Boat handling in locks

[Circe]

I got quite upset this morning by a rather patronising gent I was sharing a lock with. So I'm hoping that someone will have some useful advice for me.

 

I tend to do the steering in locks - hubby does the actual locks. I can get in and out - no problem - even in a very narrow lock. This morning was a wide lock and I went in first, as normal, dead straight against the right hand wall.

 

The issue I had is the one I could do with advice about. Whilst waiting for the second boat, the water coming in through the lock gates (we were going up) inevitably moves the front end sideways into the centre of the lock. What's the best way of correcting this?

 

Generally we use the centre line but we didn't have a chance to do that this morning. What advice can you give me from a purely steering perspective, please?

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

The issue I had is the one I could do with advice about. Whilst waiting for the second boat, the water coming in through the lock gates (we were going up) inevitably moves the front end sideways into the centre of the lock. What's the best way of correcting this?

 

Generally we use the centre line but we didn't have a chance to do that this morning. What advice can you give me from a purely steering perspective, please?

 

There really isn't much you can do about the front Circe. I generally do the best I can to hold the back in and let the other boat push my bow across if necessary

 

I suppose you could try to stop a little bit further from the front, but that's about it

 

Richard

[Keeping Up]

What I do in those circumstances is to come right into the lock far enough that the front of the boat comes to rest against the cill - it's easiest to come in from the centre of the entrance so you are travelling at a slight angle towards the corner and can guarantee that the front is well over to where it should be - and then put the boat back into forward gear and keep it there, rather the same as if you were winding in a winding point. That keeps the front in place and you can then use the tiller to steer the back of the boat over against the wall as well, and stay in forward gear until the other boat is at least half-way alongside you. One added advantage is that if the other boat's steering is a little erratic, you can open the throttle and put the tiller across to push him over by a couple of feet.

[Robbo]

Bow thruster. Nowlt you can do with engine/steering once the boat is stopped to just move the bow.

Edited August 19, 2011 by Robbo

[Minos]

1. Get that yard long lump of hardwood we use for the C&H paddles

2. Smack the patronising tosser across the head with it.

 

You have proven countless times that you are better at boat handling than most blokes. If a tiny-willied halfwit is threatened by that and patronises you for it, then sod him

 

Love

Your hubby.

[Circe]

Thank you in all fairness, the fault was mine - I was driving the boat that was drifting over.

 

Will try those out in the next couple of locks (not currently sharing, so no one to laugh if I screw up!!) Will report back

 

Not smacking poor unsuspecting boaters, I hasten to add! Keeping Up's cunning plan to be attempted...

[Hairy-Neil]

 

 

I tend to do the steering in locks - hubby does the actual locks. I can get in and out - no problem - even in a very narrow lock. This morning was a wide lock and I went in first, as normal, dead straight against the right hand wall.

 

The issue I had is the one I could do with advice about. Whilst waiting for the second boat, the water coming in through the lock gates (we were going up) inevitably moves the front end sideways into the centre of the lock. What's the best way of correcting this?

 

 

Rather than the water coming in the top gates I think it's the laws of physics you're fighting (Bernoulli's principle?) that does this.

 

Instead of coming in the lock straight against the wall, try to come in at a slight angle, so the bows touch the wall a few feet before the cill, when the stern is a foot or two from the lock wall. Reversing briskly to slow up will, if you've chosen the right side of the lock, straighten the boat up. If the other boater knows what he's doing too he'll immediatly come alongside in the gap before the boat's had a chance to drift over. With practice it works every time like clockwork, and is a pleasure to see. Majority of boaters, however, don't have a clue how to handle a boat.

[MoominPapa]

I've never found a complete solution, but one reason the front moves over is that the as you stop, the water pushed forward by the the reversed prop "piles up" between the hull and the lock wall and pushes the boat over. This seems to affect deep boats in empty locks more as there's less space for it to escape underneath the boat. Coming in gently and using fewer backwards horses definitely helps. The only other tip is to try and time things so that the second boat is close to the first and can arrive promptly to fill the space before the first boat drifts. To do that you have to be sure that the first boat can reliably get into the lock cleanly. Whatever you do it's not fool proof: coming in second we managed to bounce off the boat we were sharing with in one of the Buckby flight. No hard feelings in our case, but if it's anyone's fault it's the boat coming second, which should be going slow enough to be able to stop if the space is obstructed. Mea Culpa.

