Murflynn

lightweight aluminium jobbie, throw it up onto the lockside. you're right, I wouldn't want to do it with a wooden pole.

maybe designed and built for the Mon & Brec?

unlikely. suggest you have the bow and stern ropes ready on the cabin roof and, after securing the boat with the centre line, you pick them up with a boat hook.

and I always thought they were tasty desserts from Iceland .............

A floating drilling rig sunk in South East Asia when there was a gas blow-out below it. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn227-swallowing-ships.html#.VK8K_yusU11

Fairground rides have height markers for children. Buses, trains, boats and planes should have narrow gateways to restrict passengers to those who will fit in the seats without discomfiting the other passengers.

When I did the Avon at the peak of the season there was no lockie or volunteer on duty anywhere above Tewkesbury all the way to Stratford. And Wyre lock (diamond shaped) is difficult single-handed if you cannot board the boat at the bow or stern. The ladder is in the point of the angle. On my cruising launch, where I can only board midships, I had to haul the boat through. Moored overnight at a lock below Evesham in the company of 2 narrowboats, we were exceedingly p*ssed off when a large floating restaurant came through at about 10pm (and returned much later), with floodlights glaring all around them while they were moored opposite us and set the lock. They ignored our protests and we only got them to desist by shining a 3million candlepower torch in the helmsman's eyes. Some of the locks - gates and paddles - were very hard work. Apart from that the Avon was delightful, especially the many anglers with their long poles across the river, who never grumbled when I went past. I'm sure those were cheery waves they gave me....... seriously. Saw Blackrose but there was no sign of anyone at home.

I don't see any obvious signs of holding down straps/chains on the deck holding the heavy machinery (Daily Mail photo). AFAIK trucks are restrained on Ro-Ro ferries, so why not on a vehicle transporter?

water softener salt is NaCl.