locks - most efficient way

[ditchcrawler]

You may well be saying that in jest but we did actually have a narrowboat at that very lock who refused to share with us

No, I have come across it on the GU and not a plastic refusing to share with a NB but a second NB who didn't want to scratch his blacking

[Black Ibis]

The general system that FTS and I use when using narrow locks (and adapted for wide) is that the idea is to keep the boat moving as much as possible and to minimise the hanging around.

 

Ideally, when going uphill in a narrow lock:

 

1) crew goes ahead to set the lock, dropped off at a bridgehole or similar.

 

2) Steerer brings boat into lock and leaves in gear against the cill, tiller strings on, and front fender lifted. Meanwhile, the crew closes the bottom gates stepping across the gap, and comes to open a top paddle.

 

3) Steerer leaves boat and opens the other top paddle.

 

4) Crew then walks ahead to set the next lock.

 

5) Boat comes to top of lock, top paddle on the other side to the balance beam is lowered, gate opened, boat put into reverse as it passes steerer, steerer closes gate and lowers top paddle, then hops back on and steers to the next lock.

 

 

Variations on this theme are if the lock is set against, in which case the steerer puts the boat into the lock throat in tick-over with the tiller strings on, and then goes up to open one of the bottom gates whilst the crew does the other. Paddles lowered, gates closed behind boat, and then steerer nips to to top of the lock (the boat's only 48', so there's time to get the gates closed behind it) and then stops the boat against the cill with a paddle, and then after opening both paddles, the crew heads to the next lock.

 

If the lock's particularly deep, or they don't feel they can stop the boat safely, the steerer will go down the ladder onto the boat and take it out of gear and gently put it onto the cill and back in gear before the paddles are opened.

 

Going downhill is slightly different:

 

1) Crew opens top-gate and goes to bottom gates.

 

2) Steerer brings the boat in, knocks it out of gear, and closes the top gate.

 

3) Crew opens bottom paddles. Steerer uses engine to stop the boat moving and keep it near the bottom gates.

 

4) Once the lock is near the bottom, the steerer comes up to the bottom gates, paddles lowered, and opens the one on the same side as the ladder, and the crew does the opposite.

 

5) Crew goes ahead to set the next lock, steerer brings boat out of lock, hovers in the lock throat and closes the bottom gates.

 

 

I've used "crew" and "steerer" because the two of us will swap around and neither does only one thing.

[Chertsey]

 

 

2) Steerer brings boat into lock and leaves in gear against the cill, tiller strings on, and front fender lifted. Meanwhile, the crew closes the bottom gates stepping across the gap, and comes to open a top paddle.

 

 

The one thing that would really improve my boating would be longer legs...

But on the plus side, I can stand up straight in the back cabin.

[Tiny]

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

 

A lot of people say that to the wife but my job is to tell her whet to do and as she rarely gets it wrong the famous finger does not twitch. If it does paddles raise or lower quick of slow as required to make our passage as smooth as possible. Likewise I let the wife of the back of the boat to work the lock but keep just off the bank until it's ready and stop in the lockmouth if it's possible to climb back on there. The wife steps off, wanders to the lock and sets it for the boat, never stepping across, I drive in and by the time I'm in and stopped near the back she has closed the back gate and is heading for the front so I stay on. After that a good memory for the way different locks push and pull the boat helps in winding the paddles slowly straight up or a turn at a time. There's a load of other stuff for individual locks be they wide or narrow.

 

Incidently I recall a story by a waterways photographer in the old days. He took a shot of an old boy performing rope magic on a lock gate. The next thing he heard was the ping of an airgun pellet hitting the wall by his head and the old boy saying that he better not ever see that photo in print. The photographer took the hint.

[mykaskin]

If a boater has to be at a particular place by a particular time then really they should be planning ahead a little more and not assuming that they will be able to get through every lock on their route as quickly as they would like.

 

It's not always as simple as that, and when I'm doing long days anyway, and extra 1/2 hour makes all the difference especially when you are single handed.

