Setting lock in advance rant

[Dave_P]

 

No - you absolutely have not read my post!

 

And nor have you.

 

In the example I gave the lock wheeler has not in any way touched the top couple of locks, which will be exactly as they were as if that lock wheeler had not been all the way up to the top to check the situation there.

 

But perhaps I haven't explained clearly enough?

 

Thank you - glad someone understood!

It was perfectly clear to me and something I've done myself when I've got a larger crew.

Going back to the OP, it definitely is irritating when a boat coming the other way has set locks against you. Even more so when they've left crew members by the lock gates to 'guard' the locks and ensure you don't turn them back your way.

[LoneWolf]

It was perfectly clear to me and something I've done myself when I've got a larger crew.

Going back to the OP, it definitely is irritating when a boat coming the other way has set locks against you. Even more so when they've left crew members by the lock gates to 'guard' the locks and ensure you don't turn them back your way.

 

Even more irritating when you've just set a lock for yourself and are walking back to the boat and some blighter comes round the corner and nicks the lock

[MtB]

Not that there is supposed to be any rush!

 

 

Where do you get that idea from? Do you have a reference for this please?

 

Edit to expand:

 

A good proportion on my boating involves aiming to get somewhere specific by a time deadline. Perhaps getting to the mooring where I've parked the van before nightfall, or to the pub for food before they stop serving at 9pm, or to a festival before it starts, or a yard to get diesel before they close. To give some examples.

 

In fact I think I hardly ever just go boating idly with no need to get to anywhere by any particular time. I'm obviously doing it wrong!

Edited October 30, 2016 by Mike the Boilerman

[Dave_P]

 

Even more irritating when you've just set a lock for yourself and are walking back to the boat and some blighter comes round the corner and nicks the lock

Hahaha! There were failings on both sides on that occasion! I may have only set one lock ahead but to be fair to you, it was on the other side of a junction which was a silly thing to do. In my defence, I was knackered and not thinking straight.

[MtB]

Hahaha! There were failings on both sides on that occasion!

 

 

No I disagree. I've had the same thing. As a solo boater I've set a lock, opened the gate and on more than one occasion by the time I've walked 50 yards back to the boat and stepped onto the counter, someone has appeared from nowhere and shut it again.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Mike the Boilerman

[biggles47]

 

 

Where do you get that idea from? Do you have a reference for this please?

https://g.co/kgs/HpAzxC

[bizzard]

Messing with locks in an advanced state of rant is cilly, bad for you, and the locks.

[LoneWolf]

Hahaha! There were failings on both sides on that occasion! I may have only set one lock ahead but to be fair to you, it was on the other side of a junction which was a silly thing to do. In my defence, I was knackered and not thinking straight.

 

I was a bit aghast when i realised we were stealing a singlehanders lock - it's happened to me several times

At least we didnt have a shouting match

 

 

 

 

 

No I disagree. I've had the same thing. As a solo boater I've set a lock, opened the gate and on more than one occasion by the time I've walked 50 yards back to the boat and stepped onto the counter, someone has appeared from nowhere and shut it again.

 

we didnt shut the gate - we came out of the junction & stole the lock he'd just set while he was doing the long walk back to his boat

[MtB]

 

I was a bit aghast when i realised we were stealing a singlehanders lock - it's happened to me several times

At least we didnt have a shouting match

 

we didnt shut the gate - we came out of the junction & stole the lock he'd just set while he was doing the long walk back to his boat

 

 

Ah yes I'd forgotten that incident!

 

When I'm out boating solo I tend to look over my shoulder a couple of times as I walk back to the boat now to check no-one is shutting the gate.

[LoneWolf]

 

 

Ah yes I'd forgotten that incident!

 

When I'm out boating solo I tend to look over my shoulder a couple of times as I walk back to the boat now to check no-one is shutting the gate.

 

I've never had anyone turn a lock I've just set but i've had plenty of gates shut (or locks turned) as i've been approaching - you just get used to it if you're single handing - no point getting angry about it

Middlewich is particularly bad for this for some reason

[MtB]

 

I've never had anyone turn a lock I've just set but i've had plenty of gates shut (or locks turned) as i've been approaching - you just get used to it if you're single handing - no point getting angry about it

Middlewich is particularly bad for this for some reason

 

 

The first time it happened to me I'd actually untied the boat, pushed off, stepped onto the counter and engaged ahead befoe looking up at the lock. Seeing the gate closed that I'd just opened 45 seconds before had me questioning my sanity!

