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Hillmorton Locks - I should know this... :(


Jennifer McM

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We went up Hillmorton Locks this morning, while we've done these locks over half a dozen times now, this was the first time we've gone through the locks when all three 'pairs of locks' were working.

 

When we entered the bottom lock (our first lock), both bottom locks were empty, one of the locks had the gates open.  At the middle locks, the gates were open on one of the locks, and in the other lock a boat was going down. When the other boat exited the lock, they left both bottom gates open. That made sense, and we thought maybe we should have left the top gate open we exited 'our' lock?

 

At the top locks, a single hander was coming down in one lock, the other lock had its bottom gates open, which meant I could sail right in.

 

So what's the etiquette? It makes sense if one lock is in the opposite 'state' (filled/empty) to leave the gates open. Or does the rules still apply, i.e. paddles down, and gates shut?

 

No lockies were on duty.

Edited by Jennifer McM
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If a vessel is approaching to enter a lock as you leave it, it's now "their lock" so it's good etiquette to leave the gates open for them.  This is because snyone waiting to come through in the same direction as you has to fill or empty that lock so they can enter it - so it might as well have the approaching a boat in it!  The boat behind you may have to wait a minute or two extra, but it saves a lock full of water, and that benefits everyone.  Or am I misunderstanding your question? (Sorry if I am!) :)

 

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8 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

If a vessel is approaching to enter a lock as you leave it, it's now "their lock" so it's good etiquette to leave the gates open for them.  This is because snyone waiting to come through in the same direction as you has to fill or empty that lock so they can enter it - so it might as well have the approaching a boat in it!  The boat behind you may have to wait a minute or two extra, but it saves a lock full of water, and that benefits everyone.  Or am I misunderstanding your question? (Sorry if I am!) :)

 

Yes, think I'm being mistaken, sorry for not being clear. There was no boat waiting to use a lock. The gates were left open, despite no boat waiting.

 

In the middle lock, if we'd have seen the boat coming down the top lock, we'd have left the gate open, we shut the gate but felt a tinge of guilt thinking that we should have left the gate open even though we didn't see the boat.

 

Just to try and make it clearer, cos I'm rubbish at explaining :) 

 

Two bottom locks empty, one set of gates left open.

 

Two middle locks, one empty and gates left open, the other lock had a boat coming down and when they left the locks they left the gates open

 

Two top locks, same situation as the middle locks. 

 

We were lucky, we sailed straight into all three locks as their gates were open. 

 

Should we have left the gates open when we exited? I'm wondering if there is an etiquette unique for 'paired locks'?

 

 

 

 

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The accepted rule for 'proper boaters' is to shut the gates when leaving (unless you see a boat coming towards you).

It's accepted practice on busy flights - with a real expectation that there will be a boat along very, very shortly who could use your set lock to leave the gates open.

 

Hilmorton is usually busy so I guess folks routinely leave the gates open - Unless they're  plain lazy.... 

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2 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

The accepted rule for 'proper boaters' is to shut the gates when leaving (unless you see a boat coming towards you).

It's accepted practice on busy flights - with a real expectation that there will be a boat along very, very shortly who could use your set lock to leave the gates open.

 

Hilmorton is usually busy so I guess folks routinely leave the gates open - Unless they're  plain lazy.... 

That's what I thought, but thought I was missing something. 

 

We saw just 4 boats on the move today (2 at the locks), hardly busy, but busyish from what we've been used to over the winter months.

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11 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

That's what I thought, but thought I was missing something. 

 

We saw just 4 boats on the move today (2 at the locks), hardly busy, but busyish from what we've been used to over the winter months.

Did you pass through Stretton stop?

 

Richard

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Simple answer, I never shut gates when leaving a lock*, unless I can see that the other end is leaking or someone is right up my jacksie. Been doing it this way for 50 years not changing now.

 

* I do reverse locks when needed such as on Anglian rivers.

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If you were approaching but going in to the other lock then I would have closed the gates if I was exiting the lock but only if I was certain you weren't going to want to use the lock I was in.  Some people seem to like to use the towpath side lock on parallel locks. 

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1 hour ago, Loddon said:

Simple answer, I never shut gates when leaving a lock*, unless I can see that the other end is leaking or someone is right up my jacksie. Been doing it this way for 50 years not changing now.

 

* I do reverse locks when needed such as on Anglian rivers.

What you do and what is proper are not necessarily the same things.

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15 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

What you do and what is proper are not necessarily the same things.

