Wide Locks

[cazberry]

Hi everyone,

 

am going through some wide locks (for the first time) this weekend and as a comparative novice I could do with some advice. If you are in the lock on your own is it best to use the middle rope to steady the boat?, as I've heard the boat can be bounced around a bit...and....even if there is someone sharing the lock....would you still do this?

 

Any sensible advice gratefully received as I'm feeling a tad apprehensive as this is my first cruise since I injured my arm in an accident . (I will have crew but they will be even more 'novice' than me!!

 

thanks in advance!

[bottle]

When going up, open the ground paddle on the same side as the boat, first.

 

Only partially open the ground panel initially, to allow the boat to settle.

 

If only boat, a centre line would be advisable, round a bollard but with someone watching and controlling it at all times.

 

Mainly take your time and do not let others rush you.

 

If you want to, name the locks and the time, someone may be in the vicinity to advise/help.

[furnessvale]

Hi everyone,

 

am going through some wide locks (for the first time) this weekend and as a comparative novice I could do with some advice. If you are in the lock on your own is it best to use the middle rope to steady the boat?, as I've heard the boat can be bounced around a bit...and....even if there is someone sharing the lock....would you still do this?

 

Any sensible advice gratefully received as I'm feeling a tad apprehensive as this is my first cruise since I injured my arm in an accident . (I will have crew but they will be even more 'novice' than me!!

 

thanks in advance!

Firstly. If you are happier using a centreline, use it. Just be careful, especially going down, that it doesn't jam.

 

Going down you shouldn't bump and bang, normally just a gentle descent. You may drift across as the prevailing crosswind changes direction but if you have plenty of crew that hardly matters.

 

Going uphill is a different matter and if you are not used to it I would recommend using the centreline at least at first.

Provided you have a full complement of top gates paddles , the normal rule to start is, same side ground, opposite side gate paddles (with respect to the boat). Then opposite side ground and finally same side gate paddle.

 

Finally, enjoy yourself!

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

Edit, whoops, wouldn't get too far without a full complement of gates

Edited March 28, 2014 by furnessvale

[Guest]

cazberry, on 28 Mar 2014 - 2:07 PM, said:

Hi everyone,

 

am going through some wide locks (for the first time) this weekend and as a comparative novice I could do with some advice. If you are in the lock on your own is it best to use the middle rope to steady the boat?, as I've heard the boat can be bounced around a bit...and....even if there is someone sharing the lock....would you still do this?

 

Any sensible advice gratefully received as I'm feeling a tad apprehensive as this is my first cruise since I injured my arm in an accident . (I will have crew but they will be even more 'novice' than me!!

 

thanks in advance!

 

We don't rope off if sharing, there is usually no point.

 

If not sharing we often don't either now most of the time though we did when we were a bit greener.

 

If going up as Keith says don't just wack the paddles up do it slowly and allow the water to flow into the lock in a relatively controlled manner and in most locks you will not be tossed around if you are careful.

[Keeping Up]

Agreed with everything that's above. It would be very useful to know which locks you mean, because although they all perform fairly similarly when going downhill, the wide locks on the different canals tend to have different characteristics when you are filling them. Also, how long is the boat, some of the advice depends slightly on this.

[David Schweizer]

When going up, open the ground paddle on the same side as the boat, first.

 

Only partially open the ground panel initially, to allow the boat to settle.

 

If only boat, a centre line would be advisable, round a bollard but with someone watching and controlling it at all times.

 

Mainly take your time and do not let others rush you.

 

If you want to, name the locks and the time, someone may be in the vicinity to advise/help.

 

That is what we do, but two additional points, The method described works best with boats up to about 60/65 ft, and keep the boat towards the back of the lock,The way that this system works is that the ground paddle inflow runs across the bows and onto the lock wall opposite, where it deflects towards the boat holding it against the wall.

