Close call today

[Gareth E]

Going up the Cheshire locks single handed: I had both paddles open, the boat was towards the front of the lock. All seemed well then the boat began to quickly take on a strange angle, like it was caught on one side. I rushed to close the nearest paddle but before I lowered it there was a big splash as the boat righted itself then shook around. I examined the walls, there was nothing sticking out that might have caused it. The only damage was 2 broken glasses and a broken isolator switch. The batteries were strapped down but must have moved. Could have been so much worse!

 

This has never happened before in 5 years on the canals. Has anyone had a similar experience, did you work out the cause?   

[X Alan W]

1 hour ago, Gareth E said:

Going up the Cheshire locks single handed: I had both paddles open, the boat was towards the front of the lock. All seemed well then the boat began to quickly take on a strange angle, like it was caught on one side. I rushed to close the nearest paddle but before I lowered it there was a big splash as the boat righted itself then shook around. I examined the walls, there was nothing sticking out that might have caused it. The only damage was 2 broken glasses and a broken isolator switch. The batteries were strapped down but must have moved. Could have been so much worse!

 

This has never happened before in 5 years on the canals. Has anyone had a similar experience, did you work out the cause?   

Back in th days of rail lines using the blocks of wood to hold the rail in the chairs? it was a fairly regular thing to get hung up or jammed in a near rail line lock the local "yoof" used to throw the ones that had fallen out into the cut  so more than likely a lump of wood in the lock staying at water level & getting jammed up as the level rose & the chamber wall narrowed  Can stick a boat fast I had to "Tirfor" my motor out of the one above town lock at Audlem one time it was stuck solid or if your boat has an extended out top bend guard iron the have been known to catch & jam

Edited August 1, 2018 by X Alan W

[Machpoint005]

Same thing happened a few years ago when we were the only boat going down a wide lock. The baseplate got hooked up on a protruding brick (or missing pointing, probably) but freed itself with a crash just as the Memsahib was taking appropriate action. Hard to say, but the sudden fall was probably about six inches. One beer glass and one tea mug broken. 

[Nut]

glad all was ok OP

[Martin44]

Happy you are OK.

 

Similar thing happened when I was going down the river Nene. The weld-on over the exhaust got caught on one of the chains in a lock and the boat was seriously tipping over until I managed to kick the chain off. It was really scary and I doubt that I will ever again go on Nene single-handed. Those locks are hard work even without any such events.

[Detling]

gunwale stuck on a coping stone this year, double lock one boat, coping stone protruded by 6 mm and the boat listed about 10 degrees before it shook itself off with a big splosh. I was just about to drop the paddles to stop things when it came off.

[bizzard]

7 minutes ago, Detling said:

gunwale stuck on a coping stone this year, double lock one boat, coping stone protruded by 6 mm and the boat listed about 10 degrees before it shook itself off with a big splosh. I was just about to drop the paddles to stop things when it came off.

Leave yer fenders down to minimize this happening I do.  Tie em on with light weight rope which will snap if THEY get caught up.

Edited August 2, 2018 by bizzard

[Detling]

1 minute ago, bizzard said:

Leave yer fenders down to minimize this. I do. 

Nah lost too many and don't want to jam gates or put debris ready for peoples props.  Only time in over 2000 locks so just keep my eyes on the boat.

[bizzard]

Just now, Detling said:

Nah lost too many and don't want to jam gates or put debris ready for peoples props.  Only time in over 2000 locks so just keep my eyes on the boat.

Yes but you know if any bust off, you just fish em out.

[Detling]

Just now, bizzard said:

Yes but you know if any bust off, you just fish em out.

not the rubber pipe ones they sink, but the rope floats specially designed to catch a passing propeller.

[bizzard]

Just now, Detling said:

not the rubber pipe ones they sink, but the rope floats specially designed to catch a passing propeller.

The hollow ones don't.

[b0atman]

It didn't happen to be Rumps lock by any chance ?

 

[Cheshire cat]

The rubber pipe ones are made by extruding recycled waste from the underwater cable laying industry. As such the sheath is meant to be tough and have negative buoyancy. 

 

The waste is heated up and extruded into fenders by Trafalgar Marine Services at New Mills, less than a stones throw from New Mills wharf. They also make it into front and rear fender cores. Much stronger than old kart tyres.

[Tanglewood]

2 hours ago, Detling said:

gunwale stuck on a coping stone this year, double lock one boat, coping stone protruded by 6 mm and the boat listed about 10 degrees before it shook itself off with a big splosh. I was just about to drop the paddles to stop things when it came off.

Same happened to us - rubbing strafe on the bow gunwale caught on the coping stone at Talbots' (Stoke Hammond) on the GU.  Gives you a bit of a start, but no bad thing as it does act as a reminder. Less likely with two boats: it was because we were at an angle across a lock

[Gareth E]

I initially thought it might be the coping stones, there's one each side of this particular lock, about half way down. But the boat was below the level of these when it caught up.

 

By the way, I think coping stones sticking out into the lock is a very bad idea, nearly all the Cheshire locks have them. Does anyone know what purpose they serve? 

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, Gareth E said:

I initially thought it might be the coping stones, there's one each side of this particular lock, about half way down. But the boat was below the level of these when it caught up.

 

By the way, I think coping stones sticking out into the lock is a very bad idea, nearly all the Cheshire locks have them. Does anyone know what purpose they serve? 

I don't know whether there was a specific issue or fault which cause your problem, but I find those locks are an unpleasant ride going up.  Even when opening top paddles with particular care the boat appears to rise higher at the back than the front and then to slide down the "slope" towards the top gate with some force.  When you learn to nose up to the front cill/gate, it still seems to raise the back end significantly, so it would be quite a small extra step to add a bit of twist and hang up a bit against brickwork which wouldn't even be noticed as a snagging hazard in other locks.  Just my thoughts. 

[Movin' on]

Got caught on a CRT temporary brickwork repair on the GU Wilton flight very scary - glad you were OK 

[Gareth E]

Just realised I've been misleading you all along, I was going down the locks, not up. Less chance of sinking I guess but it came off whatever the snag was with a hell of a bang, hence the broken isolator switch.