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Working locks

mayalld

By mayalld
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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

Posted
Posted (edited)

Whilst there are many, many variables to consider, and whilst no two locks are the same, many boaters have a "default" way of negotiating a lock.

 

What is yours

 

Note, this was an incomplete poll, posted in error, please see the real poll

Edited by mayalld
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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Whilst there are many, many variables to consider, and whilst no two locks are the same, many boaters have a "default" way of negotiating a lock.

 

What is yours

 

Please vote here, rather than the earlier cocked-up poll!

Edited by mayalld
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nb Innisfree Veteran II

nb InnisfreeDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
Whilst there are many, many variables to consider, and whilst no two locks are the same, many boaters have a "default" way of negotiating a lock.

 

What is yours

 

None of those!

 

I position against the bottom gates and approach top gates (with engine) as lock fills

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Chris-B Experienced

Chris-B

Posted
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Against the uphill (and downhill) gate, in gear, at tickover (no bow fender).

 

Same as Carl, with a full length boat there is only the correct way to do it !

(Boats of other lengths are available however)

 

Chris

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

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Posted

Stem iron against the front gate, in gear, at tickover, me on the bank holding a rope in one hand and a cup of tea (enamel mug) in the other, dog tied to a wooden bollard with a "do not stroke me" expression on his face.

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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

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The third question i took as either a wide lock or a narrowlock therefore I answered a combination of the two. however in narrowlocks i have never had the need for a rope .

 

Martyn

 

Tsk Tsk,

 

BW will be in touch to convince you on the need for bollards shortly

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Tiny Rising Star

Tiny

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Posted

I think length of boat makes a difference in many locks. Shorter boats can stay back, longer get drawn forward. On some locks - especially Brindley specials like on Heartbreak most boats get drawn forward some of the time.

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mayalld Veteran II

mayalld

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3 depends if I'm working the motor or butty so unable to answer..... the motor I would use only the engine, the butty only the line.

 

Ah, the question presumed a boat with an engine!

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FadeToScarlet Veteran

FadeToScarlet

Posted
Posted
Dunno , I'm only the lock bitch these days..SWMBO does the boat in the lock stuff

 

Chris

 

Especially as your boat's now very, very shiny :lol:

 

****

 

A lot does depend on the type of lock. For example, on the Nene/Ouse locks, that have guillotine gates, if you're working through on your own you need to use ropes and the engine, for the simple reason that if you don't, your bows will get pushed away from the wall and then slammed across the lock! Putting a rope from the bow up to a bollard (for the record, the rounded, cast-iron PROPER bollards, not wooden square stumps! :lol: ) lets you keep the bows into the wall, so you can control the stern with the engine. Going downhill is normally a rope from the stern around a bollard, to prevent the stern being swept across the lock from the flow.

 

However, if you're sharing with anyone else, then you either need no ropes at all (if another narrowboat, as you both hold the other straight) or if it's cruisers, then it's ropes out and engines off, according the the official "lock etiquette".

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Nine of Hearts Experienced

Nine of Hearts

Posted
Posted
Especially as your boat's now very, very shiny :lol:

 

****

 

A lot does depend on the type of lock. For example, on the Nene/Ouse locks, that have guillotine gates, if you're working through on your own you need to use ropes and the engine, for the simple reason that if you don't, your bows will get pushed away from the wall and then slammed across the lock! Putting a rope from the bow up to a bollard (for the record, the rounded, cast-iron PROPER bollards, not wooden square stumps! :lol: ) lets you keep the bows into the wall, so you can control the stern with the engine. Going downhill is normally a rope from the stern around a bollard, to prevent the stern being swept across the lock from the flow.

 

However, if you're sharing with anyone else, then you either need no ropes at all (if another narrowboat, as you both hold the other straight) or if it's cruisers, then it's ropes out and engines off, according the the official "lock etiquette".

 

In a narrow lock???? :lol: How narrow is your narrowboat?

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Posted
Going downhill is normally a rope from the stern around a bollard, to prevent the stern being swept across the lock from the flow.

 

Try stuffing the bow into the vee between the gate and the lock side, then putting into forward idle with the tiller pointing towards the lock side. The boat won't go far that way.

 

Richard

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MoominPapa Veteran II

MoominPapa

Posted
Posted
A lot does depend on the type of lock. For example, on the Nene/Ouse locks, that have guillotine gates, if you're working through on your own you need to use ropes and the engine, for the simple reason that if you don't, your bows will get pushed away from the wall and then slammed across the lock! Putting a rope from the bow up to a bollard (for the record, the rounded, cast-iron PROPER bollards, not wooden square stumps! :lol: ) lets you keep the bows into the wall, so you can control the stern with the engine. Going downhill is normally a rope from the stern around a bollard, to prevent the stern being swept across the lock from the flow.

 

On the Nene I tend to have a single rope at the stern end, even when going up. We sometimes bounce the front off the opposite wall, but a rope at the stern stretching backwards means I can be sure I can keep the bows out of the cataract coming over the top gates. Our tug-deck has eight-inch high sides, a less than one inch lip at the bottom of the front doors and two inch-square drains, if we catch the torrent, it will end up flooding the boat.

 

MP.

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