Hazards
The main hazards on the Tideway between Wandsworth and Richmond
Hazards
As part of your Level 3 test, you will be required to identify all the main hazards between Wandsworth Bridge and Richmond Lock, and know at what state of the tide they apply. You will also need to be able to describe what action you would take near each hazard.
You will need to imagine you are steering three different courses:
from Wandsworth to Richmond with a flood (incoming) tide;
from Wandsworth to Richmond against an ebb (outgoing) tide;
from Richmond to Wandsworth with an ebb (outgoing) tide
The list of hazards is below. Those marked “mandatory” must be identified in that section of the test in order to pass Level 3. We have also put together a Google map with them marked on - see below and click here for a larger version.
In addition to the permanent hazards listed, there are a number of temporary hazards. The most significant of these are currently:
the works outside Fulham Football Club
the Tideway Tunnel works between Wandsworth Bridge and Putney Pier
All temporary hazards are listed in the PLA's Notices to Mariners, which should be checked regularly, particularly if rowing on unfamiliar areas of the river.
If you think we’ve missed any, please let us know at safety@thamesrc.co.uk.
| Hazard | High or Low Tide? | Flood tide from Wandsworth | Ebb tide from Wandsworth | Ebb tide from Richmond (work up the list in reverse!) |
| Wandsworth Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Shoals at the mouth of the Wandle | Low | Mandatory | ||
| Hurlingham Pier | High | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Riverside Quarter pier and pontoons | High | Mandatory | ||
| Line of boats on Surrey | High | Mandatory | ||
| Moorings on Middlesex | High | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Fulham Rail Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Sailing club under Fulham Rail Bridge | High | |||
| Putney Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Shoals on Middlesex | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Putney Pier | Mandatory | Mandatory | ||
| Traffic at Putney Crossover | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Bishops Park Wall | High | |||
| Line of boats | (note the kink) | |||
| Black Buoy | Mandatory | |||
| Kylies Rock and shoals downriver of Barn Elms Boathouse | 1/4 Low | Mandatory | ||
| New shoal downstream of the Mile Post | 1/4 Low | Mandatory | ||
| Fulham flats | Low | Mandatory | ||
| Overhanging trees | High | |||
| Disused pier on Middlesex | Mandatory | |||
| Pier opposite Harrods | High | |||
| Harrods Wall | High | Mandatory | ||
| Shoals before Hammersmith Bridge | Low | |||
| Hammersmith Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Shoals and debris above Hammersmith | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Dove Pier, all other nearby club piers and crossing boats | High | Mandatory | ||
| Dove Pier hazard warning buoy | Mandatory | |||
| St Paul's hard | Mandatory | |||
| St Paul's shoal | Low | Mandatory | ||
| Latymer and Sons of the Thames rafts, and crossing boats | High | |||
| Chiswick Eyot | High | Mandatory | ||
| Shoals and spit above the Eyot | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| The drain | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Moored boats above the Eyot | High | |||
| Chiswick Pier | High | |||
| Red buoy | Mandatory | |||
| Oncoming traffic at crossover | Mandatory | |||
| Green buoy | High | |||
| Shoals on Surrey below Barnes Bridge | Low | Mandatory | ||
| Shoals below Civil Service | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Barnes Bridge | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Storm drain outfalls by the White Hart | ||||
| Green buoy | ||||
| Oncoming traffic at crossover | Mandatory | |||
| Red buoy | ||||
| Shoals by the Ship | Low | |||
| Shoal below Scullers | Low | |||
| Chiswick Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Putney Town steps/hard | Mandatory | |||
| Spit/shoals on Surrey (Sculler's Snag) | Medium/Low | Mandatory | ||
| Overhanging trees | High | |||
| UL buoy | Mandatory | |||
| Poles above UL (Petrol Pier) | ||||
| Kew Railway Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Narrow fairway - 12.5m wide each lane | Mandatory | Mandatory | ||
| Shoals opposite Oliver's Ait | Low | Mandatory | ||
| Oliver's Ait | ||||
| Current pushing boats to Middx | ||||
| Harbourmaster's buoy | ||||
| Restricted Zones | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Kew Pier and class V vessels | Mandatory | Mandatory | ||
| Kew Road Bridge | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Pontoons above Kew Road Bridge | Low | Mandatory | Mandatory | |
| Brentford and Lot's Aits | High | |||
| Brentford Dock shoals | Low | |||
| Walled banks | High | |||
| Moorings and moored barge | High | Mandatory | ||
| Traffic at Syon Crossing | Mandatory | Mandatory | ||
| Shoals up to Pink Lodge | Low | |||
| Isleworth Ait | High | |||
| Pier and boats on the bend up to Richmond Lock | High | |||
| Eddies near the lock | High |