 

 

THE biggest time waste these days is the moor half a mile from the lock brigade - they have to wait 7 minutes for the boat leaving to pass them before even thinking about untying and then they pootle down the cut trying to get the boat lined up with the lock only to not notice the conditions around them and hit the lock wall with force 'cause they steered the wrong way. This isn't beginners, this is people who should have more sense!

 

Had they had got their bow near the lock they could run it along the wall with opposite steering to get the stern out as the leaving boat left the lock saving time, bangs, work, and therefore be able to relax a lot more!!

 

 

 

Incidently I recall a story by a waterways photographer in the old days. He took a shot of an old boy performing rope magic on a lock gate. The next thing he heard was the ping of an airgun pellet hitting the wall by his head and the old boy saying that he better not ever see that photo in print. The photographer took the hint.

 

That surprises me, 'cause the two most used gate moving techniques with lines are thumblining and strapping the gate closed. The later was regular and designed use, the former accepted use by the GJC if not entirely encouraged.

 

The one thing that would really improve my boating would be longer legs...

But on the plus side, I can stand up straight in the back cabin.

 

My Mother is very short of stature but managed until recently to jump the gates. I've been doing since before I was 8.

 

Keeping the boat moving is the key to high speed lockage, this means lifting the paddles AS the gates close!

 

Mike

Edited April 30, 2012 by mykaskin

[Naughty Cal]

It's not always as simple as that, and when I'm doing long days anyway, and extra 1/2 hour makes all the difference especially when you are single handed.

 

 

THE biggest time waste these days is the moor half a mile from the lock brigade - they have to wait 7 minutes for the boat leaving to pass them before even thinking about untying and then they pootle down the cut trying to get the boat lined up with the lock only to not notice the conditions around them and hit the lock wall with force 'cause they steered the wrong way. This isn't beginners, this is people who should have more sense!

 

Had they had got their bow near the lock they could run it along the wall with opposite steering to get the stern out as the leaving boat left the lock saving time, bangs, work, and therefore be able to relax a lot more!!

 

 

 

But you are not the only person on the water. You just have to accept that there are people out there who work slower than you do. You cant always arrive at empty locks sometimes there will be queues for the locks and sometimes the people operating the lock may be slower than you would like. The fact that you have set yourself the task of traevling for long hours is neither here nor there. That is your choice to do so.

[mykaskin]

But you are not the only person on the water. You just have to accept that there are people out there who work slower than you do. You cant always arrive at empty locks sometimes there will be queues for the locks and sometimes the people operating the lock may be slower than you would like. The fact that you have set yourself the task of traevling for long hours is neither here nor there. That is your choice to do so.

 

Yes, but while I'm not the only person on the water, I also have the same access as everyone else, so they have to think about others wanting to use the cut.

 

I do include delays in planning, but usually it's just a case of faster = more time in bed!

 

The trouble is the "we're not in rush" brigade who don't give a fig about what anyone else wants to do on the canal. It's there for ALL people, me included!

 

Mike

[Naughty Cal]

Yes, but while I'm not the only person on the water, I also have the same access as everyone else, so they have to think about others wanting to use the cut.

 

I do include delays in planning, but usually it's just a case of faster = more time in bed!

 

The trouble is the "we're not in rush" brigade who don't give a fig about what anyone else wants to do on the canal. It's there for ALL people, me included!

 

Mike

 

Maybe you should heed your own advice

 

The canal is there for all users and that includes the slower boater. Rushing someone is a sure fire way to make them make mistakes and potentially make dangerous decisions.

[alan_fincher]

Well I'd just like to record that "Chertsey" and "Paddington Bear" helped us come up the 21 locks at Wolverhampton yesterday with "Sickle", in around 1 hour 50 minutes.

 

We weren't, as far as I was aware, (and I was steering!), trying to break any records. Being a foul, wet, windy day, and encumbered by much rainwear, I was certainly more intent on safety than absolute speed. Most of the locks were "walked around", with little stepping between paired lower gates.

