The Thames Strikes Back

[Captain]

I am also enjoying your tale Simon, I love the Thames and have hired from Le Boat, CBS,  Kris cruisers and Oxfordshire narrowboats. At CBS we had Viscount/Viceroy ex Broads Greenway/Worsley Craft. Another hirer told us after coming off your boat how poor the handling was as they thought ours handled a lot better. Others have suggested the Bounty has a flatter bottom and less keel however not sure how true that is and what the rudder is like. I agree with Dan the upholstery and carpet are very old school although comfortable and I personally prefer rather than the austere look some yards are going for even if its considered old fashioned.  They do have other oddities like tilling in the toilets and very posh electric toilets with various flush options which seems at odds with everything else.

Would be nice if they invested in replacing some of the fleet as Dan has suggested although good to see classics are on hire; some date from early 70s including Elysian 27s a Seamaster and Hampton Safaris and the newest and arguably best boat is a 1988 ex Brister Yare Moonlight 2 A/F 38 Pearl

Looking forward to the rest of your tale

Neil 

[Broads01]

Thursday 23rd May

Today turned out to be the morning after the day before in terms of experiencing the effects of the previous day's rain on the stream conditions. We'd already noticed that downstream navigation had been akin to the Broads when with the tide and this morning was the same only more so. With the engine only purring at very modest rpm we were whooshing along at 7mph. Fortunately we had lock staff to assist today, including unpaid volunteers who were working for the fun of it. Having negotiated Sonning Lock and one of the few narrowish bridges just below we found ourselves in the pretty section towards Shiplake where islands are centre of the river and the navigation channel is either side. Shiplake lock was straightforward and then another pretty section past the impressive properties of Wargrave to Marsh lock just above Henley-on-Thames. Approaching the Marsh Lock lay-by, we got into a right pickle. The lay-by is to the right with the weir to the left. There was a boat about to emerge from the lock and I was anxious to get in to the layby out of their way..Imagine trying to moor, in the same direction as a strong stream when you wish you were against it, combined with the effects of a fierce weir pulling you in the opposite direction. It was like trying to moor with the tide at Reedham only worse. I made repeated attempts but nothing was going to get our stern to move anywhere near the quay. I even tried reversing all the way back out of the way of the boat now waiting to leave the lock but I just couldn't gain sufficient control. Fortunately we were rescued by the lock keeper and a lady from the crew of the oncoming boat whom we managed to throw lines towards. The lock keeper advised we would have benefitted from getting the stern roped up first and then bringing the bows in on the engine - I'll try that next time. This morning all the locks had amber warning boards "Caution - stream increasing" and the lock keeper advised us there was a chance this would later turn to a red "Strong Stream" warning. If that happened, we wouldn't be permitted to continue navigating on a hire boat and would need to phone our boatyard for further instructions. As I moved us out of the lock, the lock keeper warned us about the turbulence below the weir and said "Once you're past that tree, put full throttle on and aim towards that crane." This I did and it was fine albeit I could feel the weir wanting to push us to the right. We moored at Henley just afterwards and had lunch out at the Angel just above the bridge. The food there was ordinary at best unfortunately. Our plan later originally had been a short cruise to overnight at Medmenham but instead we opted for an out and back cruise so as to finish up in an accessible place in case conditions meant we needed to be piloted back to Reading. After lunch we continued downstream through the bridge and to the Regatta course with preparations in full swing for early July. On arrival at Hambleden Lock, the lock keeper checked our plans as the warning boards had by now turned red. We advised we were doing a quick out and back to Medmenham which he was comfortable with but in the end when we exited the lock and I saw the downstream weir stream I turned straight around and back in to the lock - it wasn't worth it. Soon after as we were just about making 4mph at full throttle CBS phoned about the red boards and we agreed Dave would pilot us back the following morning. We moored overnight back at the same spot above the bridge we'd been at lunchtime. Mum and Mike were happy to stay aboard whilst I walked back to the Angel with Suzie and enjoyed a drink.

[SwanR]

Really enjoying your write up. It’s an eye opener as to the comparison with cruising on the Broads. 

