Can this happen easily?

[nine9feet]

I've just seen this news item Woman rescue from capsized canal boat :

 

"A 65-YEAR-old woman was rescued by fire crews after her canal boat capsized in Barrowford Locks earlier today (Tuesday).

Fire crews said the woman, from Formby, had been on the boat, Electric Blue, at the time and her husband had been operating the locks on the canal footpath.

The rudder had got caught in the lock doors which caused the boat to capsize as the water emptied from the locks at 5.20pm, fire crews said.

The woman was said to be suffering from shock."

 

I am thinking that this must have been an unusual set of circumstances to result in sinking the boat. Don't most boats have fenders which protect the rudder?

[Chris-B]

I've just seen this news item Woman rescue from capsized canal boat :

 

"A 65-YEAR-old woman was rescued by fire crews after her canal boat capsized in Barrowford Locks earlier today (Tuesday).

Fire crews said the woman, from Formby, had been on the boat, Electric Blue, at the time and her husband had been operating the locks on the canal footpath.TOWPATH

The rudder had got caught in the lock doors GATESwhich caused the boat to capsize as the water emptied from the locks at 5.20pm, fire crews said.

The woman was said to be suffering from shock." Her husband had asked her to put the tunnel light on dip

 

I am thinking that this must have been an unusual set of circumstances to result in sinking the boat. Don't most boats have fenders which protect the rudder?

 

More likely she got it stuck on the cill due to incompetence rather than a capsize !

ahhh silly season starts again

Edited May 2, 2007 by Baldock

[Chris J W]

Ouch! Hope she's OK.

 

I'm confused, though. I would have thought it either end up bow down in whats left in the lock, or the shear weight of the boat would have pulled the rudder down the gap?

[NB Alnwick]

I've just seen this news item Woman rescue from capsized canal boat :

 

"A 65-YEAR-old woman was rescued by fire crews after her canal boat capsized in Barrowford Locks earlier today (Tuesday).

Fire crews said the woman, from Formby, had been on the boat, Electric Blue, at the time and her husband had been operating the locks on the canal footpath.

The rudder had got caught in the lock doors which caused the boat to capsize as the water emptied from the locks at 5.20pm, fire crews said.

The woman was said to be suffering from shock."

 

I am thinking that this must have been an unusual set of circumstances to result in sinking the boat. Don't most boats have fenders which protect the rudder?

 

You can't believe all you read in the press so we cannot really be sure of the exact circumstances but I guess it is possible.

 

One is bound to wonder how it was allowed to happen? If the poor woman was steering the boat - surely she would have noticed and could have sounded her horn to get the paddles dropped before any damage was done? If she was inside and the man was effectively navigating single handed then he should have been watching . . .

[carlt]

I'd have thought a rudder wedged in the gates would have held the boat upright for some time.

[Chris J W]

I'd have thought a rudder wedged in the gates would have held the boat upright for some time.

 

Seriously? As in perpendicular to the gates hanging in mid-air? (Or did you mean as in 'not rolling over')

[Breals]

Can't see how you'd not notice the rudder in the gates, the stern would have had to have been rammed up against them (also isn't the top gate also usually single - except on wide beam locks where you'd expect the boat to be on one side or another?)

[carlt]

Seriously? As in perpendicular to the gates hanging in mid-air? (Or did you mean as in 'not rolling over')

Of course perpendicular! but only if dangermouse was underneath holding the bows up

[Chris J W]

Of course perpendicular! but only if dangermouse was underneath holding the bows up

Nah. He'd leave Penfold at the bow whilst he nipped round the stern to defeat Baron Greenback's ugly scheme to sink the boat ...

[buccaneer]

I'd guess the same as Baldock the boat was dropping onto the cill.

[fender]

I'd guess the same as Baldock the boat was dropping onto the cill.

 

Not really surprised. Anything can happen. I remember a couple of features in WW back in the 1980's on the impossible things that happen in locks. The incident where one hireboat ended up underneath another one was an amazing one (and not a single fender in sight) The pictures were there to prove it

 

And what about the picture (dunno where I saw it but it was an old one) showing two working boats upright and moored safely up. They had started to descend a lock when the bottom gates failed, they blew outwards and the boats shot out on a mighty wall of water into the lower pound. The pictures showed the damage that the lock had suffered, yet the boats were ok. I'm sure the crew were very very shaken though

[nine9feet]

Not really surprised. Anything can happen. I remember a couple of features in WW back in the 1980's on the impossible things that happen in locks. The incident where one hireboat ended up underneath another one was an amazing one (and not a single fender in sight) The pictures were there to prove it

 

That sparked more interest, so I went looking and found photos of similar (or the same?) incidents under "Lock Safety " on this page. Unbelievable!

[Keeping Up]

Then there was this one, about 3 or 4 yars ago in Bath:

 

 

[Chris-B]

Then there was this one, about 3 or 4 yars ago in Bath:

 

 

I think I would have said " OH PUCK " too

[Chris J W]

"Oh Puck" indeed!

 

On a serious note - are cills normally that high, or is this an "odd" one?

[Chris-B]

"Oh Puck" indeed!