 

Once the water is approching the cill, you can wind the paddle up completely and then open the ground paddle on the opposite side, by which time the inflow will help maintain the boats position. In some locks the boat may move from one side of the lock to the other in the later stages , but in my experience it usually comes back to it's original position.

 

All boats resopond slightly differently in locks, so try it out to check that it works Ok.if not use the centre line.

[Neil2]

The rule about ground paddles isn't universally applicable especially if your boat isn't the full length of the lock or close to it.

 

Eg some of the locks on the K&A seem to be possessed by evil spirits, and the Leeds Liverpool also has its own idiosyncrasies though that is more to do with poor maintenance...

 

At 45 foot we've found a centre line is often necessary, sometimes even a bow line. But as David says different boats have different handling characteristics if you find your boat sticks like a limpet to the lock side when going up you needn't bother with lines at all.

 

If you find yourself sharing a lock with a much longer boat as we often do, it's a good idea to move up so that your bows are side by side. Otherwise you can get "scissored" if/when the bow of the longer boat gets pushed across by the water flow, it's probably not good for either boat actually.

[cazberry]

this is brilliant advise, thanks everyone! Allan my boat is 60 ft and we're going up towards Chester ....feeling slightly nervous have to admit!!

[magpie patrick]

First, all good advice, but if you can't cross the top gates, be wary about opening paddles on both sides: it makes it very difficult to get the paddles down again in a hurry.

 

Second, the same side top ground paddle works in most instances, but on the Leeds and Liverpool and some other locks the ground paddle culvert enters the lock nearly at water level rather than on the lock floor, which makes this much less reliable.

 

Personally, where there are both ground and gate I open the ground paddle on the side I am (regardless of where the boat has headed!), gradually at first until the boat has settled into place, and then, when the water is perhaps a foot below the cill, the gate paddle on the same side. Unless the bow is right up to the gate, the gate paddle on the same side will flow across the lock and down the other side. I don't cross the lock.

 

And single handing I always have a rope off whichever way I'm going, but leave it loose unless there is a good reason to restrain the boat, such as spectacularly leaky gates.

this is brilliant advise, thanks everyone! Allan my boat is 60 ft and we're going up towards Chester ....feeling slightly nervous have to admit!!

 

Just seen this, from memory the locks on the Chester canal are fairly sedate and the ground paddles act as advised. The top gates also have footboards so crossing the lock is easy.

[Keeping Up]

this is brilliant advise, thanks everyone! Allan my boat is 60 ft and we're going up towards Chester ....feeling slightly nervous have to admit!!

 

On those locks: going down, everything is very gentle and all you need to do is to make sure that the stern stays clear of the cill, just as in a narrow lock. Generally this is easy because the boat tends to be pulled forwards as the lock empties. A centre line is a good idea but do make sure there is plenty of slack and that it can't jam; you don't need it for controlling the boat as it descends, merely for pulling the boat across to the side after you have emptied the lock. You don't need to open both gates, so as you have crew the easiest is to leave the steerer on board, then after you have emptied the lock (which you can do with just the one paddle if you don't want to cross the gates) you can use the centre line to pull the boat tight against the wall so it can exit cleanly through just one gate.

 

Going up, as has been said the ground paddles will very nicely "pull" the boat towards the same side, especially if you sit well back in the lock; personally with ours which is 67ft I keep the stern back to within 3 ft of the bottom gate and I'd do the same on yours. This gives plenty of room for the incoming water from the ground paddle to miss the bows before it bounces off the far wall and thus pulls the boat towards the same side. Unless you are in a hurry I wouldn't even bother with opening any other paddle, just open the one paddle on the same side as the boat slowly and wait for the lock to fill under perfect control. I would suggest that the steerer brings the boat in (one gate is enough, if you are confident and careful) and then throws the centre line up to the person on the lockside. They can temporarily secure it to a bollard to stop it falling in, then close the gate and then re-tie the rope after the boat has been repositioned closer to the gate (remember the boat will, if anything, be pulled forwards not back). Keep an eye on the rope to make sure it doesn't become tight when the lock is nearly full, and you can again then use it to pull the boat tight to the wall ready to exit through one gate.

