Using the ladder in a lock

[Supermalc]

I expect John is talking about using the locks 'properly', which means coming up to a lock you pull into the side, leaving your long steel boat ticking over in forward. It gently stops with the front fender against the gate. You proceed to walk up and open the paddles. When the water is level the boat will open the gate and go into the lock of it's own accord. You by this time have closed the paddles and the gate when the boat is clear of it. Proceeding to the other end, you then open those paddles. Once again when the water is level the boat will open the gate and exit of it's own accord. All you have to do is to drop the paddles as soon as the gate starts to open. It is then a simple job to step on the boat, or onto the roof as it passes, and so you continue uninterupted.

 

No need for ropes, ladders, or any other of the paraphanalia required to use the canals today.

 

Isn't that right John. It is certainly possible to pass through locks this way on some of the canals.......however IT IS NOT possible on some locks, and in fact downright dangerous on others.

 

I am of course talking about operating single handed.

[John Orentas]

I expect John is talking about using the locks 'properly', which means coming up to a lock you pull into the side, leaving your long steel boat ticking over in forward. It gently stops with the front fender against the gate. You proceed to walk up and open the paddles. When the water is level the boat will open the gate and go into the lock of it's own accord. You by this time have closed the paddles and the gate when the boat is clear of it. Proceeding to the other end, you then open those paddles. Once again when the water is level the boat will open the gate and exit of it's own accord. All you have to do is to drop the paddles as soon as the gate starts to open. It is then a simple job to step on the boat, or onto the roof as it passes, and so you continue uninterupted.

 

No need for ropes, ladders, or any other of the paraphanalia required to use the canals today.

 

Isn't that right John. It is certainly possible to pass through locks this way on some of the canals.......however IT IS NOT possible on some locks, and in fact downright dangerous on others.

 

I am of course talking about operating single handed.

 

 

Very close Malc but in anticipation I did use the word 'routine' many times.. No I would never dream of leaving my boat running and in gear when unattended.

 

The technique is to drive into the lock at 'One mph' out of gear and step off at the apron of the lock, the action of water pressure will stop the boat as it nears the far end and you close the gates behind it.

 

This is the important bit:- One click at a time begin to fill the lock, then another click, then another click, then perhaps down a click.. Eventually the boat will be sat in a full lock, you lounging on a balance beam, you can then carry on in the obvious manner.. So there you are, no Johnny Weissmuller acrobatics no ropes and the boat has not touched either end of the lock.

 

Please nobody tell me it doesn't work because I have done it a million times, never got wet either not even my feet.

 

And yes, yes, yes there are exceptions.

[Liam]

John, how would you go about working a downhill lock?

Edited November 12, 2007 by Liam

[John Orentas]

John, how would you go about working a downhill lock?

 

 

Much the same way but keep the centre line with you, when the bottom gates are open just pull it out.. Remember 'one click at a time'.

 

One of the surprising things when we begin boating is just how easy it is to haul a boat by hand, unless you want it to shoot out of the lock like an exorcett.

[fender]

Much the same way but keep the centre line with you, when the bottom gates are open just pull it out.. Remember 'one click at a time'.

 

One of the surprising things when we begin boating is just how easy it is to haul a boat by hand, unless you want it to shoot out of the lock like an exorcett.

 

exorcett?

 

must be another relatively modern invention!

[Radiomariner]

Are you saying that cold wet clothes keep you warm? From what i have seen, only in documentaries, they say remove them to stave of hypothermia.

 

Yes. When you are in the water the clothing keeps you warm in much the same way as it does in air. The water warmed by the body gets trapped by the clothing and reduces loss of body heat. Removing the clothing in the water removes that barrier. Removing wet clothing is what you must do when out of the water. It is the chill factor that then can reduce the body surface temperature extremely rapidly.

 

I did say that removal of clothing was to reduce drag. Also I might add that for survival at sea they do not recommend much swimming, it reduces body heat far too rapidly, though it may be necessary at times. That is of course not an issue on (or should it be in) the canals.

[Machpoint005]

When a body is partially or wholly immersed in a fluid, it experiences an upthrust equal to the weight of fluid displaced.

 

That's all Archimedes had to say on the subject. Just thought I'd point that out.

 

However, if lock ladders are for emergency use only, but you can't use them to climb out in an emergency when you fall in, then what are they for?

 

Ian

[Maffi]

Locks consists of two areas, the variable depth wet bit and the fixed dry bits. The wet bit is for boats and the dry bit is for people.

 

I always try to keep to the latter whilst my boat stays in the former. Even going into Bath Deep Lock, where centre ropes are not long enough to bow haul the boat, I simply tie on an extra length of rope to enable me to walk around the access steps and up the side ramp.

 

Yes there are times when I use the ladders but, not unless there seems to be no other option.

 

One thing concerning ladders that really gets my goat is the twats that will insist on using the topside hand rails to tie up to and stop their boat. This has the effect, as I am sure we all know, of bending the rails together making it difficult to use the ladder properly.

[carlt]

One thing concerning ladders that really gets my goat is the twats that will insist on using the topside hand rails to tie up to and stop their boat. This has the effect, as I am sure we all know, of bending the rails together making it difficult to use the ladder properly.

Maybe you should be blaming the twats who removed the strapping and side posts, which were so useful for such tasks.

[blackrose]

Yes probably me.. The point of all this and everyone seems to go out of their way to miss it is not that people of an earlier age had a better method of routinely clambering up and down lock walls, they just did not do it, mainly I suspect because it was then and is now totally unnecessary.