 

On a serious note - are cills normally that high, or is this an "odd" one?

I Think from looking at the picture this is the first lock on the K and A off the Avon at Bath, this lock used to be two locks which they amalgamated into one hence the very deep cill

Baldock spent a long time bottomed out on the short pound out of this lock last year cos there aint enough water !

[fender]

"Oh Puck" indeed!

 

On a serious note - are cills normally that high, or is this an "odd" one?

 

oh yes I've seen hefty cills in the deeper narrow locks.

 

These pictures say it all, they illustrate the great dangers when people are not alert to what is happening.

 

But is that Bath Deep Lock? I dont think it is - Bath Deep has concrete walls - this one has brick walls.

 

That sparked more interest, so I went looking and found photos of similar (or the same?) incidents under "Lock Safety " on this page. Unbelievable!

 

Yes that must be the one I was thinking of, I remember at the time it was something unheard of

[Moley]

But is that Bath Deep Lock? I dont think it is - Bath Deep has concrete walls - this one has brick walls.

 

We've not done any of the broad system yet, so I wouldn't know, but what's the rung spacing on lock ladders?

 

11 rungs looks pretty deep to me.

[mayalld]

I've just seen this news item Woman rescue from capsized canal boat :

 

"A 65-YEAR-old woman was rescued by fire crews after her canal boat capsized in Barrowford Locks earlier today (Tuesday).

Fire crews said the woman, from Formby, had been on the boat, Electric Blue, at the time and her husband had been operating the locks on the canal footpath.

The rudder had got caught in the lock doors which caused the boat to capsize as the water emptied from the locks at 5.20pm, fire crews said.

The woman was said to be suffering from shock."

 

I am thinking that this must have been an unusual set of circumstances to result in sinking the boat. Don't most boats have fenders which protect the rudder?

 

The rudder blade often protrudes beyond the fender.

 

So, if the boat was descending a lock, it is entirely possible to get the blade trapped, and as a result be unable to move forward off the cill.

 

The blade will eventually pull clear, and depending on how the boat falls onto the cill, a roll-over is possible.

 

Similarly, you can get trapped when ascending a lock, causing the stern to be held down and swamped.

[Keeping Up]

oh yes I've seen hefty cills in the deeper narrow locks.

 

These pictures say it all, they illustrate the great dangers when people are not alert to what is happening.

 

But is that Bath Deep Lock? I dont think it is - Bath Deep has concrete walls - this one has brick walls.

Yes that must be the one I was thinking of, I remember at the time it was something unheard of

You could be right. I'd thought it was at Bath, but seeing that my picture is entitled "sunkWeston.jpg" maybe it's at Weston Lock (No4 on the T&M) which would fit better with the boat's origins too.

[Chris-B]

You could be right. I'd thought it was at Bath, but seeing that my picture is entitled "sunkWeston.jpg" maybe it's at Weston Lock (No4 on the T&M) which would fit better with the boat's origins too.

Ahh yes just looked at my k and a pics opps tekkie erot on my behalf ( nothing unusual)

[Supermalc]

If a rope, or ropes are used, and properly controlled to hold the boat, an incident such as this would be almost impossible, either assending, or decenting in any lock.

 

Why do the majority of NB owners think they can control the boat with the engine instead of ropes. OK so I'm a hypocrite again, as I would most likely do the same.

 

Using 1 rope and the engine, I have assended manned Trent locks. But I'm sure the lock keeper would quickly have closed the paddles if I had got into trouble.

 

That said, a friend said he was at Gunthorpe years ago, when a NB turned over. He brought his family home in tears...my sadistic side would have me chucking

[Serendipity]

We've not done any of the broad system yet, so I wouldn't know, but what's the rung spacing on lock ladders?

 

11 rungs looks pretty deep to me.

 

I've counted 21 rungs down to roof level here! It gave me vertigo when I looked down into it last year (we didn't take the boat through the flight). I don't think my OH could manage those gates on her own, nor would I fancy climbing up to help!

[Supermalc]

The other thing........it's just so easy for familiarity to breed contempt. When I had become complacent with locks, after helping others, as well as myself through Bardney many times, I was locking through with another chap I knew. We were chatting so distracted, and didn't notice he had not untied his ropes. We quickly wound the paddles down, and upped the top ones so no damage was sustained. But had weed, or other obstruction jammed a bottom paddle, no doubt the cleats would have been torn off his boat, even if they had not held it to the lock wall.

[Chris-B]

I've counted 21 rungs down to roof level here! It gave me vertigo when I looked down into it last year (we didn't take the boat through the flight). I don't think my OH could manage those gates on her own, nor would I fancy climbing up to help!

Thats the one I was thinking off.. going up it leaves very little water in the next pound for deep draughted boats ! hence we spent a long time stuck at the top of the lock trying to get out

Hi ho fun and games the K and A .. mooring one night at Avoncliffe to go to the Cross Guns and spending 30 mins trying to get the fore end close enough to the bank to get off we were told by a "Local Resident Boater" that we have the wrong sort of the boat for the canal as he pointed to his shiny new Sea Otter ! ...

my son then aged 13 grabbed my arm and said " DAD pub now) !!!!!!