BOLLARDS

[Ernie]

Has anybody noticed that the bollards at the locks on the South Oxford are all on the wrong side (all 3 of them) – a real pain in the arse if you are single handed.

 

I thought it was just me but I was chatting to another single handed boater in the pub last night and he said the same. We both came down the Napton flight yesterday and both used the bottom gate to tie the boat to rather than the bollards because the bollards are on the offside and therefore, just about useless.

[cotswoldsman]

Has anybody noticed that the bollards at the locks on the South Oxford are all on the wrong side (all 3 of them) – a real pain in the arse if you are single handed.

 

I thought it was just me but I was chatting to another single handed boater in the pub last night and he said the same. We both came down the Napton flight yesterday and both used the bottom gate to tie the boat to rather than the bollards because the bollards are on the offside and therefore, just about useless.

 

Hi Ernie

Trust you are well now, have been following your blog.

Not quite sure what you mean but maybe that is because it is early don't remember having a problem on the Napton Flight.

What I do like is that this winter BW have been putting bollards on the off side at the lift bridges on the Llangollen now that does make it easier for single handed boaters. Well done BW.

[KenK]

Hi Ernie,

Yes you are right we went up there in the summer last year and noticed the same thing. The only two locks where bollards might be useful the large ones on and off the Cherwell but because they are on the wrong side we used the ladder to tie up.

 

Ken

[Ernie]

Hi Ernie

Trust you are well now, have been following your blog.

Not quite sure what you mean but maybe that is because it is early don't remember having a problem on the Napton Flight.

What I do like is that this winter BW have been putting bollards on the off side at the lift bridges on the Llangollen now that does make it easier for single handed boaters. Well done BW.

Hi John,

Back to normal now - health wise - thanks.

 

When I drive into the lock, I step off with the centre line on the towpath side so that I can shut the top gate – the beam being at the towpath side. Before I close the gate, I usually tie the centre line to something forward of the bow so that the boat can’t drift back towards the cill when the lock is emptying. Unfortunately, the bollards are all on the off side so to use them I would have to get off on the off side, tie up to a bollard then cross over to the towpath side to shut the top gate.

 

When I leave the lock, I tend to haul the boat out as I am not keen on descending wet slippery ladders and walking the slipper cabin roof. If I were to use the bollards, the rope would be on the off side so I would have cross over, untie and throw the rope over the roof to the tow path side. I tried going through all of this palaver but found it all so much easier to just tie the centre line to the tow path side bottom gate balance beam. Saves a couple of ‘crossings over’. Hope this bit of ‘rambling’ makes some sense. The guy I was chatting to in the pub last night found exactly the same problem as I did.

[Canal Shop Man]

Surely this is good health and safety practice!

By putting them on the side you don't walk on, you can't trip over them . . .

[alan_fincher]

Surely this is good health and safety practice!

By putting them on the side you don't walk on, you can't trip over them . . .

It would be even better if they set most of them 20 to 30 feet back in an adjoining field, and took away the risk completely.

[Ernie]

Surely this is good health and safety practice!

By putting them on the side you don't walk on, you can't trip over them . . .

You are right because in my case, as I don’t use them, I am very unlikely to trip over them!!!

[Semitrad]

Not sure what the problem is Ernie, I have singlehanded the Napton flight several times and found them to be fairly easy, the bollards seem quite unnecessary but that is for another thread! It is usually only one or two rungs on the ladder that need to be used if you are unable to jump down to the ( antislip?) roof. My method of opening and closing the bottom gates involves a boathook and would probably be criticised here but works well for me. The boat only moves back when the lock is empty and the gates are ready to open so tying up to bollards, gates or ladders seems quite unnecessary.

[Ernie]

Not sure what the problem is Ernie, I have singlehanded the Napton flight several times and found them to be fairly easy, the bollards seem quite unnecessary but that is for another thread! It is usually only one or two rungs on the ladder that need to be used if you are unable to jump down to the ( antislip?) roof. My method of opening and closing the bottom gates involves a boathook and would probably be criticised here but works well for me. The boat only moves back when the lock is empty and the gates are ready to open so tying up to bollards, gates or ladders seems quite unnecessary.

Our boats must behave differently, as soon as I open the bottom gate paddle(s), the boat goes sailing back towards the top gate and the cill area.

