Thames planning help please.

[Gazjen]

I'm planning on having a few days on the Thames in the summer, I thought the kids would enjoy seeing the sites from the water and I'd like to take them to little Venice (a place I remeber from my childhood on narrow boats) the problem I seem to be having at the moment is finding a marina with a slip way and somewhere I can leave the truck and trailer. Lime house would be an ideal start/base location but it doesn't seem to have a slip. So does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks.

[mlines]

I would use Gallions Point, good slip with secure parking. When I phoned them they were grumpy on the phone but were really pleasant when I visited. If you go let us know and we might tag along.













One word of caution, I had heard that "Little Venice" has become "Little Jaywick"

Martin

[Bigplumbs]

This thread will be of great interest to me as I also had a similar idea. That slip looks a little small to me. Any others ?

Dennis

[mlines]

The picture is deceptive, you could launch two smallish boats side by side. It's visible in the centre of the overall marina view to get a better idea of scale

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[Bigplumbs]

How long does the slip extend into the water

[mlines]

To the buoy

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[shibbs]

I've been wanting to do the London trip since we got our latest. I just keep running out of time!
Am I correct in thinking this slipway is up by the city airport?
If so, and this may be a silly question, but can you head down into the city from there, as in up towards Putney etc or do you need permits etc?
Also, I guess Martin, you may be the man in the know for this....
Would it be achievable to head up to the locked part of the Thames from here, i.e for a weekend or would it be too far?
I'm keen to do both the barrier / centre of London thing but also would like to do a whole weekend of pottering in between locks..
This would be a great starter trip for the season before she goes in for the summer.
Gazgen, would you plan for just a day or a few?

[mlines]

Yes - its down by the city.

As its tidal you have to plan.

Using Gallions as a launch point it is viable to get to the Houses of Parliament and back to Gallions on a tide.

Using Gallions as a launch point you can go right through to non-tidal Thames if you lock out on the earliest low tide lockout and push all the way to Teddington. Its a long haul but there are few stopping points anyway. I believe that if you get above Richmond Half Tide lock then you have water to Teddington at all times.

So you could use it as a launch point for a one-way trip to the non-tidal Thames or a night stop on a return trip from the non-Tidal thames

[Gazjen]

Thanks Martin, I was hoping you'd step up

That slip looks fine for me, I'll give them a call when I've got dates. The plan is to go in the 6 week summer hols and to spend 4-5 days on the boat with maybe a Premier inn stay in the middle of it. But I'm going to need things to keep the kids interested on a 24ft boat I know I can/could moor at Windsor for a day in Lego land. Is there anywhere you can more for the London eye or is that a big no no? What's happened to little Venice then? That's a real shame if it's gone down hill, I remember it being a lovely place as a kid. Any other recommendations for things for the kids? Obviously going under tower bridge, by the Houses of Parliament and the London eye I've noticed London Zoo is quite close to the water too, anyone been there?

[betty boop]

you could make it to St katherine lock for a stay at the tower of London - well post to interest the kids, Not sure you'd make it up the canals to little venice but you could go up the Lea to the olympic park, dont think you can stop over though.

there after theres chelsea marina or the new one pontoon marina just outside of it,

Trouble with the Thames is getting ashore, in a plastic tub I would say your pretty much buggered, think dents and green slim

You can stay over at the RNLI pontoon in Chiswick, nothing there but houses and posh twats, kids would get a look round a big orange RIB for free. Then motor down or bus/tube to Kew Gardens see some big plants n tree.

Followed by Richmond lock and the park , pub, shopping lots of deer etc.

after that your at Hampton court, lots of old stuff for the kids.

Id suggest a 1 way trip, if you launch at either Gallions or around Teddington/Richmond, you could easily plan to bus/train back to get the trailer drive back and receiver and be on your way. the other way would be launch at Penton Hook for Thorpe Park have a roller coaster day with the kids (or drive to Chessington) and then motor into town but you'll need 3 days and planning, getting back for the car will be harder unless you use Penton as a base, biggest inland marina in the EU so theres plenty of space, quiet and come back after a few days, Penton can easily take up 3 days of cruising locally, swimming for the kids + easy to get around by bus train or car & good for Thorpe/Windsor/plane spotting & the M25, Runnymede and Windsor for Legoland. oh and Slough,

If you want a bigger Slip theres a tidal slip at Millwall, its massive with a pontoon but covered in sh't and gets a serious wash from the high speed ferries and 8/10knt tide flow at least .

The Thames is not for the faint hearted though in a small boat and is very unforgiving sometimes let me if you need anymore info.