Napton flight - Boat stuck

[jeddlad]

There is a boat stuck in lock 9 of the Napton flight. It hasn't been cilled or damaged. There does appear to be a smidgen of clearance each side so the summery (made in the Folly with the boat owner, locals and numerous pints) is that the pound is low and he's caught on the bottom.

 

C&RT are attending Monday morning

[Tiller1]

Maybe it's a banana or has a wide point under the water line.

 

Thanks for the information.

[Captain Pegg]

That's one of the known tighter locks on the network and anyway if the pound was low surely you would just let some water down given it's a lock within the flight?

 

JP

[Tam & Di]

There is a boat stuck in lock 9 of the Napton flight. It hasn't been cilled or damaged. There does appear to be a smidgen of clearance each side so the summery (made in the Folly with the boat owner, locals and numerous pints) is that the pound is low and he's caught on the bottom.

 

C&RT are attending Monday morning

 

To make any useful comment it would help to know in what manner it is stuck - half in/half out, lock empty/lock full, going up/down. The most obvious thing is to unstick it the opposite way to which it became stuck. Trying to force it further in the direction in which it became stuck only makes it more firmly stuck.

[Tiller1]

 

To make any useful comment it would help to know in what manner it is stuck - half in/half out, lock empty/lock full, going up/down. The most obvious thing is to unstick it the opposite way to which it became stuck. Trying to force it further in the direction in which it became stuck only makes it more firmly stuck.

Perhaps it's become wedged in by a pile of fenders which have been broken off over the years.

 

More seriously, the lock wall may have broken down due to lack of maintenence. After all a lock did cave in on the Aylesbury arm a while back.

 

Lets hope it's something simple to correct.

[davidg]

It's a springer(!) going up. Asked the owner if it had been overplated, he didn't know.

I took Barrow through this lock last weekend and barely touched the sides so unless something dramatic has happened in the last week the walls haven't moved. Little boats are usually the problem at this lock.

Tried setting up a standing wave in the pound but it wasn't shifting despite rising a long way.

Not helped by the boat being on the tilt.

Looks like a paddle & tirfor job.

[cuthound]

Perhaps it's become wedged in by a pile of fenders which have been broken off over the years.

More seriously, the lock wall may have broken down due to lack of maintenence. After all a lock did cave in on the Aylesbury arm a while back.

Lets hope it's something simple to correct.

I thought the failure of the lock wall on the Aylesbury Arm was caused by work at an adjacent construction site?

[Alan de Enfield]

I thought the failure of the lock wall on the Aylesbury Arm was caused by work at an adjacent construction site?

 

But that wouldn't be such a good "knock C&RT again" story would it.

[Tiller1]

 

But that wouldn't be such a good "knock C&RT again" story would it.

Snipe noted.

 

Buckland lock was already nicknamed the banana lock due to the bulge in the wall.

 

I have every respect for C&RT when they get things right. Seeing the number of lock walls gradually getting worse over the years, I'm not impressed with the prioritisation in the office department.

[Tam & Di]

It's a springer(!) going up. Asked the owner if it had been overplated, he didn't know.

I took Barrow through this lock last weekend and barely touched the sides so unless something dramatic has happened in the last week the walls haven't moved. Little boats are usually the problem at this lock.

Tried setting up a standing wave in the pound but it wasn't shifting despite rising a long way.

Not helped by the boat being on the tilt.

Looks like a paddle & tirfor job.

 

Sounds like it caught on one side, and then when it tilted it became more seriously jammed. It sounds like you are saying the lock is empty still with the bottom gates open? If so a good idea to create a back wave from the lock below which is presumably what you did as that might jerk it free. If it is possible to close the gates they could try gently filiing the lock to the point where water can't get into the boat from apertures normally for outlets - e.g. drains from basin, decks etc. and then try gentle leverage. They've got to be careful that freeing it does not cause too much damage of course. Make sure there is nothing inside that can fall and break?

[magnetman]

Can the cyclists get past alright ?

 

Snipe noted.

 

Buckland lock was already nicknamed the banana lock due to the bulge in the wall.

 

I have every respect for C&RT when they get things right. Seeing the number of lock walls gradually getting worse over the years, I'm not impressed with the prioritisation in the office department.

[Tiller1]

Can the cyclists get past alright ?

 

Not forgetting ramblers, fishermen, dog walkers and alike.

[magpie patrick]

Napton Bottom lock is tight, Springers spread (as do other boats)

 

The problem with the "CRT aren't doing their job properly" approach is that the vast majority of boats do fit these locks, which suggests that the odd one that jams is just a touch wider.

[Alan de Enfield]

Napton Bottom lock is tight, Springers spread (as do other boats)

 

 

 

And, of course as with any other boat, if it is 'leaning' at an angle it will be (in effect) even wider

[Tiller1]

Napton Bottom lock is tight, Springers spread (as do other boats)

 

The problem with the "CRT aren't doing their job properly" approach is that the vast majority of boats do fit these locks, which suggests that the odd one that jams is just a touch wider.

It is possible it is the boat , but when locks are nicknamed banana lock, or tight lock, it gives it away really.

[Alan de Enfield]

Springers are not known for their 'generous' dimensions, when other 'full sized' NBs have, within the last few days, gone thru without touching the sides it gives it away really.

 

Maybe the water level was low, it managed to get in the lock but due to its shape it 'fell over' ?

 

Its all speculation.

