Lift bridge

[Pete & Helen]

Yes there are one or two mistakes in the video but it was the only one I could find. Has anyone got links to any others?

 

Any normally single handers fancy doing a video and posting it here to shoe the rest of us how it is done (or at least one way as I am sure there are a number of variants depending on particular bridge and boat type).

[NB Alnwick]

I guess it all comes down to watching, learning, practice and experience but some lift bridges can be a real pain.

 

I have yet to find a satisfactory way of getting through the Banbury town lift bridge single handed without having to walk backwards and forwards over the lock and holding everyone up in the process.

Edited January 6, 2014 by NB Alnwick

[Mac of Cygnet]

 

 

I have yet to find a satisfactory way of getting through the Banbury town lift bridge single handed without having to walk backwards and forwards over the lock and holding everyone up in the process.

 

Well, I've only been through it once, and can't remember any problem. At least there's a lock to walk over! And why can't 'everyone' do the same as you? (OK prams may be a problem).

[MtB]

 

Well, I've only been through it once, and can't remember any problem. At least there's a lock to walk over! And why can't 'everyone' do the same as you? (OK prams may be a problem).

 

Going south, by the time you've moored, crossed the bridge, opened it, walked 150 yards up to the lock, across it and 200 yards back to your boat, taken your boat through, moored it, walked 150 yards to the lock, crossed it, and walked 150 yards back to shut the bridge, about ten minutes has passed and this means quite a large crowd has gathered waiting, too lazy or stupid to walk up to the bridge by the lock you've just crossed twice.

 

MtB

[Mac of Cygnet]

 

........ too lazy or stupid to walk up to the bridge by the lock you've just crossed twice.

 

MtB

 

Exactly.

 

Although I seem to remember that at least some were quite happy to wait as they wanted to see the lock being operated.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Mac of Cygnet

[Ange]

 

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.

I do know where you're coming from Dave ... but ...

 

There are times when you and others are incredibly and unnecessarily rude and patronising. The excuse of robust or uncompromising debate wears very thin when a new member is hounded from the forum with the words "close the door on your way out" (used by both you and TDH). That smacks of glee that you've driven someone (who may have valuable input and may need this forum's advice) away just because they dared to disagree with you when they were mere newbys.

 

It hasn't happened for a while so I hope we've all settled down now into a modicum of civility. It is possible to debate without denigrating your opponent.

 

I can remember having a robust conversation with Canaldrifter when he said this isn't the real world so it doesn't matter when he was incredibly horrible to a friend of mine. I met him in person and yep there was a very agreeable man but he thinks it's ok to say some unforgivable things if it's on the internet. That is so not true, and is why he's not a member of this forum any more. It's a form of communication, like texting, telephoning, anything that's not face to face - you have responsibility for what you say to folks and you should be prepared to look them in the eye tomorrow and say the same thing.

 

If that's me being a delicate flower I can live with that. What the hell is wrong with a bit of basic politeness - whenever I post on here I look at my post and think if I meet that person tomorrow can I say the same to their face? Many, many of my posts have been deleted before they've been posted on that premise. If that makes me a big girls blouse I don't care - I worry about the impact my words have on other people and would never say anything on the internet that I wouldn't say to their face.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Ange

[Maffi]

I don't want to sound like a twat but I usually do so here goes,

 

Moor you boat.

Go and stand on the bridge.

Think about what you are trying to achieve.

Then operate the bridge. two or three times.

Think about it some more

If you cant work it out visit Apollo Duck and sell your boat.

 

It is not difficult to get a boat through a swing/lift bridge.

 

Well, I've only been through it once, and can't remember any problem. At least there's a lock to walk over! And why can't 'everyone' do the same as you? (OK prams may be a problem).

Prams are not a problem because there is a proper bridge past the lock

[Paul C]

I don't want to sound like a twat but I usually do so here goes,

 

Moor you boat.

Go and stand on the bridge.

Think about what you are trying to achieve.

Then operate the bridge. two or three times.

Think about it some more

If you cant work it out visit Apollo Duck and sell your boat.

 

It is not difficult to get a boat through a swing/lift bridge.

Prams are not a problem because there is a proper bridge past the lock

 

Agree, for a single-hander, doing a lift bridge isn't that much different than doing it with a crew, there's no particular sense of achievement in it. However, certain (a few) locks are a bit of a head-scratcher singlehanding, in particular when they are 1) not equipped with a ladder 2) too deep to jump on/off roof of boat and 3) have a tail bridge, which will obviously snag a rope (ie without a gap in its middle). Beeston Iron lock springs to mind here. Its possible, by swinging the rope around the underside of the bridge, but there's a certain knack to it, and there is a sense of achievement once done. I don't know any other locks which have all 3 "features" as listed previously. Bunbury staircase has the bridge in the middle of it but its possible to get on either via roof or using ladder.

