How many of you have fallen into a lock

[tidal]

Inspired by another thread I was just curious to find out how many other people will admit to have gone through this sometimes embarrassing/often dangerous mishap and just as importantly how it occurred.

 

I've been in 3 times in around 45 years

 

1. Many years ago (just under 45) I and and a friend canoed from Boroughbridge to Bingley (via points east and north) and though we usually carried around locks we were offered the opportunity to share a wide lock with a narrowboat. Sadly it was a bad move as one enthusiastic paddle-monkey decided to open the top paddle all the way at once and the resultant surge flipped me over (no room to manoeuvre).
   I got pulled down at the bottom gate but the paddle was dropped really quickly and after I climbed out via the gate, the flipped canoe was recovered easlly
   A bit scary at the time but I was young and got over it quickly
   
   
2. As admitted elsewhere I once took my usual (at the time) short-cut across the top-gates of a filling wide lock just as one of my crew decided to open the second gate. Embarrassing but only wet and bruised
   
   
3. Far more simple
   I just tripped and fell into the gap behind the boat
   Fortunately the lock was nearly full and I had the boat to hang on to (fender on the rear corner)

 

Yes all very careless and at times dangerous but surely I can't be the only one?

[Naughty Cal]

I have thus far managed to avoid falling in at all. The OH on the other hand has been in several times. The most dangerous of which being in Bardney Lock in February, 2009 at a guess.

 

Obviously as it was winter he was wearing many layers of clothing. We were coming back from Dog Dyke in the dark, not unusual at that time of year. Liam was with the boat in the lock and I was working the lock as we usually do. I was struggling to get the lock to make a level, so Liam decided to come and help and tripped himself up on one of the ropes resulting in him being in the lock.

 

What we later realised was that one on the paddles in the far side bottom gate had been left partly open so the lock wouldn't make a level.

 

Took him a while to warm up from that one.

[Dave_P]

I hope I never fall in a lock. I'm prepared for the worst but take a lot of precautions around locks. I've never passed through locks after dark, and I would always avoid it in future. Too many trip hazards. I do step across mitred lock gates when one side is open but only on narrow locks and I'm 6'2". When I have crew with me I never pressure them to do likewise. If you're not sure, walk round.

 

The idea of locking singlehanded in winter, after-dark, when it's icy gives me nightmares. Falling into an empty lock in the dark like that would be truly horrible.

[DHutch]

Never been in myself, not had anyone in a lock off our boat, although we have had I think three fall in with the boat in total over the 24 years.

 

Two fell off the gunnel away from anything, one slipped on takeoff getting back on after a lock and face planted the cabinside.

No harm done in all, beyond getting wet and a little brused.

 

The only other I know of first/second hand is a good friends wife who fell in to a lock, which was empty ofnwater but containing a boat. She had been holding a dog on a retractable lead when then mechanism failed, and fell over backwards. One of those frwak things, but she broke her hip in the fall and was I think airlifted. Full recovery made fortunately, but not fun at the time. Her husband was a very senior orthopedic surgeon specialising in hips, so was able pull in a few favours and get the waiting time very short.

 

 

Daniel

[KenK]

Very close this year at Bradford on Avon.

Coming up the lock, really wanted to stop and use the facilities but loads of boats already waiting.

Stepped off the boat with the cassette whilst it was still rising and sorted that, returned handed the empty cassette to my wife, stepped on the gunwale and my foot skidded off, it was wet. Left hanging by one hand, fortunately I was strong enough to pull myself up and get my legs onto the back deck, much I'm sure to the dissatisfaction of numerous witnesses all hoping for a good laugh at my expense.

Cynical me!

 

Ken

 

I did manage to trip over a rope and fall into our marina, some years ago, that's when I found out it was an old gravel pit and about twenty feet deep.

[OldGoat]

I fell into Minworth top lock (going downhill) two years ago, after putting my refuse into the nearly full skip provided (unlike others who dumps stuff on the layby.

 

As stepped onto the stern The Crewe started emptying the lock, the boat moved forward. I didn't

Quite unpleasant - the boat blocked my access to the ladder and there wasn't anything I could grab onto to get enough leverage to get on board. Hastily tied a bowline in the mooring rope to act as a ladder.

 

As a result I had only a wide graze to my leg - but which took a year to clear as a result from an infection (I guess due to all the sh*t that gets dropped into the canal.... )

[deckhand]

I have not been in but OH has taken a dip in Stenson lock on our maiden voyage. Learnt a lot that day! Couldn't thank the gentleman who was having coffee in the cafe lock-side who came over , made a small lassoo loop by way of a step for hubby to hoist himself up on. Luckily, the lock wasn't full as Stenson is a deep one. It happened because he threw the rope up to me, I missed and it dropped back onto roof of boat. After retrieving and throwing again, he turned and slipped off. Resurfaced, still with hat on looking very shocked.

[mark99]

As a kid I used to ask the boaters to open all paddles so we could bomb into turbulent water of locks. Ah golden days.

Edited September 8, 2015 by mark99

[Drayke]

I’ve been in at a lock on the river Wey this year, it was my own fault as I kept putting off renewing the boards on my front lockers, so as I stepped on one of them it collapsed and in I went. Fortunately we had just entered the lock, going down river, it was full and I was next to a ladder, so I just climbed out as if it was an everyday occurrence, and carried on setting the lock, and yes of cause the gongooslers were about to witness this.

 

Fred

[Theo]

I was strapping Theodora to a halt on one of the locks below Kilby Bridge. The rope came of the bollard and I was leaning on it towards the lock.