[magpie patrick]

It is possible it is the boat , but when locks are nicknamed banana lock, or tight lock, it gives it away really.

 

Napton Narrow Boats, one of the bigger fleets, are at the bottom of the flight, there boats use this flight week in week out and they are a "standard width" Napton don't specify 6 foot 9 inches or anything. When was the last time one got stuck. You can bet the hire company would be on the case very quickly...

 

Yes, there are tight locks, Hurleston, this one, Shuttleworths, Lock 44(?) on the Stratford, that's where boats that have a little bit of a twist or spread get found out. It IS the boat...

Springers are not known for their 'generous' dimensions, when other 'full sized' NBs have, within the last few days, gone thru without touching the sides it gives it away really.

 

Maybe the water level was low, it managed to get in the lock but due to its shape it 'fell over' ?

 

Its all speculation.

 

I travelled with a sixty foot springer from Hockly Port quite a lot, it had spread enough to squeal in and out of the entire Stourbridge Flight

 

And, of course as with any other boat, if it is 'leaning' at an angle it will be (in effect) even wider

 

True, does the V shaped hull make it more or less likely to stick?

 

Edit, just compared your two posts and realise you've answered the question I pose in the second response. Thanks!

Edited August 22, 2016 by magpie patrick

[Tiller1]

 

Napton Narrow Boats, one of the bigger fleets, are at the bottom of the flight, there boats use this flight week in week out and they are a "standard width" Napton don't specify 6 foot 9 inches or anything. When was the last time one got stuck. You can bet the hire company would be on the case very quickly...

 

Yes, there are tight locks, Hurleston, this one, Shuttleworths, Lock 44(?) on the Stratford, that's where boats that have a little bit of a twist or spread get found out. It IS the boat...

 

 

I travelled with a sixty foot springer from Hockly Port quite a lot, it had spread enough to squeal in and out of the entire Stourbridge Flight

 

 

True, does the V shaped hull make it more or less likely to stick?

I'm sure this Springer has been through it's fair share of narrow locks too.

 

Ok, we'll just wait until a boat gets stuck then. I wonder how the hire boats are getting on?

[Paul C]

I'm sure this Springer has been through it's fair share of narrow locks too.

 

Ok, we'll just wait until a boat gets stuck then. I wonder how the hire boats are getting on?

 

The wait is over, this boat has got stuck in a lock which plenty of other boats have got through.

[magpie patrick]

I'm sure this Springer has been through it's fair share of narrow locks too.

 

Ok, we'll just wait until a boat gets stuck then. I wonder how the hire boats are getting on?

 

Yes, but there are tight locks and overwidth boats. When the latter reach the former there are issues. The tendency is for entire canals to be generous or tight and for one lock to be ever so slightly worse than the others. Very few get stuck between Napton and Shuttleworths because these tend to be the first Southern Oxford locks encountered on a voyage, if you can't get through them, you don't even reach the others.

 

This sort of things is the nature of the beast when a 220 year old system is used for leisure, unless we want all locks rebuilt to at least 8 foot width, boats don't seem to get stuck on the Brecon and Abergavenny...

[Tuscan]

The second lock up has been tight for years, a problem if you have had over plating for some

[adam1uk]

Does this actually have anything to do with the width of the boat or the lock? It's been suggested above that there was too little water in the pound. A flat-bottomed boat ending up on the bottom of a lock just sits there; a V-bottomed boat (which, as a Springer, I guess this is) will tip over -- and therefore becomes much wider and liable to get stuck.

[magpie patrick]

I may be going off on a tangent here - what happens to springers or other V bottomed boats if the canal dries out? Juno comes close to falling over but will refloat, but in a narrow lock the walls would probably hold her upright rather than jam her, but then she's not slab sided either.

[Tiller1]

Does this actually have anything to do with the width of the boat or the lock? It's been suggested above that there was too little water in the pound. A flat-bottomed boat ending up on the bottom of a lock just sits there; a V-bottomed boat (which, as a Springer, I guess this is) will tip over -- and therefore becomes much wider and liable to get stuck.

This is also a very valid possibility although I suspect most of the shallow V would just sink into the silt.

 

I got the impression from Paul C's post it's been cleared now. Is that correct?

[Paul C]

Does this actually have anything to do with the width of the boat or the lock? It's been suggested above that there was too little water in the pound. A flat-bottomed boat ending up on the bottom of a lock just sits there; a V-bottomed boat (which, as a Springer, I guess this is) will tip over -- and therefore becomes much wider and liable to get stuck.

 

Post #6 explains it was going up. I suspect what's happened (can only guess, based on the limited info so far) is that the boat went up in a lock but the next pound was too low. Instead of floating in the lock and resolving this issue, they drove forwards anyway and became wedged. Instead of just being wedged, because of the shallow V hull it also gradually tipped, thus became stuck side-to-side. Its quite possible that the detailed aspects of the lock shape or projections, or detail aspects of the hull sides, have exacerbated the "stuck" position such that refloating or levering, or simply reversing, can't get it unstuck. Its also quite possible that the boat is under 6'10" (when its upright) and the lock is over 6'10" thus had they not wedged/tipped the boat it would have been a non-issue.

 

I believe a boat became hung on the cill exiting a lock on the HNC not so long ago, it was a more serious situation though because the rear gates leaked/failed and drained both pound and lock, and because of the position of the boat it tipped over and took on water.

 

So its definitely a danger that a boater should be aware of.