 

Better still, share with another boat and you can treat them exactly like narrow locks, but be careful because sharing is not recommended at Beeston Iron lock (unless you really really know what you are doing) because it is a bit narrow and a bit bent.

 

The only other thing to note, is that you have staircases at Bunbury and at Chester Northgate (or will you be turning before that?). With some thought you can practice the "Bunbury Shuffle" in which you can have boats going up and down in the same staircase at t he same time; it's just the same as playing Solitaire but with bigger pegs.

[steelaway]

this is brilliant advise, thanks everyone! Allan my boat is 60 ft and we're going up towards Chester ....feeling slightly nervous have to admit!!

Hi

 

Its always best to share wide locks, even if it means waiting for some one else to come along.

Watch out for the staircase lock - read the instructions carefully and make sure all the paddles are down - or you can find yourself on the bottom of the last lock ( don't ask me how I know!)

The all steel lock is novel. Look for deer around there, it is a lovely cruise.

 

Alex

[furnessvale]

 

If you find yourself sharing a lock with a much longer boat as we often do, it's a good idea to move up so that your bows are side by side. Otherwise you can get "scissored" if/when the bow of the longer boat gets pushed across by the water flow, it's probably not good for either boat actually.

To be honest, I have a different approach.

 

I am full length and I much prefer a shorter boat to be alongside my centre. I have found that if the shorter boat is either fully forward or back, and the other end of my boat is pushed across by the flow, I can have a strong lever arm action on the shorter boat much greater than a straight push.

 

Sorry if my explanation is not good but I know what I mean. .

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[cazberry]

thank you so much again everyone...and Allan thats so clear...thank you! nervously looking forward to it now!!!!

[NBDensie]

When going up, open the ground paddle on the same side as the boat, first.

 

.........

 

Generally true, but not so for the big locks on the Trent & Mersey from Shardlow to Burton, particularly the 12 ft Stenson lock. Open the boatside paddle first and you will be pushed violently to the other side. Its much quieter if you gently raise the farside paddle first and dont touch the nearside one until the lock is getting full.

[Keeping Up]

 

Generally true, but not so for the big locks on the Trent & Mersey from Shardlow to Burton, particularly the 12 ft Stenson lock. Open the boatside paddle first and you will be pushed violently to the other side. Its much quieter if you gently raise the farside paddle first and dont touch the nearside one until the lock is getting full.

 

True. Whereas those on the Rochdale start by pushing the boat away and then change to pulling towards as the lock fills, those on the Grand Union generally pull, the K&A has a mixture, some locks have gate paddles only which can fill the boat instead of the lock, and so on. Cranfleet on the Trent has 4 gate paddles and you need to open numbers 2 and 4 but not numbers 1 or 3 initially. It's a real mixture and one rule certainly doesn't fit all!

[Paul C]

this is brilliant advise, thanks everyone! Allan my boat is 60 ft and we're going up towards Chester ....feeling slightly nervous have to admit!!

 

Which way are you going? If you're genuinely going UP towards Chester, then you'll be coming from Ellesmere Port and the only lock (well, 3 locks) is the Northgate staircase - a 3 chamber, 33ft rise, broad staircase. Not your normal docile lock!

 

If you're actually going down, ie from Christleton or beyond (eg Tattenhall) then you'll be descending into Chester.

 

Anyway, if the only boat in a broad lock I use the shape of the gates to hold the nose and thus hold the boat to the side going down (but don't put the boat forwards until you've descended a foot or so, otherwise you'll get the front fender caught in the gate). If going up, I tie up and make sure the line is lying diagonal, so it won't be too short when you rise (the middle of the roof being higher than the bollard).

