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Showing results for tags 'knowle locks'.
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Short version - Last weekend, a new owner of a plastic boat got the stern rope wrapped around the prop and had to get their hands in the water to untangle it. I know I've seen boats with the outboard tilted out of the water but couldn't figure out how to pivot this little Honda. There was a big black lever that I thought might have unlocked something but it didn't, thinking about it, it might have been the choke but it seemed too big for that. There was a spring loaded pin that looked like it would adjust the rake by using alternative holes but that proved too difficult to remove with the boat in the water. Obviously it's of no help now but for future reference, is there a standard way to pivot outboards so the prop is out the water. Long version: We had a fantastic trip leaving Birmingham, heading for The Black Boy right up until the cursed Knowle Locks. All locks in our favour, even lock 9 on the Farmers Bridge Flight was easier than normal to open and close. No weed hatch visits, only two other boats moving, both were met at locks, so gates were left open for us. Things changed when we got about to Knowle, Debbie was steering, while I was inside warming up. I came out and she asked what I thought the prat in the GRP boat in front was doing. Apparently they'd pulled to the side, jumped off, got back on board, darted in front, slowed down to the point she almost rear ended them, then sped up again, were weaving all over the place, etc. I said, "perhaps they're new or had engine problems". Anyway, they sped off, we carried on at a steady pace. By the time we arrived at Knowle top lock, they had just shut the top gate and were winding the bottom paddles. A fisher on the waterpoint landing asked "Can't you both share the lock?" I said "Yes but a plastic boat might not want to share with a metal one in case it hits and sinks them". Debbie went and talked to the lock wheeler and they were indeed new to boating and hadn't realised they could share locks. They waited in the next lock for us to catch up and share the rest of the flight. As Debbie steered out of the first lock, she apparently lost steering control, so struggled getting into the lock. As she drifted towards the weir/old narrow lock, I had to push the boat towards the lock and pull her into the lock. At this point, a lock wheeler for the Girl Guides boat, which was waiting in the next lock down to come up started asking which side we would be going, then asked me to speak on her phone, to their skipper. Debbie left the lock, steered into the next lock without touching the sides, or Girl Guides boat, the Guides boat started going up and the plastic boat started coming down. Something however went wrong with the plastic boat and it too started drifting towards the weir. As mentioned above, it's rope had got badly tangled and it took us an hour to untangle it during which time it started peeing down. - This just confirms my dislike of Knowle locks. We got to the Black Boy and the lads on the plastic boat bought us a drink to say thanks for helping. After buying the boat from somewhere around Fradley, they were heading for Evesham. So if you see a little boat hemming and hawing it's way along, say hello. Rob