 

Of course going first into a full lock if it goes wrong the steerer can just nip off and pull the boat in with the centre rope.

 

MP.

[Sir Nibble]

I stand on the roof and hold the boat with a shaft against the opposite wall.

I agree it shouldn't be an issue if you lock partner knows what they are doing but often they will simply wait for you to present them with a narrow lock before even leaving the waiting mooring.

[n.b.Goldie]

What I do in those circumstances is to come right into the lock far enough that the front of the boat comes to rest against the cill - it's easiest to come in from the centre of the entrance so you are travelling at a slight angle towards the corner and can guarantee that the front is well over to where it should be - and then put the boat back into forward gear and keep it there, rather the same as if you were winding in a winding point. That keeps the front in place and you can then use the tiller to steer the back of the boat over against the wall as well, and stay in forward gear until the other boat is at least half-way alongside you. One added advantage is that if the other boat's steering is a little erratic, you can open the throttle and put the tiller across to push him over by a couple of feet.

 

I thought I was the only one who did this!

 

I am often amazed at the scrabbling about with and desperate hauling of ropes to get the boat to the side of the lock (its usually the female who does the hauling whilst the male steerer abandons all control of his boat).

 

Its Simples really.

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[DeanS]

Going down is so much easier than going up.

 

What we do is....cruise into the lock...keeping the boat as far back as possible to avoid the gate overflows and currents which seem to toss the front of the boat around....I hand the steering to the teenager, and I go do the paddles..but first I grab the centre rope (using the hook) and I pull the boat over to one side. I do this even if we are the only ones in the lock, because the moment you open the paddles, the bow is normally smacked around. I pull the boat over to the right...against the wall..and tie the rope to the centre bollard. I know there's dangers in doing that, so I leave some slack...but not enough slack to let the boat hit the far wall when filling. Then I open the paddles..and the boat rises. At a point I'll remove the middle rope...so the boat doesnt tip over once the lock is full. At one point I tied the middle rope and the stern rope together, and hooked it over the centre bollard...and this meant you didnt need a steerer, as the boat couldnt go backwards when the water started pouring in. I used this method coming up the Penines...deep locks..and I did it single handed...rather than having one steerer, one on paddles, and another holding the centre line. As long as I took my time, I found it was quite an enjoyable and safer way than trying to communicate between 3 people. I'm very aware that locks are dangerous places, and I saw a boat outside Lemonroyd marina....(automated locks) who had tied himself to the guide chain....ran into problems when the rope got caught,and the boat began tilting. At least with 2 boats in the lock, there's no problem with the bow moving and hitting the opposite wall...which has to be the one thing I dislike a lot....so I prefer using the rope to keep it to one side until the bumpy stage is over...then I remove the rope. I dont think it's the steerers job to be trying to move the boat around a lock, when there is someone else who can tug on a rope to pull it over Bear in mind...I have a lot to learn...and might have to face the Wigan flight in Sept.

[Speedwheel]

Take both boats in at the same time.

[n.b.Goldie]

Take both boats in at the same time.

 

Very true but do be sure that both gates can be fully opened. Rubbish behind gates is all too common and if they do not open wide enough it is possible to jam the boats between them.

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

 

Edited to remove too many gates!

Edited August 19, 2011 by ditchdabbler

[Robin2]

I got quite upset this morning by a rather patronising gent I was sharing a lock with. So I'm hoping that someone will have some useful advice for me.

 

I tend to do the steering in locks - hubby does the actual locks. I can get in and out - no problem - even in a very narrow lock. This morning was a wide lock and I went in first, as normal, dead straight against the right hand wall.

 

The issue I had is the one I could do with advice about. Whilst waiting for the second boat, the water coming in through the lock gates (we were going up) inevitably moves the front end sideways into the centre of the lock. What's the best way of correcting this?

 

Generally we use the centre line but we didn't have a chance to do that this morning. What advice can you give me from a purely steering perspective, please?

 

Sounds like you did all you could be expected to do. Just say "sorry" as though you don't mean it and they can't very well complain.

 

ETA

Even better is to say "this always happens to me, what do you do to prevent it?"

