Do you use your lines in locks?

[Wanderer Vagabond]

A flight of locks that I'm a big fan of using the centre rope on, if going up alone, is the Hatton Flight(broad locks). If you use the centre line to secure the boat (I never tie a knot) and then open the ground paddle on the side of the lock where the boat is moored, the lock gets a good circular water motion that holds the boat in position whilst the boat rises. 

[blackrose]

Yes because I'm mainly on rivers single-handed. If I was on a canal and others are working the locks then (for most locks) I wouldn't bother with ropes, it's easy enough to hold the boat on the engine.

 

 

 

Descending Bath deep lock I didn't use ropes around the cables in the lock walls because I had no idea about the condition of the cables or lock walls and if my ropes would snag on anything as the boat went down. I went ropeless and just made sure the boat was nowhere near the cill. When the lock was almost empty it drifted back but that was ok by then. If I was doing it again I would use the cables.

 

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by blackrose

[Murflynn]

12 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

It depends greatly on what lock and what other boats are in with you. Personaly I dont use ropes in narrow locks but I sometimes do on the Trent or A and C for instance and most always on the Thames as they take umbrage if you dont.

 

what action do they take if you have run out of umbrage?   

[Alan de Enfield]

15 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Yes because I'm mainly on rivers single-handed. If I was on a canal and others are working the locks then (for most locks) I wouldn't bother with ropes, it's easy enough to hold the boat on the engine.

 

 

 

 

 

I've never noticed that your well-deck drains are lower than the slime-line

 

Edit - Only 14 words I cannot even spell them all correctly !!!

Edited March 26, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[blackrose]

13 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

 

I've never noticed that your well-deck drains are lower than the slime-line

 

 

I think you're looking at a gas locker vent. They are lower than the bow wave made by the boat at any speed. With the boat stopped there about 4" above the waterline depending on how much water is in the tank.

 

The well deck scuppers are about 5" above the waterline and the bow wave isn't long enough to immerse them.

 

Gas locker vent

Edited March 26, 2021 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

It was this one I was looking at :

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Alan de Enfield

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

It was this one I was looking at :

 

 

 

 

Yes, that's a gas locker vent. Any scupper is normally at the back of the deck (or lowest point), not at the front.

Edited March 26, 2021 by blackrose

[OldGoat]

14 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

It depends greatly on what lock and what other boats are in with you. Personaly I dont use ropes in narrow locks but I sometimes do on the Trent or A and C for instance and most always on the Thames as they take umbrage if you dont.

Absolutely - can't have visiting folks not towing the line doncha' know Fwar, Fwar.

Acshully the lockie will be on a fizzer if he / she gets caught by a sneak or  another member of staff and sneaks to the EA.

 

It makes sense because the flows in a Thames lock can throw any craft about quite a bit - your supposed to have the engine off as well...

[zenataomm]

16 hours ago, Ianws said:

Not sure if the length of boat makes a difference. I've got a 30ft boat on wide locks on the Ledds Liverpool.

In your case, probably not.

However, if your boat is historical and uncircumcised then there are a few locks around that Waterways didn't measure twice before rebuilding.  They will have you gleefully dragging your tipcats inboard so you can swing a gate. 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

5 hours ago, blackrose said:

Yes because I'm mainly on rivers single-handed. If I was on a canal and others are working the locks then (for most locks) I wouldn't bother with ropes, it's easy enough to hold the boat on the engine.

 

Descending Bath deep lock I didn't use ropes around the cables in the lock walls because I had no idea about the condition of the cables or lock walls and if my ropes would snag on anything as the boat went down. I went ropeless and just made sure the boat was nowhere near the cill. When the lock was almost empty it drifted back but that was ok by then. If I was doing it again I would use the cables.

 

 

 

Interestingly, I got into using ropes in locks following a minor incident it Ryders Green locks which rather demonstrated that you cannot always rely on your engine. Entering the bottom lock of Ryders and after the stern had passed over the cill I put the boat in reverse to stop, unfortunately I then picked up a bundle of plastic carrier bags and was now travelling forward in the lock with no brakes! I hit the cill of the top gate a bit (well quite a lot) harder than I would choose to. Since then, when I am able to, I tend to step off the boat as I enter the lock with the drive in neutral and control the boat with a bight around a bollard to slow it to a stop. It is also useful when going into broad locks with other boats who, perhaps, don't want to enter the lock alongside me. When you motor into a broad lock and then engage reverse to stop, the stern invariably swings out away from the lockside so you are then faff around getting it back to the lockside to allow the other boat into the lock. When I stop the boat with the rope it remains tight in and parallel to the lockside so the second boat can just come straight in.

 

As with many boating situations, each to their own methods.

[Bee]

6 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

 

 

I was taught never be afraid to use a rope a shaft or a push to move the boat.

After all canals were not designed initially for powered boats

That is good advice, I reckon I probably turn the boat more  often on a rope than on the engine, especially if there's a bit of breeze or current to help. Much rather wear out a bit of rope than melt the gearbox innards going backwards and forwards and just travelling sideways up the cut,