 

Beware, the 5 locks from Christleton to Chester DO NOT flow normally (ie opening the paddle same side of boat WILL NOT stick it to the wall) for Christleton and Chemistry lock (so tie up the boat and put it in forwards if going up), the other 3 are okay. One of the locks has a gate paddle on one side only, which speeds things up, put the boat on the other side (which will be the towpath side).

[Philip]

 

 

Which way are you going? If you're genuinely going UP towards Chester, then you'll be coming from Ellesmere Port and the only lock (well, 3 locks) is the Northgate staircase - a 3 chamber, 33ft rise, broad staircase. Not your normal docile lock!

 

If you're actually going down, ie from Christleton or beyond (eg Tattenhall) then you'll be descending into Chester.

 

Anyway, if the only boat in a broad lock I use the shape of the gates to hold the nose and thus hold the boat to the side going down (but don't put the boat forwards until you've descended a foot or so, otherwise you'll get the front fender caught in the gate). If going up, I tie up and make sure the line is lying diagonal, so it won't be too short when you rise (the middle of the roof being higher than the bollard).

 

Beware, the 5 locks from Christleton to Chester DO NOT flow normally (ie opening the paddle same side of boat WILL NOT stick it to the wall) for Christleton and Chemistry lock (so tie up the boat and put it in forwards if going up), the other 3 are okay. One of the locks has a gate paddle on one side only, which speeds things up, put the boat on the other side (which will be the towpath side).

 

 

The lock in Chester with the gate paddle only has the one ground paddle. Not sure why the wide Shropshire Union locks aren't fitted with gate paddles - most wide locks seem to have them and what's more most of the narrow locks south of Nantwich ARE fitted with a middle paddle. Agree about Chemistry lock inparticular, I opened the opposite side first which held it towards the wall, once I had opened the paddle on the boat side the surge pushed it towards the other side - if I hadn't tied to a bollard it would have been thrown violently across the lock.

 

I'm far more cautious about what the ground paddle can do when I'm by myself going up. With a 24 ft cruiser the top gate paddle isn't an issue providing I keep it well back and have it secured against a bollard (and this to protect against ground paddle pull). The baffles help but I can appreciate it's a different story with a long boat. Even the back gate paddles are more of an issue than the top as my boat gets pulled towards the back gates - at Hack Green this was so much that the bow got caught briefly on the back gate posts as the lock was emptying

Edited April 1, 2014 by Philip

[adam1uk]

Beware, the 5 locks from Christleton to Chester DO NOT flow normally (ie opening the paddle same side of boat WILL NOT stick it to the wall) for Christleton and Chemistry lock (so tie up the boat and put it in forwards if going up), the other 3 are okay. One of the locks has a gate paddle on one side only, which speeds things up, put the boat on the other side (which will be the towpath side).

 

This is true. We did this stretch in September, and at one of the locks a helpful boater coming the other way lifted a paddle all the way up, and our boat promptly shot across the lock into the wall with quite a bang. I think they'll be more careful next time!

The only other thing to note, is that you have staircases at Bunbury and at Chester Northgate (or will you be turning before that?). With some thought you can practice the "Bunbury Shuffle" in which you can have boats going up and down in the same staircase at t he same time; it's just the same as playing Solitaire but with bigger pegs.

 

The Bunbury Shuffle is great fun. When we came up that one a hire boat was just going into the top lock. They were relaxed at seeing a boat coming into the bottom lock -- but became quite agitated at the arrival of a second one! It needs a bit of shuffling about with three boats, but makes it even more solitaire-like. Pics here.

[Paul C]

 

 

 

The Bunbury Shuffle is great fun. When we came up that one a hire boat was just going into the top lock. They were relaxed at seeing a boat coming into the bottom lock -- but became quite agitated at the arrival of a second one! It needs a bit of shuffling about with three boats, but makes it even more solitaire-like. Pics here.

 

My record so far is 9 boats - 3 narrowboats (70', 45' and 35') and 6 kayaks.