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Gongoozling etiquette


Fmc_rob

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Hi all, possibly an odd topic this one. I've recently moved close to the Kennet & Avon, first time I've lived by a canal although have a long standing interest in the history of them (hence the username, FMC). Practical wise I have no experience of the canals, since childhood I think the only time I've even been on a narrowboat was stood on the stern of 'Peacock' at the Black Country Living Museum talking to a museum staff member! I try and walk along the canal when I get a chance, and sometimes see lone boaters, or just one or two, going through locks etc. As a random stranger just walking/gawping at them from the towpath, would it be of use if I offered to help with locks/swing bridges or is this not usually welcomed? I fully understand if not, if a stranger started offering me tips on parking my car when I'm doing fine on my own I'd be a bit surprised. Also any other hints for gongoozling etiquette ie ways to help or just not be a nuisance highly recommended!

 

Cheers, Rob

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My I help? goes a long way but please don't be offended if the answer is "no thank you."

 

Always ask the helm(s) if it is ok the draw a paddle for a boat in a lock and open it slowly when ascending. Ideally I open a paddle by about a 1/4 to let the flow settle then slowly open it fully. This is assuming you happen to have a windlass.

 

If sitting on a lock beam get off the beam without having to be asked and stay out of the arc of the beam.

Edited by Ray T
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As a regular dog walker at the Fradley flight I often come across single handed boaters & if I am in the right place at the right time I will offer to open or close gates for them. Usually well received & welcome. I did give advice once when a boater was drawing the bottom paddles to go down & I asked if he would like the still open top gate closed as otherwise he wouldn't be going anywhere.

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A good start with a single hander is to offer to shut the gate after he has finished - unless somebody is waiting to come in!

Then if in a flight, wander up after them and just ask 'Anything I can do to help?'.

Its difficult if you've never had to do locks before - looks easy but there is lots that can go wrong, and it takes a while before it all becomes fairly instinctive.

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Its pretty difficult to get opening and closing gates wrong (or unsafe) - so I'm happy enough to ask gongoozlers, or be offered help from. Some of the time I'll ask for help (ie closing a gate after I've left) and whilst I'm at the lock they'll happily be chatting, but once I've driven the boat out they've forgotten to close the gate for me, oh well.

 

Yes lock paddles aren't massively complicated but it does seem to confuse some. I've seen it all, for example:

 

- putting the windlass on the wrong way, so the handle is facing inwards not towards its operator

- putting the large non-taper square on the mechanism, instead of the slightly smaller tapered square - thus guaranteeing a poor contact and possible damage to both windlass and gear

- putting it on perfectly, then struggling for ages turning it the wrong way

- turning it the right way with one hand but holding the safety catch off with the other

- turning it perfectly (none of the above safety issues...) but for one turn, not the multiple turns required to actually lift it more than an inch

- opening the paddle fully...........but taking 10 mins to do so.........

- opening the gate paddle fully - soaking the boat in the lock as it comes up

- opening it then operating the safety catch and dropping it again

 

Bizarrely, these actions are often done by boaters, who by their position (for example in the middle of a flight of locks) MUST have already done loads of them......doesn't seem to be any difference between hire boats and private either.

 

Also its possible to do it perfectly normally except touch a wrong part and get grease on your hands/clothing. So for the above reasons, I'll not normally give a gongoozler a windlass so they can help out. Its not to say I've not done it - if there's time, and they want to, I'm happy to let someone have a go, but would be supervised the first few times at least.

 

If its another boater then I'll let them do paddles and be prepared to cope with the consequences of opening the wrong ones, or opening them too quickly, or occasionally just say in a friendly way something like "no worries, I'll do them myself because (giving reason)".

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Perhaps spend some time watching lock etiquette first then when u suss wots what ask if they need help. Some gates so heavy I always hope for random person to help little sis cos she does struggle but refuses to drive boat at all so gates all hers when she comes along.

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I never minded a bit of help as long as they were happy to help under a bit of direction.

 

One thing that is worse than a gongoozler who thinks they know it all, is one that is paralytic drunk, we had a few of them Over our time who scared the hell out me teetering across gates or along the edge of a lock.

