Napton flight - Boat stuck

[Tiller1]

 

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.

Can you confirm whether you are present at the scene Paul? I took your previous post to mean the 'wait is over' and the boat is clear. We are heading that way.

[PeterG]

Not the first time this has happened and I have seen it happen a number of times with a low pound due to the shape of the lock lower down.

 

Last time though I was involved helping out we found a fender left down which we had great delight cutting off.

[Paul C]

Can you confirm whether you are present at the scene Paul? I took your previous post to mean the 'wait is over' and the boat is clear. We are heading that way.

 

I'm not at the scene, I think you've just misinterpreted what I said. You said "lets just wait until the boat gets stuck" and I replied "the wait is over because the boat is now stuck".

[Tiller1]

 

I'm not at the scene, I think you've just misinterpreted what I said. You said "lets just wait until the boat gets stuck" and I replied "the wait is over because the boat is now stuck".

You have just misquoted what you posted. I will assume it's still stuck then. Thank you.

[Paul C]

You have just misquoted what you posted. I will assume it's still stuck then. Thank you.

 

So what, its near enough what you said - I went back and checked. Also I didn't QUOTE you I PARAPHRASED what you said.

[Tiller1]

 

So what, its near enough what you said - I went back and checked. Also I didn't QUOTE you I PARAPHRASED what you said.

You misquoted what YOU posted first, not me. silly billy.

[Paul C]

Once again, so what? People can go and review what was said, then paraphrased, on both occasions. If you want to make a big deal out of it, it will merely detract from the main subject of the thread and show you as needlessly argumentative.

[mayalld]

 

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 would humbly suggest that a springer is more prone to sticking, for two reasons;

 

1) Lack of tumblehome to the gunwhales from the top rubbing strake

2) The V-hull makes them more "ginger", and liable to roll enough to make contact both sides.

[Tiller1]

Once again, so what? People can go and review what was said, then paraphrased, on both occasions. If you want to make a big deal out of it, it will merely detract from the main subject of the thread and show you as needlessly argumentative.

Which you have succeeded in doing by thinking a mis-quote is the same as paraphrasing.

 

Lol.

Once again, so what? People can go and review what was said, then paraphrased, on both occasions. If you want to make a big deal out of it, it will merely detract from the main subject of the thread and show you as needlessly argumentative.

Which you have succeeded in doing by thinking a mis-quote is the same as paraphrasing.

 

Lol.

[billS]

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

 

That problem seems to extend back to at least 1944. Susan Woolfitt describes getting a boat stuck in that particular lock in her book "Idle Women".

[cuthound]

That problem seems to extend back to at least 1944. Susan Woolfitt describes getting a boat stuck in that particular lock in her book "Idle Women".

I'll bet she didn't leave her fenders down! ☺

[Horace42]

We were victims of a delay on the Napton flight many years ago.- can't remember the lock number - but it was near the top.

An old wooden working boat got stuck halfway out of a lock coming down.

The boat had bulged outwards in it's length and caught the lock walls when trying to leave during low pound water.

Unknown to us at the time was a small submerged branch had edged between the boat and lock wall.

Opening the top paddle to flush the boat out partly worked but water flowed out was fast as it flowed in.

 

To cut a long story short - as well as flushing - the boat was eventually removed by brute force - being holiday time there were lots a people around - so lots of ropes borrowed from waiting boats - tied in long lengths - and lots of people pulling on them (boaters, hikers, cyclists, fishermen, anybody willing to help) - making a tug-of-war team - the constant flushing also raised the level of the pound enough to free the branch as the boat lifted - so inch-by-inch we eventually pulled it out.

 

"This happens quite a lo with this old boatt" were the cheerful parting words as he went on down the flight.

[ditchcrawler]

This is the last one I saw when we moored at the top of the flight. Second lock from the bottom

[gazza]

This is the last one I saw when we moored at the top of the flight. Second lock from the bottom

That's a fair smoke screen coming out of that thing!

[matty40s]

There's a boat called Sycamore gets stuck there twice a year on his annual voyages. You just help out, pull or shove, use the paddles and water effectively and soon he is free.

Been there 3 times when this has happened.

[davidg]

 

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.

 

The boat was stuck 3 parts of the way into the lock with the bottom gates open. The gates were back into the recesses and the pound was full - it certainly was by the time I'd set up a rolling wave up & down the pound, a back wave as Tam calls it. Unfortunately the only boat available to snatch it out was having to do it going backwards and I'm not sure the steerer was particularly ept. I was surprised it didn't pop out the amount the fore end was rising when we racked the paddles up the third time. I was on my way to work so left it to Steve Powell.

[Paul C]

 

The boat was stuck 3 parts of the way into the lock with the bottom gates open. The gates were back into the recesses and the pound was full - it certainly was by the time I'd set up a rolling wave up & down the pound, a back wave as Tam calls it. Unfortunately the only boat available to snatch it out was having to do it going backwards and I'm not sure the steerer was particularly ept. I was surprised it didn't pop out the amount the fore end was rising when we racked the paddles up the third time. I was on my way to work so left it to Steve Powell.

 

Great, thanks for the update.

[ditchcrawler]

. I was on my way to work so left it to Steve Powell.

He is a dab hand at pulling them out

[junior]

There's a boat called Sycamore gets stuck there twice a year on his annual voyages. You just help out, pull or shove, use the paddles and water effectively and soon he is free.

Been there 3 times when this has happened.

Met an Australian guy today who knew you painted Halsall and knew you by name. Asked if i knew where you were and said he was trying to get hold of you. Im sure it was for positive reasons!

[matty40s]

Met an Australian guy today who knew you painted Halsall and knew you by name. Asked if i knew where you were and said he was trying to get hold of you. Im sure it was for positive reasons!

Painting at the usual place until the end of the year....although I have 3 weeks out in between boats at the end of the month.☺

[junior]

Painting at the usual place until the end of the year....although I have 3 weeks out in between boats at the end of the month.☺

I've no details for him other than knowing it was an Australian couple

Painting at the usual place until the end of the year....although I have 3 weeks out in between boats at the end of the month.☺

c on a boat called Whipsnade.

Painting at the usual place until the end of the year....although I have 3 weeks out in between boats at the end of the month.☺

On a boat called Whio.

[matty40s]

Those Australians are from new Zealand. ....

[ditchcrawler]

I met a group of New Zealand boaters on holiday, they said when they cocked up they just told people they were Australians

[RLWP]

I met a group of New Zealand boaters on holiday, they said when they cocked up they just told people they were Australians

 

I'm going to try that

 

Richard

[FadeToScarlet]

I'm going to try that

 

Richard

"Welcome to Australia, where we call our mates '****', and our ****s, 'mate'."

 

Edit to add- I'll help with drinking the wine, so you can get the corks for your hat.

Edited August 22, 2016 by FadeToScarlet