Working the Locks Alone

[brassedoff]

The Marina i intend to use has quite a few miles of lock free cruising, but as i will be alone on the boat maybe 80% of the time, how safe and doable is it to operate the locks alone if i decided to go a little further up the cut ?

Edited August 4, 2015 by brassedoff

[magnetman]

Its fine if you are fit and able. Probably worth having a phone with a gps tracker app if you have any concerns so people can locate you if you do get into trouble.

 

I've done most of the locks in England single handed but I did have the advantage of doing them in my 20s so I don't know really how much effect aging will have on ability to do this.

 

Not that I'm saying you are an old git

[Dave Payne]

I had this same feeling a few months ago when starting out, i even posted on here about it and that was with two of us.

 

Locks (the ones i have used) are dead easy, take your time, think about what you are doing and you will be fine, understand what the dangers are and never rush, you need to be able to climb on the roof and out lock by the step ladder, then use the center rope to keep the boat in the middle of the lock away from gates and cills.

 

Have done a few now and find it easy, but am very cautious of the dangers.

[OldGoat]

Really depends on which canal you are based. Frinstance on the Oxford MOST of the locks are not deep and many locks have good access from the track.

On others the reverse can be true.

So say where you're based.

 

EDIT: - nitpicker

Edited August 4, 2015 by OldGoat

[David Mack]

Its perfectly safe and lots of boaters do it. But do take extra care and don't take risks if there is nobody there to help in the event of something going wrong.

Some lone boaters cvhoose to wear an auto-inflating life jacket.

[W+T]

I havnt done it single handed in a nb yet but many a time a 26foot grp cruiser. They can be hard work as they can get thrown around easier. What I swear by is to use a central cleat/deck eye for the rope work. Makes it so much better.

[Heffalump]

Really depends on which canal you are based. Frinstance on the Oxford the locks are not deep and many locks have good access from the track.

On others the reverse can be true.

So say where you're based.

 

Really? Somerton deep lock is 12' which puts it at 16th deepest on the system?

[brassedoff]

Thanks everyone and magnetman i am an old git lol

 

I guess i could practice alone while my dads onboard just until i get some confidence, to be honest i expected a lot of you to say no thats a crazy idea doing the locks alone.

 

I will be on the Shropshire Canal and Cheshire Ring mostly.

 

I know i might look a bit daft but i was planning to wear a kayaking life jacket when doing the locks on my own.

 

 

Cheers everyone much appreciated.

 

Brassy

[springy]

One other thing - Preparation - have stuff close to hand

 

mooring pins & hammer

boat hook / shaft

Piling hook/s

centre line

windlass & anti-vandal key

maps

camera

beer (summer)

hot flask (winter)

 

etc.

 

I'm sure others can add to that but probably most important is pins/hammer

usually you can find something to tie a centre line to briefly, but not always

 

 

springy

[brassedoff]

Cheers Springy.

[BruceinSanity]

Thanks everyone and magnetman i am an old git lol

 

I guess i could practice alone while my dads onboard just until i get some confidence, to be honest i expected a lot of you to say no thats a crazy idea doing the locks alone.

 

I will be on the Shropshire Canal and Cheshire Ring mostly.

 

I know i might look a bit daft but i was planning to wear a kayaking life jacket when doing the locks on my own.

 

 

Cheers everyone much appreciated.

 

Brassy

Nothing daft about wearing a life jacket when on your own, especially if you are just getting started. There's an argument that a canoeing lifer is safer than a self-inflating one around locks. If you fall between the boat and the lock wall and the lifer inflates, you can get trapped. On the other hand, the self righting property of a full lifer can be vital if you're knocked out by the fall.

 

As always, you just have to go with the compromise that works for you, as with everything else in boating.

[Paul C]

Locks are not really a massive issue, but you need to think them through logically. Once you've done a few with crew, do one or two with the crew "doing nothing" - which will actually be quite hard for the crew to resist helping or making suggestions - and if you get stuck, have a "safe word" you can both shout so that the crew will step in. After a run or two (suggest up and down) you'll be okay singlehanding. There's a few locks which present challenges to singlehanders which are benign with a crew (namely in the area, Beeston Iron lock; Bunbury staircase can be fun to do singlehanding too but its unlikely you ever will need to. Also, be prepared for it to take longer than with crew (because you yourself need to open and close the gates, and the boat needs to be not moving while that occurs). After a little while the speed will improve but you'll never be as quick as an equivalent with crew.

