locks - most efficient way

[nicknorman]

I am sorry but this suggestion is a recipe for a heart attack.

There is no way in hell that either my crew or I coukd "run" ahead to the bext lock without a full crash team waiting with oxygen and other re-sus kit.

We might "waddle" a bit quicker than normal but that is it!

Yes but if you had always done it that way, you would be able to run without the heart attack. Trouble is now you might get the heart attack whilst not running (though I sincerely hope not!). Says me who gets laughed at every time I run to the next lock because my legs/feet flap around a lot when I run and I am told that if I were a horse I would be put down!).

 

What's the hurry? I just walk around and back and around and back as required, enjoying being in the middle of (usually) lovely surroundings with things to look at and listen to - just me and him and the boat .... no pressure, no deadlines ...

Au contrarire, it is about being efficient, not about rushing. Being efficient gives you more time to look around and enjoy the lovely surroundings such as when locking through Aston, Garrison etc.

 

(Note to self, must start a new thread about which is the grottiest lock flight!)

[sociable_hermit]

I like to do things with the minimum number of "moves".

 

If the gates are shut, I'll generally drop my volunteer lockwheeler off and then bob, rather than mooring up. If it's windy or tricky for some other reason I'll gently ease up onto the gates and let the neck of the lock hold the boat.

 

Once the gate(s) are open I motor in and ease the boat up against the gates at the far end. If there are two gates at the entry end I'll bring the speed right down to almost nothing then get off to shut the offside gate and wind down the paddle (via the roof if going up). The boat meanwhile is coasting very slowly towards the other end. With the back end shut I go up 'my' side of the lock and my mate goes up t'other side and we wind the side paddles up. If the boat has stopped short it can be coaxed forward by gently using one paddle.

 

If I have someone helping I'll generally get back on at this point, if we're going down, as it saves time not having to wibble around on the ladder. Going up it pays to stay and close the paddle on my side, though if there are gate paddles I might choose to get back on if they're fierce and likely to bounce the boat around. Leaving the boat in gear is fantastic when it works, but there's nothing more sickening than watching it bounce back and then plough forward into the gates. BW don't like that and I don't either!

 

Leaving the lock I generally stop in the lock mouth. Incidentally we always open the gate first then close the paddles on that side (other side depends on whether the crew member there needs to get across or not). This means the boat is on the move for more of the time. Anyway... stop in the mouth, so crew members can be collected. Also when going down with double gates they can walk across the roof if they don't like jumping the gap (which I don't).

 

It's all completely different when single-manning, though.

 

I haven't tried strapping gates yet but would love to do it. It's one of those things I think I would actually need to do, under supervision, in order to learn, rather than just reading about it.

[matty40s]

 

I haven't tried strapping gates yet but would love to do it. It's one of those things I think I would actually need to do, under supervision, in order to learn, rather than just reading about it.

I only read about it, tben watched an excellent video posted on here, and put it into practice.

It really does save your arms, and is a real confidence builder. Coming down the top Lapworth lock, two lovely ladies said stay on, I said, I am just trying a new technique, and they were really impressed when it came off........so was I!!

[Grace and Favour]

I only read about it, tben watched an excellent video posted on here, and put it into practice.

It really does save your arms, and is a real confidence builder. Coming down the top Lapworth lock, two lovely ladies said stay on, I said, I am just trying a new technique, and they were really impressed when it came off........so was I!!

 

I'm impressed that you have impressed two ladies simultaneously - - -

 

 

Oh the positive power of yoof

[Hairy-Neil]

(Note to self, must start a new thread about which is the grottiest lock flight!)

 

Ryders Green, when the pounds are dry, takes some beating.... Just stinking black filth everywhere.....

[nicknorman]

Ryders Green, when the pounds are dry, takes some beating.... Just stinking black filth everywhere.....

Yup I'd second that (couldn't remember the name when I mentioned Aston and Garrison) having done it for the first time last Autumn. We had full pounds but it is a funny area and we noticed more human faeces in the environs than dog faeces, which takes some doing!

[ditchcrawler]

Working efficiently is not necessarily about hurrying. It's possible to work with efficienly AND take it easy. It's more about putting the least physical effort into getting the same end result.....

 

I've seen a good many boaters hurrying inefficiently too...

Spot on, More effic ency = less effort

[Hairy-Neil]

Spot on, More effic ency = less effort

 

Do I get a greenie....

 

Yup I'd second that (couldn't remember the name when I mentioned Aston and Garrison) having done it for the first time last Autumn. We had full pounds but it is a funny area and we noticed more human faeces in the environs than dog faeces, which takes some doing!

 

You actually study it?

 

We know Ryders Green affectionately as ASDA Locks....

[nicknorman]

You actually study it?

 

We know Ryders Green affectionately as ASDA Locks....

