Selby Lock

[Shipleymanx]

Hi there, goint through selby lock next weekend hopefully, coming form Naburn by the way. already booked in with lock keeper etc, just need a few tips re tidal etc, thanks

[Theo]

Hi there, goint through selby lock next weekend hopefully, coming form Naburn by the way. already booked in with lock keeper etc, just need a few tips re tidal etc, thanks

 

Can't give the required advice, I am afraid, but I can welcome you to the forum. It's great here. Have a browse around until someone comes and gives you the answers that you need.

 

N

[Guest]

Hi there, goint through selby lock next weekend hopefully, coming form Naburn by the way. already booked in with lock keeper etc, just need a few tips re tidal etc, thanks

 

There was a previous thread on here about this. I'll see if I can dig it up.

 

Found it...

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=42148&st=0&p=768131entry768131

 

PS Welcome to the forum.

 

The Selby Canal BTW is fantastic, very quiet and picturesque.. we were pleasantly surprised the first time we cruised it..

Edited October 1, 2012 by The Dog House

[mrsmelly]

Hi there, goint through selby lock next weekend hopefully, coming form Naburn by the way. already booked in with lock keeper etc, just need a few tips re tidal etc, thanks

 

Hi

 

It will depend greatly on what tide you will be on wether it be a large spring or a tiny neap for instance and how much fresh is on. The Ouse is a serious river and often has lots of crap such as trees in it. Selby lock is no problem just ask the lockie what will be the best time to get there for locking up, and remember to round up and head back upstream a little rather than just trying to go straight in.

Great trip one of my favourites

 

Tim

[larkshall]

Hi there, goint through selby lock next weekend hopefully, coming form Naburn by the way. already booked in with lock keeper etc, just need a few tips re tidal etc, thanks

 

When you say from Naburn, if you have to use Naburn lock watch the Sills. At the moment the section is clear, though the fire brigade were pumping water into the canal just above Selby Boat centre on Friday and Saturday (minor flooding affecting the nearby road). CAWOOD BRIDGE IS CLOSED, WATER IS STILL GOING OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE BRIDGE.

[Naughty Cal]

Unless the river drops very quickly Im afraid to say you are not going anywhere

 

Make sure you have the charts for the Ouse, avaliable from the lockies and that you know how to read them. You will be going to Selby on a falling tide so when you get to the lock go past it and turn into the flow to enter the lock. The tide rattles through Selby so beware. Also watch out for debris in the river, this is a bad section for crap in the water.

[Shipleymanx]

thanks for your replies, which part is stopping us from going?

[cotswoldsman]

Unless the river drops very quickly Im afraid to say you are not going anywhere

 

Make sure you have the charts for the Ouse, avaliable from the lockies and that you know how to read them. You will be going to Selby on a falling tide so when you get to the lock go past it and turn into the flow to enter the lock. The tide rattles through Selby so beware. Also watch out for debris in the river, this is a bad section for crap in the water.

 

Charts and read them!!!!!! Just go down the middle and turn right at Selby........

[Guest]

thanks for your replies, which part is stopping us from going?

 

I suspect the levels on the bits between Naburn and Selby

 

Naburn

 

 

Though there does seem to be a long delay since they updated Naburn

 

Selby

 

Edited October 1, 2012 by The Dog House

[Naughty Cal]

thanks for your replies, which part is stopping us from going?

 

The water levels.

 

If you go now you will have to take a good long run up and jump over Cawood bridge!!

[Derek Porteous]

Hi there, goint through selby lock next weekend hopefully, coming form Naburn by the way. already booked in with lock keeper etc, just need a few tips re tidal etc, thanks

 

All good advice above. However trust to the lockkeepers. They will give you all the advice you need and not let you go if the river levels are too high. Wear life jackets and have an anchor with appropriate chain at the ready.

