BananaShark does Britain

Cookee · 13-04-2012, 08:17 AM

Following on from the RB12 thread I thought it would make sense to start one about our trip "Round Britain" - it will all take place on the same dates from the 21st of June to the 1st of July.

To sum up as a result of the postponement of RB12 until 2014 the team is putting a plan together to go round Britain via the Caledonian Canal using some different stops on the way. The route is on this map which will be updated regularly.

The entry fee that is being returned will be distributed to Children's Hospices via the Rotary Club at every stop.

Thanks to Alan Priddy (on the tube site) we have changed our thoughts on using Poole as a stop and will now be stopping in Portsmouth as he has agreed to fuel the boat for the last leg to Salcombe - more money for the kiddies!

At the moment the London stop is giving me some headaches - as we want to maximise our exposure for the sake of both our sponsors and for our good cause it would be great to have the boat in the middle of London but we also want to keep the detour down to a minimum away from our route. Any suggestions anyone?

Also if anyone has any contacts that we can use in marinas or harbours on the way round that would be appreciated - thanks everyone!

hunton69 · 13-04-2012, 09:46 AM

You have to go to St catherines as it is the heart of London. Also the run down the Thames is great and i'm sure many members from the London area will be there to meet you.

Will you have a tracker on the boat?

Cookee · 13-04-2012, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunton69

You have to go to St catherines as it is the heart of London. Also the run down the Thames is great and i'm sure many members from the London area will be there to meet you.

Will you have a tracker on the boat?

Just bought a Spot Tracker like John Lindsay had on his blow up boat so it should last on the Shark!

St Catherines sounds ideal - we would have to find somewhere for the vehicles to park up and I'm sure we could start a party nearby! Just Google'd it - is it spelt St Katherine's or is there somewhere else? Does anyone know anyone from there that we could approach?

Scand · 13-04-2012, 12:20 PM

We did a demo of a RIB at Canary Wharf a few years back, there was a launch ramp there and the harbor master was really helpful.

PKJB · 13-04-2012, 01:31 PM

http://www.skdocks.co.uk/locking-times-june-2012/

Looking at the lock times against your current timetable, you may not be able to get in on the Friday evening.

As an aside if you have to stop between London and Portsmouth I am happy to get to one of the harbours in between i.e. Eastbourne or Brighton.

PKJB · 13-04-2012, 01:57 PM

Could still be worth talking to the Harbour master, especially if he is a helpfull fellow, as it looks like they don't open the lock if high tide is after a certain time, lock only available normally till 20:30.

Maybe underspecial circumstances, such as yours, they would make one-off arrangements.

Timing would still be an issue as the lock only opens -2hrs and +1 1/2 of high tide and it looks as if high tide would be around 22:00hrs that day.

Cookee · 14-04-2012, 08:34 AM

I have been reliably informed that we have no chance of getting that far up so close to the Olympics - on the bright side we have received a brilliant offer of help to go into Chatham where there is a marina and they appear to be keen to have us - I'll know more next week!

London was always going to be an issue and there are some more benefits to going there - looks promising!

Still need some ideas for Liverpool, Glasgow area and Hull - anyone?

guernseylee · 14-04-2012, 11:18 AM

[QUOTE=Cookee;21894 London was always going to be an issue and there are some more benefits to going there - looks promising! [/QUOTE]

cookee i have contacted lower Thames habour master and london vts about you getting to london.

waiting on mooring at imperial wharf and parking at Chelsea habour for your crew

do you have a media pack or something to show people what it`s all about

( it`s not what you know it`s who you know )

Cookee · 14-04-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guernseylee

cookee i have contacted lower Thames habour master and london vts about you getting to london.

waiting on mooring at imperial wharf and parking at Chelsea habour for your crew

do you have a media pack or something to show people what it`s all about

( it`s not what you know it`s who you know )

That's great stuff - The problem is always going to be the time it takes at a maximum of 12 knots - the trouble is we can't do that! We can manage about 8mph or 6 knots as any more than that we need to be on the plane and the boat won't plane at anywhere near 12 knots! The biggest issue is getting from Hull to somewhere easily accessible in a reasonable time limit. Hull to London is at least 225 miles plus the time it takes to get out of Hull and into London - The other factor is tidal access - we need to be flexible on when we can arrive as it's difficult to predict with weather conditions in the North Sea being very variable!

