Wide Locks, Please Help?

[Jenny]

Hi, I have been boating a short while, but me and my partner have only ever dealt with narrow locks. We will shortly be setting off for the summer and will be comming across some wide locks. How do we stop the boat been bashed about in the lock, do we tie it up , and if so how. So how does everyone on here handle broad locks. Thanks Jenny

[khaffra]

Easiest way is to go in with another boat, But if you have to go in on your own I would recommend when going up to use a middle rope placed over (not tied to) a bollard then down to the steerer. Then carefully raise the paddles a bit at a time when you start coming up, after approx half way up the boat doesn't move about much anyway so you can fully open the paddles.

[Paula]

Jenny

 

 

Broad locks are nothing to worry about. Here is how I do it.

 

Going down - not to much problem, take the boat in. Use a centre line and wrap it loosely around the bollard by the side of the lock (usually in the middle). Open the paddles and hold the rope to keep the boat in the side. Never leave the rope tied as the boat is going down.

 

Going up - a little more fun. Go in and get some one to throw the centre rope to you. Wrap abound the bollard. Open the paddle on the same side as the boat, this creates a flow of water around the boat and will hold it into the side. Once this has happened, slowly open the other paddle. Hold the boat into the side...remember to use the bollard to help you with this...you will not have the strength to hold the boat on your own. Allow the boat the come up

 

Easy solution.....wait for another boat and work up the locks together!!!

 

Hope this is useful

Paula XX

[Tommo]

Jennny

 

Going down the locks is no problem at all, I just step off with the centre rope, give it a couple of turns round a bollard just to steady things, close gate then open bottom paddles. When lock is empty climb down the ladder. If there are two of you then it is easier still.

 

Going up is a bit trickier. My usual method is as the boat enters lock, put it in neutral, step off and walk up the steps with centre rope in hand and windlass shoved down my belt, again a couple of turns round the bollard to stop forward motion.

Close gate then open paddle on the same side as the boat, this will tend to help keep the boat pushed on the side, as the boat rises, take in the slack on the centre rope, keep a good grip and the turns round the bollard as the boat will want to surge fowards, once water has cleared the sill, open the opposite paddle gently, followed by the gate paddles if fitted. Again much easier with a second person but I still tend to use this method even it there are two of us.

 

 

Tommo

[Keeping Up]

There was a quite recent thread on this subject, I'd suggest have a good read and then ask any questions that then come to mind.

 

Allan

[Speedwell]

As everybody has said, it's easy with another boat and when going down.

This method works well going up but you need a good head rope and a reasonably clear roof.

Run the head rope back along the roof so it can be reached by the steerer. Send the crew ahead to prepare and open the lock. Steer in stopping as near to the bottom gates as possible. Steerer throws the rope to the crew who ties it to a bollard well back along the boat. Steerer puts the engine slow ahead and steers against the headrope while the crew operates the lock. Open the nearside ground paddle first and beware of adverse currents from the offside gate paddle (if your locks have gate paddles). If the bow tries to swing out, steer the stern out to compensate and use more power if necessary. In a flight, the steerer clears up and closes the lock while the crew prepares the next one.

The main problem with this method is that it is not suitable if the lock has too much rubbish in it. A full length boat may reach the upper gates as moves forward while rising. We are only 47' but we copied the method from a full length trip boat.

Arthur

[mykaskin]

Steerer puts the engine slow ahead and steers against the headrope while the crew operates the lock.

Arthur

 

We've done something similar, but with the centre rope - a little hard to keep the boat against the wall at times, but then it doesn't matter as the boat will be just as happy in the middle of the lock. This of course is with all paddles up together!

 

Mike

[Guest]

I agree with most of the other posts-rope when rising, open paddle on same side as boat initially. I do not like using a rope when dropping though.

[Bones]

I agree with most of the other posts-rope when rising, open paddle on same side as boat initially. I do not like using a rope when dropping though.

 

What about when you are single handed without a centre line - or is that not really possible unless the bow rope stretches to the stern?

[Guest]

What about when you are single handed without a centre line - or is that not really possible unless the bow rope stretches to the stern?

Sorry don't know-have never done single handed locking.

[Supermalc]

Have you seen the page I've done to assist. Of course the day I did it for forum was down for the move, so just in case you've missed it.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/malcsworld/boat/lock/locks.htm

[Speedwell]

What about when you are single handed without a centre line - or is that not really possible unless the bow rope stretches to the stern?

Bones

If you mean going up, it's head rope forward, stern rope back - see previous thread on "Broad Locks".

If you mean going down, you don't really need to rope up other than to have a bit of control to keep the boat out of lock corners and to pull it back to the ladder or out of the lock once it is down. I use the stern rope or a rope tied to the hand rail and loop it loosely round a bollard so it gives a bit of friction but can still slip and not hang up the boat.

Arthur

[Bones]

Bones

If you mean going up, it's head rope forward, stern rope back - see previous thread on "Broad Locks".

If you mean going down, you don't really need to rope up other than to have a bit of control to keep the boat out of lock corners and to pull it back to the ladder or out of the lock once it is down. I use the stern rope or a rope tied to the hand rail and loop it loosely round a bollard so it gives a bit of friction but can still slip and not hang up the boat.

Arthur

 

Art thanks for that - I don;'t have hand rail to loop through. How do you cope on rivers?

[Speedwell]

Art thanks for that - I don;'t have hand rail to loop through. How do you cope on rivers?

For the little river locks such as the higher Calder & Hebble and the Avon, it doesn't make any difference. The locks are alway sheltered in the lock cut. Many of the big river locks are keeper operated and are very gentle in operation as the water flows in all the way along one side. Some big locks on the Aire and Calder are sometimes boater operated. Although the locks are gentle in operation, you would have a problem being in enough places at once. I have no experience of the southern rivers.

Arthur