Boat handling in locks

[LoneWolf]

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.

...

 

This is my favourite technique - it's not so good when people get in the way though & you have to flick the rope over them too

 

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

 

You cant.

Same for those walkways over the bottom of some locks.

Colin thingy in his 'going it alone' book describes a technique of flinging the rope under the walkway & catching it on the other side as the boat passes under the walkway & into the lock but it all seems a bit hectic & likely to go wrong for me so i've not tried it

[P R]

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.

DeanS, I always only open the paddle on the same side of the lock as the boat when going up in a wide lock, the water forces will keep your boat tight to the side rather than the bow bouncing off both walls, once the lock is about half full open the other paddles slowly and your boat should stay put.

[ditchcrawler]

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 think this is the best way and I have a bow thruster

 

Take both boats in at the same time.

The real answer if you can get the other boat to do it. Its even harder than getting the other boat to leave the lock with you so the crew can close the gates and get on.

Edited August 19, 2011 by ditchcrawler

[n.b.Goldie]

 

 

The real answer if you can get the other boat to do it. Its even harder than getting the other boat to leave the lock with you so the crew can close the gates and get on.

 

Oh god yeeeeesssss................

 

I have lost count of the number of times I have pointed out the benefits of leaving the lock together. Usually the other steerer says 'after you' and then the discussion begins or I will broach the subject first. After we have left the lock together and picked up crew in the lock mouth the other steerer sometimes says something like 'that was easy'.

 

Passing on such 'knowledge' can be very satisfying but after a while can also be very tiresome. Mind you I am always eager to learn and improve my boating.

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[ditchcrawler]

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

Reverse system wont work on all boats

[Stormbringer]

Nothing really constructive or technical to add - just to say that the lovely couple on Arkaroo (sp?) who got stuck with

me through the double locks on the Trent and Mersey (including Stenson) about 1 hour after I collected my 'new' boat from Sawley were the most patient, helpful and genuinely nice people you could wish to meet.

They shared masses of useful tips and techniques, and were very very forgiving of my decidedly amateur boat handling

I did everything very slowly, which must have slowed them right down but they were very understanding and very patient.

And I did have to apologise for the odd gentle 'nudge' going into the locks second each time.My apologies were accepted most gracefully...

 

I don't know if they are members here - but if not and anyone knows them please please say a big THANK YOU from me and the family. They are a credit to the boating community and helped me massively on my first day of boat ownership.

 

I am working very hard to get to know my boat (2 weeks now ! lol) and understand what she is capable of and how to control her - but I am pretty pleased with my progress up to now. I know I have much more to learn and practice but when something is so much fun it is not a chore.

 

What I will never do is what was done to the OP - letting out streams of obscenities will never help anyone to improve their skills and is no way to treat another human being - let alone a fellow boater.

If you know enough to critisise someone's actions, then why not just calmly explain to them a better way to do it.

We were ALL beginners at some point (not suggesting OP is a beginner - but I am !!) and I for one really value all of the input that more experienced people can give - at least an explanation gives me something to work on...

 

Its supposed to be fun isn't it ?!!

 

Andy

[fanshaft]

DeanS, I always only open the paddle on the same side of the lock as the boat when going up in a wide lock, the water forces will keep your boat tight to the side rather than the bow bouncing off both walls, once the lock is about half full open the other paddles slowly and your boat should stay put.

 

Note that this doesn't work with a longish narrow boat (say over 50ft) in some L&L locks east side (I can't remember about the west side) - specifically Hirst Lock, Dowley Gap Top, and the Bingley 3 and 5 Rise. This is because the ground paddle culverts are quite high up the lock wall (the top lock at Dowley Gap especially) and so will push your boat across - no centre line or any line will hold a boat against that. You have to open the paddle opposite side about half way or so, then judge when to take the boat side paddle up, easier if someone on each paddle. Gate paddle on boat side helps as soon as you dare! For L&L with boats over 50ft I have always (for the last 40 years!) used a line from the bow back at an angle, tied on to a bollard, (with stern fender close to but not quite touching bottom gate) and keeping engine in forward gear generally will hold a boat reasonably steady if not sharing. No need to use ropes at all going down hill - I never understand why people do this, unless a very small boat - and even then not really needed - or single handed and narrow. These locks are a doddle of course with a 'proper' boat (Leeds & Liverpool short boat).