We don't have a media pack as yet but I am working with the E-Lites and Raymarine PR companies and hope to have more information next week.

td5 · 14-04-2012, 07:23 PM

Would Grimsby marina not be a better option than Hull?? Would save the trip up the humber.

And to add to that, im based in North Nottinghamshire, so if you need any assistance / fetch and carry, then let me know. My house to Hull or Grimsby hour and a half tops.

PKJB · 14-04-2012, 08:52 PM

Happy to help out at Chatham as well if this is where you eventually end up, although I don't think you will be short of help around there :-)

tonywonderfire · 15-04-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

Just bought a Spot Tracker like John Lindsay had on his blow up boat so it should last on the Shark!

St Catherines sounds ideal - we would have to find somewhere for the vehicles to park up and I'm sure we could start a party nearby! Just Google'd it - is it spelt St Katherine's or is there somewhere else? Does anyone know anyone from there that we could approach?

If you decide on St Katherines, we have an apartment close by with spare beds and parking. Not sure you'd have to worry about the advisory limit on the tidal Thames, there are RIBs and waterbusses going past every day at 20+!

At St Katherines, you're next to Tower Bridge and plenty of local media from the South Bank. Should be able to organise a mooring on one of floating pontoons, if the tide doesn't allow locking into the basin when you arrive.

On the way back, once you're through the Barrier, it'll be harry flatters all the way to the estuary!

motorvator · 15-04-2012, 07:39 PM

Much as I understand it would be good to do your thing in London I'm not sure I would recommend it.

PLA are anti powerboats full stop, hence the Harwich marathon course plot effectively skirting all the way along their jurisdiction!

St Kats, great if you can get in not so good if you miss the lock. Do not even consider tieing up to a pontoon or swinging mooring in the tidal thames around city, we do not want to see the damage.

If you go in expect to be boarded by the police as they want to know the ins and outs of a duck arse if anyone goes near the city now and that is without you falling between the Queen's Pageant and the Olympics where security is at it's highest.

If you are going to abide by the advisory above Cherry Garden Pier then trying to achieve any headway against the tide is not going to be fun.

Chatham is a very good shout but you have an six knot limit for 5km into Chatham above Folly Point and again if the tide is against you it won't be much fun.

That said the team there are most welcoming and it's a 24 hour lock. Don't forget to book your lock out though as the waiting list on a hot sunny Saturday morning is not funny.

Despite it being close to civilisation it still hasn't really got hold yet in terms of public awareness for a bit of fundraising.

A possible thought for you is my home marina at Wallasea. Up the Crouch. It's home to Essex Boatyards - world's largest Fairline dealer and they often have an open weekend around the date you are thinking of. And a fuel barge.

I also often have the barbie going on board on Friday nights and the beer is plentiful and ice cold!

Either way give me a buzz nearer the time and I'll talk you through your options of dealing with all the nasty sandbanks across the Thames estuary.

Also for Swansea or Portsmouth why don't you stick a post up on Pistonheads. They like supporting a good charitable cause and you never know they may just turn out in their petrolhead glory and give you a bit of noisy support.

hunton69 · 15-04-2012, 08:08 PM

Go any where but London it will be a waste of PR time.

If London does not want you due to security reasons then that shows that the olympics has got to big for its boots.

I used to love the games but now its so----------------- of

If some one gave me a free ticket i would stuff it where it would hurt

Renegade · 15-04-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

That's great stuff - The problem is always going to be the time it takes at a maximum of 12 knots - the trouble is we can't do that! We can manage about 8mph or 6 knots as any more than that we need to be on the plane and the boat won't plane at anywhere near 12 knots! The biggest issue is getting from Hull to somewhere easily accessible in a reasonable time limit. Hull to London is at least 225 miles plus the time it takes to get out of Hull and into London - The other factor is tidal access - we need to be flexible on when we can arrive as it's difficult to predict with weather conditions in the North Sea being very variable!

We don't have a media pack as yet but I am working with the E-Lites and Raymarine PR companies and hope to have more information next week.

