Open for Bookings 8 May 2023 (updated 8 May 2023) | By admin Jubilant setting off from Richmond Pontoon Jubilant was relaunched after a major refit over the winter, she is all pristine and freshly varnished ready for the 2023 season. Bookings can be made for outing on Jubilant or our other boats from our booking page (email the boating centre if you do not have a registered login account) We are also looking for more people to train as instructors, we can run all the courses, and do the assessments for Scout Pulling permits.
Lovely Winters Day for checking moorings 22 January 2023 (updated 23 January 2023) | By admin After a lot of work clearing Robin Arundel’s prop from a couple of metres of tangled rope, and rebuilding the prop thrust plate supports, this Sunday I finally got to taker her for a spin around our moorings by the flowerpot islands to check our boats (bailing, covers ropes etc) Flowerpot Island at Richmond with cormorants The day could not have been better, the flood of a 7.2m (London Bridge) spring tide perfectly cancelling the almost 200cumecs of fluvial flow so the river was flat calm and glassy for about 1.5 hours. It was still very cold , ice in the boats and frost on Robin Rescue, but quite beautiful, tough had to wade back along the river front (glad I had wellies) I just love being on the River! Trevor – Centre Manager
90th Christmas Breakfast 19 December 2022 (updated 16 January 2023) | By admin At last, after two years of pandemic lockdown, we were able to run the Christmas Breakfast face to face again. In the last two years we have had to resort to virtual celebrations at home, with everyone cooking their own breakfast. This year we also celebrated our Centenary (which actually happened last year). The 14th was formed in April 1921, and the breakfasts started about 10 years later. This year numbers were down on normal, sadly we have lost many old friends over the last couple of years. The strike disruption also put a number of people off travelling. We had about 40 people sitting down for a full english breakfast cooked by Neale and Rosemary, supported by a small gang of helpers. In fact , in the tradition of the 14th, most of the people attending helped in some way or other -from serving out plates to clearing and washing up. Thank you to all who attended and helped to keep this 90 year tradition going. Trevor – Centre Manager Everyone had a Centenary Mug to remember event.
Richmond Draw Off and Scout Moorings 14 November 2022 (updated 14 November 2022) | By admin This year we have a two month Draw-Off where the barrier curtain at Richmond Lock is not closed , this means the river drops to its natural level at low tide, and the foreshore and manu of the mooring areas dry out. We treat the draw-off as an opportunity to inspect and repair the Scout moorings and they definitely needed some work. At the start of 2022, we lost one of the pendulum mooring chains, as the chain links dip into the gritty river bed, the links of the chain rub together and eventually wear through. It was a perfect day, as the rain has held off for a week allowing the river level to drop sufficiently to expose the river bed at our moorings, this was dubbed Trevor Island a few yeas ago as I seemed to spend so much time on it . Trevor Island and the boat “Dreckly” It was a perfect day, as the rain has held off for a week allowing the river level to drop sufficiently to expose the river bed at our moorings, this was dubbed Trevor Island a few yeas ago as I seemed to spend so much time on it . So 50m of heavy chain has been bought (about 100kg) and the main groundchain relaid, plus the broken pendulum mooring chain replaced. As we leave Jubilant on our moorings in the summer, the anchors and ground chain have to be in good condition for such a heavy boat. But… all done now, so hopefully all fine for he next few years. Trevor Hall Centre Manager Scout Moorings at Low TIde during the Run-Off
Remembering our Patron, HM The Queen 1926-2022 11 September 2022 (updated 14 September 2022) | By admin The 14th Richmond Viking Boating Centre join the rest of the world in honouring the memory of our Queen Our District Commissioner, Phil Hunt, writes: We are all saddened across the District at the news of the passing of The Queen, the Patron of Scouting across the UK. We remember those occasions where Scouts from the District participated in royal events involving her Majesty such as Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph and forming a guard of honour in Richmond Park during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. Many Scouts have been honoured with the award of Queens Scout and will continue to proudly wear the award and display the certificate signed by Her Majesty. We look forward to the rein of King Charles III. links between The Queen and Scouting can be found here Trevor Hall – Centre Manager
14th Richmond Open for Bookings (at last) 2 April 2022 (updated 19 April 2022) | By admin Please use the “Login/Register” tab to get a user password, I will let you know details on the (protected) booking page access in the response. Sorry this has take a while, but our boats have been laid up for the winter, but available now (Jubilant will be on the water in approx 10 days) The Richmond Bridge Pontoon has only recently returned, and is still being finished, so access a little limited but possible. Bookings may take a few days as I have to get all our instructors back on the lists , and available.
Bamber Gascoigne – Gone Home 9 February 2022 (updated 19 February 2022) | By admin it is with greatest sadness that I have to pass on the news that our Centre President and friend Bamber passed away on the 8th February Bamber was a great supporter of the 14th, always with a cheery word to us while we were out on the river with groups of young people, and we all appreciated his wonderful light hearted speeches at our annual Christmas breakfast reunion. he is a great loss to the Richmond River Shore. our thoughts are with Bamber’s wife Christina . Bamber at the Launch of our boat Brynhild in 2013
Turk’s Pontoon returns to Richmond 15 January 2022 (updated 15 January 2022) | By admin The Famous (and old) pontoon at Richmond riverfront has returned. The pontoon was built in the 1950s for the Festival of Britain so is in the order of 70years old. The pontoon has been at Turk’s boatyards in Chatham for the last few months, and been refurbished and modified to better serve the floating barge/restaurant. The barge will return to Richmond sometime this year. The pontoon is still being commissioned, and needs some finishing work and also needs the Brow refitting to allow access to the shore. We hope we can start using the pontoon for our boating activities sometime in the Spring. Refurbished Turk’s Pontoon at Richmond Riverfront The Pontoon prior to refurbishment
Covid cancelled Christmas Breakfast 20 December 2021 (updated 15 January 2022) | By admin Dear All, I am very sorry, but the trends in COVID infections, and the general scientific advice indicated that the risks were too great to hold an event close to Christmas. I consulted with Robin our Group Secretary and Vic and we all agreed. We are made and sent out the decision on the 16th December to minimise any costs to the Group, and also gives a chance for the word to spread. I do feel this is a postponement not a cancellation, we will celebrate our 100 years history. So I am looking for a date in February to try again. Hopefully some of you celebrated the 100th year of the 14th with a breakfast at home, if you have any pictures and we will put them on our website as I did last year, We are very sorry for all of you looking forward to meeting up with people not seen for such a long time, but I will be in touch with a new date as soon as practical.
14th Richmond Scout Boating Centre Open for Bookings! 2 August 2021 (updated 12 August 2021) | By admin As from the beginning of August, we are again taking bookings for evening outings on our boats. Please use the bookings page (under Centre Calendar) and the password for bookings “Viking14” The booking system is still experimental, so please check you get a response with a Subject “New Booking” and contents similar to this :- Your reservation for: 9 August 2021 6:00 pm – 9 August 2021 9:00 pm is processing now! We will send confirmation by email. I am also starting to do Scout Permit assessments , though this can only be for full Scout members (on Compass) and not occasional helpers. Here’s hoping to a good remainder of the boating season. all the Best Trevor Hall : Centre Manager