Jump to content

Caen Hill Timing


Featured Posts

13 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

We will hopefully be arriving at Devizes in a few days. Is there a best time to arrive at the top of Caen locks and where should we moor the night before please?

Plenty of moorings at top of lock on right hand side just before first lock out of town.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

We will hopefully be arriving at Devizes in a few days. Is there a best time to arrive at the top of Caen locks and where should we moor the night before please?

 

Last question first, there are usually decent towpath moorings opposite the Wharf immediately above the locks, if not there are rings outside the Black Horse, a couple of locks down, but a good idea to ask, as they are the pub's moorings. The food used to be quite good and reasonable price. 

 

The best time to arrive is before they open the locks so that you can be near the front of the queue, I have done the flight in 3 1/2 hours from the Black Horse with no boats in front of me, but allow 5 hours if it is busy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Share the locks, of course, but not with a single hander  like we did once. He did do a lot of climbing on and off but not the same as an additional pair of hands. Mooring adjacent to the wharf as has been said. We moored many moons ago near the very top lock and found out at 0400 that it is close to the brewery depot yard. Hey ho! and all that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks I know what you mean about single handers. We are not as young as we were and have enough on our hands without giving people a free ride which happens not infrequently while they play with their morse control!

 

It took us around 4 hours on the Wigan flight last year but the boat we went through with had a good crew

 

any idea what time the lock keepers turn up to open up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Thanks I know what you mean about single handers. We are not as young as we were and have enough on our hands without giving people a free ride which happens not infrequently while they play with their morse control!

 

It took us around 4 hours on the Wigan flight last year but the boat we went through with had a good crew

 

any idea what time the lock keepers turn up to open up?

 

So taking the help on offer from a well crewed boat is fine, and you're also keen to utilise the volockies, but when it's your turn to help another boater it's "no thanks"?

 

I'd be delighted to share a lock with you some time.

 

 

 

 

  • Haha 1
  • Sad 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not at all. I climb out at every lock and my wife holds the boat on the centre line. We have a short boat. We are pretty efficient and available to help anybody.

But WE get tired too and I can’t help but feeling that we are being taken advantage of when single handlers just stay on their boats and don’t make any effort with gates, paddles or sluices or swing bridges.

Sorry mate I think you’ve got me wrong.  I ALWAYS help but as I said. We get tired too and we are often the oldest in the locks.

Some single handlers in my experience are just plain lazy or too inexperienced to use ropes (or just too yellow bellied to climb out of locks)

 

12 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

So taking the help on offer from a well crewed boat is fine, and you're also keen to utilise the volockies, but when it's your turn to help another boater it's "no thanks"?

 

I'd be delighted to share a lock with you some time.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Unimpressed 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Not at all. I climb out at every lock and my wife holds the boat on the centre line. We have a short boat. We are pretty efficient and available to help anybody.

But WE get tired too and I can’t help but feeling that we are being taken advantage of when single handlers just stay on their boats and don’t make any effort with gates, paddles or sluices or swing bridges.

Sorry mate I think you’ve got me wrong.  I ALWAYS help but as I said. We get tired too and we are often the oldest in the locks.

Some single handlers in my experience are just plain lazy or too inexperienced to use ropes (or just too yellow bellied to climb out of locks)

 

 

 

I think I know where you are coming from. The flight is hard work, last time I was walking the K&A I helped a boat down just doing one side and that was enough for me. To have to do both sides on ones own would be much harder.

 

One option though would be to lash the boats together and get the single hander to work one side whilst you do the other. If your skipper felt confident enough of course.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I think I know where you are coming from. The flight is hard work, last time I was walking the K&A I helped a boat down just doing one side and that was enough for me. To have to do both sides on ones own would be much harder.

 

One option though would be to lash the boats together and get the single hander to work one side whilst you do the other. If your skipper felt confident enough of course.

 

 

That is exactly what we've done down the Hatton Flight. My OH set the locks and the single hander followed behind closing them whilst I took the breasted up boats through the locks, worked like a dream.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Not at all. I climb out at every lock and my wife holds the boat on the centre line. We have a short boat. We are pretty efficient and available to help anybody.

