Nearly came to grief because of a log

[Jennifer McM]

38 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

That is very true . How often I see people open a paddle then walk away to look at something somewhere or stand in a group back to the lock talking

 

Yes, or walk on to set the next lock while their boat's rising/lowering in the a lock - we've been guilty of doing that, but never again. 

Edited June 9, 2018 by Jennifer McM

[ditchcrawler]

I have wedged on logs in locks twice now, but while going in, not up or down

[Wanderer Vagabond]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

That is very true . How often I see people open a paddle then walk away to look at something somewhere or stand in a group back to the lock talking

 

Whilst it resulted in no incident, the event that slightly rattled me was at Hurleston bottom lock going down (that flight tends to be a bit narrow). There were volunteers on and one of them said to my crew,"OK, you get on the boat we'll do the paddles for you". She's never that keen to be on the boat in a lock and I tend to get onto the lockside, just to get out of the diesel exhaust (and work a few paddles) but with two of them on it seemed reasonable. We were both on the boat when the volunteers disappeared from the lockside to go and speak with the helm of a boat coming up so we were basically going down in an unattended lock, not a comfortable few minutes I would have to admit. I wont be doing that again. 

[ditchcrawler]

11 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Whilst it resulted in no incident, the event that slightly rattled me was at Hurleston bottom lock going down (that flight tends to be a bit narrow). There were volunteers on and one of them said to my crew,"OK, you get on the boat we'll do the paddles for you". She's never that keen to be on the boat in a lock and I tend to get onto the lockside, just to get out of the diesel exhaust (and work a few paddles) but with two of them on it seemed reasonable. We were both on the boat when the volunteers disappeared from the lockside to go and speak with the helm of a boat coming up so we were basically going down in an unattended lock, not a comfortable few minutes I would have to admit. I wont be doing that again. 

If Diana is not about I stand on the lock side

[Wanderer Vagabond]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

If Diana is not about I stand on the lock side

Even if crew is around I tend to be on the lock side now, unless on the Huddersfield Broad/ Calder and Hebble when I'm needed on the boat to keep it diagonal in the lock

[LankyStreak]

A few years ago we were stuck on the K&A with a several other boats waiting to go down from the top lock of the Bath flight down to the River Avon.  The bottom gates wouldn't close.  There was clearly some obstruction that was causing these gates not to meet in the middle.  CRT were informed and two of their men were impressively quickly on site.  They drained the short pound between the affected lock and the one below, then one of them waded in and 'fished' for the obstruction.  He quickly found that it was a short log stopping the gates from closing and he fished it out.  However to my everlasting astonishment instead of retrieving it from the canal he just threw it back into the canal a few feet away from the bottom gates where there was a good chance that it would either return to the same lock or be washed down by the water into the lock below.  Here's the photo I took as he chucked the log, which you can clearly see at the bottom of the picture.

 

[Boater Sam]

H&SE risk assessment, exceeds the lifting recommendations for one man.

[Timx]

It might just be anger, I heard he then ran up to it and punched it, then held it under the water for five minutes, continually swearing at it. But I maybe wrong.

[MtB]

12 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Whilst it resulted in no incident, the event that slightly rattled me was at Hurleston bottom lock going down (that flight tends to be a bit narrow). There were volunteers on and one of them said to my crew,"OK, you get on the boat we'll do the paddles for you". She's never that keen to be on the boat in a lock and I tend to get onto the lockside, just to get out of the diesel exhaust (and work a few paddles) but with two of them on it seemed reasonable. We were both on the boat when the volunteers disappeared from the lockside to go and speak with the helm of a boat coming up so we were basically going down in an unattended lock, not a comfortable few minutes I would have to admit. I wont be doing that again. 

 

Another good example of the not-immediately-obvious risks of allowing non-crew-members to work you through a lock,

 

Illustrates how the welfare of your boat not being of any particular importance to them personally, can lead them to them losing interest in your passage through the lock unexpectedly at any time. 

 

Just Human nature really, and it helps to understand it. 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2018 by Mike the Boilerman

[Rob-M]

If I am working the locks with Mrs-M I will get of and do the lock the boat is in and she will go on to the next lock if in a flight. If it is just a single lock I tend to stay on the boat. If I am on my own and subduing offers to do the lock for me I will often still get off the boat and assist unless I know the lock is a shallow one where I could be off the boat quickly if needs be. 

[ditchcrawler]

Having been on a cill recently while I was off the boat all I can say is you have to be quick

[Wanderer Vagabond]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Having been on a cill recently while I was off the boat all I can say is you have to be quick

Oh, when things go wrong I have the ability to be really quick?. It reminds me of an old sailing adage, the best bilge pump is a frightened man with a bucket?