With engine failure in the Thames, what would you do?

Each month Yachting Monthly's new resident expert, Rachael Sprot answers a reader's question. This month what would you do with engine failure in the Thames?

Jenny and James, who both hold the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal qualification, are en route to St Katharine Docks in London aboard their Westerly Oceanranger 38. They’re motoring up the Thames Estuary when the engine fails. With a light southerly they manage to hoist sails and ghost to the edge of the Barrow Deep, anchoring just west of North Knob.

Jenny suspects a fuel issue and sets about changing all the filters while James looks at their options. It’s 2200 and whilst they’re safely anchored at the moment, the tide will start ebbing at 0300 and the wind is going to pick up from the SW, building fairly quickly to a force 5-6 by the morning.

James identifies two options if they can’t get the engine started: stay put overnight, keep working on the engine and try to get some help in the morning – perhaps a RIB could come out from the Medway and give them a tow in; Wait until the wind picks up and sail into one of the east coast rivers. Meanwhile, Jenny has changed the filters to no avail. What should they do?

What would you do with engine failure in the Thames?

It’s sensible to attempt to resolve an engine issue if you can find a safe place to do so; the most common problems can usually be resolved at sea. However, once you’ve eliminated all the usual suspects such as dirty filters there’s only so much you can do. There comes a point when energy is best spent on thoroughly researching the alternatives over a cup of tea.

Since they aren’t in any immediate danger, this isn’t a Mayday situation. Arguably it might be a Panpan, but they are competent sailors with time to work out a solution, so I don’t think they need outside assistance at this stage, although it is worth informing London VTS. However, when the wind and tide change, they’ll be set towards the sandbank to the east and will be more vulnerable so they do need to get moving before the morning.

There are several things they need to consider:

• Where will the wind and tide take them?
• Are there any marinas that they could sail straight into?
• What facilities are available nearby for repairs?

With the ebb tide setting them north-east from 0300, and southwesterly winds filling in, the elements are directing them out of the Thames Estuary. Beating towards the Medway against the tide would be hard work. The rivers Crouch, Colne and Blackwater are 20-25 miles away, Harwich and the Orwell are further off at 30-35 miles.

However, these options either involve beating upwind (the Crouch and the Blackwater) or entering quite constrained waters under sail (the Colne). Wind angles matter here – there’s no engine to get out of trouble – and Harwich will be the easiest approach with more open water and reaching angles.

With six hours of favourable tide, they could easily arrive in time for the start of the flood. The long downwind sail would allow them to take it in turns to get some rest.

In terms of getting an engineer on board, the closer they can get to a marina the better, although a mooring buoy or anchorage from which they could arrange a tow would do fine if that’s not feasible. My preference would be to continue up the Orwell, which runs north and then north-west, so it should be an easy point of sail especially considering that, by this time, the tide will be on the flood.

They could pick up a mooring near Suffolk Yacht Haven or Wolverstone Marina – both have good facilities. The cherry on the top would be sailing onto a hammerhead berth at Wolverstone, reaching under headsail against the tide.

---

Enjoyed reading this?

A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price, so you can save money compared to buying single issues.

Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals.

YM is packed with information to help you get the most from your time on the water.

• • • Take your seamanship to the next level with tips, advice and skills from our experts
    • Impartial in-depth reviews of the latest yachts and equipment
    • Cruising guides to help you reach those dream destinations

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

---

The post With engine failure in the Thames, what would you do? appeared first on Yachting Monthly.