Dogs tend not to smear it all over lavatory paper! (Or maybe their owners were just very caring?)

[Giggetty]

What's the most efficient way for a crew of 2 to go about a lock? Lets assume there aren't any other boats around, and that 50% of the time the lock will be set in your favour, the other half of the time its against you. And that the distance between two adjacent locks is far enough, to justify the 2nd crew member getting back onto the boat instead of walking in between (they might be overtaken by the boat unless they walked fast enough!).

 

In our last trip out we were able to do a few little tricks such as the driver getting off and closing the 2nd of a pair of gates (going uphill in a narrow lock) then getting back on the boat - but only if there's steps at the foot of the lock, and a guaranteed way to get back onto the boat quickly (usually jumping onto roof - bit dodgy).

 

Another trick was to offer to 'finish off' a lock if we had arrived and a boat was already using it in the other direction. This saved them having to stop to pick up the crew, thus no need to block the lock landing (where our boat would be moored).

 

I also tried the 'stepover' (step over the 3ft gap when only one of a pair of gates on a narrow lock are closed) to save a walk of ~140 or more feet, again a bit dodgy that one!

 

Any further tips are welcome...

BW do not permit their lock-keepers to step across tail gates ( H & S offence).

[Rich]

I am sorry but this suggestion is a recipe for a heart attack.

There is no way in hell that either my crew or I coukd "run" ahead to the bext lock without a full crash team waiting with oxygen and other re-sus kit.

We might "waddle" a bit quicker than normal but that is it!

 

Damn right, our thoughts entirely

 

Richard

[nicknorman]

BW do not permit their lock-keepers to step across tail gates ( H & S offence).

I can see that this is a fairly high risk thing to do, with potentially dire consequences if a mistake is made. It is however something that I do, but I think my saving grace is that I am a holiday boater and so not doing it every day. When I do it, I am conscious of the risk I am taking and take great care.

 

As a professional lockkeeper doing it all day every day, I think it would be too easy to become complacent and then make one little mistake that could be disasterous.

Edited April 18, 2012 by nicknorman

[Paul C]

I can see that this is a fairly high risk thing to do, with potentially dire consequences if a mistake is made. It is however something that I do, but I think my saving grace is that I am a holiday boater and so not doing it every day. When I do it, I am conscious of the risk I am taking and take great care.

 

As a professional lockkeeper doing it all day every day, I think it would be too easy to become complacent and then make one little mistake that could be disasterous.

 

High risk, but saves a walk of ~80ft x both sides x2 (open the gates (boat goes in) then close the gates). Do 100 locks and that's a saving of 6 miles of walking.

[nicknorman]

High risk, but saves a walk of ~80ft x both sides x2 (open the gates (boat goes in) then close the gates). Do 100 locks and that's a saving of 6 miles of walking.

That is true, but once you have had the high fall from the bottom gate to the shallow water below and broken your spine / neck etc you might think that walking 6 miles was better than life as a paraplegic. That is assuming you didn't bang your head and drown. Don't get me wrong, I do it all the time, but it's important to remain aware of the risks. I also drive an outrageously fast (nearly 200mph) Hayabusa motorbike with the same power to weight ratio as a formula 1 car. But I try never to forget how much it would hurt if I fell off, or how dead I would be if I hit something at 150mph. IMHO it is about understanding the risks and acting accordingly, rather than thinking the risk does not exist!

[Paul C]

That is true, but once you have had the high fall from the bottom gate to the shallow water below and broken your spine / neck etc you might think that walking 6 miles was better than life as a paraplegic. That is assuming you didn't bang your head and drown. Don't get me wrong, I do it all the time, but it's important to remain aware of the risks. I also drive an outrageously fast (nearly 200mph) Hayabusa motorbike with the same power to weight ratio as a formula 1 car. But I try never to forget how much it would hurt if I fell off, or how dead I would be if I hit something at 150mph. IMHO it is about understanding the risks and acting accordingly, rather than thinking the risk does not exist!

 

Yep, agree with you, and I walked round in the wet or if I didn't like the look of it. I guess its one of those things, it saves time but carries its own risk so there's a balance to be struck.

 

On reflecting across the whole thread (to date), this seems to be the theme as it rings for me. I'm certainly not 'experienced' at canals and stuff but I do know the basics and have done it a number of times. Basically I'm happy that we're doing things right and have not 'missed a trick'.

[Chertsey]

What's the hurry? I just walk around and back and around and back as required, enjoying being in the middle of (usually) lovely surroundings with things to look at and listen to - just me and him and the boat .... no pressure, no deadlines ...

It's not about speed, it's about efficiency - not wasting energy and effort. It's about the pleasure of doing something well. It's also about not holding up others who unlike you might have a deadline.

