Working locks

[stewey]

Alan, you're a star! Many thanks for the info and picture.

 

Regards

 

Stewey

[starman]

sorry, my mistake.

 

Your post followed Phylis' "fore and aft" post so I assumed you were quoting that post (even though you quoted her previous post).

 

Just off for a lie down......

 

No problems - I won't be sueing!

[Naughty Cal]

Phylis, could you give me some more information about sliders in the wall as I haven't heard of them before. Even better if someone could post a picture showing this feature.

 

Thanks

 

Stewey

 

Think Alan has dealt with this one. Maybe its a river thing but certainly all the locks on the Trent, Ouse and the deep lock on the Soar have them. You never get two where you want them though

[RLWP]

Why is a 30 foot rope too long for a 40 foot boat?

 

Surely a rope at least as long as the boat, should be stowed for when it may be needed.

 

 

Richard

[Naughty Cal]

 

Richard

 

Thats great if you have a spare rope

[carlt]

Thats great if you have a spare rope

which might as well be very long.

[Naughty Cal]

which might as well be very long.

 

Aha

[RLWP]

Thats great if you have a spare rope

 

Oh, I have lots of ropes. I like rope!

 

Richard

 

And I would probably use a doubled sheet bend as most of them have loops spliced onto the end

[Matthew Dowson]

This poll tends to back up my belief that ropes are not necessary in locks. However much of the published press suggests they should be.

 

I never use 'em, on the L&L - my home turf - when going uphill I keep the blunt bit tucked at the back so that only my bow moves across and back as the lock fills, keeping on the side where the first ground paddle opens (we usually just do one side if ma femme is on her own). Downhill of course is oh so gentle, but I remind myself to concentrate as its when we mentally drift or talk to people in locks that problems occur.

[Naughty Cal]

Oh, I have lots of ropes. I like rope!

 

Richard

 

And I would probably use a doubled sheet bend as most of them have loops spliced onto the end

 

Snap we have lots of spares ranging from 10m to 15m. Its suprising how often they come in handy.

[Matthew Dowson]

Just been through those wide locks at the start of the T&M from Fradley - a bit of an eye-opener for heaviness and ferocity of fill - even the rush of water out of the locks when they're emptying can catch you by surprise if you're not paying attention when moored waiting to go in. I must admit I found it tricky to keep our 44 footer stable in these locks when it was on its own: you can't keep them up against the front with that flood coming in and they fill pretty rapidly even when taking it steady (and there were always eager beavers waiting to come the other way who wanted to speed everything up!). Tried a few techniques but letting the boat sit diagonally across the lock seemed the easiest, if rather amateur looking.

Any tips?

Regarding position going up in wide locks nothing wrong with sitting diagonally- stay on the side your companion is operating the lock from - tuck the stern up against the back gate and keep it there, touch of reverse if you get sucked forward, the bow will move across to the other side as the ground paddle is opened and as you go up the water will go under the bow, bounce off the lock wall and push the bow back to the same side your stern is on, a few minutes later you're opening gate paddles. Just watch your stern so your button doesn't hang up on anything as you rise.

[Naughty Cal]

Just watch your stern so your button doesn't hang up on anything as you rise.

 

That sounds so very wrong

[mykaskin]

Just been through those wide locks at the start of the T&M from Fradley - a bit of an eye-opener for heaviness and ferocity of fill - even the rush of water out of the locks when they're emptying can catch you by surprise if you're not paying attention when moored waiting to go in. I must admit I found it tricky to keep our 44 footer stable in these locks when it was on its own: you can't keep them up against the front with that flood coming in and they fill pretty rapidly even when taking it steady (and there were always eager beavers waiting to come the other way who wanted to speed everything up!). Tried a few techniques but letting the boat sit diagonally across the lock seemed the easiest, if rather amateur looking.

Any tips?

 

I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago:

 

Look ma, no ropes:

 

If you want to use ropes, then a short boat like yours should be ok on a centre line, but hold it towards the back of the lock if bollards are suitably placed. Also, on the T+M wide locks open the ground paddle on the other side to the boat first.

 

Mike

[WotEver]

Look ma, no ropes:

Youtube Clicky

 

And the boat exiting the lock never got on his high-horse about "Knowing the rules" and shouting at you "You're on the wrong side"

[Chertsey]

But we don't call them "doors" though!

 

(But I kind of suspect you know that! )

Do on the Nene

[Tiny]

Oh, I have lots of ropes. I like rope!

 

Richard

 

And I would probably use a doubled sheet bend as most of them have loops spliced onto the end

 

Our local farmers shop sell (blue) rope by the furlong (220yards) if you want that much. Of course being a farmers shop the price of ropes and a lot else used on boats are way cheaper than on the cut.

[Naughty Cal]

Our local farmers shop sell (blue) rope by the furlong (220yards) if you want that much. Of course being a farmers shop the price of ropes and a lot else used on boats are way cheaper than on the cut.

 

I hate seeing boats with ordinary blue garden rope as mooring lines. Why oh why oh why. Proper moorings ropes are not that expensive and they look so much better. Not to mention they are desinged to take the elements and the strains and loads of a boat.

[mykaskin]

And the boat exiting the lock never got on his high-horse about "Knowing the rules" and shouting at you "You're on the wrong side"

 

Passing wrong side often happens at lock moorings, and while most people don't bother moving off until well after the exiting boat leaves, I've never had a problem with starting off as soon as there is space to do so.

 

Mike

[furnessvale]

Passing wrong side often happens at lock moorings, and while most people don't bother moving off until well after the exiting boat leaves, I've never had a problem with starting off as soon as there is space to do so.

 

Mike

 

Indeed. By loosing off and starting your move before the exiting boat has passed you, its draw will pull you away from the bank and into line with the lock without all that pushing and shoving some boaters seem to enjoy!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Speedwheel]

But we don't call them "doors" though!

 

Some of the old working boatmen used to call them doors.