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Looking for someone to teach me the basics Locks ropes etc.


kne11y

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Hi we are new to the narrow boat world and are currently on the hunt for our first boat.

 

We have been looking and gathering lots of information on our search before making the purchase.

 

The next step for us is being shown how to use locks and basic boat handling.

 

I have come across many courses online which to me seem to be highly priced.

 

Would anyone be interested in taking myself and partner out for the day to teach us the basics.

 

I am obviously not looking for this for free just not wanting to pay anything extortionate.

 

We live between Cheshire and Preston and can travel easily any way.

 

Cheers Neil.

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Yes welcome. It's not hard to figure out for yourself really, just by watching others and thinking about it, then having a go in your own boat. Try to avoid locking with other boaters about to start with - when others 'help' you through won't feel you've learned as much as doing it all yourself.

 

Only a tiny percentage of us have ever been on a formal training course.

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Hi we are new to the narrow boat world and are currently on the hunt for our first boat.

 

We have been looking and gathering lots of information on our search before making the purchase.

 

The next step for us is being shown how to use locks and basic boat handling.

 

I have come across many courses online which to me seem to be highly priced.

 

Would anyone be interested in taking myself and partner out for the day to teach us the basics.

 

I am obviously not looking for this for free just not wanting to pay anything extortionate.

 

We live between Cheshire and Preston and can travel easily any way.

 

Cheers Neil.

 

We cut our teeth on a hire boat holiday or three. We were shown how to do locks by the hire company and adapted our own technique from there, remembering that not all locks are the same especially paddle gear. (Note not all hire co's take you through a lock though).

 

Boat handling is again something we learned ourselves and in doing so no doubt picked up some bad habits (like stopping the boat on a rope!! which is frowned upon in some circles) but what we learned worked for us.

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Hi we are new to the narrow boat world and are currently on the hunt for our first boat.

 

We have been looking and gathering lots of information on our search before making the purchase.

 

The next step for us is being shown how to use locks and basic boat handling.

 

I have come across many courses online which to me seem to be highly priced.

 

Would anyone be interested in taking myself and partner out for the day to teach us the basics.

 

I am obviously not looking for this for free just not wanting to pay anything extortionate.

 

We live between Cheshire and Preston and can travel easily any way.

 

Cheers Neil.

Best to rent a boat first,

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I suppose the easiest way to learn how to use a lock is to go to one, on one fine sunny day, with a picnic and watch the boaters going through it. Most people will, I'm sure, be happy to answer questions and if you explain what you are about, there's a good chance that somebody will invite you to hop aboard to do a mile or two down the cut.

  • Greenie 1
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Neil. welcome

 

As per the others had twenty minutes 'tuition' on a straight bit of canal with no locks by the hire company.

 

For a start: 60 page PDF file from C&RT (Canal & River Trust) https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/original/141.pdf

 

I believe a hard copy can be obtained from C&RT

 

Go for a walk along the nearest canal, assuming it is not derelict, find some locks, do some 'gongoozling' and talk to boaters.

 

Now the proviso on what you are proposing, paying etc. there may be insurance problems.

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You do the right thing by asking questions and seeking experience

 

My start to boating was by hiring (albeit on the broads, not on canals) and the best thing I ever did, even before I began the first holiday, was to buy books on boat handling and read up on it.

 

Stood me in good stead and still does. Some of those lessons are still applicable to narrow boats.

 

This site (Inland Waterways Association book shop ) might be useful to you - particularly this book

 

although it is aimed at single handers there is, nevertheless, much useful information in it for any narrow boater

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Rent a boat for a week, probably out of season when its cheaper and the canal is less busy.

Then, once you have got the absolute basics, do one of the training courses, you will learn a lot of stuff quickly, including stuff that would take ages to suss out yourself.

We meet a lot of boaters who already "know everything" but in our not so humble opinion could really benefit from a bit of training.

Many years ago we did a weekend course with TR boat handling. He does not advertise anymore but I think he is still doing courses. He even teaches you how to do locks with a cracking hangover!!!!

 

...............Dave

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I suppose the easiest way to learn how to use a lock is to go to one, on one fine sunny day, with a picnic and watch the boaters going through it. Most people will, I'm sure, be happy to answer questions and if you explain what you are about, there's a good chance that somebody will invite you to hop aboard to do a mile or two down the cut.

Wot he said ^^^^.

For free is much easier.

Take a dog to break the ice.

Spend a day at the junction of the Llangollen and Shropshire Union, you'll learn a lot.

I got a (boatless) party of students to do a lock recently, they were there to understand the architecture for their course!

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I got started by being invited from time to time to crew for my brother when his wife was otherwise occupied, then over the last year went on to crew for various other people arranged through this forum, and have thoroughly enjoyed every trip.

 

Especially once you have a bit of experience so that you can do locks on your own, the going rate for crew is not only free but sometimes with the food provided too! Meanwhile I hope someone will step forwards and offer you a trip, and as Southern Star says it's good to start by hanging around a busy lock and talking to people; maybe take a windlass along. However not many places will be busy until the weather warms up.

 

Another possibility is that there are some charities that operate trip boats to raise money and need crew, some of whom will be prepared to take beginners. I'm not sure what there is in your area, but I've recently joined the Narrow Boat Trust who have a pair of working boats roaming quite widely around the network, so that I can crew for them, and you might like to consider that:

http://www.narrowboattrust.org.uk/index.shtml

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without putting a damper on the OP's dreams, I do not understand the sequence of events.

 

why is the OP on the lookout for (buying) his first boat if he hasn't spent enough time on a boat to understand the basics?