 

Given the time includes travelling two miles, as well as working the 21 locks, though, it does show that a crew working smoothly together can greatly undercut the times suggested by the canal planners, without needing to do anything dangerous, or upsetting anybody.

 

I don't even imagine that is a particularly fast time, but I was quite surprised when we did work it out.

 

"Sickle" is not an appropriate boat to break records in a flight like this anyway - it displaces enough water, and it is a "tight enough fit", that at some locks getting in very fast is quite hard work - using a lot of power to try and get in faster actually slows you, and a careful compromise was needed at some of the more difficult locks.

[Chertsey]

It would be interesting to know what a good time for this flight in ideal conditions would be.

There were four of us, not rushing. One setting the locks ahead, one steering and two working the locks. I can see that either extra hands OR moving faster/being more daring would have reduced the time between getting the gates shut and the paddles open, but not sure where else we could have shaved off seconds.

And before anyone says we shouldn't have been in a hurry, do try to recall what the weather was like on Sunday morning, and anyway, we like a challenge.

[mykaskin]

Maybe you should heed your own advice

 

The canal is there for all users and that includes the slower boater. Rushing someone is a sure fire way to make them make mistakes and potentially make dangerous decisions.

 

Indeed - the slow boater is more than welcome to think about someone else also. Don't try and argue that slow boaters can be selfish because they don't want to rush. If they don't want to speed up they are more than welcome to let faster boats in front. I've even done it myself when I've had someone coming up behind me on flights (I'm normally single handed), they normally decline so I ask them to help me so that they can help themselves - normally they are more than willing and I've even had someone going ahead setting my locks for me!

 

When I have a crew I get them to help the slower boat - usually the slower boat doesn't set ahead, so they get their locks ready and then backset for me. However, I start to get greatly annoyed when I have to lock wheel for other boats when I'm single handed!!!!

 

It would be interesting to know what a good time for this flight in ideal conditions would be.

 

I've heard of people doing it in less than 1 hour 45, but not sure what the degree level boating time is.

 

Mike

Edited May 2, 2012 by mykaskin

[mayalld]

If a boater has to be at a particular place by a particular time then really they should be planning ahead a little more and not assuming that they will be able to get through every lock on their route as quickly as they would like.

 

 

To be clear, I am NOT talking about people who make unrealistic assumptions about what they can achieve in a day.

 

A classic case in point would be hire boaters doing the 4 counties ring on a Middlewich Narrowboats hire boat.

 

It would NOT be unreasonable to plan to do Barbridge (possibly from the pub) to Middlewich (above Wardle Lock) on the last full day of the holiday (about 5 hours cruising), and to do Wardle Lock and around the corner on the handover morning.

 

People failing to operate locks efficiently on this stretch can very easily lead to queues of 2 hours at each of the 3 locks to be passed through, and an unplanned 11 hour day.

 

Unless you seriously expect hire boaters to spend the last full day of their holiday within spitting distance of base, planning ahead isn't going to help.

[Chertsey]

If a boater has to be at a particular place by a particular time then really they should be planning ahead a little more and not assuming that they will be able to get through every lock on their route as quickly as they would like.

 

 

 

But neither should they have to assume they will have to go through every lock as slowly as someone else would like.

 

We are not complaining about people going as slowly as they need to in order to feel safe but still doing their best (at least I'm not); only people faffing about and wasting time without a thought for others.

 

Anyone who notices that they are holding up a faster boat should let that boat go ahead. It won't lose them any time in the long run.

[Hairy-Neil]

 

Anyone who notices that they are holding up a faster boat should let that boat go ahead. It won't lose them any time in the long run.

 

Have a greenie....

[Guest]

Unless you seriously expect hire boaters to spend the last full day of their holiday within spitting distance of base, planning ahead isn't going to help.

