Working locks correct practice

[Emerald]

Just reading another Topic regarding a sunken hire boat in a lock. Not wanting to look stupid commenting on the original topic I thought I would be better off looking stupid amongst the newbie section instead. Looking at the photograph of the sunken boat I noticed the lack of a centre rope and it reminded me of a hire boater I saw yesterday negotiating a similar looking lock without utilising his ropes and the bollards. The boat was moving back and forth quiet fiercely as the lock filled and I want to know if this is normal practice not to hold the boat steady using ropes in smaller locks? I would hate to become a victim of a similar incident.

[Guest]

Just reading another Topic regarding a sunken hire boat in a lock. Not wanting to look stupid commenting on the original topic I thought I would be better off looking stupid amongst the newbie section instead. Looking at the photograph of the sunken boat I noticed the lack of a centre rope and it reminded me of a hire boater I saw yesterday negotiating a similar looking lock without utilising his ropes and the bollards. The boat was moving back and forth quiet fiercely as the lock filled and I want to know if this is normal practice not to hold the boat steady using ropes in smaller locks? I would hate to become a victim of a similar incident.

 

If initial suggestions about what caused that particular incident are correct then roping it off in the lock would be unlikely to have been successful in preventing the sinking.

 

If the front fender was indeed trapped in the bottom gate as the boat descended the best thing to do would have been stop the lock emptying, and then gently re-fill it.

 

It's about watching what the boat is doing in the lock while it empties or fills.

 

Centre lines and bollards would have made little difference.

[oarfish]

The boat was moving back and forth quiet fiercely as the lock filled and I want to know if this is normal practice not to hold the boat steady using ropes in smaller locks? I would hate to become a victim of a similar incident.

 

I was taught by an RYA instructor not to bother with ropes in narrow locks. Taught us to stay forward going down and at the back (with the tiller to one side) going up, while making sure you are comfortable with the speed of the water. One paddle until the cill is visible / covered, then the next. I'm still a newb, but now I vary which end of the lock I stay in going up so I don't need to rev the engine while working the lock quickly. Operating a busy lock that slowly would not be fair to others.

 

I think his advice was pretty solid for very inexperienced boaters, but then I am still very green.

 

I find an incredible variety of ways to screw up in wide locks, but don't really get enough practice in them.

[Graham Davis]

Never found ropes are required in narrow locks.

Going up it depends who is steering. SWMBO always stays at the back with the engine in reverse, whilst I sit at the top gate with the engine in forward.

Going down we both sit against the bottom gate with the engine in forward.

 

Most important thing to note however is to PAY ATTENTION, and watch what is happening. That way you can quickly drop a paddle.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Graham Davis

[AidanLincs]

Operating a busy lock that slowly would not be fair to others.

 

That's a fair point, but it has to be balanced against the dictum that has been (ahem) pounded into me: DO NOT RUSH! If you rush about, you will be much more likely to make mistakes. If you start to feel that you're doing things too fast, then you are probably doing things too fast. If the lock is really busy and there is someone behind you in the queue, it might be worth taking time while you're waiting your turn to warn the people behind you that you're fairly new at locking. You may find that they offer to help, or that they are familiar with the quirks of the lock you're about to operate, and can give you some handy advice. <smile type="impish">If they're rude to you, then you won't feel so bad about delaying them </smile>

 

Bear in mind that I'm someone who worked two locks last week, for the first time in nearly 2 years.

[Paul C]

I started this thread:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=46167&st=0&p=855174

 

a while ago and it promoted plenty of discussion on locks. There's no one 'correct' way to do them, there's a bunch of variations, but the basics are pretty simple and the dangers of locks, although it exists, are actually pretty slim. You'd need to make a number of mistakes in series to get into the kind of trouble as seen on the Llangollen canal today (Anglo Welsh's Conway sinking in a lock).

 

Basically, so long as everyone involved keeps an eye on the boat and its movement, ie its floating freely (not jammed anywhere) you'll be safe. If the lock is busy then its pretty normal to help out the boat in front of you coming the other way. With double the crew available and no need to close gates after you, therefore no need to stop the boat after the lock, it should be much quicker and easier anyway.

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

If the lock is busy then its pretty normal to help out the boat in front of you coming the other way.

 

<snip>

 

Only that one? We have had crew on our boat, the boat ahead (going the same way), the boat ahead of that and were also setting paddles for the boat behind

 

We often have a lot of crew

 

Richard

[Janet S]

We've been boating for several years now and I also conduct handovers for a local hire boat company.

 

We never, ever use ropes in a lock, apart from possibly using the centre line to pull the boat to the side to allow another boat to enter in a broad lock.

 

They are simply not needed in a narrow lock and can cause more problems than they solve.

 

In a wide lock, again they're not needed...if the person working the locks and the skipper on the boat have a good system and remain in communication, then there shouldn't be any problems. Provided the locks are worked carefully and everyone is aware of what's happening it should all be fine. Just so long as you don't allow the boat to get diagonally across the lock where a "hang-up" may occur then there shouldn't be any problem. Open paddles slowly and in the correct order and don't be rushed...

 

Our personal "rule" is that the person working the locks is in charge of the front of the boat and the person on the tiller is in charge of the back...the person at the front watches to make sure the boat doesn't get hung up at any point, and the skipper makes sure that the boat is clear of the cill...