But WE get tired too and I can’t help but feeling that we are being taken advantage of when single handlers just stay on their boats and don’t make any effort with gates, paddles or sluices or swing bridges.

Sorry mate I think you’ve got me wrong.  I ALWAYS help but as I said. We get tired too and we are often the oldest in the locks.

Some single handlers in my experience are just plain lazy or too inexperienced to use ropes (or just too yellow bellied to climb out of locks)

 

 

 

I'm happy to take your word for it, after all it was your words I used against you in the first place.

 

You should challenge someone who doesn't do any work. There is plenty a steerer can do to help even when the boat is on the level. What isn't OK is to not help and that does work both ways.

 

Yesterday I locked down Hatton with a novice with a newly purchased big boat and a wife who wouldn't/couldn't assist. After appearing to be a little lost through the first few locks he started to copy my techniques and we got into a rhythm and things weren't too bad. Thankfully I had a friend with me for the day who went ahead and set every lock. I hate to think how he'd have got on if I hadn't offered to wait for him at the second lock. You should always share no matter what your private thoughts.

 

I could tag a handful of posters on this forum who regularly single hand and would likely outpace you through a flight.

 

Also to add, a few weeks ago I encountered an excellent volockie when ascending Hatton. Yesterday the guy at the top was fine but he then handed me over to one who restored my lack of faith in Hatton's volockies as he preceded to do almost nothing apart from proclaim there was no rush for a whole three locks.

 

 

Edited by Captain Pegg
  • Unimpressed 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

I think I know where you are coming from. The flight is hard work, last time I was walking the K&A I helped a boat down just doing one side and that was enough for me. To have to do both sides on ones own would be much harder.

 

One option though would be to lash the boats together and get the single hander to work one side whilst you do the other. If your skipper felt confident enough of course.

 

 

Agreed there are loads of ways people can help. I’m sure the Caen flight will be fine. My main gripe is that some people have no intention of helping and even take advantage of the opportunity to make themselves a cuppa.

 

9 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

I'm happy to take your word for it, after all it was your words I used against you in the first place.

 

You should challenge someone who doesn't do any work. There is plenty a steerer can do to help even when the boat is on the level. What isn't OK is to not help and that does work both ways.

 

Yesterday I locked down Hatton with a novice with a newly purchased big boat and a wife you wouldn't/couldn't assist. After appearing to be a little lost through the first few locks he started to copy my techniques and we got into a rhythm and things weren't too bad. Thankfully I had a friend with me for the day who went ahead and set every lock. I hate to think how he'd have got on if I hadn't offered to wait for him at the second lock. You should always share no matter what your private thoughts.

 

I could tag a handful of posters on this forum who regularly single hand and would likely outpace you through a flight.

 

Also to add, a few weeks ago I encountered an excellent volockie when ascending Hatton. Yesterday the guy at the top was fine but he then handed me over to one who restored my lack of faith in Hatton's volockies as he preceded to do almost nothing apart from proclaim there was no rush for a whole three locks.

 

 

I’m sure there are single handers who go through quicker than us though I have yet to meet one using Colin Edmonson’s techniques! You can’t fill or epmpty them any quicker however clever you are ! It’s not speed it’s aching backs,muscles, and blisters that bother me. I do get cross when I watch my 73 year old wife heave open 2 gates being watched by said single hander. My wife is obviously not a  vlockie

 

In my experience there are good Vlovkies as well as bad - mostly excellent 

 

Just don’t get me started on widebeam single handers (or any type of widebeam) . I was told today I needed to move over but was already on the bottom only getting free because of his massive wake. I had absoloutly nowhere to go other than half a mile backwards.

 

 

Luckily hardly anyone seems to go anywhere these days so we pretty well have the canal to ourselves until we catch up with the  single hander....

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Agreed there are loads of ways people can help. I’m sure the Caen flight will be fine. My main gripe is that some people have no intention of helping and even take advantage of the opportunity to make themselves a cuppa.