 

It's actually not that uncommon to find hirerers aiming to get back to base to spend their last night there. I never understood this as to me it's a waste of a night of the holiday.

[alan_fincher]

It's actually not that uncommon to find hirerers aiming to get back to base to spend their last night there. I never understood this as to me it's a waste of a night of the holiday.

I can understand why some hirers at least get themselves pretty damn close.

 

Some hire firms quote absolutely punitive charges for a boat returned even the slightest bit late.

[Guest]

I can understand why some hirers at least get themselves pretty damn close.

 

Some hire firms quote absolutely punitive charges for a boat returned even the slightest bit late.

 

Indeed - fully aware of that, we used to, but I could never understand spending the last night actually in the boat yard which is what some do. Much nicer to spend it just around the corner rather than moored up with all the other boats...

[Naughty Cal]

Indeed - fully aware of that, we used to, but I could never understand spending the last night actually in the boat yard which is what some do. Much nicer to spend it just around the corner rather than moored up with all the other boats...

 

We often spent our last night at Barnes Brinkcrafts yard. Mainly because it was often quieter than the visitor mooring near the bridge and still within walking distance of the pubs and it meant we could have a lie in the next morning

[Sarah and Ian]

Indeed - fully aware of that, we used to, but I could never understand spending the last night actually in the boat yard which is what some do. Much nicer to spend it just around the corner rather than moored up with all the other boats...

 

We spent our last night of our Holiday in Sawley Marina when we hired. It was a night in a Marina environment that we wanted to have before we got our own boat.

 

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

[Paul C]

Most recently, we planned our week's holiday to have about 4 hours cruising in the last "day", with the morning of the return used to drive the boat about 300 yards from a mooring very near the base, to the base.

 

Previously, our last day worked out at about 6 hours cruising, we were able to stop, take it easy, etc. The morning of the return needed slightly more careful planning, as we hired from Preston Brook and had to get into the tunnel at 8am to ensure we'd not miss the 9am return time.

 

Both times were out and back trips, we were able to monitor the progress vs required/planned stops and put the extra hours in as needs be throughout the week. ie if were were 'behind plan', even on eg day 2, make day 3 a long day.

 

Next time we'll be doing a ring but with a quick run through canalplan.org.uk beforehand, the advice from the hire company and Pearson's guides, we're confident we can at least know what the plan should be and know if we're ahead/behind at any stage, even allowing for delays etc at locks. I don't think it overly spoils the holiday, because tootling along (driving a little then mooring up for a while) is almost as enjoyable as a long day's driving.

[Hairy-Neil]

I forget which it was but one hire company tried doing overnight turn arounds. You took it out on saturday morning and returned it friday evening, so getting in seven full cruising days on the boat. I thought it was an excellent idea but, oddly, they found it unpopular with their hirers....

Edited May 3, 2012 by Hairy-Neil

[furnessvale]

No, I have come across it on the GU and not a plastic refusing to share with a NB but a second NB who didn't want to scratch his blacking

 

Whenever I catch up to another narrowboat who refuses to share I politely inform him that he is fully entitled to use the lock singly, but only AFTER I have passed through it.

 

If he thinks I am going to queue quietly behind him, he has another think coming.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[alan_fincher]

Well I'd just like to record that "Chertsey" and "Paddington Bear" helped us come up the 21 locks at Wolverhampton yesterday with "Sickle", in around 1 hour 50 minutes.

 

We weren't, as far as I was aware, (and I was steering!), trying to break any records. Being a foul, wet, windy day, and encumbered by much rainwear, I was certainly more intent on safety than absolute speed. Most of the locks were "walked around", with little stepping between paired lower gates.

 

Given the time includes travelling two miles, as well as working the 21 locks, though, it does show that a crew working smoothly together can greatly undercut the times suggested by the canal planners, without needing to do anything dangerous, or upsetting anybody.

 

I don't even imagine that is a particularly fast time, but I was quite surprised when we did work it out.

