Lift bridge

[mayalld]

I didn't mention a car or motorist did I?

 

You need to pay attention.

Indeed at the bridge pictured you could wait a long time for a motorist (it is a little used access road to a field)

 

Of course even that wait would pale into insignificance compared to those who await Naughty Cal's definitive guide to lift bridges.

[Dottyshirl]

Exactly no one hardly uses the bridge, I wish we could exchange advice on here without sarcasm or trying to belittle somebody for missing a post !

[Paul C]

I think the guy who suggested asking the motorist for help was doing it tongue-in-cheek - I'd not expect a motorist to "get it" and help. Pedestrian, dog walker, maybe, but not a motorist.

 

If you're worried about falling in the canal due to needing to use unconventional moorings at spots such as lift bridges, then you're going to either get better at it, or get wet quite a lot!

[Guest]

Thanks x

 

Don't be so grumpy for goodness sake !!!And I didn't say "xxxx you" only because I forgot .........

Ah OK - I was merely pointing out Matty has thus far provided the most sensible answer to your original question. I will leave you to it though.

 

Ed to remove Dotty's foul language.

Edited January 5, 2014 by The Dog House

[Dottyshirl]

The advice offered regarding using the ropes is great and I thank you, as a new boater this is daunting for me but I will figure this situation out and I will deal with it, in my perfect world there would be places to moor on both sides ..... But on the mechanism sides makes more sense to me xxxxx thanks for all the positive replies xxxxx

Ah OK - I was merely pointing out Matty has thus far provided the most sensible answer to your original question. I will leave you to it though.

So babe, you should have or could have said "hey dotty you dotty bird read the post Matty made, I could not take offence at that. I like you Dog House and always will x Edited January 5, 2014 by Dottyshirl

[Guest]

I don't know you so why on earth would you or I call each other 'babe'?

 

I did suggest you read Matty's post BTW.

Edited January 5, 2014 by The Dog House

[PhilR]

Exactly no one hardly uses the bridge, I wish we could exchange advice on here without sarcasm or trying to belittle somebody for missing a post !

 

You have had some good instructions from Dave and I can confirm that the method he describes works very well. Alongside any sarcastic or belittling posts there will always be some informative, useful and valid advice on here. Enjoy the PFC, but I'm sure you will be aware that in gale force winds, like we have been experiencing recently, single-handed bridge operation might be extremely challenging............

[furnessvale]

Whilst the upstream mooring by the mechanism is more obvious, there is also an offside bollard on the downstream end.

 

If there is no offside bollard, then;

 

 

Place stern line onto roof with end towards middle of boat

Nose up to the bridge and step off with centre line

Tie bow line to bridge rail loosely to stop boat escaping

Raise bridge and untie and use the bow line to pull the boat into bridge hole

As boat passes through, pick up stern line from roof

Once the boat is through, stop using stern rope and tie to bridge rail loosely

Lower bridge

Pull boat back with stern rope and reboard

The only thing I would add, if you don't want to bowhaul, is that at most bridges it is possible to reboard the boat at the bow, walk to the stern and power the boat through the bridge.

 

Bowhauling a loaded coalboat is to be avoided unless absolutely necessary!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Roger Crown]

Please forgive me if I am being more Dotty than usual .... On the peak forest canal there is a lift bridge, you approach and there are mooring bollards on the left, you get off the boat and cross the bridge as the lifting mechanism is on the other side of the canal, you lift the bridge .... How do you get back on the boat if you are a single-handed boater ? There is also a swing bridge with the mechanism on the other side of the canal ......

 

Hi, the two lift bridges and the two swing bridges on the upper Peak Forest Canal were modified a couple or three years ago to provide small offside landing areas and bollards to tie the boat to.

This was done to give the Continuous Moorers in and around the Bugsworth and Furness Vale area no excuses for overstaying even if they were single handing.

You should find these bridges easy once you have mastered the technique outlined by mayalld.

 

Enjoy your boating

Roger

[Guest]

..

 

Double post edit

Edited January 5, 2014 by The Dog House

[StarUKKiwi]

The only thing I would advise is to open the last lift bridge (from Marple)as we followed a Boat today who didn't and it tore our cratch cover when the boat caught on the underside (it's the one with wavy edges) - the bollards are both sides (I didn't explain myself very well) BTW if you let us know and we're in the neighbourhood, I'll always walk dogs up & do bridges

Edited January 5, 2014 by StarUKKiwi

[PhilR]

The only thing I would advise is to open the last lift bridge (from Marple)as we followed a Boat today who didn't and it tore our cratch cover when the boat caught on the underside (it's the one with wavy edges) - the bollards are both sides (I didn't explain myself very well) BTW if you let us know and we're in the neighbourhood, I'll always walk dogs up & do bridges

Sorry, I didn't understand your post.. Maybe you didn't explain very well?

[Ange]

Exactly no one hardly uses the bridge, I wish we could exchange advice on here without sarcasm or trying to belittle somebody for missing a post !

Hey The great forum secret is to pick and choose from the posts. There's a fabulous wealth of information here at your fingertips, unfortunately there are also a bunch of sad folks with nothing to do in their empty lives than make themselves feel better by being cruel to someone they've never met.

 

And there are those that present themselves as incredibly knowledgeable but actually have only owned a boat for a few years, hardly moved it and just have a lot of time on their hands.

 

Think of them as the sad old gits in the corner of the pub who no one talks to and just ignore them - it's all about cherry picking. The ignore function is great as well if there's one particularly persistent willy waving old git

Edited January 6, 2014 by Ange

[Mac of Cygnet]

The only person in this thread being offensive, as far as I can see, is the OP.

[Guest]

The only person in this thread being offensive, as far as I can see, is the OP.