 

I’m sure there are single handers who go through quicker than us though I have yet to meet one using Colin Edmonson’s techniques! You can’t fill or epmpty them any quicker however clever you are ! It’s not speed it’s aching backs,muscles, and blisters that bother me. I do get cross when I watch my 73 year old wife heave open 2 gates being watched by said single hander. My wife is obviously not a  vlockie

 

In my experience there are good Vlovkies as well as bad - mostly excellent 

 

Just don’t get me started on widebeam single handers (or any type of widebeam) . I was told today I needed to move over but was already on the bottom only getting free because of his massive wake. I had absoloutly nowhere to go other than half a mile backwards.

 

 

Luckily hardly anyone seems to go anywhere these days so we pretty well have the canal to ourselves until we catch up with the  single hander....

 

 

If I'm single handing and meet a boat coming the other way at a lock I treat it as a natural opportunity for a PNB and to put the kettle on. I'm not big on paddles being operated by anyone not connected with the boat(s) in the lock. I'll generally just appear in time to suggest the crew jump on board once the boat makes a level and I'm happy to open up and drop paddles. 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Agreed there are loads of ways people can help. I’m sure the Caen flight will be fine. My main gripe is that some people have no intention of helping and even take advantage of the opportunity to make themselves a cuppa.

 

I’m sure there are single handers who go through quicker than us though I have yet to meet one using Colin Edmonson’s techniques! You can’t fill or epmpty them any quicker however clever you are ! It’s not speed it’s aching backs,muscles, and blisters that bother me. I do get cross when I watch my 73 year old wife heave open 2 gates being watched by said single hander. My wife is obviously not a  vlockie

 

In my experience there are good Vlovkies as well as bad - mostly excellent 

 

Just don’t get me started on widebeam single handers (or any type of widebeam) . I was told today I needed to move over but was already on the bottom only getting free because of his massive wake. I had absoloutly nowhere to go other than half a mile backwards.

 

 

Luckily hardly anyone seems to go anywhere these days so we pretty well have the canal to ourselves until we catch up with the  single hander....

 

Luckily my husband didn't need to get cross watching me work the locks. He worked the locks whilst I held the tiller.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not all single handers are slow, I single handed Caen Hill numerous times and usually got more done than boats with several crew members, which often slowed me down. The 3 1/2 hour passage was single handing using a technique which involved operating several locks, to ensure that I always had a full lock with gate open to enter as the boat reached it.  Initially, the lock keepers were less than entusiastic about my activity, but allowed me to continue once they had observed how I  was doing it.

 

 

Edited by David Schweizer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Peugeot 106 said:

 

.......Just don’t get me started on widebeam single handers (or any type of widebeam) . I was told today I needed to move over but was already on the bottom only getting free because of his massive wake. I had absoloutly nowhere to go other than half a mile backwards.

 

 

Luckily hardly anyone seems to go anywhere these days so we pretty well have the canal to ourselves until we catch up with the  single hander....

 

Surely a single hander on a wide beam is going to be no problem in a lock since they are going to be in there on their own (unless they're on the Aire and Calder, or the Thames).

 

It seem to me a bit like the criticism of hirers, when the reality is that there are some damn good single handers (and hirers) and some lazy ones.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, sueb said:

Luckily my husband didn't need to get cross watching me work the locks. He worked the locks whilst I held the tiller.

I too work the locks. My wife closes the gates after me as she isn’t confident to drive in the locks. Believe you me I do all the rest. I’m up and down that ladder and across the gates like a whippet. I don’t mind at all if we are on our own but feel that if someone else us there benefitting then they should help. Fair is fair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I too work the locks. My wife closes the gates after me as she isn’t confident to drive in the locks. Believe you me I do all the rest. I’m up and down that ladder and across the gates like a whippet. I don’t mind at all if we are on our own but feel that if someone else us there benefitting then they should help. Fair is fair.

Interested as to why your wife does the gates after you? The system we work to is that OH goes ahead and sets the locks for me and I shut them up after passing through, and yes I'm up and down the lock ladders and across the gates as well, including stepping across half gates😱 (she wont do that).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Surely a single hander on a wide beam is going to be no problem in a lock since they are going to be in there on their own (unless they're on the Aire and Calder, or the Thames).

 

It seem to me a bit like the criticism of hirers, when the reality is that there are some damn good single handers (and hirers) and some lazy ones.