[brassedoff]

Nothing daft about wearing a life jacket when on your own, especially if you are just getting started. There's an argument that a canoeing lifer is safer than a self-inflating one around locks. If you fall between the boat and the lock wall and the lifer inflates, you can get trapped. On the other hand, the self righting property of a full lifer can be vital if you're knocked out by the fall.

 

As always, you just have to go with the compromise that works for you, as with everything else in boating.

 

Thanks Bruce, that makes sense.

Locks are not really a massive issue, but you need to think them through logically. Once you've done a few with crew, do one or two with the crew "doing nothing" - which will actually be quite hard for the crew to resist helping or making suggestions - and if you get stuck, have a "safe word" you can both shout so that the crew will step in. After a run or two (suggest up and down) you'll be okay singlehanding. There's a few locks which present challenges to singlehanders which are benign with a crew (namely in the area, Beeston Iron lock; Bunbury staircase can be fun to do singlehanding too but its unlikely you ever will need to. Also, be prepared for it to take longer than with crew (because you yourself need to open and close the gates, and the boat needs to be not moving while that occurs). After a little while the speed will improve but you'll never be as quick as an equivalent with crew.

 

Thanks Paul.

[system 4-50]

Single handing is no problem once you get used to it, but as you get older you need to match the effort you put in to what you can comfortably do more carefully. I don't like to do more than 25 locks in a day these days.

[Heffalump]

Thanks everyone and magnetman i am an old git lol

 

I guess i could practice alone while my dads onboard just until i get some confidence, to be honest i expected a lot of you to say no thats a crazy idea doing the locks alone.

 

I will be on the Shropshire Canal and Cheshire Ring mostly.

 

I know i might look a bit daft but i was planning to wear a kayaking life jacket when doing the locks on my own.

 

 

Cheers everyone much appreciated.

 

Brassy

 

 

Doesn't make you look daft at all, sensible more like.

 

And lets be honest, we all look daft at the best of times!

 

I learned to boat on the south oxford, narrow locks where single handing is a dream, most are shallow so you don't even need to worry about the slippery ladders. You'll find you can pop the boat in, rest against the front gates with the gear in tickover, giving you all the time you need to work out the lock not worrying about what the boat's doing.

[Athy]

 

Really? Somerton deep lock is 12' which puts it at 16th deepest on the system?

Yes, I thought of that, but it's the exception which proves the rule. Most are around 6' drop (or rise).

[DeanS]

1.wear good shoes as you might have to climb up wet lock ladders etc....

2. Make sure you have long enough ropes to manage your boat in a deep lock.

3. Keep the back end of your boat away from the cement cill when going downhill.

4. Watch the front end of your boat doesn't get caught on the lock gates when going uphill.

5. When you leave a lock, make sure the pound you are entering is relatively full of water. (to ensure your boat doesn't get caught up when leaving the lock)

 

small things to remember...and it comes more naturally as you gain experience.

[Heffalump]

Yes, I thought of that, but it's the exception which proves the rule. Most are around 6' drop (or rise).

 

Yes, and some much shallower, I'm just being facetious

[brassedoff]

1.wear good shoes as you might have to climb up wet lock ladders etc....

2. Make sure you have long enough ropes to manage your boat in a deep lock.

3. Keep the back end of your boat away from the cement cill when going downhill.

4. Watch the front end of your boat doesn't get caught on the lock gates when going uphill.

5. When you leave a lock, make sure the pound you are entering is relatively full of water. (to ensure your boat doesn't get caught up when leaving the lock)

 

small things to remember...and it comes more naturally as you gain experience.

 

Thanks Dean.

[Athy]

 

Yes, and some much shallower, I'm just being facetious

No, you're being accurate.

[Bullfrog]

And wait until you hit your 1st swing bridge!

[bargemast]

It may be a good idea to see how boaters on their own cope with sinle handing, go somewhere with plenty of boats around and hope that there are no volies or helpful fellowboaters around to assist a loan boater, and maybe even video how they do it.

 

If you've got it on video, you can Watch it as often as you like, and then when it's you turn it won't be all that new to you anymore.

 

My bad wifi signal doesn't allow me to check if there aren't any "youtube" videos about it already.

 

Peter.

Edited August 4, 2015 by bargemast

[Heffalump]

That's a good shout Bargemast

 

I've not finished watching it yet but this guy seems quite clued up

 

[OldGoat]

 

Yes, and some much shallower, I'm just being facetious

 

Noticed and post modified accordingly......

[brassedoff]

That's a good shout Bargemast

 

I've not finished watching it yet but this guy seems quite clued up

 

 

I think Dan has Shares in Youtube, he seems a nice lad though.

 

Thanks Heffalump for the video i will watch it now.