nights then everyones a winner.

[wayneakp]

This seems to have got out of proportion.

It was never the intention to spoil anyones holiday - just throwing in a suggestion after a discussion with an experienced and regular London sailor.

I am happy to do one or the other, or indeed both.

regards

Wayne

[mbird]

opinion.

Can I suggest 2 nights limehouse which from what i have reserched is a very quite area around the marina, then on to st kats for 2 nights then everyones a winner.

But going back to the original plan, it was always for 3 nights in London with a contigency for weather of the additional 2 nights. If we have 2 and 2 Baz, then immediately we have changed the plan.

I'm still for using Limehouse for a night if necessary for the arrival if we get caught out by lock times to avoid an overnight outside St Kats. I really don't want to be in a crap area of London for 2 nights, irresepctive of how nice the marina is. The whole idea is to get out and about for a couple of days in London, not sit on the boat imho. That doesn't stop those that want to from spending an extra night at Limehouse and then catching up at St Kats the following day, and thereby avoids anyone getting miffed.