Kingfisher on the Thames

[Horsley-Anarak]

Chucked the boat in the river yesterday, Thames 1 day license £10.50 covers you for 2 days, not bad.

Put in at Walton with a couple of mates, visit a few riverside pubs, have a spot of lunch was the plan, bright blue skies perfect.

Found a very nice second pub, great beer and food,.

Then started the return leg, all going well then engine started loosing power.

Fuel pump was working itself loose,result crankcase leak and no pumped fuel.

Luckily I had the trusty featherweight in reserve, and that was managing 5mph uphill on a 14 foot boat.

Spoke to the Environment Agency guys in their launch, who had earlier been sat in the tea room at Sunbury lock.

Without seeing us, they had heard us come out of the lock and said to each other "That is a Seagull".

We could do a Thames seagull meet at Walton, nice new free carpark next to the river, up towards Windsor or Down towards Richmond.

Lots to see nice bit of river.

H-A

[Charles uk]

That's why they fit the lock nut.

[Horsley-Anarak]

That's why they fit the lock nut.

It has the M6 Nyloc nut Charles.

Many thanks for yet another helpful comment.

[david doyle]

5mph with the feather wieght and 3 guys on board? Man I got some kind of problem with my 40 plus.

[Horsley-Anarak]

5mph with the feather wieght and 3 guys on board? Man I got some kind of problem with my 40 plus.

Or some problem with your boat, I find with my boat there is little difference between a 40+ and a 40-.

[Charles uk]

Well how did it come loose? M6 threaded into top half of crankcase then a nylock,

I've done a lot of these, even do similar on racing centurys, they don't come loose, is the balancer weight in the flywheel?

Just had another thought, depending on the application for the fuel pump (I70/125, 5R) , many of them didn't have the countersunk retaining screw seat in the pump base, does yours?

[david doyle]

LOL, nope no problem with either, I am just retarded and got thinking 2.2 km per mile instead of the correct 1.6. My 40 plus gives 8 km/hr pushing 600 pounds at any throttle setting slightly above half. 8km/hr is about exactly 5 miles per hour. Your boat is alot nicer then mine though. Dam euro boats always making me jealous

[JERSEYMAN]

I've just noticed something, you seagull owners, you're just a bunch of oldies

I wonder what the average age of ownership is?

[Stelios_Rjk]

I believe I decrease the average but I don't think my contribution is enough

[1650bullet]

Stelios would be the youngest I believe. But I just read that you guys had to pay for a day permit. Do you have to pay to use rivers and creeks or any other sought of waterways in the Uk do you ? Here in Oz we have to get a permit if we put a boat in the water if your fishing.

[Keith.P]

In the UK, on most inland waterways, rivers and so on you will need a license, also the non tidal part of the Thames, salt water is free, but you should have insurance.

You do not have to register your boat like you do in the US, it does not matter too much what it is as long as it is insured, about £20 for a tender, £75 speedboat.

[skyetoyman]

No charge for fishing in the sea. No rules either -- just advice on lifejackets , flares , etc.
Many places charge to use a ramp ; parking ; etc. and you need to be insured . Isle of Skye is free .
Just found a boat like mine on youtube , but it's been messed about with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swnKqNg5Pms