Quick Queery. .. sort of ...

[Carl]

Yesterday we very nearly ran out of water in the river ... (never come up the teign that slow and careful lol ) .. .

Anyway .. it got us thinking. .. What should we have on board just in case we run aground in the river ... the top end of the teign is a horrible river to navigate on at the best of times, .
We only really take the mobile phone with us ....

Will be interesting to see what you lot take on your boats as a "Just in case" pack

[sprocker]

Prevention rather than cure is my method. I've always had a depth sounder on my boats to stop exactly that scenario.

However, I guess if you do dry out then make sure you have food and water, shade from the sun/rain, and sit tight for the next tide.....

I also wouldn't rely on a mobile phone for contact, get yourself a VHF radio and do the course, then if it does turn into an emergency you have more chance of raising the emergency services quickly.

I've only ever navigated the upper reaches of the Teign in my kayak, I'm not brave enough to go up there in the boat

[Carl]

Thanks Sprocker.

We don't have a depth finder yet. ... or a VHF radio ... .. We launch from Newton town quay a fair bit, which can be interesting

as you probably know there's very little water in the teign once the tide is out ... and once it starts going .. it's gone

[Ianfs]

I agree with sproker, prevention is better.

I always find that depth gauges are ok but the transducers are usually fitted at the stern so if you are cruising at say 25mph and you hit Ryde sands for example..... they are not much help!! but that's another story! Our solution was to jump in the water, which made the boat lighter and re float.

I think a VHF is a must if you are between the A380 and the mouth and then out to sea, but on the river it may not be much good.

I would say a pair of waders or wet shoes/sandles, towels and maybe a good knowledge of depths and tide times would work.

Unfortunately if you get stuck and there is no water, the only solution would be to wait for the next tide. At least if you had waders you could carry the crew to shore then wait for a re float. Oh, have you got a good anchor?

[Carl]

I've got a Danforth and a grappling type anchor. ... I've generally got the bottom part of my wetsuit on, .. so climbing out into the water isn't a problem. .. the mud/silt on the Teign on the other hand could be ..

Will have a butchers at the VHF radio's

thanks for the replies guys ... much appreciated.

[_Ed_]

Always fitted my depth sensors thru hull. I just bond them to the base and they have always worked fine. No chance of snapping one of then. Probably only practical if outboard.

[betty boop]

Sorry Carl Im surprised no one came back with the obvious on this one. Just putting on my RNLI shirt & tie to preach that you should have a VHF radio as a minimum and anyone that says otherwise should be taken out for a beating. If you call coastie on a mobile and the RNLI come out expect to have an ear full of abuse from HMGC when they drag you back in. its something they don't take funny too. (HMGC that is cos RNLI would never mock or have a moan)

Given you can buy one for a 1/2 tank of Gas makes it even less of an excuse not too.

Charts or plotter, I've done the Tiegn and even a little hand held plotter is better than guessing. depth sounders only spot whats behind you and its too late then.

Don't go wading either- We've rescued more than a few people for wading out to yachts and on river banks, if you go walking - trip & phone goes in- your stuck no means of calling and in poo -- best to stay in the boat - call coastie - grab some water n grub & wait for the tide to come back in 6/12 hours time - be patient/be rescued if its night.

no moan there - happy to advise further or point you in the right direction.

[TorbayRob]

We started out with a £25 handheld fishfinder for depth (came with a transom mount and float for fishing) and have been up the Teign to the A380 a few times - although never launched at Town Quay. (We have thought about it )

+1 for VHF - best investment I made and both Cheryl & I have done the course - although she's a radio amateur anyway and used to do comms for Devon & Cornwall Police!

+1 too for NOT getting out on the Teign (or the Exe) - sand, shingle or rocky riverbed is fine, but both of these are mud and people have had to be rescued from both in recent years after getting stuck. You said yourself the tide goes quick - thus logically it comes in quick too - and if you were unlucky enough to get stuck in mud/weed, you could well drown before help arrives.

