single handling locks

[chazzy]

Not on the upper Lee and Stort it isn't

 

Point taken, I was referring to the CRT canal network in the main, I accept some river navigation's may differ.

[matty40s]

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

It's not accepted by me, especially on the GU and Regent, I will generally use one gate only, and leave one gate open.

Most of the gates swing back open again, especially on the Leicester section when the wind blows, and if you think I'm spending half a day wandering from one side to the other to shut one set of gates then I'm sorry, no.

 

Single handing locks is my way of life most of the time and I have learnt better ways of doing it, how cross winds move boats from one side to the other as it rises/falls, and when to stop moving for the day. I lock during daylight and nighttime, but always take care, and test footings when wet.

[chazzy]

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?

 

In my experience it dose seem to be accepted by a lot of people.

[PiRSqwared]

Point taken, I was referring to the CRT canal network in the main, I accept some river navigation's may differ.

Ok

[chazzy]

In my experience it dose seem to be accepted by a lot of people.

 

 

I'll be happy to leave gates open if that's the way it is.

[cotswoldsman]

In my experience it dose seem to be accepted by a lot of people.

It is also accepted by many boaters that it is ok to leave the gates open. It is a judgement a boater can make on a lock by lock basis.

[GSer]

I always shut the top gates but i often leave the bottom gates open, leaving the top gates open isn't really an option on the K&A as many of the levels are set by the top gate by-weirs and the correct levels are lower than the bottom gates would dictate if left to do so.

 

On the narrow canals i'm never in much of a hurry 'cos they are mostly very easy to tidy up after use anyway so i tend to shut gates because I can.

[carlt]

I'll be happy to leave gates open if that's the way it is.

If you leave a gate open then there is a 50/50 chance that you are doing the next boat along a favour (quite a big favour for a single hander, too), unlike if you close all gates.

[Barry]

So these signs attached at locks by BW/CRT that say.....

 

'Please close all gates and paddles when you leave the lock' or something very similar

 

Do they apply only to the lock they are attached to or to all of them?

[carlt]

Do they apply only to the lock they are attached to or to all of them?

I guess that would depend on how much you trust BW/CRT's judgement.

 

I prefer to use my own.

[chazzy]

I guess that would depend on how much you trust BW/CRT's judgement.

 

I prefer to use my own.

 

I dont see it as a judgement, it is the way they want it done.

[Barry]

I guess that would depend on how much you trust BW/CRT's judgement.

 

I prefer to use my own.

 

I must admit that when I am single handing it is very tempting to leave the gates open as I leave but I haven't succumbed.

 

I thought the policy (if thats what it is) of closing all gates at all times is a water saving measure

[WJM]

So these signs attached at locks by BW/CRT that say.....

 

'Please close all gates and paddles when you leave the lock' or something very similar

 

Do they apply only to the lock they are attached to or to all of them?

 

 

They apply to that specific lock - they usually have an explanation about leaking gates of flooding nearby structures.

 

Closing up as you leave creates more work for others and yourself!

[billS]

I always shut the top gates but i often leave the bottom gates open, leaving the top gates open isn't really an option on the K&A as many of the levels are set by the top gate by-weirs and the correct levels are lower than the bottom gates would dictate if left to do so.

Maybe I'm being thick - but I don't understand what you mean there. Surely if the correct level is maintained by the by-weir, then how would leaving the top gate open prevent the pound from falling to that that level? Do you mean that if the top gates are left open then leakage through the bottom gates will allow the pound will drop below the correct level, and so the correct levels are higher than the bottom gates would dictate if left to do so?

[Djuwenda]

If you leave a gate open then there is a 50/50 chance that you are doing the next boat along a favour (quite a big favour for a single hander, too), unlike if you close all gates.

 

how is a 50/50 beneficial???

 

what if your hypothetical single hander is travelling the same way as you are??

[Barry]

They apply to that specific lock - they usually have an explanation about leaking gates of flooding nearby structures.

 

Closing up as you leave creates more work for others and yourself!

 

For yourself - yes, but its a 50/50 chance for others isn't it?

[carlt]

how is a 50/50 beneficial???

 

what if your hypothetical single hander is travelling the same way as you are??

Then he gains no benefit just as if you close the gate.

 

If he is travelling in the opposite direction then you spare him mooring up and having to open the gate.