 

Also, my roof is so full of ‘stuff’ that there is very little room to walk on it. Having slipped a couple of times on wet lock ladders, I try to avoid them if at all possible.

 

I would find a bollard at each end of the lock on the tow path side very useful indeed. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining about them, just making an observation that t hey would be better on the tow path side.

[Dominic M]

Our boats must behave differently, as soon as I open the bottom gate paddle(s), the boat goes sailing back towards the top gate and the cill area.

 

Also, my roof is so full of ‘stuff’ that there is very little room to walk on it. Having slipped a couple of times on wet lock ladders, I try to avoid them if at all possible.

 

I would find a bollard at each end of the lock on the tow path side very useful indeed. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining about them, just making an observation that t hey would be better on the tow path side.

I've single handed a number of boats on the Oxford over the years. I've never found a need for the bollards, and of course they weren't there until last year. You will find, Ernie, that if you put your boat against the gates it may go back a little, but it will then go forward into the gate again. So a little gently with the paddle for a moment whilst that happens and then it is fine. I do keep a centre rope off just lying on the lock side in case, and like you, I haul the boat out of the lock these days. I find it quicker as I can then shut the gates and get on the boat just once.

 

Twice I have nearly come to grief with those stupid bollards now. Once at Claydon top lock this Christmas - just after I saw you - where the gap between the lock chamber and the fence of the adjoining property is narrow, with a small bollard placed right in the middle of it. Someone will end up in the lock sooner or later with that. The other at Hillmorton bottom lock during the snow when I was out walking.The snow had buried the bollard - once again, the small metal type they have installed on the Oxford, and I went a over t - fortunately into soft snow rather than the lock.

[mrsmelly]

Has anybody noticed that the bollards at the locks on the South Oxford are all on the wrong side (all 3 of them) – a real pain in the arse if you are single handed.

 

I thought it was just me but I was chatting to another single handed boater in the pub last night and he said the same. We both came down the Napton flight yesterday and both used the bottom gate to tie the boat to rather than the bollards because the bollards are on the offside and therefore, just about useless.

 

Dont care about the silly bollards, what about the lift bridges !!

[barroca grande]

I noticed that they were all on the wrong side in the summer when they were going in. I try and explain to people up here and they can't seem to understand what a problem it might be for a single hander. But hey ho at least you can't trip over them. Behind every cloud a silver lining.

 

But I do agree you need to tie your boat to something when on the Oxford. We weren't single handing but the person on the boat had a devils own job with the swell in the those locks never met it any where else. You think everything is ticketty boo then way hay you are on a crest of a wave and trying to go over the top gates. Admittedly there was a lot of water around at the time which might not help.

 

Slowly slowly catchee monkey.

[Teakbank12]

Has anybody noticed that the bollards at the locks on the South Oxford are all on the wrong side (all 3 of them) – a real pain in the arse if you are single handed.

 

I thought it was just me but I was chatting to another single handed boater in the pub last night and he said the same. We both came down the Napton flight yesterday and both used the bottom gate to tie the boat to rather than the bollards because the bollards are on the offside and therefore, just about useless.

 

Hi Ernie

Were you both drinking the same beer

 

We plan a trip down the South Oxford on 20th March & hope to get past Banbury before returning to Stockton.

We will take note of the bollards & as others say maybe theyre better off put elsewhere hows the stove sound as a better location for them

[sueb]

Whilst hubby gets the lock ready I get off the boat to open the offside paddle and trip over three flipping bollards which are in my path.

Sue

[mrsmelly]

Whilst hubby gets the lock ready I get off the boat to open the offside paddle and trip over three flipping bollards which are in my path.

Sue

 

 

Hi

 

Christ Hubby gets lock ready.................He is the sort that causes us blokes grief recently, he should get off the boat only as a last resort, thats why we get married for someone to do the lock wheeling.............thats a womans job, a bit like having babies realy.............

[sueb]

Hi

 

Christ Hubby gets lock ready.................He is the sort that causes us blokes grief recently, he should get off the boat only as a last resort, thats why we get married for someone to do the lock wheeling.............thats a womans job, a bit like having babies realy.............

Too many wimpish men around these days. So many haven't got the strength to work a lock. I've got a REAL man.

Sue