Notice

Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club Long Distance Paddle 2023: river restriction notice

Published 22 February 2023

This notice was withdrawn on

River restriction no longer in force.

When

Sunday 26 February 2023, 9am to 1pm.

Where

Bell Weir reach, Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club (What3Words //mole.outer.scar) to the rear of Old Windsor Lock Island (What3Words //pushy.give.civil).

Details

Multiple dragon boats and outrigger canoes will be engaged in racing between a marker buoy outside Wraysbury Skiff and Punting Club and a marker buoy in the natural course of the river to the rear of Old Windsor Lock island. Racing will continue upstream in the Old Windsor weir stream to a marker buoy placed below the weir. Some of these craft will be moving at high speed.

There will be no racing channel set up, competing crews are to navigate the river correctly and safely whilst being aware of other river users.

Masters of non-competing vessels should take up a position to the right of the centre of the navigation channel during ordinary navigation.

Regatta boards will mark the upstream and downstream extent of the course.

Masters of all boats to maintain a safe speed and lookout between Wraysbury Skiff & Punting Club and Old Windsor Lock and whilst navigating in the Old Windsor weir stream.

All boats should be navigated in accordance with any instructions given from Environment Agency control points or patrol launches.

Those in charge of boats should be aware that they are responsible for avoiding collision and should use all available means appropriate to the circumstances and conditions to decide if there is a risk of immediate danger and avoid it.

Bathing or swimming are not allowed in the river in the vicinity of the course during these times.

All directions as to river left and river right are given looking upstream.

Byelaws

Nothing contained in these directions shall supersede those parts of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993 and the UK Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996 as may be relevant. Particular attention should be paid to byelaws 24-42 of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993, Steering Sailing and Speed.

And Notice is hereby given, that it is provided by Byelaw 52 of the Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993 that:

The master of any vessel shall except in an emergency not pass any boat-race regatta public procession or gathering for the launch of a vessel or any other event or function which may cause a crowd to assemble on or by the river nor station his vessel thereon in such a manner as would risk obstructing impeding or interfering with such boat-race regatta procession launching event or function or endangering the safety of persons assembling on the river or preventing or interfering with the maintenance of order thereon.

The maximum penalty for breach of the Byelaws is £1,000.

Read our Thames Navigation Licensing and General Byelaws 1993