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Many thanks all, will give it a go! To be honest I wouldn't know what to do with a windlass so wouldn't want to get too technically involved. Volunteer lock keeper had crossed my mind but unfortunately i'm fairly busy, most weekends i'm away and when i'm at home i'm often writing so probably wouldn't manage much more than a few hours spread across several late evenings a week!

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Many thanks all, will give it a go! To be honest I wouldn't know what to do with a windlass so wouldn't want to get too technically involved. Volunteer lock keeper had crossed my mind but unfortunately i'm fairly busy, most weekends i'm away and when i'm at home i'm often writing so probably wouldn't manage much more than a few hours spread across several late evenings a week!

 

Most boaters would be happy to show you how to wield a windlass if you ask......

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Hi all, possibly an odd topic this one. I've recently moved close to the Kennet & Avon, first time I've lived by a canal although have a long standing interest in the history of them (hence the username, FMC). Practical wise I have no experience of the canals, since childhood I think the only time I've even been on a narrowboat was stood on the stern of 'Peacock' at the Black Country Living Museum talking to a museum staff member! I try and walk along the canal when I get a chance, and sometimes see lone boaters, or just one or two, going through locks etc. As a random stranger just walking/gawping at them from the towpath, would it be of use if I offered to help with locks/swing bridges or is this not usually welcomed? I fully understand if not, if a stranger started offering me tips on parking my car when I'm doing fine on my own I'd be a bit surprised. Also any other hints for gongoozling etiquette ie ways to help or just not be a nuisance highly recommended!

 

Cheers, Rob

 

As a single handler of a big boat I generally welcome any help that's offered. However, this also depends on how willing the helper is to communicate with me, and if they are inexperienced to follow my instructions.

 

If you're using a windlass for the first time then a few things to be aware of are: making sure you're using the correct sized hole on the windlass for the square paddle spindle; to make sure any ratchet mechanism on the lock gate is properly applied; to make sure you have a good grip of the windlass; to open the windlass slowly according to the requirements of the boat skipper; not to get your fingers anywhere near the paddle mechanism, and to keep your face away from the windlass and take the windlass off the spindle when the paddle is fully raised just in case the ratchet doesn't work and the paddle suddenly drops.

 

Also, some people won't want any help at all, and if offering help you need to respect their wishes too.

Edited by blackrose
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Yes, I'd probably lend you one, show you how to use it, and let you operate and drop the paddles too.

 

Whereas I on the other hand wouldn't.

 

And it would have nothing to do with you, but I am still in a position of considering myself very much still a novice; and therefore although I'm quite comfortable in being responsible for my own movements during the operation of locks, other than receiving assistance with opening and closing gates from non boaters, I would not be confident or comfortable in loaning you a windlass and giving instruction of it's "proper" use.

 

What I do, seems to work well for us, but that's not to say I am actually doing it correctly.

 

For instance, apparently there is a difference in whether you open the right hand paddle vs the left hand paddle as to the reaction this has on the boat while it is in the lock. I haven't figured this out yet, and just open whichever paddle I'm closest to then cross over and do the other paddle. Depending on how long the lock is and how much room Dave has to play with, sometimes I open the paddle all the way and sometimes in shorter locks I open it about 1/2 way and let the lock fill a bit before I open it the rest of the way. I really have no idea if this is correct or not; but like I say it's worked for us so far.

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Some locks a different but normally in a wide lock opening the paddle on the side the boat is on will cause the incoming current to wash under the boat and on hitting the wall opposite wash back and nicely push the boat further into the side. But it's by no means guaranteed to, If you do a section frequently you get to know where this works and where it doesn't.

 

 

Ahhh - well explained - thanks :)

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Ahhh - well explained - thanks smile.png

 

See my edit though, I am not sure how well what I said would apply to a WB, never having tried it. I know it works with a NB in most cases.

 

(ed and of course I meant ground paddle first)

Edited by MJG
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Must admit I am with Betty Boo on this one, more than happy to have a gongozzler lend a weight to help open and close a gate, however prefer to keep the paddle operation done by Mrs Dharl or my self. Saying that I am sure that a lot of ' Gongozzlers' are more experienced at operating locks then some boaters you meet on the cut! :-)

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