Stop planks at marinas and boatyards

[Grassman]

I called in for fuel at a marina on the Trent and Mersey today and noticed these stop planks piled up in a corner near the entrance. In an emergency not only would they be unable to deploy them quickly, but by now they would probably too warped to fit in the slots properly anyway.

 

It’s something I’ve never really noticed at other marinas but these caught my eye because they were so bad. Although it’s extremely unlikely they will ever be needed, the consequences of a nearby breach in the canal would of course be catastrophic for the moorers there, especially given the fact that it’s along a raised section of canal.

 

I wondered what other marinas around the country are like and whether or not theirs are neglected too? Really marina’s should periodically have a ‘try out’ similar to a fire drill but I bet none of them do.

 

[ditchcrawler]

4 minutes ago, Grassman said:

I called in for fuel at a marina on the Trent and Mersey today and noticed these stop planks piled up in a corner near the entrance. In an emergency not only would they be unable to deploy them quickly, but by now they would probably too warped to fit in the slots properly anyway.

 

It’s something I’ve never really noticed at other marinas but these caught my eye because they were so bad. Although it’s extremely unlikely they will ever be needed, the consequences of a nearby breach in the canal would of course be catastrophic for the moorers there, especially given the fact that it’s along a raised section of canal.

 

I wondered what other marinas around the country are like and whether or not theirs are neglected too? Really marina’s should periodically have a ‘try out’ similar to a fire drill but I bet none of them do.

 

I think they were use on the Middlewich branch a few years ago when that lost water.

[Ray T]

Deleted

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by Ray T

[Paul C]

Warpage wouldn't affect length that much, due to geometry. So long as it is within tolerance it would hold (some) water.

[Grassman]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think they were use on the Middlewich branch a few years ago when that lost water.

I was referring to the marinas and boatyards not navigation authorities. The clue is in the title 😉 🙂

[Alway Swilby]

Just now, Grassman said:

I was referring to the marinas and boatyards not navigation authorities. The clue is in the title 😉 🙂

Aqueduct Marina used their stop planks when the Middlewich breach occurred .

[David Mack]

Most marina entrances are too wide to close with stop planks, unless they have intermediate vertical support.

The Aylesbury Canal Society Circus Field Basin has a gate across the entrance, normally kept open but has been closed on occasion when the canal level is dropping to maintain the water level in the basin.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Grassman said:

the consequences of a nearby breach in the canal would of course be catastrophic for the moorers there,

 

Catastrophic? 

 

Sitting on the bottom would be catastrophic? Don't be ridiculous. 'Catastrophic' is something like a train with 1,000 people on board derailing into a ravine. Or even a boat sinking in a lock with the loss of several souls, as happened with NB "DRUM MAJOR".

 

 

 

 

[dixi188]

Most marinas are only 3 to 4 foot deep.

My boat is in Fenny marina on the Oxford canal summit. A boat sank a few years ago and and only the top of the roof was visible. I guess the water is about 7 foot deep. If there was a breech the mooring lines would have to be slackened pretty quickly to avoid problems, though I suppose the level would only drop 3 feet as the Oxford is quite shallow.

Dixi.

[Guest]

Pretty sure that the depth at Mercia Marina is deeper than the canal it connects to, the T&M.

 

It was formed from an existing lake after all.

 

Having fallen in there I can attest that the oft recommended 'just stand up and you wil be fine' didn't work.

 

[magpie patrick]

The stop planks aren't to protect the marina - although they could be used for that if needed. They are to allow the marina to be sealed off from the canal should the marina spring a leak.

 

In the event of a breach stop planks don't work well at all, they can't be got in fast enough if there is a strong current through the gap

[Chris Lowe]

You need an automatic stop gate for breaches, but I wonder if those that lay flat on the canal bed would ever actually work.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Grassman said:

I was referring to the marinas and boatyards not navigation authorities. The clue is in the title 😉 🙂

So was I, when the level started falling they put their planks in to protect the marina

1 hour ago, Alway Swilby said:

Aqueduct Marina used their stop planks when the Middlewich breach occurred .

Thanks

 

[PaulJ]

49 minutes ago, buccaneer66 said:

You need an automatic stop gate for breaches, but I wonder if those that lay flat on the canal bed would ever actually work.

The ones on the Nene seem to. To varying degrees of success 😀

[Grassman]

3 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Catastrophic? 

 

Sitting on the bottom would be catastrophic? Don't be ridiculous. 'Catastrophic' is something like a train with 1,000 people on board derailing into a ravine. Or even a boat sinking in a lock with the loss of several souls, as happened with NB "DRUM MAJOR".

