BCN Water Conservation Key

[Alway Swilby]

We plan to come up the Wolverhampton 21 and onto the BCN in March. Nicholsons says that a BCN water conservation key will be required. Presumably this is not just a standard handcuff key? Where can we get one of these? We will be coming down the T & M and onto the S & W so presumably boatyards in the area will be able to sell us one?

[frangar]

It is a standard handcuff key....does slow things up a bit but not as bad as some flights...might be best to make sure you have a spare in case you drop one in!......

 

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[john6767]

It is just the standard one, ie the "T" bar one.

[Alway Swilby]

It is a standard handcuff key....does slow things up a bit but not as bad as some flights...might be best to make sure you have a spare in case you drop one in!......

 

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Thanks. We've got at least two of them on board.

I wonder why Nicholsons have to complicate matters by calling it a BCN water conservation key instead of a handcuff key.

[matty40s]

Possibly because the handcuff key for ,say, some EA waters is a different fitting at the end?

[Ian Mac]

I wonder why Nicholsons have to complicate matters by calling it a BCN water conservation key instead of a handcuff key.

Because that is what they are officially called these days. It was only when the Ashton Canal was restored that they spread off the L&L, due to the Ashton being managed out of the Wigan office. As they were no long handcuff locks, they changed name. They have now spread right round the system. At one point it was common to discover that on a midland waterway features they were locked with Bog keys, but that has changed due to the expense of a yale lock compared with a bit of 1/4" bar and a bit of hollow rod, which is a good thing in my book.

--

cheers Ian Mac

[AndrewIC]

As the man said, take at least a couple. Last summer we found a number of locks that wouldn't open with one key but would with another (worn lock and worn key?). And they don't float, even in the murkier bits of the BCN...

[AidanLincs]

It is a standard handcuff key....does slow things up a bit but not as bad as some flights...might be best to make sure you have a spare in case you drop one in!......

 

Having done the Ashton with only one key, I can tell you that it concentrates the mind wonderfully!

[8 Hairy Feet]

Having done the Ashton with only one key, I can tell you that it concentrates the mind wonderfully!

String and insulation tape!

[john6767]

String and insulation tape!

 

A key works better

 

 

 

ps. I know that you mean, we have 2 I always have this worry about being half way up a flight and dropping the key in and being stuck.

 

 

 

[PaulG]

Thanks. We've got at least two of them on board.

I wonder why Nicholsons have to complicate matters by calling it a BCN water conservation key instead of a handcuff key.

"Handcuff key" is an unfortunate name. I keep ours in a bracket in the engine room.

We had just finished mooring up in Central Brum last year, when I called to SWMBO "Have you still got the handcuff key, dear?".

The knowing grins on the faces of the assembled gongoozlers on the bridge reminded me (just too late) that "50 Shades of Grey" was all the rage at the time....