 

In striving to have yet another playgroundesque 'pop' at me Ange will have have missed that minor detail I'm afraid. Hey ho....

[Guest]

Hey The great forum secret is to pick and choose from the posts. There's a fabulous wealth of information here at your fingertips, unfortunately there are also a bunch of sad folks with nothing to do in their empty lives than make themselves feel better by being cruel to someone they've never met.

 

And there are those that present themselves as incredibly knowledgeable but actually have only owned a boat for a few years, hardly moved it and just have a lot of time on their hands.

 

Think of them as the sad old gits in the corner of the pub who no one talks to and just ignore them - it's all about cherry picking. The ignore function is great as well if there's one particularly persistent willy waving old git

 

Ah that old chestnut Ange - 'you don't live aboard so you know nothing about anything to do with boating' which you trot out occasionally with no real substance or fact to actually back it up. We are coming up to 4 years of ownership and have actually boated for a lot longer FYI.

 

If you think the comment I made (based on my boating experience) about heeding Matty's post is somehow flawed would you care to explain why??? after all I'm sure with your wealth of boating experience you must know a better way.

 

Oh and I wasn't aware you had the ability to track how often Jan and I go boating, would you care to explain how you have magically acquired the ability to track our boat movements - some people would call that.......... well a bit creepy TBH.

[mayalld]

Hey The great forum secret is to pick and choose from the posts. There's a fabulous wealth of information here at your fingertips, unfortunately there are also a bunch of sad folks with nothing to do in their empty lives than make themselves feel better by being cruel to someone they've never met.

 

And there are those that present themselves as incredibly knowledgeable but actually have only owned a boat for a few years, hardly moved it and just have a lot of time on their hands.

 

Think of them as the sad old gits in the corner of the pub who no one talks to and just ignore them - it's all about cherry picking. The ignore function is great as well if there's one particularly persistent willy waving old git

 

Ange,

 

at the risk of being branded (yet again) as one of the sad old gits in the corner, I will put my head above the parapet and say "you're wrong".

 

WIth the exception of a miniscule number of people, most of whom no longer post, I don't detect any "bunch" of people who are out to be cruel to anybody else.

 

CWDF has a wide variety of personalities, some more robust than others who will state what they think in an uncompromising fashion, some delicate flowers who would never dream of suggesting that a new poster was actually wrong about something.

 

Perhaps I should suggest that there is a bunch of people who are just sat there like sad old gits in the corner waiting to be upset or offended by other people? But that would be silly wouldn't it?

 

Naturally, in answer to any point, there will be varying opinions, and little side discussions and even the odd dispute. The wise enquirer will consider all of it and decide what makes sense. The unwise enquirer will say "I'm only going to listen to people who say nice things"

 

There are just people talking here, and they all have different personalities. The forum is richer for it.

[Pete & Helen]

Please forgive me if I am being more Dotty than usual .... On the peak forest canal there is a lift bridge, you approach and there are mooring bollards on the left, you get off the boat and cross the bridge as the lifting mechanism is on the other side of the canal, you lift the bridge .... How do you get back on the boat if you are a single-handed boater ? There is also a swing bridge with the mechanism on the other side of the canal ......

 

You might find this of interest. pictures are always better than words. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8zfR6UwYYE

 

Happy boating

[Kraken]

Whilst the upstream mooring by the mechanism is more obvious, there is also an offside bollard on the downstream end.

 

If there is no offside bollard, then;

 

 

Place stern line onto roof with end towards middle of boat

Nose up to the bridge and step off with centre line

Tie bow line to bridge rail loosely to stop boat escaping

Raise bridge and untie and use the bow line to pull the boat into bridge hole

As boat passes through, pick up stern line from roof

Once the boat is through, stop using stern rope and tie to bridge rail loosely

Lower bridge

Pull boat back with stern rope and reboard

 

Do you use the centre line for anything? Since any offside landing area is almost always short/single bollard/ non existent, wouldn't you just step off at the bow with the bow line?

[furnessvale]

 

Do you use the centre line for anything? Since any offside landing area is almost always short/single bollard/ non existent, wouldn't you just step off at the bow with the bow line?

I think Mayalid may be suggesting stepping off with centre line onto the towpath, walk across the bridge collecting bow line as you pass.

 

If that is the case I would slightly modify the technique by playing the bow line out in advance along the length of the boat and stepping off with that rather than the centre line.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[RLWP]

 

Do you use the centre line for anything? Since any offside landing area is almost always short/single bollard/ non existent, wouldn't you just step off at the bow with the bow line?

 

The centre line is more flexible (??!). If you walk to the front along the gunwales taking the centre line with you, once the bridge is open you can use it to pull the boat through. When the centre line fixing reaches the bridge, put the line on the roof and walk to the other side of the bridge. Pick up the centre line an use it to stop the boat

 

Richard

[Dottyshirl]

Thanks for ALL the replies and sharing your knowledge plus the video was great to watch x

[Guest]

Thanks for ALL the replies and sharing your knowledge plus the video was great to watch x

 

Whilst that video is useful up to a point it does of course show the operation of a powered swing bridge rather than a manual lift bridge. I guess though the principal/sequence would be very similar. Note when I last posted it some single handers did query why he bothered pulling the boat back to the tow path side and why not just get on the boat on the offside but boat access there is difficult which you may find when operating a lift bridge also.

[mayalld]

I think Mayalid may be suggesting stepping off with centre line onto the towpath, walk across the bridge collecting bow line as you pass.

 

If that is the case I would slightly modify the technique by playing the bow line out in advance along the length of the boat and stepping off with that rather than the centre line.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

Spot on, and yes laying the bow line onto the roof would also be good.

[bottle]

ps.

 

Always make sure that at least one rope is in your hand or tied to something on the bank.