 

Very silly. No damage apart from the fact that my phone no longer worked.

 

I always lean away from the lock now.

[SteveS]

many.....many years ago we were half an hour out from returning the hire boat to Anglo Welsh just above Trefor on the Llangollen. The kids were playing around and the eldest, nine, fell in. Much panicking from his mum, and my son, having just learned to swim, desparatley trying to remember how. I had to shout his name three times before he looked at me: when he did I shouted "stand up"!

[cuthound]

Back in about 1995, my dog fell into the empty top lock at Atherstone. She climbed onto the cill and sat in the torrent of water leaking through the gates.

 

I climbed in to get her, and lifted her level with the lockside, but she couldn't/wouldn't climb onto the lockside.

 

I put her back and climbed back out, and got another boater to help by taking her from me when I lifted her level with the lockside. The dog thanked him by nipping him! Fortunately only hervpride was damaged in the fall.

 

My overriding memory is how incredibly slippery lock gates and cills are, I nearly fell in several times whilst climbing in and out of the lock.

[Tuscan]

15 years ago one icy morning slipped off the lock gate and drowned on the way to his lock side cottage. Have been much more aware ever since.

[dave moore]

Only once, back in the 60s as a teenager. I was working as a volunteer on the Stourbridge 16 restoration project, Malcolm Braine initiated a " crash weekend ".... An attempt to restore one lock in a weekend. Towards the end of Saturday, I was asked to pass a plank across the top of an empty, drained, mud filled lock. I started to pass it across, suddenly the critical tipping point was reached and the bloody thing smacked me in the arse and catapulted me into the bottom of the lock chamber ( I had it between my legs )..luckily no harm done, taken home and had a bath, reinforced with a whisky from fathers drinks cabinet. I still have a special relationship with Lock 5!

 

Dave

[tidal]

I guess it is inappropriate to say I'm glad I'm not the only one.

But I'm totally unable to find the appropriate thing to say in the circumstances.

 

[saltysplash]

Fallen, no

Jumped, yes. It was a very very hot summer and Id just filled the lock. While waiting for swmbo to catch up with the boat I couldnt resist the urge and plunged in. It was lovely.

 

The only other time was when we came up to a queue at a lock and found they couldnt use it due to a paddle stuck open. Armed with a crowbar I swam into the lock and cleared the obstruction. Not quite as lovely as it was a cold day.

[Murflynn]

Witnessed a very overweight gent fall in off the lock landing above Marlow Lock - not a good place if there is much flow because it is directly opposite the weir. The usual method - step across onto the landing with one foot still on the boat for safety - ooh err .............. boat moving away from the landing and gent doing the splits.

 

It was a big GRP cruiser, the gent managed to grab the gunwale as he fell but couldn't haul himself back up. His large wife was pulling on one arm but to no avail. In the end he fell into the water and with the help of 2 other (fit and strong) boaters he was lifted out onto the landing.

 

The lesson is that it is incredibly difficult to get back on board most boats, because you have to lift all your weight with just your arms.

 

3 months ago I witnessed another large gent fall into Bath Deep Lock, same method - reaching for the ladder, boat moves away - splash. A very dangerous lock to choose. Again a large GRP cruiser. Luckily the gent was able to swim to the ladder.

[mattlad]

 

The lesson is that it is incredibly difficult to get back on board most boats, because you have to lift all your weight with just your arms.

 

 

I sometimes read some of the salty boating mags and the general consensus is that falling off a boat is to be avoided at all costs, especially when sailing short-handed. As you say getting out can be incredibly difficult, even on inland waterways, so DON'T FALL IN!!!!!

[tidal]

Yep
There's nothing quite like watching the boat you fell off sail away from you...........

I've done that once as well (involuntarily)
They had the spinnaker up so it took a while to get the boat turned round and back to me.
And they rolled me back on board with a foresail coz I sure as hell couldn't climb back on.

Since then I've always worn a clipped on harness

The North Sea even in Summer cab be a cold and lonely place

 

 

I have gone in voluntarily because I was, when much younger, a volunteer inshore lifeboat crew and rescue exercises needed to be as real as possible. I've even been winched up by a helicopter but that was fun.

[pearley]

I fell in at Woodside Lock on the Calder & Hebble on 18 November 2010. I slipped on some algae growing on the side as I was walking back to the boat. Boy was jtvderp and cold. I never felt the bottom and I'm not a good swimmer but managed to thrash to the side. I had hold of a mooring bollard but even with my wifes help I couldn't get out. There was no grip with my feet as there was a large void in the under water wall - an old ground paddle perhaps. Luckily there were people out and about so Jeannette stopped a cyclist and a dog walker, though we had to wait while he tied the dogs up. I went straight into the shower and staged there until my body colour returned.

 

Strangely, I kept my hat on but lost my glasses.

[AMModels]

Mt gt uncle fell in one of the locks on the Perry Barr flight one dark foggy night, they fished his body out the next day.

[rubblequeen]

For many years I volunteered with one of the blind associations doing out door pursuits. One week end was sailing. canoeing and rowing the 7 crew "whalers" on Hawley Lake. I organised a race between two whalers and was the sighted crew on the tiller. My crew were a big strong totally blind bunch all up for it.

Up to me to start the race so I'm stood up at the back - blow the hooter and my crew took off like a rocket. I somersaulted off the back and not having a clue I was gone the boat and the crew disappeared into the distance causing complete havoc to the dingy sailors and all the rest of the boats on the lake. They did eventually run aground on an island with a thump still not knowing there was no one on the tiller.

To date haven't fallen in the cut or lock, just a matter of time I'm told.