[Broads01]

1 hour ago, Dan said:

Caversham seem to present the exteriors very well but go for a bit of an outdated chintsy look (and great-grandmothers carpets) to the interiors which I find a bit off-putting, so look forward to hearing your experiences (and any internal/boat pictures)

I'd agree Dan and yes I'll talk about the boat at the end and I do have some photos.

 

1 hour ago, Dan said:

My concern for them is as they never seemingly replace with newer/more modern as the odd good value examples come up the fleet will at some point be completely unappealing and too expensive to change in one go and so they will disappear, which as they maintain them well and are nice people I believe would be really sad.

I share your concern. They're lovely, helpful people but I worry under-investment could be their downfall.

 

59 minutes ago, Dan said:

Was Le Boat's fleet all out on hire at Benson?

Nowhere near. There was no space to be had at their space and we saw a few out and about but not many.

 

1 hour ago, Dan said:

  I'd have thought they'd have appeared on a Le Boat (perhaps with one of their crew joining them!?) and you'd have been away quicker and much less hassle for them.

I got the impression because it was 5pm on a Sunday they weren't contactable. Fair play to CBS for not waiting around for them to open up on Monday morning but make plans to come early from Reading.

[Broads01]

47 minutes ago, Captain said:

newest and arguably best boat is a 1988 ex Brister Yare Moonlight 2 A/F 38 Pearl

Caversham Emperor, Neil, yes and I hired it way back in 1999 when it was Thames Moonlight from Bridge Boats (later taken over by CBS). It would have been a similar price to Marquis but the internals on the website put me off together with the "cupboard" bunks cabin which I suffered on Lady Kristina two years ago. That said, there's only a single internal photo of Marquis online so taking it on was a bit of a gamble and not good for their business.

[NeilB]

33 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

 

  1 hour ago, Dan said:

Was Le Boat's fleet all out on hire at Benson?

Nowhere near. There was no space to be had at their space and we saw a few out and about but not many.

I noticed on Facebook Kris Cruisers had every single boat out on hire which is good to see.

[Broads01]

Friday 24th May

Dave from CBS arrived at 0830 as they'd arranged and we were soon on our way upstream with Dave at the helm. As we arrived back at Marsh lock I was grateful it was Dave helming as we bobbed back over the strong weir stream and he kept a good amount of throttle on to guide us in to the layby. Inevitably the lock was on Self Service and I opened the gates, watched Dave pilot in and then took the rope from Mum. The weather was bright and I was able to relax away from the helm for a change and let Dave take us back. He kept us entertained with his sense of humour and considerable local knowledge about what had gone on with various riverside properties and such like. He evidently enjoyed his job which involves anything from painting boats to diving underneath to clear propellers. I asked him if he thought Marquis was tricky to handle in comparison to other boats and he agreed it was which he put down to the hydraulic drive. Like me he needed constant correction to maintain a straight course. There was one other tricky moment en route which was keeping control as we approached the narrow arch of Sonning Bridge with a strong weir stream hitting us from the right and trying to push us off course. Dave explained that when the stream is strong lock keepers open weir sluices further so water drains faster and encourages conditions to return to normal. We arrived back at the boatyard around 11-30 and having topped up with water and with conditions having improved I was free to take the helm once more and leave Dave behind. We continued upstream, eventually through Mapledurham Lock  and to Pangbourne Meadow where we stopped for a break and enjoyed the sunshine. Suzie wore her little legs out as she raced along the bank, one of many good dog walking locations by the Thames. The Meadow is peaceful and feels rural but it's only a short walk to the road and the pub and village if you want it. Later we took our final afternoon cruise, zipping along with the stream back through Mapledurham lock and eventually to a mooring just opposite the boatyard for our final night.

Saturday 25th May

All too soon it was time to unload the boat and return it just across the river. We'd used £100 of diesel which I thought was reasonable considering our cruising hours and use of the heating. I said goodbye to Mum and Mike at the station and then plodded home in the Bank Holiday traffic.