Never been near a widebeam in a lock . I generally just give up and have an hour off somewhere while they ponderously negotiate the canal.

they are fine on the Thames but on the K &A or Oxford.....

i’m sure there are some good single handers and hirers and have met

both

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Never been near a widebeam in a lock . I generally just give up and have an hour off somewhere while they ponderously negotiate the canal.

they are fine on the Thames but on the K &A or Oxford.....

i’m sure there are some good single handers and hirers and have met

both

 

 

They wont get anywhere on the Oxford:huh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Interested as to why your wife does the gates after you? The system we work to is that OH goes ahead and sets the locks for me and I shut them up after passing through, and yes I'm up and down the lock ladders and across the gates as well, including stepping across half gates😱 (she wont do that).

Generally we arrive at the landing and I go off and set the lock and shut the paddles . I then drive in and climb the ladder and she controls the short boat in double lock on the centre line by keeping it tight. The boat generally sits at the back avoiding turbulence. When the lock is full I open the gate drop the paddles and hop back on. She shuts the gate. She will also finish opening the gate and dropping the paddle if they are not too heavy. and I pick her up on the move at the landing. It really doesn’t take us long in comparison with other boats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

They wont get anywhere on the Oxford:huh:

Could have been a ghost? He looked a bit like Darth Vader North of Braunston a couple of weeks ago. Far too big a boat on far too small canal

All black widebeam

Yes the Oxford Canal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Generally we arrive at the landing and I go off and set the lock and shut the paddles . I then drive in and climb the ladder and she controls the short boat in double lock on the centre line by keeping it tight. The boat generally sits at the back avoiding turbulence. When the lock is full I open the gate drop the paddles and hop back on. She shuts the gate. She will also finish opening the gate and dropping the paddle if they are not too heavy. and I pick her up on the move at the landing. It really doesn’t take us long in comparison with other boats.

Sorry, I was thinking more about flights, Hatton, Caen Hill,Lapworth, Wolverhampton etc. where the crew can walk on to the next lock to set it up. For individual locks then yes OH does close it down whilst I wait below the lock for her.

 

Depending on the flight, the boat will often remain in position going up OK if you just open the ground paddles on the same side that the boat is being held, for this reason I just love the Hatton flight because the boat simply sits perfectly in position. On the other hand the Kennet and Avon locks are just a PITA, whatever you do the boat gets flushed around:angry:. Invariably ended out using the bow line as well.

3 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Could have been a ghost? He looked a bit like Darth Vader North of Braunston a couple of weeks ago. Far too big a boat on far too small canal

All black widebeam

Yes the Oxford Canal

Possibly craned in?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Yes the Oxford Canal

 

The Oxford canal with the narrow locks, you mean? Or is there another one? 

 

 

32 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

They wont get anywhere on the Oxford:huh:

 

Other than that new marina at Onley.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Sorry, I was thinking more about flights, Hatton, Caen Hill,Lapworth, Wolverhampton etc. where the crew can walk on to the next lock to set it up. For individual locks then yes OH does close it down whilst I wait below the lock for her.

 

Depending on the flight, the boat will often remain in position going up OK if you just open the ground paddles on the same side that the boat is being held, for this reason I just love the Hatton flight because the boat simply sits perfectly in position. On the other hand the Kennet and Avon locks are just a PITA, whatever you do the boat gets flushed around:angry:. Invariably ended out using the bow line as well.

Possibly craned in?

We also open the ground paddles on the same side as the boat. There is a moment when the bow starts to move out this is when we open the other side to keep the boat next to the wall. 

Gate paddles on the k&a are viscious if you are not careful. The water can go anywhere and they all seem to be different.

we have learnt to keep the boat away from the front on a tight leash  and above all open everything with care. Open it up a bit pause and see what is happening

 

widebeams are I believe allowed on a section of the Oxford but in my view it’s daft

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

The Oxford canal with the narrow locks, you mean? Or is there another one? 

 

 

 

Other than that new marina at Onley.

Yes as I said near Braunston which is also near Onley but it wasn’t in the marina it was snow ploughing along the canal between the two.

I haven’t a clue what it did when it got to a lock if it ever did. We were just glad we were going South  and it was going North

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.