Paddle Pawl Design (what's been said on these forums about this?)

[Little Else]

There are at least two paddles on the lapworth flight that need two hands to wind them down. I am cross that they are spending or considering spending money on a largely non existent problem while basic maintainence, lack of which can cause real safety problems, is being neglected.

[Martin Megson]

I see from Tillergraph that this change has been postponed which is good news. Rather than spending a fortune on redesigning the system they should spend a little money on maintaining the existing gear. The only time I've had a problem has been with worn pawls or teeth which slip and then allow the paddle to drop.

[Midnight]

There are at least two paddles on the lapworth flight that need two hands to wind them down. I am cross that they are spending or considering spending money on a largely non existent problem while basic maintainence, lack of which can cause real safety problems, is being neglected.

 

Most sensible post on here I would give you a green thing if I knew how to do it

[MtB]

 

Most sensible post on here I would give you a green thing if I knew how to do it

 

 

Have a try on this post to test.

 

Press the little 'up' arrow in the green square over there (and down a bit) --------------------------------------------------->>

[Tony Brooks]

I see from Tillergraph that this change has been postponed which is good news. Rather than spending a fortune on redesigning the system they should spend a little money on maintaining the existing gear. The only time I've had a problem has been with worn pawls or teeth which slip and then allow the paddle to drop.

 

That is exactly what I told CaRT when I responded to the question. I note that this was never mentioned in their reply or, as far as I can see, by the IWA who seem to be taking some credit for the suspension.

[Midnight]

 

 

Have a try on this post to test.

 

Press the little 'up' arrow in the green square over there (and down a bit) --------------------------------------------------->>

 

I think I just gave you one - errrr! you know what I mean

[RockSodem]

I may be barking up the wrong tree, but aren't many of the locks on the system Grade II listed?, meaning they can't really change the mechanism of those locks?

[Speedwheel]

I was referring to Junior's amazing assertion that pawls should be left off. As they are safety catches, it is imperative that they should be replaced when you've finished working the paddle gear, for reasons of - yes, the clue's in the name - safety. Leaving them off is either lazy, forgetful or both, and can contribute towards accidents.

 

Jr., do you leave the lock gates open for someone else to do as well?

 

They are not 'safety catches'! They are simply 'catches' that hold that paddle open - nothing to do with safety. The word 'safety' seems to be a modern addition and I believe it is a fundamentally dangerous one as it gives people the impression that as long as the catch is on, then the paddle is safe - it is not! These catches can and do slip off - I know two people who left their windlass in the pawl, the catch slipped and they lost teeth as a result; I also know some who go their fingers crushed.

 

I was always taught to leave them off and still believe this is the best thing to do for a couple of reasons:

- to show that the paddles are all the way down (not always the case if the paddle sticks but it is a good indicator)

- if they are always off, then the first thing people do is put them on and this ensures they are in place - this to me seems far 'safer' as it relies on people being responsible for what they are doing and means they always seek to make sure the catch is on prior to winding the paddle up.

[MtB]

 

I think I just gave you one - errrr! you know what I mean

 

 

Yay!

 

Try again, just to make sure.....

[mango]

I may be barking up the wrong tree, but aren't many of the locks on the system Grade II listed?, meaning they can't really change the mechanism of those locks?

Safety takes priority.

[matty40s]

Safety takes priority.

No it doesn't.

When the BW safety bods decided that sticking wood panels in between the top beam and the gate would stop boats getting hung, they proceeded to fit these across the system.

The locks which are listed still had to go through the normal extended planning process to get permission, sometimes 9 months or longer than similar unlisted locks on the same waterways.

[dave moore]

I prefer to leave the pawls off, to indicate that the paddle is fully dropped ( at least on the bottom gates of narrow locks, where possible ). Leaving windlasses on a part or fully raised paddle is folly...I recall a twelve year old lad with a few lost teeth and a bloody mouth when the paddle dropped unexpectedly on a lock on the Staffs and Worcs many years ago....those who taught me had a modicum of common sense, little to do with the current safety 'elf....neither do I regularly use the centre line to moor, an all too common feature of boating these days. The more I see of the modern mindset, the less bothered I am about being out and about on the water.

 

Dave

[mayalld]

I prefer to leave the pawls off, to indicate that the paddle is fully dropped ( at least on the bottom gates of narrow locks, where possible ). Leaving windlasses on a part or fully raised paddle is folly...I recall a twelve year old lad with a few lost teeth and a bloody mouth when the paddle dropped unexpectedly on a lock on the Staffs and Worcs many years ago....those who taught me had a modicum of common sense, little to do with the current safety 'elf....neither do I regularly use the centre line to moor, an all too common feature of boating these days. The more I see of the modern mindset, the less bothered I am about being out and about on the water.

 

Dave

 

I would concur on leaving the pawl OFF a lowered paddle. It makes it more obvious that the paddle is fully down (and in some cases such as Marple actually prevents accidentally leaving a top paddle open a crack.

 

It also means that boaters make a positive move to engage the paddle, rather than assuming that it will be OK.

 

On the subject of windlasses left on the paddle, we had a minor situation on this score recently.

 

Coming up a lock, I had drawn both top paddles, when another boat arrived to go down.

 

Ideal from my point of view so far. No need to close the lock, and he wasn't there when I drew the paddles, so the issue of somebody wanting to get me through fast hadn't arisen.

 

Anyway, he wanders up to the lock, places his windlass on one of the open paddles and then wanders away from it.

 

This isn't just lazily leaving a windlass on. He has purposefully created a dangerous situation.

 

I asked him to take the windlass off, and he simply said "Oh it's alright there", so I ended up by walking over and removing it, handed it to him and told him that whilst I was working through the lock, I decided what was and wasn't OK.

[captain birdseye]

During our last trip out my son had troulbe when using the new type pawl as he was trying to hold it up with his left hand and wind the paddle down with his right hand which meant he had to effectivly cross hand to do so.

This resulted in him not controlling the paddles desent properly and him getting a wack on the arm from the windlass.

When designing things it should be remembered not all people are strong enough to work a heavy bottom paddle with one hand.

[junior]

I'm glad to see a few more people speaking up about leaving pawls OFF. When i mentioned it at the beggining of the thread i was slated and accused of being somebody who probably leaves gates open as well.

 

I also mentioned that the pawl is not a safety catch, it is just the catch that hold the paddle open.

 

At least 3 or 4 times this past week i have used a lock early evening time and found a paddle not full closed and with the pawl in place. I would imagine i was the last boat to use the lock that day and if i hadn't it could well have resulted in the pounds draining over night. I would consider this more of a danger to the people moored in those pounds than the individual numpties who on approaching a paddle with a windlass can't see that the pawl is off or don't notice that there is no 'click click click' when they start winding it.

[captain birdseye]

The gate paddles at Marple present the same problem. You wind them down and they get stuck against the lock brickwork. People think they are all the way down and put the pawl on, shut the gate and go on their merry way. Next boat tries to fill the lock and it takes ages because the bottom paddles are open about three inches. If you leave the pawl off, when you shut the gate the paddle drops the last three inches.

 

Plus, on all equipment I have ever used it is the operators responsibility to ensure all safety devices are in place not the person who used it hours before.