Whose lock is it?

[Witchword]

Boat in front? Decide on the way in? Is there an etiquette?

[Dave_P]

Not sure what you mean?

[RLWP]

It's mine - hands off

 

Richard

[David Mack]

Generally first come first served, except if you arrive at the top of an empty lock (or vice versa) and there is a boat in view coming the other way, you let them go through first.

[Rob-M]

If a boat arrives top and bottom of a lock then whichever the water level is nearest goes first. If you arrive at a lock and can see a boat approaching and the water is nearer to their level then etiquette should be to ready the lock for the other boat and wave them in.

[matty40s]

It's mine - hands off

 

Richard

you can sod off, no Albion yellowbellies here....

[Witchword]

On another thread someone mentioned that it was his lock... I suppose I took that to mean he was in charge in it. So if you meet another boat to share with is there a convention as to who takes charge (inasmuch as anyone does)?

[RLWP]

you can sod off, no Albion yellowbellies here....

 

Actually, on reflection it's probably your lock. I imagine you would now have squatters rights having spent so long in one

 

Richard

On another thread someone mentioned that it was his lock... I suppose I took that to mean he was in charge in it. So if you meet another boat to share with is there a convention as to who takes charge (inasmuch as anyone does)?

 

Right. You are on your own, no other boat around. It's your lock

 

You arrive at a lock and there is a boat behind you. It's your lock

 

You arrive at a lock to go down and it is full. There is a boat approaching from below. It's your lock*

 

You arrive at a lock to go down and it is empty. There is a boat approaching from below. It is their lock*

 

You can reverse the last two for yourself

 

Basically, the etiquette is - don't piss people off unnecessarily. Emptying a full lock or filling an empty lock that could have helped a boat coming the other way is likely to piss them off

 

Richard

 

*you can think of these as saving water too

Edited April 17, 2016 by RLWP

[matty40s]

I was going up the Buckby flight on Saturday, I was sat below top lock in the middle of the channel having followed the boat in front (having picked his wife up at lock 8, pulled in to drop her off below to sort the lock).

When the lock was ready, he beckoned me to go through and I went in first. He slid in after me and the girls shut the lock.

I left the lock first as he was mooring above the lock.

common sense, politeness and good chat all contribute to a good time boating.

[Witchword]

Yes I had those down, just common sense and courtesy. So when this other poster, can't remember who, said he'd told the other person that it was his lock not theirs, did that mean he was there first and was going to direct things?

[RLWP]

Yes I had those down, just common sense and courtesy. So when this other poster, can't remember who, said he'd told the other person that it was his lock not theirs, did that mean he was there first and was going to direct things?

 

God knows. Sometimes folk get carried away by 'rules'

 

Richard

[Catrin]

On another thread someone mentioned that it was his lock... I suppose I took that to mean he was in charge in it. So if you meet another boat to share with is there a convention as to who takes charge (inasmuch as anyone does)?

If you mean sharing a lock, then the etiquette is that the boat that is there first goes in first, unless they wave the other one in first because of their position.

 

If you are the first one in, then you should be the first one out, unless, once again, you wave the other boat ahead of you. It is poor form to leave first (ie: get ahead) if you were second into the lock without being told to go first.

 

In this case, no one is 'in charge'. You should work together, checking the other boat is happy with you drawing paddles etc. We've had people whack the paddles up just as we are trying to get the dog on or off the boat, not really helpful.

 

Finally, if you are working the lock alone, then you are in charge - your boat, you know the situation. No-one should work the lock without your instruction - but obviously, be sensible and courteous about this.

[ditchcrawler]

Yes I had those down, just common sense and courtesy. So when this other poster, can't remember who, said he'd told the other person that it was his lock not theirs, did that mean he was there first and was going to direct things?

I dont have a clue what you are talking about , where was this other thread and what was the context ?

[Witchword]

Thanks Catrin, am all out of "positive votes" for today but that answered my questions

[tillergirl]

And if you have good locking crew who ready the next lock for the two boats you can akways do a bit of synchronised locking

Edited April 17, 2016 by tillergirl

[cuthound]

And if you have good locking crew who ready the next lock for the two boats you can akways do a bit of synchronised locking

I agree, much easier for two boats to enter together (assuming competent steerers), rather than have somone enter before you have fully got your boat to the side. This usually results in a collision!

 

However many people do not have the confidence to enter or leave together in wide locks.

[Boat&Bikes]

I was going up the Buckby flight on Saturday, I was sat below top lock in the middle of the channel having followed the boat in front (having picked his wife up at lock 8, pulled in to drop her off below to sort the lock).

When the lock was ready, he beckoned me to go through and I went in first. He slid in after me and the girls shut the lock.

I left the lock first as he was mooring above the lock.

common sense, politeness and good chat all contribute to a good time boating.

Ah it was your boat at Buckby, we were sat in pub garden, my friend helped you through, I recall a small problem with closing one of the paddles.

[Laurie Booth]

I agree, much easier for two boats to enter together (assuming competent steerers), rather than have somone enter before you have fully got your boat to the side. This usually results in a collision!

 

However many people do not have the confidence to enter or leave together in wide locks.

Please don't do this, very dangerous. One at a time into a lock.

[Steilsteven]

Please don't do this, very dangerous.

How exactly?

 

Keith

[ditchcrawler]

Please don't do this, very dangerous. One at a time into a lock.

Did you leave the smilie off

[IanM]

Please don't do this, very dangerous. One at a time into a lock.

 

I disagree.

[Paul C]

I am going to assume its broad locks we're talking about here.

 

If there's 2 boats sharing the lock, sometimes it makes sense for the more experienced to go in second, since this means the less experienced have the doubly sized "target" of the broad lock mouth to aim at. Then the (simpler, with a line) task of getting the boat to one or other side. Its probably best to choose the leeward side too - but going up, sometimes the winds can swirl around and make it a bit random.

 

Once completed a (series of) broad locks, it would be etiquette to allow the boat which was originally first, to leave first.

[nicknorman]

Generally it's best for both boats to go in together or failing that with the second boat leaving no gap and preferably a slight overlap. Otherwise, if it's anything like our boat, as soon as you hit reverse its off over the other side of the lock and has to be pulled back in before the second boat can fit, all of which causes a lot of unnecessary faff.

[RLWP]

You could choose the side that your prop walk takes you to, which would put the stern against the side without ropes

 

Richard

[matty40s]

You could choose the side that your prop walk takes you to, which would put the stern against the side without ropes

Richard

It's called rivet lean...