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single handling locks

dominicebs

By dominicebs
in Boat Handling

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted

There's one on the Huddersfield Narrow that springs to mind..

Never done the Huddersfield narrow but there is always a way, in my experience.

 

Lock ladders are not an original feature and, with a bit of ingenuity, there is always a way to avoid them.

 

Take two lines ashore?!!! I just wana lash and go! :-)

 

Yes I do.

 

I don't know what "lash and go" means but I don't tie off, in a lock, ever.

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WJM Veteran

WJM

Posted
Posted

It a joke Carl - 'Take two bottles into the shower?! I just wana Wash'n'go"! It is an add for a soap product.

 

 

To the OP, while Carl has clearly perfected a 'wild side' technique that requires no ladder or centre line, you will find that the rest of us find them useful! ;-)

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Paul C Veteran II

Paul C

Posted
Posted

 

 

I don't know what "lash and go" means but I don't tie off, in a lock, ever.

 

 

I think it was a play on words related to the advert for "Wash & Go", which was a shampoo + conditioner in one bottle, rather than "taking 2 bottles into the shower".

 

I agree there's no need to tie up in a lock, but there is a need to stop at lock landings in certain situations, ie if another boat is in the lock or there is a queue. Or to stop after, to close the doors (downhill, with no convenient lock mouth).

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billS Rising Star

billS

Posted
Posted

I don't recall every lock .

 

Towney lock is a bit of a pig - just on the Reading side of Aldermaston. the lock landing is 2-300 ft away from the lock, and the bottom gates are approached through the remains of the old turf sided lock. The offside bottom lock gate swings open when the lock is empty.

 

There is no way of getting off the boat to get to the top of the lock except by the ladder (unless you climb up the gate, which I think may possible, but even more hazardous) Coupled with all this, it is a deep lock with the top cill about 5 feet above the empty water line. The lock has only gate paddles, and these have been the cause of several sinkings (at least one last year), where the jet of water has filled the front well of a boat.

 

So, if you did not use the ladder, then I don't think you can have single handed through that lock in the up direction. In the down direction, it is easy (especially with the convenient self opening gate.

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted

Lock ladders aren't an original feature, but historically canal boats were operated by 2 or more, not single handed.

My quote dates back to 1950 so, evidently, single handed boating wasn't unheard of.

 

As I said, with a little ingenuity and a good incentive, finding ways to avoid ladders is surprisingly easy.

 

It isn't wild and, solo, I can make good progress often overtaking crewed boats.

 

I'm not really interested in arguing about this. I just put forward my way of doing it and you are free to take it or leave it.

 

Most of my boating, since 1983, has been single handed, often towing a butty, and I have yet to hold anyone up so I must be doing something right.

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GeoffS Rising Star

GeoffS

Posted
Posted

How do you avoid the ladder when going downhill? Ie the boat is in the lock, which is now empty, and assuming you could get the gates open, how do you get on it and drive it out?

 

Pull it with the rope, close the gate as it leaves and then step on at the bottom.

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted

 

I agree there's no need to tie up in a lock, but there is a need to stop at lock landings in certain situations, ie if another boat is in the lock or there is a queue. Or to stop after, to close the doors (downhill, with no convenient lock mouth).

I moor up at a lock landing the same way as I moor up everywhere else (though I don't set springs).

 

I don't close lock gates behind me, single handing, unless I believe I will be the last boat through that day in which case I will moor up in the usual way or leave the boat in the lock exit and take the stern line with me.

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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

Posted
Posted

If you carry a short ladder, preferably wooden, it can have four or more purposes, very useful.

 

1. To use as a gang plank with a removable ply panel inset.

2. A rescue ladder if someones can't get out of the water.

3. In the event of no lock ladder, set it up on your boats roof to climb up lock sides when going up hill, pulling it up after you.

4. Window cleaning if you become skint.

:closedeyes:

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mykaskin Experienced

mykaskin

Posted
Posted

Jumped onto the roof a fair few times; and also declined to jump Engine Lock (12'1") and all of the locks on Middlewich branch of SU (all 11' or over).

 

I've jumped down all the GU from Braunston, but Denham. A few were further than I'd given them credit for, which is why I don't so much now!! :-)

 

Mike

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GSer Experienced

GSer

Posted
Posted (edited)

Towney lock is a bit of a pig - just on the Reading side of Aldermaston. the lock landing is 2-300 ft away from the lock, and the bottom gates are approached through the remains of the old turf sided lock. The offside bottom lock gate swings open when the lock is empty.

 

There is no way of getting off the boat to get to the top of the lock except by the ladder (unless you climb up the gate, which I think may possible, but even more hazardous) Coupled with all this, it is a deep lock with the top cill about 5 feet above the empty water line. The lock has only gate paddles, and these have been the cause of several sinkings (at least one last year), where the jet of water has filled the front well of a boat.

 

So, if you did not use the ladder, then I don't think you can have single handed through that lock in the up direction. In the down direction, it is easy (especially with the convenient self opening gate.

 

 

When Carl did it, it was still the old turfsided jobbie :rolleyes:

Edited by GSer
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Peter-Bullfinch Rising Star

Peter-Bullfinch

Posted
Posted

Coming down the duplicated locks at Church Lawton on the Trent and Mersey today an issue occurred which could have been a much bigger problem. The lock emptied quickly but strangely the boat was being sucked back hard to the cill. Then we spotted that a paddle behind the boat was three cog notches up. This small amount was enough to let in lots of water to create a sucking effect backwards. I went up afterwards to look again at the mechanism. I suspect that a small twig or debris had trapped under this paddle. My very experienced wife had wound it down and it had felt 'shut'. I can certainly believe that a cilling could have occurred if we had been chatting or inattentive. The force of this sucking back effect on the boat was quite a surprisingly strong one.

 

By the way Harecastle tunnel took us 35 mins today ( another thread) but the tunnel keeper told us that fibreglass cruisers occasionally did it in 20 minutes!

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chazzy Collaborator

chazzy

Posted
Posted

 

 

I don't close lock gates behind me, single handing, unless I believe I will be the last boat through that day in which case I will moor up in the usual way or leave the boat in the lock exit and take the stern line with me.

 

Why not? it is accepted practice this day and age that all gates should be closed when leaving a lock, unless there is a waiting boat to enter as you leave

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jelunga Influencer

jelunga

Posted
Posted

I never use a ladder and have never had a centre line on a boat in 30 years.

 

This description dates back to 1950 and has always served me well in narrow locks with minor adjustments for broad ones:

 

 

 

One day I'll get round to copying the instructions for going downhill.

 

 

Things have changed since the 50's

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carlt Veteran II

carlt

Posted
Posted

Things have changed since the 50's

And yet this is still the most efficient way of working a lock single handed I've found.

 

Why not? it is accepted practice this day and age that all gates should be closed when leaving a lock, unless there is a waiting boat to enter as you leave

Accepted practice by who?

 

It may be the accepted practice for those that don't recognise different methods for different circumstances but I do not believe shutting gates is necessary when the likelihood is that there will be another boat along shortly.

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Tam & Di Influencer

Tam & Di

Posted
Posted

Why not? it is accepted practice this day and age that all gates should be closed when leaving a lock, unless there is a waiting boat to enter as you leave

 

Well, I suppose it's a practice accepted by those who accept it. Bloody nuisance it is too, as every lock is always going to be against the next user. If the gates behind you when you are in the lock are leaking (which does involve looking over the bottom gates when you're going uphill), yes. Otherwise, why?

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