 

The entrance at Selby can be tricky so aim to turn at the entrance (which is at right angles to the river), so you drift past it and come back up river against the current. You will find once you get level with the lock, there is an area of slack water which will assist. Also, Fred the lock keeper will stand at lockside giving directions if he knows this is your first time. A VHF is handy. Again Fred will contact you on the VHF en route so he knows exactly where you are and will have the lock ready for you. If you do not have a VHF it is worthwhile phoning Fred when to reach the flour mill on the outskirts of Selby.

 

Finally it has been mentioned that Springs and Neaps will affect the strength of the current (as well as the amount of fresh coming down river). I have always tried to make the passage on Neaps to make life a bit easier. However I had to go on a high Spring tide last time at the end of August. Now here's the thing. Because the current was stronger (at least for the first part of the journey) we arrived at Selby after only two hours instead of the usual two and a half to three hours)so the ebb was not yet in full flow. We made for a relatively easy approach and entrance to the lock. I certainly will not be avoiding Spring at all costs in the future as I have always done in the past (Naburn to Selby that is, Selby to Naburn is a dawdle on any tide!).

 

Also Selby Canal is a delight. Usually the water is very clear (not so sure at the moment with all the rain and run off) which means you can view the aquatic life as you cruise. I have seen small terrapins there before but last trip a large terrapin, about 12" in diameter, dived under the boat. Seen them on the Thames before, but never on a canal.

 

Enjoy you trip.

[Midnight]

I suspect you may be delayed depending on how quickly the recent floods recede. Next weekend's tides are somewhere in the mid-range and falling. Under normal conditions you will push the tide to somewhere around Cawood. Once the tide turns your speed will pick up to around 6 knots.

 

Here's my method for exiting the river - others may do it differently.

 

If there's a boat in front of you ease back and let it get well ahead - it takes up to 20 minutes for some boats to get into Selby Lock so your aim is to get there when there are no queueing boats.

 

Just after the Hovis factory ring or radio the lockie and let him know where you are. Take a central line around Selby corner and line up for the left hand side of the bridges. Stay close to the left bank and when you get inline with the old concrete jetty before the lock turn across the flow about 135 degrees . Aim for the jetty - you need to be about 10ft off and pointing upstream at about 45 degrees to the flow. The water down the jetty side, upstream the lock entrance is usually quite steady so you may need to use a little bit of forward and reverse to ease back into the flow and maintain your position. As you drift backin the ebb wait until the bows are central to the lock entrance push the tiller hard to the right and gun it! As soon as you are out of the flow ease right off.

 

If there are queueing boats you need to go beyond the lock and come back upstream about 30ft off the bank. About 30ft below the lock make your turn - aim for the centre of the lock as the current at the nearside is usually steady turn hard left - if you allow for some flow at the front you'll hit the right hand wall, if you come in too gentle you'll scrape the left hand wall.

 

The best option is to arrive when there's no other boats queueing and remember it's not as difficult as it may seem.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Midnight

[Alf27]

All of the above, plus have a good chat to the lock keepers, and follow their advice they will not let you on to that stretch if it is at all iffy. Depending on the tide, it may be adviseable to have marine band radio (channel 74 & 9[i think] for the bridges) so that you can check headroom at the swing bridges as you approach, again the keeper at Naburn will advise, if no VHF then a mobile phone, charged & working is a must !

[nebulae]

If the lock keeper at Selby is out of his cabin,he will be using his handheld VHF.In this case,range is very limited(line of sight).Even if you are using a fixed set,range is still not very good,so you may have to use your mobile.I agree with the above postings.However,the amount of rubish in the river needs to be seen to be believed.I had not realied that fridges and televisions float.

[Guest]

On the issue of rubbish in the Ouse -

 

Exactly how much damage can a floating tree (subject to size of course), telly or fridge do to a steel narrowboat?

[Grace and Favour]

On the issue of rubbish in the Ouse -

 

Exactly how much damage can a floating tree (subject to size of course), telly or fridge do to a steel narrowboat?

 

Doesn't it all depend upon whether you use the object to play a solo on yer prop?