Proper on canals always was to leave gates open.

Proper on EA rivers is leave lock empty.

 

 

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To be fair, when Loddon started boating it was normal to leave all gates open when exiting a lock. 

The general policy only changed in the late 1970's/ early 80's, when the lack of maintenance meant more lock gates were leaking badly and caused problems.

Most people including myself tend to close all gates as a routine these days, but it really doesn't matter if a small number of people don't.

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4 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

To be fair, when Loddon started boating it was normal to leave all gates open when exiting a lock. 

The general policy only changed in the late 1970's/ early 80's, when the lack of maintenance meant more lock gates were leaking badly and caused problems.

Most people including myself tend to close all gates as a routine these days, but it really doesn't matter if a small number of people don't.

I started boating in the late 60s. Yes at the time it was normal to leave gates open. But that was 50 years ago and things have changed. There is less maintenance, many more boats, less water and consequently behaviours have to change. Of course it would be great if there was plenty of water and locks didn’t leak, but that isn’t the real world.

 

It does matter if a small number of people leave gates open if they went through last night and you are the person coming along the next morning to find empty pounds.

 

In my opinion carrying on like it was 50 years ago is just an excuse for laziness and selfishness.

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3 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Ahhh Roses' Narrowboats - yes, confusion reigned, we bought 3 bags of coal. Were you there?

 

Yes, messing about with woodwork this morning

 

Richard

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12 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

To be fair, when Loddon started boating it was normal to leave all gates open when exiting a lock. 

The general policy only changed in the late 1970's/ early 80's, when the lack of maintenance meant more lock gates were leaking badly and caused problems.

Most people including myself tend to close all gates as a routine these days, but it really doesn't matter if a small number of people don't.

If Mr Loddon is a dustman  it would  come naturally to leave all gates open, he may not be able to help it even if he doesn't really mean to,  My mum always rang the coucil each time ours were lleft open ''every week!!!''. but it made no difference.  :unsure:

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 Nick you didn't read the whole sentence! I said I do close gates when the other end is leaking!

Still it wont be a problem for you as I am leaving the stinking ditches at the end of the month, doubt if I will ever be back as there is nothing left to entice me. Its sad the way the system has fallen apart in the last 10 years there is very little hope for it now.

I'm just praying that CART don't get their hands on EA waters and ruin that as well, it will mean I will have to go to Ireland to do my boating providing of course I still can!

 

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35 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

I started boating in the late 60s. Yes at the time it was normal to leave gates open. But that was 50 years ago and things have changed. There is less maintenance, many more boats, less water and consequently behaviours have to change. Of course it would be great if there was plenty of water and locks didn’t leak, but that isn’t the real world.

 

It does matter if a small number of people leave gates open if they went through last night and you are the person coming along the next morning to find empty pounds.

 

In my opinion carrying on like it was 50 years ago is just an excuse for laziness and selfishness.

We started boating in 1972 and think this post is spot on. Thanks.  

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7 minutes ago, Rose Narrowboats said:

working boats and locks quickly and efficiently, seems to have almost completely died out.

The thing I'm going to miss the most by organising the BCN Challenge instead of competing is doing four minutes locks up Ryders Green

 

Ahh well, another year perhaps

 

Richard

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Once upon a time when I was a nipper my aunt Gladys came to stay with us for a few days over Christmas, a Lancashire lass, we went to meet her at Victorua bus station in London. We couldn't miss her as she always wore a funny hat with grapes attached to it.  I think it was the day just before Christmas eve when our door knocker knocked.  Aunt Gladys said, ''I'll answer it luv'' . The man standing there wore bib and brace overalls and bold as brass declared that it was he who emptied our bin, ''angling for a Christmas tip of course''.  I'm the man who empties your bin, he said and my aunt replied, ''Oh are yer luv, and I'm the person who fills it''  and shut the door.  That did it we got rubbish spilt up the path for ages and ages and of course the gate was never closed.

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38 minutes ago, Loddon said:

 Nick you didn't read the whole sentence! I said I do close gates when the other end is leaking!

Still it wont be a problem for you as I am leaving the stinking ditches at the end of the month, doubt if I will ever be back as there is nothing left to entice me. Its sad the way the system has fallen apart in the last 10 years there is very little hope for it now.

I'm just praying that CART don't get their hands on EA waters and ruin that as well, it will mean I will have to go to Ireland to do my boating providing of course I still can!

 

I did read the whole sentence. The point is that leaks are not always visible. And anyway, how much of a leak is a leak?

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