 

Hence the 50/50 chance of doing someone a favour.

 

For yourself - yes, but its a 50/50 chance for others isn't it?

Opening a gate isn't really any hardship, if you have to moor up anyway, but saving someone mooring up to open a gate is a real benefit.

[WJM]

For yourself - yes, but its a 50/50 chance for others isn't it?

 

 

You need to sit down with a piece of paper and work it out. If everybody leaves the exit gate open then the workload for all boaters is significantly reduced. That is a mathematical, scientific, logical fact.

 

And when the canals were being worked commercially, despite a lack of mathematical or scientific training, the working boatmen, through darwinian process, arrived at the same conclusion.

Edited September 12, 2012 by WJM

[Paul C]

Leaving gates open is actually a bit more than 50/50 beneficial. The reason is:

 

- If the lock is set for you, the gates are open, saving opening the gates

- If the lock is set against you, you'd need to get off anyway to turn it, so you'd be off the boat anyway.

 

BUT the accepted practice seems to be to close gates. If everyone left them open it would be okay; if everyone closed them, it too would be okay. Obviously, excepting the few cases when gates don't stay shut - no point trying and having them swing open. Of course, you'd need to have prior experience of that lock, and be sure.

[Djuwenda]

the problem is by chosing not to close a set of gates, you are deciding which gates will effectively contain the water.

Closing both means that the tightest set of doors will be put to work naturally.

 

ie: going down, close the bottom gates as you leave and the lock will have a chance to refill its self if the bottom gates have a better seal than the top ones.

 

this is my undertsanding of the logic of having to close both sets.

[carlt]

I dont see it as a judgement, it is the way they want it done.

 

Their way is often not the correct way.

 

As I said, I trust my judgement over theirs, especially now there are so few lock keepers with local knowledge.

 

the problem is by chosing not to close a set of gates, you are deciding which gates will effectively contain the water.

Closing both means that the tightest set of doors will be put to work naturally.

This is why I always close the last gate of the day.

Edited September 12, 2012 by carlt

[billS]

how is a 50/50 beneficial???

 

what if your hypothetical single hander is travelling the same way as you are??

 

The real nuisance when single handing is mooring up before and after to fanny about with the gates. If the lock is against you, then you have to moor up come what may, and the extra effort of closing the gate at the opposite end is fairly minimal. Having to moor up to open a gate in a lock which is in your favour is much more irritating.

 

The river Wey practice, of leaving the lock gates open is much better for single handers. Take a hypothetical situation where you traverse 2 locks, one in your favour, one against. In the situation where all gates must be closed, you have to moor up four times to open and close the gates. With the River Wey practice, in the same scenario you only have to moor up once.

 

(Having said that - I rarely moor up to close gates, I just stop the boat in the tail, hop off, close the gate and hope it hasn't floated away too far!)

 

Edited to say - I see my slow typing means I am labouring a point already made!

Edited September 12, 2012 by billS

[Paul C]

(Having said that - I rarely moor up to close gates, I just stop the boat in the tail hop off, close tha gate and hope it hasn't floated away too far!)

 

I do this too when I can, but not all locks have a suitable landing area when leaving downhill (see previous discussions) hence sometimes the need to moor up (maybe a distance away).

 

I'd not leave the boat stationary in neutral, instead get off it when its slowly going forwards, with idle reverse. After a few attempts, you can get the timing right and the boat be exactly where you want it. The only problem is if the gate sticks.....the boat reverses back into the lock. Don't ask me how I know this!

[Djuwenda]

Their way is often not the correct way.

 

As I said, I trust my judgement over theirs, especially now there are so few lock keepers with local knowledge.

 

 

This is why I always close the last gate of the day.

 

and then you are happy to leave a paticularly leaky lock to it during the day? Do you also use you judgement about how busy the waterway is? the time of the year? if its a weekday or a weekend? the captains age?

 

this isnt really a principle you can argue.

 

You can probably do it, you are experienced and all I am sure, but the message should be that both sets have to be closed as one leaves the lock.

[Paul C]

EDIT also, you'll almost never be seen doing this. If another boat is waiting to go in it the other way - leave it open. If another is following you, most often their crew will offer to close it. And if there's an onlooker, they'll almost invariably offer to close it for you, if they see you're on your own.