Hatton

[Karma Dreams]

Over the years I have worked through the locks on this stretch with not too much effort.. But over the last day or two have really struggled with the ground paddles!!! More like pushing 'iron' lol... and the gates the same hard to move . Is it me?

I really felt like turning around today, going back and trying a different route as this is just not enjoyable! Not yet arrived at the Hatton 21 but not looking forward to the fight.... maybe I should give a shout for some help lol.. So do any other members have the same problems at all?

[churchward]

It has been a year or two since I have been up or down hatton but I don't find them bad at all. The geared mechanism takes a few turns to raise the paddles but they are not hard work normally. It is better usually (unless you have a larger crew) to pair up with another boat but we have been up on our own just the two of us OK. I have never done it single handed.

[Karma Dreams]

Maybe it's me then... We did pair on the Stockton flight with another boat, but the lady who worked the opposite paddle made a comment on how 'hard' they are to work through, adding they never used to be this hard!!! I know that with age and trying to cope with asthma as well, these locks are very testing my abilities I certainly ache from the last 2 days labour lol...

[GUMPY]

came upthe 8 locks at Stockton a week or so ago in 38 minutes* DLW commented how easy the paddles were compared to GU south.

 

 

 

*We did have a "team" doing the locks with us.

[David Schweizer]

It is either you , or things have changed recently. We did all the way up through Calcutt, Stockton, Bascote etc. and down Hatton last year, on our own, and I didn't notice the paddles being any different from previous times. They are tedious because it requires so many turns to lift the paddles, but not nearly as hard as many mechanical paddles elsewhere.

 

I don't particularly like much of that stretch on the GU, but I think that the locks are amongst the easiest, and certainly the fastest I have found on the whole system.

Edited October 1, 2013 by David Schweizer

[john6767]

Not noticed then being hard at all to be honest (but then I am usually on the boat!). The paddles do need lots of turns though, and that is tiring when you do a lot at once. The ones that always seem harder are Knowle, which I always put down to less people going that way (many going up the Stratford), but I believe someone on here has stated that the paddles at Knowle are a different size to the other ones.

[alan_fincher]

Well it is interesting, because I'm usually no slouch on paddles, but do these days find much of the "Ham and Baker" gear a lot harder work than I ever did in my youth.

I find it very variable, with some still as easy as I remember from the past, but others, which, although I can wind them, after the "twenty plus" turns, I am more than a bit puffed.

 

We don't go that way that often, but my distinct impression is that those at Knowle are always the worst, (presumably because of the extra depth of those locks), many at Hatton not that easy, but that once you are out of the lowest level, and on the uphill locks to "Wigram's" then the whole thing gets decidedly easier.

Completely on our own we tend to do Hatton in units of about 5 or 6 locks before swapping steerer and lock wheeler, which I then find eases the load considerably. An a "per lock" basis, Knowle is worse though, and I hope Cath will not mind me saying she does not like either role much there. The paddles can be a pig, but the strong eddies and cross winds there never seem to make it much of a pleasure for a steerer though. (Plus it always seem we come through Knowle in rain that approaches the near horizontal!...)

[Karma Dreams]

Tks for the replies... then it is ME ... getting old folks!!! Well have to take my time then with them... may take me longer but....

I have just read your post Alan, yes I agree when I was younger I didnt take any notice of the paddles on Hatton.. but now with breathing probs I have to pause inbetween turns. Pity I cant steer the boat...

[grahame r]

I posted on the forum before doing Hatton for the first time about a month ago and got excellent advice;- 1) Only do 18 turns, the paddles are then as open as they are ever going to be. 2) If single handing or just one crew just use only one set of paddles, the effort of crossing the lock isn't worth it for the 2 minutes or so opening both sets saves.

I can't pretend it was the best boating experience of my life but it was a good day and the volunteers were very helpful.

[GUMPY]

The differance between Knowle, Hatton and the rest is that Knowle has 3ft sluices, the rest is 2ft6, Hatton maybe has 2ft9 I cant remember as its over 10 years since I went up there.

 

Sluice size is cast into the "candlestick" so easy to check.

 

 

Just remember they were designed to be dropped so no need to wind down unless they stick.

 

 

2 minutes a lock extra equates to 3/4 hour less time in the pub.

Edited October 1, 2013 by Loddon

[Karma Dreams]

I posted on the forum before doing Hatton for the first time about a month ago and got excellent advice;- 1) Only do 18 turns, the paddles are then as open as they are ever going to be. 2) If single handing or just one crew just use only one set of paddles, the effort of crossing the lock isn't worth it for the 2 minutes or so opening both sets saves.

I can't pretend it was the best boating experience of my life but it was a good day and the volunteers were very helpful.

Well folks I made it... to the top of the Hatton flight, yipee only took hubby and me 4-1/2 hrs on our own. Nothing in site on the upward journey, all coming down which was great as didnt have to empty any. I nearly gave up on a couple of the paddles.. and yes Grahame I do the same half way, wait till water starts to ripple then continue to raise all way. Only 1 paddle and 1 gate but still took us a while. The volunteer (on his own) appeared at the old BW yard lock and helped me through the last couple. So nice cuppa now and get my breath back

[RLWP]

Is Tawny Owl still floating?

 

Richard

[Mike Todd]

With at least one crew, a flight like Hatton generally takes longer when sharing than when on your own - mainly through the extra time taken to manoeuvre, especially if one won't move in parallel (I'm not advocating breasting up as that requires greater skill and trust that might not survive an insurance claim!)

[RLWP]

With at least one crew, a flight like Hatton generally takes longer when sharing than when on your own - mainly through the extra time taken to manoeuvre, especially if one won't move in parallel (I'm not advocating breasting up as that requires greater skill and trust that might not survive an insurance claim!)

 

I'm not convinced that is true. Having enough crew to work ahead or close up behind makes up much more time than manoeuvring. Unless you have a particularly useless partner boat

 

Richard