 

Janet

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

Our personal "rule"

 

<snip>

 

Janet

 

I like that. My own personal rule is that if I'm steering, that doesn't mean I can't help with the lock. Offside paddles are mine

 

Richard

[Paul C]

Only that one? We have had crew on our boat, the boat ahead (going the same way), the boat ahead of that and were also setting paddles for the boat behind

 

We often have a lot of crew

 

Richard

 

Its a generalisation, doesn't apply in all cases etc. If there's 4 or more people at a lock and I'm in a queue, I'll stay with the boat (it will need moving up every now and again), rather than getting involved in the lock operation and then running back & forth to move the boat up slightly. After all, too many cooks spoil the broth! On one occasion, my GF did have to go up ahead more than 1 boat in the queue to help out, becuase it was 2x clueless boat crew and it was a very busy lock and her input was a great benefit to speed things up.

[Black Ibis]

Just reading another Topic regarding a sunken hire boat in a lock. Not wanting to look stupid commenting on the original topic I thought I would be better off looking stupid amongst the newbie section instead. Looking at the photograph of the sunken boat I noticed the lack of a centre rope and it reminded me of a hire boater I saw yesterday negotiating a similar looking lock without utilising his ropes and the bollards. The boat was moving back and forth quiet fiercely as the lock filled and I want to know if this is normal practice not to hold the boat steady using ropes in smaller locks? I would hate to become a victim of a similar incident.

 

The very best thing that you can do to prevent a similar accident happening to you is to ensure that your front fender can lift up if it gets snagged when descending a lock. Grab it and try and lift it up vertically- if it can't move up, then you need to change how it's hung.

 

You can either saw through one side of a chain link on each side of the fender, so the link will bend and allow the fender to lift if it gets hung up, or you can use cable ties - my favoured method. I tie the fender bottom chains to karabiners with a couple of cable ties, and then attach onto the loops on the boat. If it gets hung up, the cable ties quickly snap, and so the boat can't hang.

 

When going uphill, the karabiners mean the fender can be quickly lifted before entering the lock, so that it won't snag.

[keble]

Taught us to stay forward going down and at the back (with the tiller to one side) going up, while making sure you are comfortable with the speed of the water.

Good advice - and it pays to be very close to the back when going up. This helps prevent the water bouncing off the bottom gates and pushing you forward (thanks Cheshire Rose for that tip!).

But locks do vary - so watch out.

 

I found another nasty on a recent trip: I would sometimes hold the nose of the boat at the entrance to the lock's bottom gates while first mate emptied the lock.

Until, that is, I encountered some locks on the S&W where the emptying water pulled the boat forward with such a force that it hit the gates. Quite a shock. I keep well away now

[RLWP]

Good advice - and it pays to be very close to the back when going up.

 

<snip>

 

Personal preference again it seems. I'm firmly on the top gate going up with the engine in neutral

 

Richard

[Chris Pink]

Good advice - and it pays to be very close to the back when going up. This helps prevent the water bouncing off the bottom gates and pushing you forward (thanks Cheshire Rose for that tip!)

 

I'm afraid I don't agree with that advice. I have my boat as far forward as possible going up. Bow against cill is my favourite. There's too many sticky out bits at the back on boat and gates.

 

 

Until, that is, I encountered some locks on the S&W where the emptying water pulled the boat forward with such a force that it hit the gates. Quite a shock. I keep well away now

 

As to this one; if you are already on the gates you won't bounce around. Sometimes singlehanded with a tail bridge there is no choice.

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

Until, that is, I encountered some locks on the S&W where the emptying water pulled the boat forward with such a force that it hit the gates. Quite a shock. I keep well away now

 

Most locks do - stick the bow against the gate

 

Richard

[Guest]

Most locks do - stick the bow against the gate

 

Richard

 

try that at Lemonroyd..

[RLWP]

try that at Lemonroyd..

 

Too far away

 

Richard

[Guest]

Too far away

 

Richard

 

shame...

[MartinClark]

I was taught by an RYA instructor not to bother with ropes in narrow locks. Taught us to stay forward going down and at the back (with the tiller to one side) going up,

 

As others have said, being at the front or back going up is a personal preference and I myself prefer being at the back, especially in narrow locks, where there are fewer things for the rear button to snag.

 

However, it would appear that staying forward while going down may have been what caused this particular sinking as the front fender button would appear to have caught on the top gate or between the gate and the beam.

 

Yes, follow a system such as that taught you by your RYA instructor, but never take your eyes off what the boat is doing and be prepared to act straight away if you notice that something is going wrong.

[Edited cos can't splel.]

Edited July 30, 2012 by MartinClark

[PhilR]

The best advice when working locks should be:

 

Pay attention at all times and watch the boat - be prepared to take immediate avoiding action if the boat starts to get hung up or pinned down.

Take your time and don't let other boat crews rush you if you are not ready or comfortable. The steerer should dictate how and when paddles are opened.

 

Everything else is down to personal preference and experience. In this respect the length and type of boat might make a considerable difference to the choice of boat placement in locks.

 

A line ashore on the lockside can be useful in many circumstances when single-handing.