 

Thanks for the replies so far. Note that I said most efficient, not 'fastest'. If you're in no hurry, then fair enough do it at your own pace but there's different degrees of 'hurry' or more accurately, the good feeling attached with not wasting effort/time. This might become important if you're eg doing a cruising ring in a week's holiday with lots of locks (eg South Pennine ring in 2 weeks).

 

 

Obviously if the distance to the next lock is too great, the 2nd person is getting on the boat; and if its adjacent, then they'll be walking (ahead). There's a few variations you could do, and I guess it depends on distance between locks:

 

1. Moor on the lock landing, both work the lock, someone gets the boat and drives in, moor on the other side of the lock (landing), and both complete the lock then set off.

 

2. Quick 'drop off' crew member and either hover (not recommended with a weir or lots of other boats) or then moor up with a rope. Maybe go up, maybe wait by side of boat.

 

3. Quick 'pick up' of crew by reversing up to the gate rather than mooring at the lock landing. Once again, a weir makes this tricky/not advisable at times.

 

4. Various ways the boat can be left to drive itself into or out of the lock in a safe and predictable way.

 

Substitute "wind" for "weir" if its blowing a bit.

 

I have seen the technique of strapping the gate behind you but I can't see how it could be perceived safe - that rope is going to inevitibly be near the prop, in the water, if its too loose, etc. Never minding the judgement of speed, length of rope, possibility of trapping a finger or simply not getting the wrap on and crashing into the front gates, etc.

 

Mooring on the lock landing is probably THE most inefficient thing you can do. Drop your crew off at a convenient bridgehole so they can go ahead and get the lock ready. If there isn't a boat coming the other way, wait in the mouth of the lock. If going downhill the steerer can drop the offside paddle once in the lock (assuming the crew has had to fill it), saving the crew member walking round, while crew member closes the gate.

On exiting the lock, if you need to pick up crew member, hover in the lock mouth while they shut the gates rather than going over to the landing. If another boat's coming in then just pick them up on the way out. Generally here I'm thinking of narrow locks but works for wide ones sometimes. None of this requires any special techniques and is the easiest and probably biggest thing you can do to improve efficiency and minimise effort. We have a general rule of thumb that the crew doesn't get back on the boat unless its more than a mile to the next lock. Give them a bike to be more efficient still!

[ditchcrawler]

It's not about speed, it's about efficiency - not wasting energy and effort. It's about the pleasure of doing something well. It's also about not holding up others who unlike you might have a deadline.

 

 

 

Mooring on the lock landing is probably THE most inefficient thing you can do. Drop your crew off at a convenient bridgehole so they can go ahead and get the lock ready. If there isn't a boat coming the other way, wait in the mouth of the lock. If going downhill the steerer can drop the offside paddle once in the lock (assuming the crew has had to fill it), saving the crew member walking round, while crew member closes the gate.

On exiting the lock, if you need to pick up crew member, hover in the lock mouth while they shut the gates rather than going over to the landing. If another boat's coming in then just pick them up on the way out. Generally here I'm thinking of narrow locks but works for wide ones sometimes. None of this requires any special techniques and is the easiest and probably biggest thing you can do to improve efficiency and minimise effort. We have a general rule of thumb that the crew doesn't get back on the boat unless its more than a mile to the next lock. Give them a bike to be more efficient still!

I am always amazed to see the chap just standing on the back doing sod all when going down single locks.

[bizzard]

Now i don't travel fast doing the intensive stuff unless i have a deadline to make,i find it tirin,tedious and boring as unless you give yourself time to have a mooch around frequently,take in the views,have a beer an ice cream and a fag,its just plain unpleasant.

But once i was slowed to almost a dead stand.

Approaching the Heartbreak hill series of locks in Cheshire.In front of me were three hire boats the operators of which were all friends.At each lock they all went up one by one but they all waited for each at the top and then all set off together up the pound to the next lock.This method was causing each lock about 1 1/2 hours for me to negotiate,and causing quite a tail back of boats which they were oblivious of.

After about six of the locks i had a quiet word with them over a few beers, which wasted considerably more time explaining to them about the backlog of boats that their locking method was causing.

They were a great crowd though and after a good old chin-wag over many beers and fags we all stumbled back to our respective boats and set off again with them all singling out now and keeping going after their locking,and locking time gradually eased down to 20 mins or so.It was a shame the adjacent locks were out of use,or most i think were.

[Paul C]

 

 

Mooring on the lock landing is probably THE most inefficient thing you can do. Drop your crew off at a convenient bridgehole so they can go ahead and get the lock ready. If there isn't a boat coming the other way, wait in the mouth of the lock. If going downhill the steerer can drop the offside paddle once in the lock (assuming the crew has had to fill it), saving the crew member walking round, while crew member closes the gate.

