In 1972 my sister, Sue, three of her girlfriends and Richard, a mutual friend, went on a holiday on the River Thames, all of us aged between 19 and 22. What could possibly go wrong? We picked up the cruiser just below Windsor Old Lock and after brief training set off west with the aim of reaching Lechlade, the farthest navigable part of the river, and returning one week later, which the marina owner said wasn’t usually achievable. Now there was a challenge!
Just before the entrance to Windsor Old Lock there was a weir stream joining the river and creating interesting currents that seemed to move the boats around in unpredictable directions. Just below the weir stream is a narrow bridge with only room for a single boat to pass through at any one time.
We were trying to hold position near the weir stream, having successfully navigated the bridge, when we heard a commotion behind us. A small cruiser had managed to get itself at right angles to the river underneath the bridge. The helm was shouting at his crew to grab the boat hook and run forward to push the bow away from the side of the bridge. At the same time, he put the engine into reverse. He then shouted at her to run to the back of the boat and push off against the bridge wall, at which time he put the boat into forward gear. This happened twice more before she flung the boat hook down and, screaming some rude words, disappeared into the cabin. He then did the sensible thing and cut the engine to allow their boat to drift out of the bridge on the current. We were then able to enter the lock with the small cruiser coming in behind us.
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Practical Boat Owner.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Practical Boat Owner.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Spain's maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, has reported that a 15m (49ft) yacht sank in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar following interaction with a pod of orca.
No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash
A kill cord and lifejacket are useless unless worn-that's the warning from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), following its investigation into a powerboat crash that killed a 32-year-old woman and five-year-old girl on 2 October 2022.
Multihull sail work
Brush up on multihull sailing skills before heading off on charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to spinnaker handling, tacking and gybing
Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them
Jake Kavanagh talks to Sea Start marine engineer Nick Eales about how to avoid the five major causes of an engine breakdown at sea
Sail the Atlantic with strangers
Would you sail across the Atlantic with someone you've just met? Ali Wood meets the cruising crews who've done just that
IZIBoat: simple sailing
Rupert Holmes sails an innovative catamaran design intended to widen participation in sailing among those with little time to get on the water in more conventional craft
30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT
From tall ships to small dinghies, you needn't own a boat to sail. Ali Wood looks at the options, and how skippers can also find crew
Boats for restoring under £20,000
Duncan Kent picks the best sub-35ft sail and power boats to look for when aiming to undertake a restoration on a budget
Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500
For low cost traditionally-styled GRP trailer-sailers, consider the Foreland and the Otter available at bargain basement prices
Playing with coloured sails
Maintaining an hourglass-shaped balloon and ratcheting up the log numbers