Edited August 19, 2011 by Robin2

[Hairy-Neil]

 

 

Of course going first into a full lock if it goes wrong the steerer can just nip off and pull the boat in with the centre rope.

 

MP.

 

Down hill is not a problem. You simply rest the stem post/fender on the bottom gate. The mitre prevents the bow drifting across.

 

 

Even better is to say "this always happens to me, what do you do to prevent it?"

 

Or offer to let them go in first.....

[Circe]

FeelIng a lot better now - other boaters can do comedy moments too. Currently sharing l

 

Locks with very nice chap and no problems

 

Got the winding point method working ok, but can't (yet) get the knack of the nifty little reverse method. Will keep working on that!

 

Thanks very much for all the reassurances and ideas - lots to try

[RLWP]

FeelIng a lot better now - other boaters can do comedy moments too. Currently sharing l

 

Locks with very nice chap and no problems

 

Got the winding point method working ok, but can't (yet) get the knack of the nifty little reverse method. Will keep working on that!

 

Thanks very much for all the reassurances and ideas - lots to try

 

Wooooh, several things in that one for me.

 

Boaters are all different, sounds like you got a normal one today.

 

Comedy moments - you haven't started yet, I can manage much worse ones than yours

 

And as for trying ideas - I think boating is easy to learn to do, but it then takes you the rest of your life to learn to do it well. That's the attraction for me

 

Richard

[Mick_B]

the end of the Lapworth Banter June 2010 :cheers:

 

[arpeeuk]

My advice would be:

 

- keep eyes peeled for patronising gents

- when spotted, act ultra polite and insist that they go first

- wait for them to make a right dogs dinner of it, it won't take long!

- sail serenely into the space that he's struggled to leave you

- now you have a choice, you can:

 

- adopt a smug little smile but say nothing

- sympathise with them and tell them you remember when you had problems getting it right (when they ask how you do it be vague and say it just takes practice)

 

Can almost guarantee there'll be steam coming out of his ears before you've done a couple of locks and you'll have done us all a favour!

[Minos]

We've locked with two single-handers today who both used the same smooth technique: line up the boat, get the speed just right, jump off with the centre line on the way into the lock, run up the steps flicking the rope over the bottom gate, and then pull the boat to a gentle (and very impressive) stop.

 

Both cocked it up at least once, coincidentally by leaving their boats in reverse as they jumped off.

 

It's great fun to watch.

[Circe]

They're amazing. I'm in awe of single handers - I couldn't do it!

[Water Rat.]

I always throw the centre line up to who ever is doing the locks for me as I enter, then I hold my boat to the side to let the other boat in. However, I have a small boat so encourage the larger boat to enter first, so it becomes their problem. This is when the locks are going up, when going down I step off, if necessary, and hold her aside. If you have made contact with the boat before entering, going in together is a great idea - as long as long as they can steer well enough and not knock you sideways! I think that whilst it is best avoided, the odd bump is inevitable. Plus the odd git will always turn up - just like the sod who took our lock last week near Stoke Bruerne!

[Midnight Rider]

We've locked with two single-handers today who both used the same smooth technique: line up the boat, get the speed just right, jump off with the centre line on the way into the lock, run up the steps flicking the rope over the bottom gate, and then pull the boat to a gentle (and very impressive) stop.

How do they do it if there is a bridge just before the lock?

[Janet S]

We try to teach our hirers the correct and safe way to operate the locks/paddles and manoeuvre the boat into position without using ropes...it's all too easy for a novice (or even occasionally an experienced boater!) to forget to untie the centre rope when going down.

 

I've seen people almost overbalance and fall overboard whilst ascending a lock through trying to throw lines up to someone lockside...much safer not to use them unless absolutely necessary. When we received our first lock tuition, we were told to always use ropes but we find it so much faster and simpler without them.

 

Above all, we teach them to take it slow and easy, and don't rush, nor let themselves be rushed by anyone else.

 

Janet

[RichardH]

Take both boats in at the same time.

 

A great solution indeed especially on a flight of locks close together.

 

It is difficult to hold the front if there is leakage from the paddles and the boat joining you should take account of this.

 

I tend to hold my back against the wall with tiller/engine even if the front drifts slightly and expect that they come in slowly enough to gently push my front end across