 

 

Yes I used the wrong word, so Guilty as charged M'Lord 🙂

 

 

[billh]

Are stop planks still used by C&RT? Their preferred method these days seems to be the scaffold frame and plastic sheet  dam method, installed at great expense. I suspect an H& S issue , not knowing the structural integrity of soft wood stop planks, stored under less than ideal conditions,sometimes for years. Staff working on the "dry" side of a set of dodgy planks may be in danger? Also, the problem of all sets of planks have to be custom made for a particular location, different widths at the stop plank slots, two sets for a lock plus numerous bridges and special narrows usually at the ends of an embankment. Would you trust the planks shown in the picture?

[Ray T]

When CRT were replacing some gates at Hatton, February 2015, they used some aluminum stop planks.

 

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Ray T

[Pluto]

13 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

You need an automatic stop gate for breaches, but I wonder if those that lay flat on the canal bed would ever actually work.

Stop planks cannot be properly inserted when there is a rapid flow. However, they can be used to slow down the flow such that the next stop planks can be inserted properly.

Those designed to lay flat did not work particularly well as they soon became covered in silt. They needed regular maintenance. The L&LC had mitre gates instead, which were more effective, though the sill needed to be kept clear. You can still see them at vulnerable places, but none have worked for many years. Bridgeholes could have two sets facing in opposite directions, and if there was a breach, the gate could shut automatically, or with a quick lever out of the recess.

[MtB]

11 hours ago, Grassman said:

Yes I used the wrong word, so Guilty as charged M'Lord 🙂

 

 

OFF with your head!!!!! 

 

 

[Pluto]

46 minutes ago, billh said:

Are stop planks still used by C&RT? Their preferred method these days seems to be the scaffold frame and plastic sheet  dam method, installed at great expense. I suspect an H& S issue , not knowing the structural integrity of soft wood stop planks, stored under less than ideal conditions,sometimes for years. Staff working on the "dry" side of a set of dodgy planks may be in danger? Also, the problem of all sets of planks have to be custom made for a particular location, different widths at the stop plank slots, two sets for a lock plus numerous bridges and special narrows usually at the ends of an embankment. Would you trust the planks shown in the picture?

They don't like wood for Heath & Safety reasons. There are no suitable tables giving the strength, and they are easily damaged whilst in store. Historically they used to be kept alongside the bridge where they were to be used, as the dimensions of the bridgehole would vary from bridge to bridge. As vandalism became a problem, they were kept at the yard and had to be moved to site when needed.

[ditchcrawler]

6 minutes ago, Pluto said:

They don't like wood for Heath & Safety reasons. There are no suitable tables giving the strength, and they are easily damaged whilst in store. Historically they used to be kept alongside the bridge where they were to be used, as the dimensions of the bridgehole would vary from bridge to bridge. As vandalism became a problem, they were kept at the yard and had to be moved to site when needed.

So why are they still producing new ones as can be seen on the T&M at their yard on the Cheshire flight and going to great expense with new steel storage facilities 

[Stilllearning]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

So why are they still producing new ones as can be seen on the T&M at their yard on the Cheshire flight and going to great expense with new steel storage facilities 

Cor, he's very tall!

[Pluto]

20 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

So why are they still producing new ones as can be seen on the T&M at their yard on the Cheshire flight and going to great expense with new steel storage facilities 

They could consider them OK for narrow canals, but not for wide. They also have aluminium ones, and the storage shed would be OK for them. Having used wooden ones on the L&LC, I can certainly see the weight benefits of aluminium. Hollow steel could aso be lighter than wood.

[BEngo]

16 hours ago, David Mack said:

Most marina entrances are too wide to close with stop planks, unless they have intermediate vertical support.

The Aylesbury Canal Society Circus Field Basin has a gate across the entrance, normally kept open but has been closed on occasion when the canal level is dropping to maintain the water level in the basin.

We put the entrance  stop planks in at Circus Field last year, in  order to inspect the entrance gates and their sill.  Two sets, of planks, one either side of the gates.  It was  hard work.  Used a surprising amount of ash too to get a good seal. Then we pumped out the gap.

After a weekend immersed the planks were a lot heavier when we came to remove them.

 

 There is also a shorter set for the wet dock entrance.  We  trial installed that set earlier this year to check that they were not too warped to fit the slots. 

 

N

 

[Mike Todd]

Something in the back of my mind says that the current requirements for permission to build a marina for connection to the canals includes a requirement for stop planks at the entrance. (Someone know?)

 

Also, I think I read that the trial of aluminium planks was an attempt to have universal ones as they could be adapted to fit as required. I suspect the trial was not successful as I have not seen any for a while.

 

In stoppage notices for urgent repairs it seems that the favoured approach is to place flexible coffer dams which can be deployed using items that are not width specific and can be erected and removed quickly, without the need for large lifting gear. 

 

Would be interesting to hear the current thinking from CaRT.