 

(Again.)

[LoneWolf]

 

 

The first time it happened to me I'd actually untied the boat, pushed off, stepped onto the counter and engaged ahead befoe looking up at the lock. Seeing the gate closed that I'd just opened 45 seconds before had me questioning my sanity!

 

(Again.)

 

And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it cos by the time you've walked back to the lock they've opened the paddles!

[Dave_P]

 

And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it cos by the time you've walked back to the lock they've opened the paddles!

You can do something. You can give them 'the glare'. I'm still practising mine. At the moment my attempt at 'the glare' looks like I'm unsuccessfully trying to hold in a fart.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Dave_P

[Barry]

Or the opposite....The Thousand Yard Stare

 

Where you let your expressionless gaze linger fleetingly on their face as it sweeps across them to focus on the horizon

[max campbell]

 

Even more irritating when you've just set a lock for yourself and are walking back to the boat and some blighter comes round the corner and nicks the lock

 

I've been the one coming round the corner, into an open lock, when activity starts on the boat moored next to the landing stage - "oi that's our lock, we were just having a cup of tea." There wasn't room for both in the lock, and we carried on. They were very annoyed.

[Mike Todd]

 

No - you absolutely have not read my post!

 

And nor have you.

 

In the example I gave the lock wheeler has not in any way touched the top couple of locks, which will be exactly as they were as if that lock wheeler had not been all the way up to the top to check the situation there.

 

But perhaps I haven't explained clearly enough?

 

Thank you - glad someone understood!

I understood it perfectly well the first time!

 

What has also not been mentioned is the benefit of setting in terms of water conservation, to minimise the amount of water that is sent down bywashes when the flight is not running weir.

[Neil2]

I do hope Missmax is reading this thread.

[fittie]

I have lost the plot once (about 35 years ago) when I had set the first look in the hatton flight both gates open and ready to go - went back to the boats, pair large Woolwiches, and swung out ready to go in the look when a cruiser cut in front of my bows and straight into the readied lock.

Well...

 

I was not a happy chappy.

[ditchcrawler]

 

Looking at your profile, you must be one of the few canoes that sends two lock wheelers ahead of the boat. Respect is due!

I would rather he carried it round

[Arthur Marshall]

Would have been helpful having someone going ahead to set the locks coming down Bosley couple of days ago as my gearbox is buggered again and I've got no reverse. The always-helpful vol lockies on the flight met us (one on the boat, one doing the locks) at about the third lock, set the next one for us (which was nice) and then disappeared. All three of them. Never saw them again, not even to tell them one of the paddles (lock 5) was broken. . . they did say they'd reported the broken paddle on lock 6, but they hadn't put a notice or anything useful like that on it.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Arthur Marshall

[The Bearwood Boster]

You can do something. You can give them 'the glare'. I'm still practising mine. At the moment my attempt at 'the glare' looks like I'm unsuccessfully trying to hold in a fart.

As a retired teacher,I can do the stare without even thinking about it. ..Mind you,if you look like you are trying to hold in a fart ...you probably are???pfffft?

[biggles47]

Would have been helpful having someone going ahead to set the locks coming down Bosley couple of days ago as my gearbox is buggered again and I've got no reverse. The always-helpful vol lockies on the flight met us (one on the boat, one doing the locks) at about the third lock, set the next one for us (which was nice) and then disappeared. All three of them. Never saw them again, not even to tell them one of the paddles (lock 5) was broken. . . they did say they'd reported the broken paddle on lock 6, but they hadn't put a notice or anything useful like that on it.

No reverse? How did you stop the boat?

[ditchcrawler]

No reverse? How did you stop the boat?

Horse boats didn't have reverse

[NickF]

I would rather he carried it round

Rest assured, I have never taken my canoe through a lock! (except when its on the roof of a narrowboat.)

 

I do like the Medway locks though where you can bypass them. ( as in my profile picture) much quicker!

Edited October 30, 2016 by NickF

[biggles47]

Horse boats didn't have reverse

Yes but they had 1 or 2 horsepower to stop.