 

regards

 

David L

[DeanS]

Note that this doesn't work with a longish narrow boat (say over 50ft) in some L&L locks east side (I can't remember about the west side) - specifically Hirst Lock, Dowley Gap Top, and the Bingley 3 and 5 Rise. This is because the ground paddle culverts are quite high up the lock wall (the top lock at Dowley Gap especially) and so will push your boat across - no centre line or any line will hold a boat against that. You have to open the paddle opposite side about half way or so, then judge when to take the boat side paddle up, easier if someone on each paddle. Gate paddle on boat side helps as soon as you dare! For L&L with boats over 50ft I have always (for the last 40 years!) used a line from the bow back at an angle, tied on to a bollard, (with stern fender close to but not quite touching bottom gate) and keeping engine in forward gear generally will hold a boat reasonably steady if not sharing. No need to use ropes at all going down hill - I never understand why people do this, unless a very small boat - and even then not really needed - or single handed and narrow. These locks are a doddle of course with a 'proper' boat (Leeds & Liverpool short boat).

 

regards

 

David L

 

Yep, going down is a lot more relaxing than going up...and yes, with a 57ft boat, I've tried the concept of opening the paddle on the boat side, but if your boat gets in the way, you only have a few seconds before she's sideswiped...the moment I see the nose start to move, I close the paddle completely, let it settle for a few seconds, and open it again....but if I have a rope keeping it against the wall, I might just open it and watch to see that the boats rising and not tilting or getting caught on something. I prefer doing it all myself, rather than having son at the tiller, me with a rope and wife opening the paddles...to me thats always a bit of a nightmare trying to communicate to everyone. I was alot more relaxed when I figured out a way to use the ropes to hold the boat in place, while I controlled the paddles...no one to shout at:)

[n.b.Goldie]

If you are a long(ish) boat going solo up a double lock try opening the ground paddle on the same side as the boat and the gate paddle (if there is one) on the opposite side of the boat. The boat is then held against the lock wall without any bother. As the lock fills to about half the other paddles can then be opened, ground then gate. It worked for me on my 60ft Tyro but on my present little 36ft Goldie I just keep her near the back of the lock out of the maelstrom and open all paddles.

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[BlueStringPudding]

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.

 

[FadeToScarlet]

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?

 

It is very frustrating. Ideally, if the other boat is coming closely behind, you don't need to do much if your bow's only a couple of feet away from the wall, as you can reverse when the other boat comes in and your engine and their bow wave will pull and push you straight again.

 

If the other boat's faffing around, we tend to pass a centre line up to the lock worker, or stand on the roof and throw a loop over a bollard- which is dead impressive when it goes right!

 

Going in first downhill, I tend to strap gently to a stop with the centre rope rather than use reverse, so as to minimise the movements of the boat.

[Tiny]

When going up HAtton we let the hire boat go in first, then pass up his centre line to crew on the lockside using his boathook (as we advised) so his crew could pull him in tight to the wall for me to come in alongside. Meanwhile the wife was closing up the previous lock. Once in the centre line was passed back down to him, gates closed and up we went while his crew walked on top the next lock and the wife arrived and let the hire, then me pushed over out.

[jonathanA]

we are fairly new to boating, especially to the wide locks on the L&L, wifey drives into the locks leaving me to run around doing the heavy work.

 

she does like the centre rope to be passed round a bollard when ascending, as it makes her feel safer and helps avoid the cross lock drift and associated embarrassing bumps etc...

 

one tip which we've blatantly stolen from another boater is for me to carry a light line with a karabiner (or similiar spring clip) which I drop to her as she enters the lock and she clips it onto the centre rope which I haul up and pass round the bollard and hand back to her. all nice and easy and controlled as the inevitable hire boater we are sharing with concentrates on getting into the lock.

 

One reputable hire company we used a few years ago used to advocate taking a long bow line round the bollard and back to the tiller, put on forward at tickover with the tiller pointing into the lock which holds the boat tight against the wall. although I've not seen this used by anyone recently.

[Speedwell]

Take both boats in at the same time.

We like this method as well, not forgetting Ditchdabbler's point about rubbish behind gates. It's very easy, although it takes a bit of nerve first time. SWMBO uses this method whenever she can persuade the other steerer to try it.

Arthur

[Mac of Cygnet]

When I'm pairing a crewed boat (I'm singlehanded), I try to get into the lock first, one gate open only, then push across to the other side to allow the other boat in. Leaving, the other boat leaves first (again only one gate open), and his leaving drags my front across so I can get out of the same gate. I then go ahead to set the next lock while the other boat picks up his crew. This works very slickly if the other boat gets the idea, and applies going up or down.