[nebulae]

Very little fortunately.Not sure about our fibreglass friends.However,where there is a fridge,dead cow or whatever,there is usualy a lot of other rubbish.I once spent 3 hours removing a matress from the prop.Not the best experience on a river with a strong flow.Best advice is keep to the middle where possible and keep a good lookout.Is the river realy going over Cawood bridge?How safe is the structure?

[mrsmelly]

On the issue of rubbish in the Ouse -

 

Exactly how much damage can a floating tree (subject to size of course), telly or fridge do to a steel narrowboat?

 

Hi Martin.

 

I went out from Selby to Naburn once with another narrowboat. The other boat was in front of me and I watched in horror as it suddenly lost control and slewed and became wedged under a large overhanging tree branch. I RADIOED him to offer assistance and tried to hang around whilst he found out what was wrong. A large branch from a partialy submerged but floating tree had gone right into his prop stopping the engine dead and slewing his boat towards and under the overhanging branch. He was dead lucky he managed to clear it easily and the engine restarted and he got away with just a bit of paint missing and away we went to Naburn.

 

Tim

[Guest]

Hi Martin.

 

I went out from Selby to Naburn once with another narrowboat. The other boat was in front of me and I watched in horror as it suddenly lost control and slewed and became wedged under a large overhanging tree branch. I RADIOED him to offer assistance and tried to hang around whilst he found out what was wrong. A large branch from a partialy submerged but floating tree had gone right into his prop stopping the engine dead and slewing his boat towards and under the overhanging branch. He was dead lucky he managed to clear it easily and the engine restarted and he got away with just a bit of paint missing and away we went to Naburn.

 

Tim

 

I'll look forward to our first trip to York then...

[mrsmelly]

I'll look forward to our first trip to York then...

 

[Midnight]

On the issue of rubbish in the Ouse -

 

With the amount of water that's gone down the Ouse this week I suspect most of the big stuff will have been flushed away. Although that dead cow did stay on the tidal stretch for about 5 months a couple of years ago - you could smell when it was near!

[Peter-Bullfinch]

I am so glad my wife never reads these posts. We use the rivers often. Surely that dead cow isn't still floating up and down the Ouse? We passed her last year and waved.

[larkshall]

Cawood bridge remains closed today water is still going over and round the bridge. The river flow at Selby is still high, but also very fast running. I will update this every day for you. There is still an awful lot of wood and debris being washed downstream. But their are no dead cows, although a small heard are stranded on the banks by the EA premises at Riccall.

[Naughty Cal]

Very little fortunately.Not sure about our fibreglass friends.However,where there is a fridge,dead cow or whatever,there is usualy a lot of other rubbish.I once spent 3 hours removing a matress from the prop.Not the best experience on a river with a strong flow.Best advice is keep to the middle where possible and keep a good lookout.Is the river realy going over Cawood bridge?How safe is the structure?

 

We have had to nudge debris our of the way in the Ouse which has caused our GRP hull no damage.

 

What did cause damage and some concern was the large section of tree, yes tree not branch that we got wedged between the props. The engine refused to stall and the tree refused to budge from between the props (counter rotating props are a nuisance at times). In the end the prop blades of the forward most 3 bladed prop gave way and threw the tree clear but not before we had drifted hopelessly between the two bridges at Selby. Close call and one we wont forget in a hurry but it has not put us off making the trip up the Ouse.

 

By the way the best bits of the Ouse are further downstream but you really do need to know what you are doing and know your boat before attempting that trip

 

Cawood bridge remains closed today water is still going over and round the bridge. The river flow at Selby is still high, but also very fast running. I will update this every day for you. There is still an awful lot of wood and debris being washed downstream. But their are no dead cows, although a small heard are stranded on the banks by the EA premises at Riccall.

 

I expect it will stay closed for at least the rest of this week. There is more rain in the forecast for this week also which wont be helping matters.

 

My advise to the OP is to contact the lockies and find out when they expect to next be able to send boats out onto the tidal river. I suspect it wont be for a couple of weeks yet.

[Shipleymanx]

Thanks Larkshall, that would be helpfull, but its looking like a no go this weekend.