Overall it was a really enjoyable holiday, with the challenges we experienced somehow making it more satisfying. I'm hoping you've not been reading this thinking it was a typical Thames trip and that the Thames is at all scary because I don't think it was typical at all in my experience and the Thames isn't really that scary (alright, maybe just a bit!).

[kpnut]

That mooring in your photos looks delightful. 

Reading your tale makes me realise I have an awful lot to learn about boating and river conditions. 
What an excellent holiday you seem to have had, and good family memories. 

[MargeandParge]

Marge and myself have enjoyed The Thames beautiful when all is calm. A totally different experience when in flood on our way back from one trip the lay by moorings had over topped frightened us both. It was a good holiday but poured with rain on the last three days.

Glad we didn't have the kids with us as they had flown the nest.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[ChrisB]

The River Thames has very many tributaries and it's catchment area is pretty vast, North to South and East to West.

Unlike many other rivers a large proportion of said rivers are classified as Chalk Streams, fed by springs and after such a wet Autumn and Winter are pouring out. So you have a bit of double your money with The Thames as it drains not only immediate heavy rainfall but also Groundwater flooding caused by rain that fell months ago.

 

[RS2021]

I think also on the Thames because the level can be controlled very well by the many weirs and flood relief channels, after rain the river often does not look much higher than normal, maybe only a few inches, but the flow is much faster. This can make it more deceptive. On rivers with open weirs such as the Severn a similar amount of rain would put many feet on the river level and it would appear very visibly different.

Great to read your holiday tail. I started my boating on the Thames in the 70's and have many fond memories. So much has changed. In those days all the locks were manned and had summer assistants. 'Self service' was very much discouraged to the extent they switched the power off and if you went through on your own you had to wind a wheel to pump the hydraulics - unless you were a Salters 'steamer' who had a key to turn the power on.

[NeilB]

41 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

In those days all the locks were manned and had summer assistants. 'Self service' was very much discouraged to the extent they switched the power off and if you went through on your own you had to wind a wheel to pump the hydraulics - unless you were a Salters 'steamer' who had a key to turn the power on.

Most locks have been converted to electric now with timers to prevent misuse.  The hydraulics are still there if you fancy a workout!

At lunchtime some keepers just removed the handle rather than turn the electrics off, you could still lift the lever with your fingers if you knew where to feel.  I suspect most of the keepers from my time have retired now, Scratcher at Romney, Dave from Boveney who we tipped into the water off a dayboat and "God be with you" at Boulters.

[oldgregg]

On 28/05/2024 at 18:17, Dan said:

Looking forward to the bit at the end where you cover the boat a bit.  I note your comments that handling wasn't great, and must admit when we hired the Bounty 40, Monte Carlo we found the same.  Can't really think why a Bounty 40 should be so poor though really.  I suppose their Aquafibre 38 might be the one to have for handling.

Yeah it's an odd one. Monte Carlo really did not want to go in a straight line at all did she?

I don't know what the hull is derived from, but the Buccaneers actually handle pretty well so I'm assuming it's not developed from them. I'd say from the entry point it's probably based on the 34 Sedan / CC hull, but those handle better too.

I have a Rexmore booked for later in the year so fingers crossed.

[Broads01]

A few words about the boat. I think the layout of Marquis has stood the test of time well and it was very comfortable for the 3 of us. I was in the stern cabin which was configured as a twin but the berths can be pushed together to make a double if needed. Storage was reasonable. The central cabin has fixed twin berths and there is a separate shower/toilet with a wooden slatted floor which dries quickly after a shower. There's no washbasin in the toilet (which aids the space) but instead both cabins have a washbasin in a quaint, old style hotel room kind if way. The galley runs down the corridor which is OK but is narrow. Kitchen equipment includes a microwave and an unfortunately small fridge which has a large freezer compartment taking more than it's share of the space. The central saloon has a large u-shaped sofa and an equivalently large table which makes access to the long part of the sofa awkward. The table is removable but it's so large as to be impractical to do so. There's a very spacious double ensuite cabin in the bows with a reasonably generous double bed. The sliding roof is winch-operated and straightforward to lower and raise. The engine is a stern-mounted Beta Marine one which I believe is 39hp and whilst it's quiet it did feel under-powered at times. The interior is far from recent and fairly original I think although the upholstery has been replaced at some stage and is comfortable. The carpets in the cabins are perhaps an acquired taste but have actually worn well. The single beds were all sprung divan which made them very comfortable. I've already mentioned the handling which was a challenge to keep the boat in a straight line and I did miss having bow thrusters.

