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Advanced Lock Opening

mikevye

By mikevye
in General Boating

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mikevye Rising Star

mikevye

Posted
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Just visited Grindley (by road) to the cafe for a delicious baguette and coffee, yummy doo. Whilst there I had a reminder of an event that happened to me when a women on the staircase lock appeared wearing a crash helmet and pushing a bike. Nothing exceptional accept she was crewing a boat! My experience was on the staffs & worcs when with no boat in sight down a long straight I dropped the lock for the boat behind me as they had been helping me on my solo journey. No problem whatsoever, lock filling no boat in sight, happy. Then in the distance a bike appears going like the clappers and you've guessed it a windlass attached to his handlebars. About half a mile further on the boat appears still about a mile from the lock. What's that all about then? is the protocol now to see if a cyclist is in locking distance or is it still a boat in view before you can drop the lock. With mopeds becoming smaller and faster they'll be next!!

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cotswoldsman Veteran II

cotswoldsman

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yes Sue does do nice baguettes and the coffee is good.

 

I must say I do find it a bit annoying sometimes when you arrive at a flight of locks to discover that someone has kindly set the next 3 - 4 locks for there boat coming down/up and then expect you to wait as they come down those locks before you are allowed to go up/down.

 

Edited to say: Might just be that i am jealous that I do not have anyone to set the locks for me

Edited by cotswoldsman
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Hairy-Neil Veteran

Hairy-Neil

Posted
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.... and then expect you to wait as they come down those locks before you are allowed to go up/down.

 

I'd turn them if it suited me, I wouldn't wait....

 

I've lock-wheeled on numerous occasions. It enables you to cover the ground more efficiently. I am always careful, where possible, to ensure other boats are not delayed by the process, but there will always exceptions....

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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Do people put mopeds on boats? Do they fit on the roof or the deck?

 

No they don't, and you are very Norty for even thinking about it

 

Richard

 

There are standards you know...

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Paul Evans Rising Star

Paul Evans

Posted
Posted (edited)

Buy a push bike, walking boots, wheelbarrow, rail card

 

I don't mind if you carry a moped on your boat as long as you store the petrol to meet BSS requirements and PUSH the thing off the towpath to the road but then Richard thinks my eyesight is failing, that I have a rash, spots and diarrhoea, that I am grumpy and in denial over the voices so you might want to ignore my views.

 

But seriously, there is usually no reason to set more than one lock ahead and if I came across somebody setting 3 or 4 ahead I would be having (polite) words and turning at least one and maybe two. There is no reason to be held up by the inconsiderate actions of others.

Edited by Paul Evans
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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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I don't mind if you carry a moped on your boat as long as you store the petrol to meet BSS requirements and PUSH the thing off the towpath to the road but then Richard thinks my eyesight is failing, that I have a rash, spots and diarrhoea, that I am grumpy and in denial over the voices so you might want to ignore my views.

 

But seriously, there is usually no reason to set more than one lock ahead and if I came across somebody setting 3 or 4 ahead I would be having (polite) words and turning at least one and maybe two. There is no reason to be held up by the inconsiderate actions of others.

 

I think we set about five ahead of Cactus as we walked down Hatton the other Saturday

 

Mind you, we didn't meet another boat for at least another five locks, and set at least one for them too

 

Richard

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Paul Evans Rising Star

Paul Evans

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I think we set about five ahead of Cactus as we walked down Hatton the other Saturday

 

Mind you, we didn't meet another boat for at least another five locks, and set at least one for them too

 

But, if you had stuck to just one ahead, you would have been standing round in the rain getting really wet. I find that I get less wet when working in the rain. Strange i'nnit?

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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But, if you had stuck to just one ahead, you would have been standing round in the rain getting really wet. I find that I get less wet when working in the rain. Strange i'nnit?

 

Our objective for the (sunny) day was to walk to the bottom to work Alnwick up to the top. We met Cactus and Joey going down near the bridge at the top. As there were no boats in the flight, and we had windlasses in our hands, we opened a top paddle on the next five locks before continuing our walk

 

Maybe it's evaporation keeping you dry?

 

Richard

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Ex- Member Veteran II

Ex- Member

Posted
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My brother did this for us once on the 7 locks from the river at Widcombe in Bath up on to the canal, worked a treat as no boats were coming the other way, every lock open and ready to enter, since then Lynn usually walks ahead to the next lock if close and readies it whilst i come up to level, when we get bikes we'll probably use them in the same way with locks further away..

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muddywaters Rising Star

muddywaters

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Posted (edited)

This thread reminds me of on the Dudley canal going up the black delpth flight.

As I steered the boat out of one lock another boat was coming out of the next lock coming down.

So the lock we had just vacated was set for them and the lock they had vacated was set for us.

But before I had even got halfway out of the lock someone coming down was closing the gate on the next lock setting it for them coming down even though their boat was 2 locks away and it would have been easier to just let us go in before filling it.

 

Edited to state the correct canal lol

Edited by muddywaters
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David Mack Veteran II

David MackDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

This thread reminds me of on the staffs and worcester going up the black delpth flight.

As I steered the boat out of one lock another boat was coming out of the next lock coming down.

So the lock we had just vacated was set for them and the lock they had vacated was set for us.

But before I had even got halfway out of the lock someone coming down was closing the gate on the next lock setting it for them coming down even though their boat was 2 locks away and it would have been easier to just let us go in before filling it.

 

And also in breach of BW Byelaw 25 (e):

 

25. No person shall:

 

(e) Fill or empty any lock of water for the admission of any vessel

to the lock when there is another vessel approaching the lock

from the opposite direction and within two hundred yards thereof

and the level of the water in the lock is suitable for such

approaching vessel to enter the lock.

 

David

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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

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Just wait until you meet James t. Kirk (with Bones) and their Transporter!

 

I thought "Bones" lived on the Oxford......

 

I would, but the Mini isn't very keen on water sports! :unsure:

 

Hey have you got a PROPER Mini or the bmw crap ?

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