Im not quite sure how you may get on here, as far as speed go. i recon you will be ok up to margretness. ( just before the barrier inward bound) after that its more wash based around moorings and piers because commercial traffic starts to pic up at the barrier. you can still plane up to wapping as the clippers do 32knts. then from there to chelsea IS 30 mins at 12knts. i know this for a fact. slowing again past piers in a 10m rib. The main thing you may come up against is they may insist on someone with the local knowledge endorsement which i have or if you would prefer i can always ask to get someone else for you. Maybe if you mention you are willing to take someone with this for this part of the river it may help sway the PLA.

Drop me a line if i can help at all on the upper thames.
Paul

Cookee · 16-04-2012, 08:29 AM

td5 - Yes it's a bit of a slog up the Humber - Grimsby is certainly a bit closer although it looks like the entrance to the marina is tidal on the charts - is it dredged?

PKJB - Thanks very much for the offer - you never know!

Tonywonderfire - Thanks for the offer - I'll come back to you on that.

motovator - That's great advice about London - whilst I would love to be right in the centre there seems to be quite a few options further out that could serve our purposes quite well - The barbie sounds inviting!

Hunton69 - I think the jury is back on this one - don't bother with central London!

Renegade - Thanks for the offer Paul - you can be sure you'll get a call if that's the route we take!

The trip is taking shape - My sponsors have a board meeting about the trip tomorrow so I hope I can get everything 100% committed to by the end of the week and some publicity out to interested parties.

Thanks for all of the help everyone - without Boatmad and Ribnet it would be a hell of a lot harder!

Alacrity · 16-04-2012, 12:47 PM

I can sort out an overnight in Eastbourne if needed, I have good contacts there. Let me know if you want anything done Cookee.

Cookee · 16-04-2012, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alacrity

I can sort out an overnight in Eastbourne if needed, I have good contacts there. Let me know if you want anything done Cookee.

Thanks for the offer - it would be unscheduled if we do end up there!

motorvator · 16-04-2012, 10:12 PM

Realistic Thames estuary stop overs, working down the coast:

Harwich Harbour - Bit dead

Suffolk Yacht Harbour - Load of yotties and deader still, Fantastic views of the container terminal.

Shotley Point - As dead as the above two.

Titchmarsh - good but out on it's own.

Brightlingsea - Yotties

Bradwell Marina - Yotties, useful for topping up if you are nuclear powered.

Burnham Yacht Harbour - 300 metres on opposite side of river to Wallasea as mentioned. Both Burnham and Wallasea give you the options of tieing up safely on hammerheads off Royal Burnham, Corinthian, Burnham Sailing and of course The Ship as town centre. Quite vibrant and loads of people around even if they all do have six fingers and webbed feet.

Gallions Point Marina - Puts you inside the Royal Docks but unless there is something at Excel it's residential marina. Lock 5hrs either side. Before the barrier so you avoid speed / security issues.

West India / Millwall Dock - Access through the tide and could put you in the heart of Canary Wharf if that suits your purposes. Bit painful to sort the reshoot of Bond with British Waterways but doable. Only just past the dome so just as you come into the advisory speed limits.

Limehouse Basin - Lock is 4 hours either side. Bit residential really for your purposes but could host something.

South Dock - Good, mostly accessible lock but tide rips past making entry difficult. It's in Rotherhithe so expect your boat to be stripped by the time you get back from the pub!

St Kats - Great if you get in but as before the lock is 1 1/2 to 2 hours either side so you need alternate options as staying outside is not for you.

Other than that for Thames you need to be down to at least Cadogan Pier in West London for the boat to safe riverside.

Chatham - covered in my last post but surprisingly quite a long drag down the Medway.

Ramsgate - Good marina and town centre but whether you would do any good there I'm not so sure.

You want Barbie? Just shout and you never know we might even have live music on the bow of the boat again.
http://youtu.be/EKjwIxo6uo8

Renegade · 16-04-2012, 10:53 PM

I have my work boats at cadogan and know the pier master. chelsea harbour and the new imperial wharf are always wet. the other sides dry out. i also know south dock and limehouse basin.