My best advice would be drop anchor, tilt up the motor and flush any mud you've picked up before it dries in the cooling channels and await the tide. We always take a few provisions, water etc so that's sound advice too - dehydration is a very real risk when out in a boat enjoying the sunshine and loosing track of time... If you have a decent length of chain on the anchor, you could perhaps throw into deeper water and with the aid of a boat hook pushing, you might be able to pull yourselves off. I have to say however that knowing the mud around there, I think the chance is slim. Don't all stand/sit at one end - you need the boat as level as possible to refloat at earliest opportunity. Don't risk using the engine either, you could very easily bust the drive or prop and end up in an even worse predicament

We've been delayed and arrived back at Polly Steps with barely a puddle remaining (old 14' ArrowFlyte) and as the bottom is stony there, we did get out and virtually carried the boat the last few feet to the slipway! Cheryl had to get to work, otherwise we'd have definitely waited on the tide...

How do you get on launching at Town Quay? Looked quite 'harsh' in terms of rocks etc when we looked? (That said, we have launched at Steamer Quay in Totnes!)

Best regards,

Rob

[Carl]

Yeah I know the bed of the Teign is mostly mud. (was taught how to get free in the mud when I was a sea scout way way back). ..
Anchor wise ..... I've got a Danforth type with 100 feet of rope .. and 12 feet of heavy chain. ..

Town quay can be interesting .... Don't bother if the water is below the bottom cleat! ... the river bed up the top end is like a sound wave ... deep in parts .. but barely a couple inches in others at low tide ..

Steamer quay is so much better to launch from if the water is there ....

I hate launching at the poly steps thanks to the rip currents going right across the bottom of the slip .. ... it's far safer and easier to launch from the sand at the other end of the docks (by the fish quay)

Will definitely invest in a vhf radio. ..

Thanks for the replies folks ... very much appreciated.

[betty boop]

Town quay was quite good before Torquay came to being open. only problem was the run back to Teighmouth after lights out or low tide, we ended up getting the bus from Torquay back to the trailer/car at least once. t'was handy though for camping in Dawlish / Teigh area as theres not many camp site in Torquay

We started out with a £25 handheld fishfinder for depth (came with a transom mount and float for fishing) and have been up the Teign to the A380 a few times - although never launched at Town Quay. (We have thought about it )

+1 for VHF - best investment I made and both Cheryl & I have done the course - although she's a radio amateur anyway and used to do comms for Devon & Cornwall Police!

+1 too for NOT getting out on the Teign (or the Exe) - sand, shingle or rocky riverbed is fine, but both of these are mud and people have had to be rescued from both in recent years after getting stuck. You said yourself the tide goes quick - thus logically it comes in quick too - and if you were unlucky enough to get stuck in mud/weed, you could well drown before help arrives.

My best advice would be drop anchor, tilt up the motor and flush any mud you've picked up before it dries in the cooling channels and await the tide. We always take a few provisions, water etc so that's sound advice too - dehydration is a very real risk when out in a boat enjoying the sunshine and loosing track of time... If you have a decent length of chain on the anchor, you could perhaps throw into deeper water and with the aid of a boat hook pushing, you might be able to pull yourselves off. I have to say however that knowing the mud around there, I think the chance is slim. Don't all stand/sit at one end - you need the boat as level as possible to refloat at earliest opportunity. Don't risk using the engine either, you could very easily bust the drive or prop and end up in an even worse predicament

We've been delayed and arrived back at Polly Steps with barely a puddle remaining (old 14' ArrowFlyte) and as the bottom is stony there, we did get out and virtually carried the boat the last few feet to the slipway! Cheryl had to get to work, otherwise we'd have definitely waited on the tide...

How do you get on launching at Town Quay? Looked quite 'harsh' in terms of rocks etc when we looked? (That said, we have launched at Steamer Quay in Totnes!)

Best regards,

Rob