[Mouldy]

Calling that carpet ‘an acquired taste’ was an understatement.  It certainly won’t show the dirt and doesn’t go with the rest of the upholstery - shall we be kind and just say it’s a little uncoordinated or be brutally frank and say it’s visually taxing?

[Vaughan]

That fit-out looks classic Bounty to me.  The galley will have been replaced over the years, as it was originally just chipboard flat packs.

Looks in very good order, al the same.  As you say, could do with a bit of modernising.

[Hylander]

2 hours ago, Mouldy said:

Calling that carpet ‘an acquired taste’ was an understatement.  It certainly won’t show the dirt and doesn’t go with the rest of the upholstery - shall we be kind and just say it’s a little uncoordinated or be brutally frank and say it’s visually taxing?

Looks a bit Kirstie Allsopp to me.

[oldgregg]

On 31/05/2024 at 07:31, Mouldy said:

Calling that carpet ‘an acquired taste’ was an understatement.  It certainly won’t show the dirt and doesn’t go with the rest of the upholstery - shall we be kind and just say it’s a little uncoordinated or be brutally frank and say it’s visually taxing?

Grim isn’t it.

The frustrating thing is that the carpet and upholstery are obviously relatively recent and in decent condition, it’s just that someone at the yard has appalling taste in fabrics. 

[Dan]

I see Caversham Boat Services have just uodated their website.. it is much better and you do at least get more pictures of what the boats are like, so expectations should be more aligned, but I think there is only Caversham Emperor that I would consider.

https://www.cavershamboatservices.co.uk/

I don't mind the fabric they are using to be fair, but as that is patterned I think everything else needs to be much plainer.

It just doesn't co-ordinate at all.  Simon's photos of the fabric and carpet illustrate this - the actual fitout and materials all look fine on Marquis.  I think a plain lino if nothing else would be an improvement.

It looks like there are the odd improvements and even some plainer carpets in a few shots looking through all their boat interiors on the new website.. but I think the new galley on this one illustrates how things are not co-ordinated to fit together and so instead of being a nice update it all just looks a bit unappealing...

https://www.cavershamboatservices.co.uk/cruiser/caversham-monarch-2/

I really hope they look around and replace a few boats with more appealing/more neutral/slightly younger ones here and there

Dan

[Broads01]

The new website is a massive improvement on the old which was ancient and terrible. I like the fact there are plenty of internal photos which were very sparse previously. I agree with you about that galley on Monarch 2, Dan, looks a bit D.I.Y. Unfortunately the new photos do illustrate just how dated the interiors look (check out the 1980s toilet on Count) but I don't blame them given they must be operating on tiny margins.

[Jbx5]

They are either colour blind or have bought a job lot of 40 year old carpets. If they just changed the floor covering I’m sure their bookings would much improve! 
 

Nohn 

[oldgregg]

The website is a big improvement and I think a wise investment on their part.

It does highlight the need for them to do some work on making the interiors more neutral.

Let's be honest, if you saw a picture like this on Rightmove whilst looking at a house you'd immediately be thinking OMG followed by "that's going to be a bargain".

Grey lino and more neutral fabrics would make the world of difference. At the moment it looks like an explosion at Dunelm.

[ExSurveyor]

That is hideous. Soft furnishings are not expensive anymore.

Laura Ashley on magic mushrooms.

[Gracie]

Even Laura Ashley left the building 

Grace x

[Broads01]

The photo is the aft cabin on Marquis. You guys only have to look at the photo, I had to spend a week sleeping in there! Seriously though, despite dodgy tastes in fabrics, the boatyard did a good job looking after us and the boat was comfy and 100% reliable in all aspects.