 

 

as suggested, hire a boat first, before deciding if this is really the dream for you.

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Chris Deuchar's excellent book " A Boater's Guide to Boating " would be a good read once you have a modicum of experience. I think,it's available from the Historic Narrow Boat Club. Boating is largely common sense, not always evident on the towpath or lockside these days. If you have no first hand experience, I'd endorse earlier comments about hiring first. I would happily offer you a day on Resolute, if medical conditions allowed. For now, I'm confined to,land!

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

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Chris Deuchar's excellent book " A Boater's Guide to Boating " would be a good read once you have a modicum of experience. I think,it's available from the Historic Narrow Boat Club. Boating is largely common sense, not always evident on the towpath or lockside these days. If you have no first hand experience, I'd endorse earlier comments about hiring first. I would happily offer you a day on Resolute, if medical conditions allowed. For now, I'm confined to,land!

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

 

 

Test drive in a Rolls :)

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I got a (boatless) party of students to do a lock recently, they were there to understand the architecture for their course!

I quite often come across a family waiting at a lock for a boat to come along, just to see how it all works. When I say "would you like to do the lock for me?" and offer them a windlass, the kids normally burst with excitement!

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Seems I'm in a minority. When I bought a boat, first day out was with a trainer. Thought it was worth the expense, I mean, how much will your boat cost? I already had some years cruiser ownership under my belt, but thought that narrowboat handling required different and/or additional skills. Found the training extremely useful. As others have said, I'm sure you can pick-up the skills informally (lock loitering? Towpath tarrying?). I had something of a schedule to observe, and wanted to avoid the cardinal sin of being in a hurry!

Cheers,

Chris

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Hi we are new to the narrow boat world and are currently on the hunt for our first boat.

 

We have been looking and gathering lots of information on our search before making the purchase.

 

The next step for us is being shown how to use locks and basic boat handling.

 

I have come across many courses online which to me seem to be highly priced.

 

Would anyone be interested in taking myself and partner out for the day to teach us the basics.

 

I am obviously not looking for this for free just not wanting to pay anything extortionate.

 

We live between Cheshire and Preston and can travel easily any way.

 

Cheers Neil.

I'll be single-handing from Calf Heath to Penkridge on Friday morning. Only a short hop and 5 or 6 locks but you're welcome to lend a hand (anyone else is too), one catch though, I need to be in Penkridge by about 9.00am so will be setting off about 6.00am!

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If you are not far from Cheshire, have a look at the hire boats at Venetian Marina. You will get some comprehensive training before they let you off on your own, including locking and winding. Try a long weekend or two at least before you buy

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I quite often come across a family waiting at a lock for a boat to come along, just to see how it all works. When I say "would you like to do the lock for me?" and offer them a windlass, the kids normally burst with excitement!

Yeah, I often show people, get them involved. Really great why to learn.

 

 

Daniel

As the more suitable weather approaches, and boats start to reappear from marinas, I'm sure someone will be willing to have you aboard.

 

Welcome to the forum. Your forum name could have been Neil-ly.

We're at Anderton, it might be Easter time....

 

 

Daniel

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We cut our teeth on a hire boat holiday or three. We were shown how to do locks by the hire company and adapted our own technique from there, remembering that not all locks are the same especially paddle gear. (Note not all hire co's take you through a lock though).

 

Boat handling is again something we learned ourselves and in doing so no doubt picked up some bad habits (like stopping the boat on a rope!! which is frowned upon in some circles) but what we learned worked for us.

 

 

 

 

Those circles are wrong. As long as the rope is of sufficient size, that is how a narrow boat was traditionally stopped. unless the horse was put in reverse...

Edited by luctor et emergo
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Those circles are wrong. As long as the rope is of sufficient size, that is how a narrow boat was traditionally stopped. unless the horse was put in reverse...

 

I know - that was my argument for doing it, but on a powered boat it was called being 'lazy'.

 

I just felt it was a very convenient way to bring a boat to a full and complete stop, the added benefit was it normally pulled the boat tight in to the side too. Done while the boat was travelling very slowly it worked for us anyway.

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Depends where you live, but if in striking distance of Paper Mill Lock, Malden Essex, the lock keeper offers lessons on operating their paddle lock. It is also great fun to watch it in operation and has a really nice cafe on the ramp.

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Hi we are new to the narrow boat world and are currently on the hunt for our first boat.

 

We have been looking and gathering lots of information on our search before making the purchase.

 

The next step for us is being shown how to use locks and basic boat handling.

 

I have come across many courses online which to me seem to be highly priced.

 

Would anyone be interested in taking myself and partner out for the day to teach us the basics.

 

I am obviously not looking for this for free just not wanting to pay anything extortionate.

 

We live between Cheshire and Preston and can travel easily any way.

 

Cheers Neil.

This reads like you have not spent a week on a boat yet. Can I suggest that you hire a boat for a week and see if you like it. It would be a shame if you bought a boat and did not enjoy it. Also you can learn using the hire boat - as most of us do - and that way there will be less scrapes and bangs on your boat when you get it :-))

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Nothing wrong with traditional techniques such as using ropes around bollards to stop boats. I did years ago, still do now.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

 

You may get a telling off from Thames lock keepers, they even have notices that say do not do it - even though using reverse to stop against a lock side is likely to pus the stern away from the side as the prop wash acts as a wedge between swim and lock wall.

 

A comparatively light GRP cruiser can use burst of ahead against the rudder to push the stern back in, not so easy on a narrowboat.

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