 

"Sickle" is not an appropriate boat to break records in a flight like this anyway - it displaces enough water, and it is a "tight enough fit", that at some locks getting in very fast is quite hard work - using a lot of power to try and get in faster actually slows you, and a careful compromise was needed at some of the more difficult locks.

 

It would be interesting to know what a good time for this flight in ideal conditions would be.

There were four of us, not rushing. One setting the locks ahead, one steering and two working the locks. I can see that either extra hands OR moving faster/being more daring would have reduced the time between getting the gates shut and the paddles open, but not sure where else we could have shaved off seconds.

And before anyone says we shouldn't have been in a hurry, do try to recall what the weather was like on Sunday morning, and anyway, we like a challenge.

 

I've heard of people doing it in less than 1 hour 45, but not sure what the degree level boating time is.

 

No records today, but did the Wolverhampton Twenty-One in 2 hours 3 minutes.

 

Modern boat this time, crew of three, but needed to arrange giving puppy a comfort break!

 

We lost at least 5 minutes waiting for a slow downhill boat, mid flight, otherwise sub 2 hours for the 21 locks would have been relatively easy.

Edited August 19, 2012 by alan_fincher

[ditchcrawler]

Indeed - fully aware of that, we used to, but I could never understand spending the last night actually in the boat yard which is what some do. Much nicer to spend it just around the corner rather than moored up with all the other boats...

I remember mooring one lock down from the yard, easy in an hour next morning, but I woke up on the angle hard on the bottom as the point had drained and I had to sweat with the pole to get bak afloat.

One yard offers afternoon returns.

[wannabe]

There is SOME merit to your argument, but in practice it doesn't work out that way.

 

This is at least partly due to the fact that by the time people have got good enough to moor and unmoor efficiently, they have long since got good enough to not need to do so!

 

As others have said, efficiency isn't about rushing around, but about the total capacity of a canal.

 

A typical narrow lock (if such a beast exists) will empty or fill in around 4-5 minutes. Over and above that time is the time taken to actually get a boat into the lock and ready to draw the paddles, and to get it out again.

 

If everybody operates efficiently, then 6 minutes per boat is possible, and the capacity of that lock is 10 boats per hour, or 100 boats in the period 8am to 6pm.

 

So, let us consider what needs to happen to achieve that 6 minute gold standard;

• The boat must enter the lock chamber as soon as the prior boat is out. - If the waiting boat is moored, and unties as the exiting boat passes, the point at which the boat is in the lock ready to close gates is going to be at least a minute later.
• The gates behind the boat must be closed as soon as the boat is in the lock. Possible to lose 30 seconds there.
• The paddles must be drawn at the other end as soon as boat is in position and the other gates closed. Having to wait for the person who closed the gates to get to the other end will add 30 seconds. Stopping for a slurp of your tea another 30 seconds.
• Paddles must be drawn as rapidly as is consistent with a safe transit. Excessive caution can cost another 2 minutes.
• Gates to be opened as soon as they "relax". Waiting for the remaining quarter inch to settle would be another 30 seconds.
• Leave the lock smartly. pootling out on tickover will add another minute.
• Embark your crew in the lock, or well past the exit, so that your exit doesn't impair the entry of the next boat. Heading for the lock landing to collect your crew will delay the point at which the next boat can enter by at least a minute, and if you start embarking/disembarking dog/granny/kids in the jaws of the lock, at least two minutes.

So, all of these are very small inefficiencies, which "don't make a big difference", after all, what is a 6-7 minute delay to your day. Indeed, even if repeated 10 times a day, its only an hours delay.

 

The problem is that this minor delay to your journey has also at least HALVED the number of boats that can pass through the lock.

 

Having seen some boaters that have taken over 15 minutes from the point where the lock was free to the point where the lock was free again, we do need efficient operation to maximise the capacity of our canals.

 

And here was me thinking it was about enjoying yourself

without holding others up too much I must add

We all work at different paces in life

Not just boating