Cruising the Thames With GoBoat
Last month we were invited to Kingston, to trial the new GoBoat location ahead of its official launch. We live so close to the Thames, and have often dreamt about hiring a boat for a spot of cruising, whilst we have walked the tow paths. The sailors along the Thames always look like they are living the dream! Waving at us mere mortals, whilst chugging a beer, carefree in the beaming sunshine. That’s the dream right there! So when we got this invite there wasnt ever a chance that we were going to say No.
GoBoat have a fleet of 4 super sleek pleasure boats that you can hire by the hour. We were given a slot of 3 hours, which would give us ample time to explore this picturesque part of the Thames. It’s a part of the Thames that we know well, but it was still assuring knowing that no mariner experience and license was necessary.
The GoBoat mooring, conveniently placed next to Kingston Bridge
Each boat can hold up to 8 people, and has a very handy picnic table in the middle. So, we roped in the fam, and told them to get sandwich making. We booked our ride on Emerson’s Birthday eve to kick off his week of Birthday celebrations in skipper style.
GoBoat Captain
We were advised to arrive 15 mins before our allocated slot for a safety briefing. In true Vibes Life fashion we rocked up with seconds to spare. Ben was waiting at the mooring, close to Kingston Bridge, and he wasted no time in kitting Em out with a life jacket. Which to everyones surprise he was more than happy to keep on. Ben AKA the Toddler Whisperer. It was then time to pile onboard the electric boat, ready for our next instruction. There were a few last minute requests for coffee and the toilet, (thankfully there is a cafe opposite) then we were ready to go.
We nominated Pete as our captain, and the advice during our safety handover was short and sweet.
- Stay to the right
- Point the tiller towards danger and you will go the opposite way
- Have fun
OK, there was a bit more to it than that, but rest assured the instructions were simple, and included a laminated map. The recommendation was to head towards Hampton Court. Our 3 hours, would give us enough time to reach the Palace and return. Although the instructions were straightforward, all boats are fitted with GPS in case we ran into any sort of trouble (a wrong turn maybe?)
Nice and Simple
Lazy River
As we left our mooring, and waved goodbye to the crew, we were all a little apprehensive. Could the instructions really be that easy? Our first task was to cross the Thames to go back up river. The river was clear and Pete spun the boat round perfectly. It was now time to cruise along at a leisurely speed of 3½ knots (that’s 4mph to us sailing novices).
One of the biggest surprises with the GoBoats are how quiet they are! There was no loud engine roar, or smell of petrol! Just the quiet hum from the electric motor, which is much more eco friendly, and just what we need when we’re after a quiet afternoon on the Thames.
We were able to hear the ducks, and the coxswain bellowing orders to the rowing teams that were putting the hours in. This part of the Thames is under the Heathrow flight path, so it wasnt totally serene, but the constant plane spotting was a win with Emerson. You would think he would be bored of planes, bearing in mind we practically live on the runway.
Sustainability
Once Captain Pete had full control of the boat and we were comfortably lazy, it was time to crack open the picnic. The large wooden table that forms a centrepiece of each boat, is made from sustainably sourced forestry wood. Whilst the foam kernel is made of 80% recycled PET – that’s the equivalent of 600 plastic bottles. Another Eco win for GoBoat!! It’s so important that companies like GoBoat take their carbon footprint seriously. We want to enjoy the waterways, without our fun having a detrimental impact on our environment with noise, and emissions. It seems that GoBoat have got the balance just right.
Just when you think this company couldn’t get any better they encourage you to bring food, and a bottle of bubbly to boot. We were more of a cheeky non-alcoholic beer and sausage roll crew this time around, but we totally see how swilling a glass of Prosecco would go down, whilst day-dreaming about owning one of those giant riverside pads that line the Thames.
We were really lucky with the weather, although cloudy it was warm (ish), so we didn’t need the onboard blankets and umbrellas – thankfully! But it’s good to know that if it did decide to bucket down in true English weather fashion there are supplies you can draw for.
Time to Turn Around
It took us around an hour of going up river before we reached the golden gates of Hampton Court palace. The notorious house of Henry is a place that we often visit, but to see the grand palace in it’s entirety from the river is a real treat, and we were all pretty excited. Going under Hampton Court Bridge, was our cue to turn around before getting to Molesey Lock. When accepting the invitation the locks were a worry, so knowing that we didn’t have to attempt navigating them was a relief to us all.
Hampton Court palace in all its glory
Emerson was so well behaved on the boat. He was happy to sit there for the majority of the journey waving at the people (yep those mere mortals, if only we had that beaming sun) using the tow paths and other boat goers. Where there is food there is a happy Em, so the picnic kept him well and truly entertained. He loved shouting “Helloooooo” at the top of his lungs as we went under the bridge, and hearing his echo blew his mind.
We had a few cars packed for when duck counting, and waving no longer served him. The table made a great makeshift car park, allowing us to soak up the serenity of the river, and we’re pleased to report that we didn’t lose any toy cars in the river!
By this point we were all feeling a bit more confident on the tiller, and took it in turns to drive the boat. Although when it came to docking, steering it back to the mooring wasn’t as easy as leaving. Luckily Ben was there waiting to guide us in and offer a helping hand, by jumping on the boat and steering us in himself. What a Pro!
GoBoat Pros
For once we were actually early, and our round trip lasted around 2hr 45 mins. This section of the Thames is truly stunning. It’s wide, and quiet and is the perfect place to take a slow cruise. We will definitely be back to Kingston as would love to explore in the other direction towards Teddington Lock. Plus now we’re GoBoat pros we’re ready to take on the smaller canals of the Paddington location.
If you’re looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon in London, we can’t recommend GoBoat enough. It’s a really unusual way to spend time with your friends, and family. It also makes the perfect date location. The boats are a wonderful sociable space and the fact you can take your children, and dogs is a winner in our books.
Both locations are open 7 days a week until dusk, and booking couldn’t be more straightforward. Check out their website here.
Let us know in the comments if you have been to either location.
Disclaimer: We were invited along to the new Kingston location, in exchange for Instagram coverage of our day. All opinions are our own, and we have not been asked to write this blog post.
Sounds like a great way to spend a few hours. It has been a while since I’ve been down to Kingston so might pop down and do this one day over the summer (assuming it ever arrives).
It was a really cool way to spend the afternoon!! Definitely recommend, would love to know what you think?