On exiting the lock, if you need to pick up crew member, hover in the lock mouth while they shut the gates rather than going over to the landing. If another boat's coming in then just pick them up on the way out. Generally here I'm thinking of narrow locks but works for wide ones sometimes. None of this requires any special techniques and is the easiest and probably biggest thing you can do to improve efficiency and minimise effort. We have a general rule of thumb that the crew doesn't get back on the boat unless its more than a mile to the next lock. Give them a bike to be more efficient still!

 

Interesting! I'd say the most inefficient things to do, in this order, are:

 

1. Injuring someone during doing a lock. So, keep it safe etc

2. Damaging the boat during doing the lock

3. Getting stuck (beached). Last time I was out, it was on the Llangollen, the weirs were bonkers and the wind did a good job of competing with it too. We saw plenty of others 'in peril' due to not securing at the lock mooring, and promptly having the boat end up across the canal, beached on the non-towpath side, or worse. I'd say that an efficient drop off, a quick boatman's hitch, and the driver pushing the nose out while the crew 'finish off' opening the gates (might have had to turn the lock, remember, say 50% chance of this? - where's that water going if you're going uphill, etc)

4. Needlessly mooring and unmooring/pushing the front out/driving in when a 'hover' could have been done.

 

In paraphrase, we played it safe and chose to temporarily moor up if the wind, or weir, was strong. But on other canals eg Montgomery and SU, were able to hover and/or do a quick drop off near the lock mouth. Also downhill, the driver was able to get off and close one of the gates, and get back on in time for the crew to open the first paddle eg to drive the boat (we didn't use the technique of leaving it in idle forwards, brushing against the bottom gates, because 1) a lot of these looked dodgy and might have snagged the boat up and 2) to save wear and tear on the fender and lock gates).

 

We did take full advantage of leaving gates open if another boat was coming; and also offering to 'finish off' the lock if another was already in the lock in the opposite direction, to save them some time but also allow them to get the crew on in the lock and avoid a stop-start which would have only got in our way anyhow.

 

Many thanks for the suggestions though.

[Chertsey]

Interesting! I'd say the most inefficient things to do, in this order, are:

 

1. Injuring someone during doing a lock. So, keep it safe etc

2. Damaging the boat during doing the lock

3. Getting stuck (beached). Last time I was out, it was on the Llangollen, the weirs were bonkers and the wind did a good job of competing with it too. We saw plenty of others 'in peril' due to not securing at the lock mooring, and promptly having the boat end up across the canal, beached on the non-towpath side, or worse. I'd say that an efficient drop off, a quick boatman's hitch, and the driver pushing the nose out while the crew 'finish off' opening the gates (might have had to turn the lock, remember, say 50% chance of this? - where's that water going if you're going uphill, etc)

4. Needlessly mooring and unmooring/pushing the front out/driving in when a 'hover' could have been done.

 

In paraphrase, we played it safe and chose to temporarily moor up if the wind, or weir, was strong. But on other canals eg Montgomery and SU, were able to hover and/or do a quick drop off near the lock mouth. Also downhill, the driver was able to get off and close one of the gates, and get back on in time for the crew to open the first paddle eg to drive the boat (we didn't use the technique of leaving it in idle forwards, brushing against the bottom gates, because 1) a lot of these looked dodgy and might have snagged the boat up and 2) to save wear and tear on the fender and lock gates).

 

We did take full advantage of leaving gates open if another boat was coming; and also offering to 'finish off' the lock if another was already in the lock in the opposite direction, to save them some time but also allow them to get the crew on in the lock and avoid a stop-start which would have only got in our way anyhow.

 

Many thanks for the suggestions though.

I often wonder whether sometimes people ask for advice and information simply because they want something to argue with.

 

If you already have predetermined views, why ask?

[Chris Pink]

I often wonder whether sometimes people ask for advice and information simply because they want something to argue with.

 

If you already have predetermined views, why ask?

 

'beached'? 'driver'? 'nose'?

 

Strewth.

[luctor et emergo]

Hover?

Does that involve a large fan and skirts?

 

Use the force

[Chertsey]

'beached'? 'driver'? 'nose'?

 

Strewth.

Avoiding wear on the fender is a new one on me too.

 

Perhaps you could get little fenders to protect it...

 

....and some more to protect them....

Edited April 26, 2012 by Chertsey

[Chris Pink]

We saw plenty of others 'in peril' due to not securing at the lock mooring, and promptly having the boat end up across the canal, beached on the non-towpath side, or worse.

 

Worse? The mind boggles.

[Chertsey]

And I would add also that you shouldn't extrapolate a general rule from exceptional circumstances. There are times and places I wouldn't do what I suggested, but that doesn't invalidate it as a recommendation for 90+% of narrow locks.