Couldn't one argue that they did not use ladders because there were no ladders? It then might seem reasonable to assume that had the ladders been there they may have used them?

 

I'm sure that my Great Grandmother would not have eschewed a fully automatic washing machine in favour of her old bucket and mangle, had one been available at the time... (though I'm not saying the lock ladder has nearly the same level of advantage over its predecessor as the washing machine did, just that we sometimes tend to romanticise the ways of the past.)

Edited November 13, 2007 by blackrose

[WJM]

"the #### that will insist on using the topside hand rails to tie up"


What else do you tie the centre line to when you are single handed in a broad lock?

Edited February 1, 2016 by DHutch
language

[carlt]

 

 

"the ###### that will insist on using the topside hand rails to tie up"


What else do you tie the centre line to when you are single handed in a broad lock?

The strapping or side posts. Oh, sorry some t***s removed them. Edited February 1, 2016 by DHutch

[magpie patrick]

As working boatmen clambered up gates and jumped down onto their boats it's a fairly safe bet they'd have used ladders if fitted. Working boatmen were seldom single handed and they used tricks that we wouldn't dream of doing. A worrying number died on the job as well.

 

One advantage a single handed boatman with a horsedrawn boat had was that his "engine" was operated from the bank...

[Sir Nibble]

"the twats that will insist on using the topside hand rails to tie up"

What else do you tie the centre line to when you are single handed in a broad lock?

Bollards.

[magnetman]

Maybe don't use a centre line while in locks?

[WJM]

"Maybe don't use a centre line while in locks?"

 

And how else does a single hander work? - double the workload by using the end ropes? In a narrow lock I dont use any ropes, but in a broad lock its good to have some contact with the boat in case it moves unexpectedly.

[1066]

Bollards.

 

With knobs on.

[norman.r]

This subject has rightly aroused much interest. The fact remains that as with everything else on the canals the use of the brain before doing anything particularly around locks needs to be carefully weighed up before doing anything. I have no hesitation in using lock ladders where necessary but I certainly think before doing so.

Norman

[good7saint]

Never gone along with that tale about your clothes and wellies pulling you down in some way, take them all off and throw them in, they will probably float.. They will feel heavy in air but thats another matter.

 

I suspect I have replied to this topic every time it has come up.. Suffice to say that those ladders were put there for emergency use, anyone who climbs up and down them as a matter of routine is a fool.

I have fell in, so have some experience of what happens.

I was lucky though, I never fell into a lock (at the water point at Hebden Bridge) basically it was my first time on a boat and panicked trying to get into the water point.

The part of my coat that I was wearing had air in it between the outer layer and the lining so I floated.

did have problems climbing out though, with my cloths being heavy.

Someone else had to get into the water to help me out in the end

[saltysplash]

This subject has rightly aroused much interest. The fact remains that as with everything else on the canals the use of the brain before doing anything particularly around locks needs to be carefully weighed up before doing anything. I have no hesitation in using lock ladders where necessary but I certainly think before doing so.

Norman

 

 

Very much agree. softly softly catchee monkey. Take your time. rushing causes accidents. Take your time. dont try the ladder till the boat is steady. make sure your footwear is decent and get on with it. Watching boats coming into the moorings at some tidal pontoons is most amusing. they feel they have to do it at the first go or loose face, result is crew members making the leap of faith then skidding on their chuffs while still clinging to a mooring warp and then struggling to pull the boat in. If it dont go smooth first time. give up and go round again. On the old tub my crew always had strict instructions no leaping till emblem was alongside, then, get that spring on......quick as you like

[David Schweizer]

I suspect I have replied to this topic every time it has come up.. Suffice to say that those ladders were put there for emergency use, anyone who climbs up and down them as a matter of routine is a fool.

 

You certainly have John, with boring regularity. it still doen't mean you are neccesarily correct about using lock ladders.

 

I have done over a thousand locks single handed and have used the ladder to get off or on my boat in more than half of those. I have never slipped, or fallen in, so maybe I am just a Lucky Fool!!

[carlt]

You certainly have John, with boring regularity. it still doen't mean you are neccesarily correct about using lock ladders.

 

I have done over a thousand locks single handed and have used the ladder to get off or on my boat in more than half of those. I have never slipped, or fallen in, so maybe I am just a Lucky Fool!!

As someone who doesn't use ladders, or centre lines, I have some sympathy with John's opinion.

 

But!.It would be far more hazardous for someone of your experience to switch to my methods, than carry on doing it the way you've always done it.

[blackrose]

As someone who doesn't use ladders, or centre lines, I have some sympathy with John's opinion.

 

But!.It would be far more hazardous for someone of your experience to switch to my methods, than carry on doing it the way you've always done it.

 

As it would if you were to switch to his methods...

 

Didn't recognise you for a second there Carl with your new Ghostbusters avatar.

Edited November 14, 2007 by blackrose

[Maffi]

Maybe you should be blaming the twats who removed the strapping and side posts, which were so useful for such tasks.

No not at all. Post or no posts a ladder is not for tying up a boat.I have managed over 1000 locks without using the ladder for that purpose.

"the twats that will insist on using the topside hand rails to tie up"What else do you tie the centre line to when you are single handed in a broad lock?

Hold on to it!

[WJM]

"Hold on to it!"

 

 

Broad lock - paddles on both sides? tried it - it dont work!