[Willber G]

I don't want to sound like a twat but I usually do so here goes,

 

Moor you boat.

Go and stand on the bridge.

Think about what you are trying to achieve.

Then operate the bridge. two or three times.

Think about it some more

If you cant work it out visit Apollo Duck and sell your boat.

 

It is not difficult to get a boat through a swing/lift bridge.

 

This the key piece of advice, especially to a new boater. There are very few insurmountable problems to be encountered. Just take your time and think it through. And if all else fails wait for somebody to come along and rescue you!

[Mac of Cygnet]

........would never say anything on the internet that I wouldn't say to their face.

 

I think that is almost certainly true of everyone else in this thread, too

[Guest]

I do know where you're coming from Dave ... but ...

 

There are times when you and others are incredibly and unnecessarily rude and patronising. The excuse of robust or uncompromising debate wears very thin when a new member is hounded from the forum with the words "close the door on your way out" (used by both you and TDH). That smacks of glee that you've driven someone (who may have valuable input and may need this forum's advice) away just because they dared to disagree with you when they were mere newbys.

 

It hasn't happened for a while so I hope we've all settled down now into a modicum of civility. It is possible to debate without denigrating your opponent.

 

I can remember having a robust conversation with Canaldrifter when he said this isn't the real world so it doesn't matter when he was incredibly horrible to a friend of mine. I met him in person and yep there was a very agreeable man but he thinks it's ok to say some unforgivable things if it's on the internet. That is so not true, and is why he's not a member of this forum any more. It's a form of communication, like texting, telephoning, anything that's not face to face - you have responsibility for what you say to folks and you should be prepared to look them in the eye tomorrow and say the same thing.

 

If that's me being a delicate flower I can live with that. What the hell is wrong with a bit of basic politeness - whenever I post on here I look at my post and think if I meet that person tomorrow can I say the same to their face? Many, many of my posts have been deleted before they've been posted on that premise. If that makes me a big girls blouse I don't care - I worry about the impact my words have on other people and would never say anything on the internet that I wouldn't say to their face.

 

Then I fail to see why it's necessary to bring it up on the back of this thread or make snide comments about how much boating someone has or has not engaged in and linking it it to whether their posts carry any value or not which you have done in this and other threads recently, or make a judgement about how full or empty other people's lives are.... just how on earth can you know this about somebody you barely even know?

 

Further you talk about politeness but feel quite happy to refer to other members as 'sad old gits' - sorry but this doesn't wash with me and smacks of hypocrisy, something you so often seem to accuse others of.

Edited January 7, 2014 by The Dog House

[mayalld]

I do know where you're coming from Dave ... but ...

 

There are times when you and others are incredibly and unnecessarily rude and patronising. The excuse of robust or uncompromising debate wears very thin when a new member is hounded from the forum with the words "close the door on your way out" (used by both you and TDH). That smacks of glee that you've driven someone (who may have valuable input and may need this forum's advice) away just because they dared to disagree with you when they were mere newbys.

 

I can remember having a robust conversation with Canaldrifter when he said this isn't the real world so it doesn't matter when he was incredibly horrible to a friend of mine. I met him in person and yep there was a very agreeable man but he thinks it's ok to say some unforgivable things if it's on the internet. That is so not true, and is why he's not a member of this forum any more. It's a form of communication, like texting, telephoning, anything that's not face to face - you have responsibility for what you say to folks and you should be prepared to look them in the eye tomorrow and say the same thing.

 

 

Ange,

 

you referred to "sad old gits".

 

By your own standards, is that not being rude to people? Water off a duck's back to me, but isn't it double standards to complain about people being rude, and in the same breath say something rude about them?

 

I have had many a "robust" conversation with Tony, and on the point that you make there, I am in agreement. The fact that this is the internet shouldn't alter the way people behave. If behaviour isn't OK in real life, it isn't OK on the internet.

 

The thing is that this actually works both ways;

EVERYBODY should behave in here in the same way that they would if they were in a real world equivalent (Pub, social club, banter etc).

 

That includes the old-timers and the newbies.

 

Consider CWDF as if it were a real world boaters social club. We are all here because (presumably), notwithstanding the "sad old gits" sat in the corner muttering into their halves of mild and the dire choice of music on the Jukebox, we actually find it a place that we like.

