Stop planks

[Grassman]

 

 

I’ve just gone past Kings Bromley Marina and noticed the stop planks stacked up near the entrance. From what I could see they’ve been untouched for years, covered in brambles and weed, some quite warped, and parts rotted away.

 

Although only a very remote chance, the consequences of losing their water if there was a breach on the canal are obvious, and seeing these planks I wouldn’t like to moor in there, especially with the prices these marinas are charging these days!

 

I’d be interested to hear what other marinas are like as this is the first one I’ve noticed, or certainly the worst one. These marinas should really do periodic try outs of them to check they’re still fit for purpose but I bet none of them ever do.

 

CRT probably don’t either, but at least they make the effort to protect theirs instead of just leaving them in a random pile exposed to the elements.

[haggis]

Off the top of my head I can't think of any marinas with stop.planks ready for use but as marina entrances tend to be pretty wide I don't know if stop planks would be the way to keep water in or out. Perhaps the ones you saw were used when the marina was being built and the entrance was narrower 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, haggis said:

Off the top of my head I can't think of any marinas with stop.planks ready for use but as marina entrances tend to be pretty wide I don't know if stop planks would be the way to keep water in or out. Perhaps the ones you saw were used when the marina was being built and the entrance was narrower 

 

But the precise reason most marina entrances are quite narrow is in order to facilitate the use of stop planks.

 

Barton Turns used to have them (uncovered) stacked by the entrance. 

[Guest]

Mercia marina where we used to moor was huge, with more than enough room to construct a wide very easy to access entrance. However it was tapered down from the canal to a narrow section with the 'slots' to drop planks in. Dont know where they kept them though.

[Grassman]

This one is a narrow entrance haggis probably the usual 9 or 10ft wide that most of the marina entrances are on the narrow canals, so quite easy to deploy I'd have thought.

[BEngo]

Circus Field has two sets of stop planks, kept handy for the entrance, and a set of gates to close  in case CRT's water outside disappears.

 

There are another set,  for the wet dock.  These lived indoors, till a trial fitting discovered that they had changed shape.  They were evicted and have straightened out again.🙂

 

[haggis]

Ok, I was wrong to think stop planks were not used at marina entrances. Must have a look for them when we are out boating soon. I was thinking more of marinas which cater for widebeams where the entrance needs to be pretty wide. 

[Stilllearning]

Marinas have to have something to keep the water in, on the off chance of a breach on the canal outside the entrance. Just think about the damage to moored boats in the marina as they went down with the water level, but all tied or chained to the pontoons.

[haggis]

True but could they not use one of those blue things which now seem to be used to keep water out when work is being done on the canal? Don't know what they are called but they look like an expanding metal frame with heavy duty polythene over them 

[nbfiresprite]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

Off the top of my head I can't think of any marinas with stop.planks ready for use but as marina entrances tend to be pretty wide I don't know if stop planks would be the way to keep water in or out. Perhaps the ones you saw were used when the marina was being built and the entrance was narrower 

Foxes has a stop planks ready for use along with a overhead hand crane to lower them in place plus a pump. Bill Fen at Ramsey has lockgates. The problem here in the Fens is keeping the water out of the marina when the river levels are high.

Edited April 3, 2022 by nbfiresprite

[Alan de Enfield]

 

The marina operator / owner is responsible for ensuring that the marina does not leak, and C&RT will seal up the marina if the canal loses water (and other reasons)

 

IT is further agreed by the Applicant with CRT that it will:-

6.6 At its own expense maintain and keep the Works in good and watertight condition and all works constructed by the Applicant pursuant to its obligations under this Agreement in good repair and condition to the reasonable satisfaction of the Enginee

 

FURTHER AGREEMENTS AND TERMINATION PROVISIONS 8. PROVIDED ALWAYS AND IT IS AGREED by CRT and the Applicant as follows:

8.10 CRT shall be at liberty to seal off the Connection or the Basin or both at any time the Engineer considers such action reasonable and necessary for the purposes of works to (or for the protection of) the Waterway or any part thereof (CRT first giving reasonable notice to the Applicant except in the case of emergency) and:

 

8.10.1 CRT shall not be liable for any loss damage or inconvenience thereby caused other than from any negligence or default of CRT or any of its agents or employees and not reasonably be expected from the exercise of this right; and

8.10.2 the yearly sum payable in accordance with clause 4 of this Agreement shall remain payable whilst the Connection or the Basin or both are sealed off

 

8.11 CRT may at any time seal off or otherwise prevent the use of the Basin or the Connection from the Waterway as a result of any failure by the Applicant to perform its obligations under this Agreement

[booke23]

The marina I was last in had a clause in the contract that read "No guarantee is given as to the water levels within the marina" and words to the effect that they can't be held responsible for the consequences of water levels. 

In reality if the water level did drop I suspect any boats hanging off the moorings would simply rip the rings off the pontoon, as they were only feebly screwed into the wood (perhaps deliberately) so as to be a weak link preventing worse damage in the event of loosing water. 

[PD1964]

Takes the responsibility away from them and puts it on the moorers, the water on the canal that I’m on regularly goes up and down 6”-12” and effects the boats in the Marina without any issues. The Marina/end basin is roughly 10-14ft deep the canal that runs into it 6ft centre channel. So if ever a canal breach still enough water to keep the boats afloat, though getting on and off would be an issue.

Edited April 3, 2022 by PD1964

[jam]

3 hours ago, haggis said:

Off the top of my head I can't think of any marinas with stop.planks ready for use but as marina entrances tend to be pretty wide I don't know if stop planks would be the way to keep water in or out. Perhaps the ones you saw were used when the marina was being built and the entrance was narrower 

Overwater on the Shroppie has a wide entrance with planks available alongside, they were used quickly last year (January 2021) as a nearby breach developed at Bridge 80

[MtB]

4 hours ago, Stilllearning said:

Marinas have to have something to keep the water in, on the off chance of a breach on the canal outside the entrance. Just think about the damage to moored boats in the marina as they went down with the water level, but all tied or chained to the pontoons.

 

I think the first anyone would know about this happening would be when a foot of water has gone from both the canal and the marina. And by the time the people needed to fit the stop planks have been marshalled and sent to the marina entrance, another foot will have gorn....

 

[TheBiscuits]

5 hours ago, haggis said:

I was thinking more of marinas which cater for widebeams where the entrance needs to be pretty wide. 

 

Stop planks still get used on the broad canals.

 

5 hours ago, haggis said:

Don't know what they are called but they look like an expanding metal frame with heavy duty polythene over them 

 

Portadam is the brand name.

[Slow and Steady]

We have them here in Rufford and they have been used a couple of years ago and they did work... sort of. Luckily CRT repaired the broken leaking lock because eventually I think the water would have got out.