 

Just like the real world social club, the new member finds it slightly daunting, because everybody already knows everybody else when they first arrive. It is slightly easier on them, because it is fairly clear that the existing members are NOT a large clique that they need to get into.

 

Picture yourself as that new member of a real world social club. Would you march in there and start lecturing the "regulars"? Would you tell them that they should stop talking about what they were talking about? If you asked them a question, and they digressed into other discussions, would you berate them for it?

 

Perhaps you would, but I rather doubt it!

 

If somebody came in and did just that, then loudly remarked that as the members of this club weren't going to change the way they nattered to suit them then they were off, might you indulge yourself with a bit of "well don't let me stop you"?

 

People aren't hounded out, but some people just aren't suited to being part of a forum, and I am not going to regret that they choose not to stay and disrupt.

[Dottyshirl]

Lovely advice back there.... "If you cannot figure it out, sell your boat"

[Guest]

Lovely advice back there.... "If you cannot figure it out, sell your boat"

 

Yes a rather drastic solution!

 

There is some truth in what was in the rest of that post though. Sometimes it does pay to stop and think in a step by step methodical way how to negotiate some of the waterways structures.

 

Thinking back to when we did our first ever lock I remember just pausing and went through it in my head before I started touching anything. Of course this works better if there is not anybody chomping at the bit to get through in a hurry - in which case just let 'em pass and watch how they do it.

Edited January 7, 2014 by The Dog House

[chazzy]

ps.

 

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

Good advice, especially on the Llangollen canal where the flow of water could soon move your boat.

[matty40s]

Think about what you are trying to achieve.

Then operate the bridge. two or three times.

It is not difficult to get a boat through a swing/lift bridge.

 

It is even less difficult if you get it through the first time so you don't have to do it 2 or 3 times.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Lovely advice back there.... "If you cannot figure it out, sell your boat"

 

Yes, Maffi was being a bit 'forthright' there! But make no mistake, he would have said it to your face, too!

Edited January 7, 2014 by Mac of Cygnet

[Dottyshirl]

He's that nice is he ? I will figure the solo handling of lift/swing bridges. love my boat too much to sell her ....

[RLWP]

Lovely advice back there.... "If you cannot figure it out, sell your boat"

 

It doesn't actually state a time to figure it out though

 

One of the things I have found is that learning to figure it out is and important and satisfying part of boating. I have met very, very few people who haven't learned to cope with boating - so I'm sure you will also develop the ability to figure out both this and the myriad other non-obvious boating challenges

 

Perhaps one of the voices in your head will know

 

Richard

[Dottyshirl]

Lol

[MtB]

 

It doesn't actually state a time to figure it out though

 

One of the things I have found is that learning to figure it out is and important and satisfying part of boating. I have met very, very few people who haven't learned to cope with boating - so I'm sure you will also develop the ability to figure out both this and the myriad other non-obvious boating challenges

 

Perhaps one of the voices in your head will know

 

Richard

 

More likely, they are all still arguing about which way is best...

 

 

MtB

[Bettie Boo]

" willy waving old git"

LMAO

 

Not to diminish anyone's post, but taken out of the contents it was used in this thread....... and not meaning to cause offence to anyone.....

 

the above phrase is brilliant IMO, haven't heard it before, but I'm sure there will be times ahead when I'll have occasion to use it

[PaddingtonBear]

As might be expected I am with Maffi and Richard all the way. Boating as life benefits from a lot of common sense and in this awful modern world common sense has disappeared to be replaced by a constant search for an instantly 'perfect' way to do all things with a total inability to 'learn by doing'

[Ange]

LMAO

 

Not to diminish anyone's post, but taken out of the contents it was used in this thread....... and not meaning to cause offence to anyone.....

 

the above phrase is brilliant IMO, haven't heard it before, but I'm sure there will be times ahead when I'll have occasion to use it

Oh lordy I must have had a few glasses of wine cos I can't remember typing that! A breathalyzer attached the keyboard would come in handy sometimes!

 

Glad you enjoyed it though

[Dottyshirl]

As might be expected I am with Maffi and Richard all the way. Boating as life benefits from a lot of common sense and in this awful modern world common sense has disappeared to be replaced by a constant search for an instantly 'perfect' way to do all things with a total inability to 'learn by doing'

Not true !

 

I only asked a question... I thought that was an ok thing to do here, with the amount of flack received to many peoples posts, it is a wonder anyone would trouble some of you.

 

By the way I did figure it out and succeeded in my quest, thanks for all the good replies xxxxxx

One of the voices in my head helped me out by the way ha ha ha